Hearing Aids and shooting

[Col. Batguano]

I'm getting to the point that I'm going to be needing them. I'm sure there are more than a few members here that use them. What do you guys do with them when you shoot? Take them out or leave them in? If you just take them out and put them in your pocket, could they be damaged by the loud noise of the gunfire on the range (I'm thinking particularly of that new-fangled smokeless stuff that some think is here to stay)?

 

[FishDFly]

You take them out and turn them off.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Up until my most recent pair I took them out and turned them off and used ear plugs or muffs. My current pair has a noise limit suppressor. Gunshots are not uncomfortable to me. Check with whoever you get yours from

 

[stewart.leach]

Colonel B, thanks to years of shooting as an NRA junior, and decades of NRA/CMP Highpower Rifle, hearing aids are a necessary part of my life. I should have been fitted for hearing aids a good five years before I was, it would have improved my marriage.

At the range I take 'em off, turn off, and place in a repurposed pill bottle. I then install molded to fit plugs to protect what natural hearing I have left. This creates a problem: I don't usually hear "Cease Fire" commands. I ask the RO to come tap me on the shoulder, then call out the command.

 

[sawyer04]

I take mine out.

 

[russellshaffer]

Would it work to wear muffs over the hearing aids? The electronic muffs let you hear but cut out the gunshots. Or maybe you could take out the aids and turn up the volume on the muffs? I don't have hearing aids yet but my time is coming.

 

[Billy Boy]

I'm getting to the point that I'm going to be needing them. I'm sure there are more than a few members here that use them. What do you guys do with them when you shoot? Take them out or leave them in? If you just take them out and put them in your pocket, could they be damaged by the loud noise of the gunfire on the range (I'm thinking particularly of that new-fangled smokeless stuff that some think is here to stay)?

 

[Billy Boy]

The gizmos these days have multiple programs in each instrument that can be set up for different needs. I have one prog. for TV, one for the car, one for streaming the phone to, one for shooting, ie an electronic ear protector that still lets you hear speech and the pitter-patter of hooves in the leaves. Great things, finally. I have a mute position for listening to criticism from the bunk muffin.....

 

[Irish lad]

I leave my hearing aids at home, and wear electronic muffs at the range and while hunting.
I have a 50% loss in both ears and want to keep what is left.
Irish

 

[Dwight Rutherford]

I do as the Irish lad does.

 

[Big Rviers]

I'm down to 10% in both ears and take every measure to protect what I have left and still shoot. I wear foam inserts and the best quality ear muffs I could find. At best I get 30 - 40 decibels of protection. Look it up online, there's lots of info about what protection your getting and not getting. I shoot mid week when there are less shooters on the line, and I arrive early and claim an end bench preferably with the wind from the non shooter side so I'm only exposed to muzzle blast from one side and have no wall next to me to reflect sound back. Having my gun smoke go towards the other guys ..you know "those" guys.. keeps most of them from wanting to bench right next to me. I have a phone Ap called "Soundprint" to monitor the amount of noise I'm exposed to, and when it gets to high or intense I leave the range. Same when the assault rifle crowd shows up, those short barreled autos with muzzle compensators are right off the sound scale. Long answer here, but remember once your hearing is gone, it's gone forever.

 

[Keb]

... My current pair has a noise limit suppressor. Gunshots are not uncomfortable to me. Check with whoever you get yours from

Same with mine. The shot sounds are muffled.

 

[SDSmlf]

Not muzzleloader related, but hearing protection related. Uncle is his mid 80’s and is Marine Corps Vet. He continuously talks about how wonderful the M1 Garand was and is. Last visit with him I brought one along with a bunch of ammo and arranged a place to shoot it. Believe I saw a tear or two in his eyes when I handed it to him. He said it was a lot heavier than he remembered one being 60 years plus years ago as he stared at it. Offered him ear plugs and muffs. He wanted no part of them. Suggested he remove his hearing aides and use some protection. Nope. He then turned up the volume on the hearing aides as he got ready to shoot. He said he wanted to hear it all.

 

[rudy43norvelle]

I take them out and then use ear plugs and over the ear headphones as i want to protect what little hearing I have left.

 

[Daniel Dickey]

I also use electronic earmuffs. I had 60% loss in 1 ear and 40% loss in the other when I was 18. I failed 2 physicals trying to get into the military. It has gotten worse in the 50 years since then. Please use something to protect yours!

 

[Loyalist Dave]

The biggest problem often isn't at the range...

You guys who mow the grass with a gas lawnmower, should be wearing hearing protection, and never have the driver's side window open while you drive, enough that the passing wind "flutters" against your left ear. Other machine applications you need that protection too.

The problem I have with muffs is they tend on some of my rifles to press against the stock and be moved off my ear. So I use plugs. I have pretty sensitive hearing, in that any "loud" noises make me wince, so I have been rather fastidious about hearing protection.

My kids are of the "ear bud" generation, and can't figure out how I am so quiet and can sneak up on them but they can't sneak up on me....

LD

 

[BullRunBear]

I turn off my hearing aids and store them in a little box while shooting. I have fitted ear plugs if things are especially loud but can usually get by safely with good electronic muffs. (One advantage of shooting black powder.) I'm down to fifty percent hearing due to genetics, not trauma, and want to hang on to what I have left. I do the same when mowing the lawn. Maybe I should just get an old style reel push mower for the quiet and the exercise. Hey, it worked for me 60 years ago.

Jeff

 

[Col. Batguano]

Yeah I think we all know to safeguard ourselves around ranges (it seems to me that the magnum CF revolvers are the worst of the lot) but it's the stuff like lawnmowers and chain saws (I use them then) that can be the real culprits.

They say the best hearing we'll ever have is the day we're born, and it is continually degrading after that. I'm guessing there's a hearing doctor lurking somewhere on this forum that might chime in to give us better medical facts though.

 

[mark/wi]

I take my hearing aids out at the shoot and hearing wear protection. Mark

 

[beginner]

I take mine out and turn them off and leave them in the truck in there case