Hearing Protection?

[Black_Feather]

I’m only 30 and my ears ring all the time now, I was sighting in a bolt action 7mm savage hunting rifle about 5 years back, I had ear plugs in but ended up damaging my left ear pretty bad with tinnitus that day…From now on I only use over the ear protection, unless I’m hunting.

 

[Tacitus]

I have always used ear protection. A lifetime of exposure to firearms, jet engines, motorcycles, guitar amps and power tools would have left me deaf otherwise. At my age I thankfully still don't have tinnitus like some I know.
The downside is that so many of my age related peers turn their vocal knob up to 11 and shout-talk. Socializing sometimes leaves me with a headache caused from loud talking, TV, music, etc. I don't understand why one turns up the volume of those devices only to have to shout over the noise in order to converse. Then there is the irritation of having to repeat myself that comes from conversing with some who say "huh" constantly.
Have I become that cranky old guy? I guess I now belong way out here in the forest where the most annoying sound is an occasional barking squirrel.

 

[flntlokr]

I pretty much always do; particularly on the range with multiple guns going off continuously. I have work-related loss due to chainsaws and noisy trucks, so I try to protect what's left. I bought a set of Peltor electronics about 20 years ago when they were about the only ones out there. I haven't regretted the investment. There are electronic plugs available now that supposedly work also. Whatever you get, find the highest noise reduction ones you can. Also try to get ones that are designed specifically for high impact noise.

 

[Rod Man]

I do not wear the while hunting, I tried the Walker game head phones and game ears. They are ok but I found that if there is significant wind they are a waste of time. As far as range time absolutely I wear hearing protection of some kind always.

RM

 

[Rich44]

With all my guns I use ear protection. Why? I learned the hard way............got old and deaf. When I started in the early 70s it was not encourage nor taught. I did not know any better. I worked in commercial construction, that too took my hearing to the city dump. Again, in the 60s and 70s hearing protection was not encourage where I live. Safety in the US has come a long ways in in the last 30 years.

During the early 60's as a Tanker in the army you were issued cotton to stuff in your ears. The first time at the range and my fist time to hear a 90mm fire was very scary. I was standing outside of a tank lifting 90mm shells up to the person on top of the tank. Primer side up for safety. The tank next to us fired a round with the muzzle blast blowing my helmet right off my head. For about 5 sec I thought the shell I had in my hands blew up. After many days on the tank range and using cotton balls it was pleasant to be where it was quiet. With that experience I always wear ear muffs at the range. And I am lucky, while my hearing is not like a kid and I do catch myself asking some people to speak up, but I am not deaf by far.

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

During the early 60's as a Tanker in the army you were issued cotton to stuff in your ears. The first time at the range and my fist time to hear a 90mm fire was very scary. I was standing outside of a tank lifting 90mm shells up to the person on top of the tank. Primer side up for safety. The tank next to us fired a round with the muzzle blast blowing my helmet right off my head. For about 5 sec I thought the shell I had in my hands blew up. After many days on the tank range and using cotton balls it was pleasant to be where it was quiet. With that experience I always wear ear muffs at the range. And I am lucky, while my hearing is not like a kid and I do catch myself asking some people to speak up, but I am not deaf by far.

You are very fortunate to still have any hearing in my opinion. I got the two quotes off the net
"Ordinary cotton balls stuffed into the ears reduce noise by only about seven decibels. Kansas State University speech and hearing specialist, Dr. Harry Rainbolt, recommends cotton never be used to reduce noise exposure"

"The highest NRR rating for earplugs is 33, and the highest available NRR rating for earmuffs is 31. These values reflect the level of noise protection available for each device when worn alone".
Thanks for serving our country!!
Larry.

 

[doubleset]

I started wearing muff-style hearing protection in the '70s when I began to shoot handguns fairly frequently and in indoor ranges. It became a habit, and got passed on to my children. My wife also used hearing protectors from the time she learned to shoot.

I normally wear muffs: typically Howard Leight "Impact" electronic protectors for outdoor shooting, but sometimes Pro For Sho 34dB muffs if I don't feel I want to hear people around me, and I always wear the Pro For Sho muffs at indoor ranges -- sometimes WITH earplugs. If you don't wear both muffs AND earplugs, then you can count on someone with a .44 mag or .300 Win mag sitting down beside you and making your session miserable and short.

Sometimes when shooting in .22 rimfire-only matches I will wear earplugs that are comfortable and effective.

I've had tinnitus in my left ear for probably ten years. But not from shooting -- the result of a sinus/ear infection that I didn't get on fast enough.

 

[user 49399]

At 60 I still have excellent hearing as in no loss. My father always made me use hearing protection when shooting, mowing, operating powered hand tools, etc. Even after a career in the military, many years in industrial settings and operating heavy equipment my hearing is still excellent. I still wear hearing protection when operating loud equipment or at the gun range. I never did and still don’t wear hearing protection when hunting. I guess a few shots here and there aren’t enough to cause lasting damage.

 

[springfield art]

Hey

I was at a large event this weekend and noticed nobody on the firing line was wearing any ear protection that I could see. This was a living history shoot at a historic site. I got a good look at many sets of ears and didn’t see anyone using them.

I also attended a little class about how to fire a flintlock rifle, with some live fire at the end. It was a lot of fun but no ear pro was provided to the students and the instructors didn’t wear any either. I fired two shots with none and it wasn’t too bad. The gun was loaded fairly light.

Do you wear ear protection when shooting your flintlocks or percussions? If so, why or why not? Thanks!

They must be nuts. Please wear yourself.

 

[biliff]

My original reply (#16) said I don't use hearing protection while hunting. To amplify my response, I can't use sound blockers (plain plugs) when bird hunting as I need to hear the flush. I've tried the ear plugs that are supposed to only block loud noises, but I've found they distort the sound direction. In other words, I think I hear the bird flushing over here, when it's really flushing over there. If I could find hearing protection that didn't do that, I'd use it. Anybody else have that issue or am I just weird?

 

[Johnny Tremain]

In defense of the flat landers, most of them are sub sonic.

When I was in the bush, we would use Winston C ration filters, then smokem filterless.
Dont use filters any more. Its a kit you buy and mold them to you.
Now I have flesh colored, fit to my ear lugs. Works well with the medium woman, she does not even know they are in

 

[nhmoose]

Speaking of HC, makes me wonder what people used way back if anything….cotton?

Bet they went deaf.

I always wore hearing protection I also wore eye protection. Anywhere that don't allow them I will not shoot nor return to.

I liked plugs and electronic guards protection and able to hear range orders.

ML is not the only firearms I shoot.. Only time I do not use hearing protection is when shooting suppressed firearms still wear eye protection.

\

 

[Ponderosaman]

My original reply (#16) said I don't use hearing protection while hunting. To amplify my response, I can't use sound blockers (plain plugs) when bird hunting as I need to hear the flush. I've tried the ear plugs that are supposed to only block loud noises, but I've found they distort the sound direction. In other words, I think I hear the bird flushing over here, when it's really flushing over there. If I could find hearing protection that didn't do that, I'd use it. Anybody else have that issue or am I just weird?

Yes for sure. I use Walker earplugs while hunting and struggle with direction of noises. Before I got the Walkers a couple of years ago, I didn’t use anything while hunting. What got me to buy them was a shot (modern firearm) that definitely harmed my left ear. Hopefully with my dog, direction of the flush will be somewhat irrelevant. My Walkers were about 150ish and there is downside to them, wind as mentioned, you can kind of hear your breath and heart beat, batteries are a cost, and they cut out a little which is annoying. All considered though, I’ll wear them every time.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I wear hearing and eye protection at the range.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Hey

I was at a large event this weekend and noticed nobody on the firing line was wearing any ear protection that I could see. This was a living history shoot at a historic site. I got a good look at many sets of ears and didn’t see anyone using them.

I also attended a little class about how to fire a flintlock rifle, with some live fire at the end. It was a lot of fun but no ear pro was provided to the students and the instructors didn’t wear any either. I fired two shots with none and it wasn’t too bad. The gun was loaded fairly light.

Do you wear ear protection when shooting your flintlocks or percussions? If so, why or why not? Thanks!

I wear the flesh colored foam plugs to provide hearing protection. I have some period correct (at least acceptable) safety glasses.

So, you were at Fort de Chartres. I was camped in the military area and the only British Grenadier there, so not hard to find. I'd have found a place for you to visit while there. @andy52 dropped by my camp.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

I wear the flesh colored foam plugs to provide hearing protection. I have some period correct (at least acceptable) safety glasses.

So, you were at Fort de Chartres. I was camped in the military area and the only British Grenadier there, so not hard to find. I'd have found a place for you to visit while there. @andy52 dropped by my camp.

Wow I walked right past a tent with some military folks. I may have seen you.

 

[Colonial Boy]

I first got ringing in the ears at 20 when I was a wireless op in the army, got caught in a bad electrical storm and there was a lightning strike near bye, instant deafening boom in the earphones, ironically I was requesting permission to shut down at the time, permission was refused but my Company Commander told me to shut down anyway.
Then followed some years as an armourer firing all sorts of stuff without hearing protection, it just wasn’t done.
I still have acute hearing but advanced Industrial deafness, unless I’m face to face human conversation is just babble, but loud voices and particularly happy screeching children are trying.
Hearing aids are no help.
So now days I always wear protection to preserve what I have left, particularly the ability to hear music.

I strongly urge hearing protection, once it’s gone it don’t come back.

 

[TexiKan]

At our range, hearing AND eye protection have long been required. Although I have been shooting at our club range since the mid 1970's, I was more concerned about hearing loss as a music teacher and a musician who played a lot of rock and roll in college. I recall the ringing in my ears after a gig and I did not want that while shooting and have always had ear protection. Many people my age have hearing aids and so far I do not, although I am probably about ready for them. Still, my persistence to use hearing protection has paid off.

 

[Thomas.bill92]

Yep, I wear either regular foamies when shooting or the safari land plugs with the percussive filters on woods walks or when shooting with friends. The let enough sound through for pretty normal conversation but block a good bit of the rifle "crack". I can even hear squirrels scampering through the wood or cutting nuts with them in.

 

[dave951]

Hey

I was at a large event this weekend and noticed nobody on the firing line was wearing any ear protection that I could see. This was a living history shoot at a historic site. I got a good look at many sets of ears and didn’t see anyone using them.

I also attended a little class about how to fire a flintlock rifle, with some live fire at the end. It was a lot of fun but no ear pro was provided to the students and the instructors didn’t wear any either. I fired two shots with none and it wasn’t too bad. The gun was loaded fairly light.

Do you wear ear protection when shooting your flintlocks or percussions? If so, why or why not? Thanks!

First off- any responsible person conducting firing will be wearing at least foam plugs. There are some reenactors who think it'll make them look "farby" but there are neutral color plugs out there.

As for the "class"- if those conducting the class were not certified instructors, that opens up a huge can of liability worms. If they were certified, they've violated a number of safety rules and again, opened a door to a lawsuit. Couple a non-certified "instructor" with no ear/eye pro provided or used on the firing line and there's a walk over lawsuit waiting to happen. That type of "instructor" are the ones we can do without.

I wear eye/ear pro all the time while shooting. I wear eye/ear pro much of the time while working. I already have some tinnitus and don't want to make it any worse. When I'm instructing on the range, I wear active muffs so I can clearly hear conversations. When I'm competing or shooting, I use plugs. If I'm around modern guns, it's muffs and plugs.