Is your ear protection enough?

[JokerGirl]

I've been trapshooting every weekend for around 15 years now, and have worn foam earplugs for much of that time.

While I have noticed some hearing loss, I can't necessarily say that it's from shooting as I used to frequent a lot of concerts and clubs without wearing plugs, and that's actually when I began to notice the hearing loss.

It could be a combination, but I feel that it's more than likely from all of the loud, unprotected music than it is from shooting.

 

[BigMoose]

Headphones are pretty good hearing destroyers.

I use those bright orange rubber earplugs found in wall mart, they work good.

 

[Hohn]

It could be a combination, but I feel that it's more than likely from all of the loud, unprotected music than it is from shooting.

Very likely. Google up the "fletcher-munson curve" sometime and you'll see that the human ears are most sensitive right in the frequency range where the human voice is. Music at 120db might be much more damaging than gunfire at 130db because of the frequency content.

 

[VikingWarlord]

I've been dating an audiologist for about two years now, so I've learned way more than I ever wanted about hearing protection. Doubling up is good. Circumaural muffs won't always work at the stated NRR because that assumes a perfect seal.

Very likely. Google up the "fletcher-munson curve" sometime and you'll see that the human ears are most sensitive right in the frequency range where the human voice is. Music at 120db might be much more damaging than gunfire at 130db because of the frequency content.

All other things being equal, long term damage is determined more by length of exposure than frequency range, especially when you're comparing things over 120dB anyway. Generally, listening to loud music is likely to be more damage because the total time listening to music is greater than the total time exposed to gunshots.

 

[canav844]

I always double up, I wish the Federal Government would realize the health issue and make it easier for me to suppress the sound issue at the source for $10 as a common place accessory instead of $600 instead of a highly restricted niche market and $200 tax stamp. Obamacare will cover my hearing aid a few decades down the road, right?

 

[92ThoStro]

How does bass affect hearing, inside a vehicle?

I have always worn ear protection when shooting, and don't have any measurable hearing loss YET. I just wear those three bladed plugs that are cone shaped that have as string attached to the ends so you don't lose them.

 

[kludge]

Remember, Sound Pressure Level is a logarithmic scale; 110dB is twice as loud as 100dB and 120dB is twice as loud as 110dB.

Sounds above 120-125dB damage your hearing instantly and permanently, and the effects are cumulative. OSHA required hearing protection for everything above 80dB SPL.

So a gun shot (150-160dB) is 64 to 256 times as loud as the 80-90dB "factory noise level" stuff that requires hearing protection.

People (especially in cars) listen to loud music in the 80-90dB range to overcome road noise (in the 75dB range), and inside the cars that go by that annoy you, it can easily be in the 100-110dB region with big subwoofers and amplifiers. Headphone users routinely listen for long periods at 90-100dB (the distortion is very low with headphones and tends not to sound "loud" so people turn it up). Researchers and audiologists are now finding young people that have taken a half century off their ears because of this.

 

[Gadgetmonster]

For whatever reason I lost all of my high frequency hearing in my 30's. Drag racing, headphones, hammering steel in confined places bla, bla, bla.
Now I'm outfitted with double hearing aids. I hate them, there awful and expensive as heck. But what's worse is not being able to understand speech without them so you have to have them to function.
So please protect what hearing you have.
I wear earplugs as well as 32db muffs. People tell me that they have difficulty hearing range officers give orders when they double up like that. In my case I cant understand Jack. A friend told me the electronic muffs work great. You can hear people talk but they squelch the gun blast. Do they work? She told me Gander has decent ones for about $85. Any experience with the electronic muffs?

 

[SERparacord]

For whatever reason I lost all of my high frequency hearing in my 30's. Drag racing, headphones, hammering steel in confined places bla, bla, bla.
Now I'm outfitted with double hearing aids. I hate them, there awful and expensive as heck. But what's worse is not being able to understand speech without them so you have to have them to function.
So please protect what hearing you have.
I wear earplugs as well as 32db muffs. People tell me that they have difficulty hearing range officers give orders when they double up like that. In my case I cant understand Jack. A friend told me the electronic muffs work great. You can hear people talk but they squelch the gun blast. Do they work? She told me Gander has decent ones for about $85. Any experience with the electronic muffs?

Electronics work, I use them plus I still wear foam plugs too. I can hear all range commands. The best thing would be for suppressors to be reclassified as a safety device. That would save more ears.
I've used these for several years now.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/34...nic-earmuffs-nrr-25db-green?cm_vc=subv1160677

 

[jgreiner]

Mine is -30 db when turned off.

 

[RustyHornet]

I use something similar to these: Banded Earplugs NRR 25 Orange.

I work in a shop with loud air tools and these are the best I've ever tried. I have to take them out to hear myself or others talk. For shooting I've tried the over the ears but its not enough.

Jon

 

[SERparacord]

Mine is -30 db when turned off.

-40 when the wife is talking.

 

[traderdan]

If you are ever at Knob Creek....Be SURE to be well protected!I owned a Ruger Security Six when I was a teenager with a very short barrel and continually did damage. It is LOUD at Knob Creek!

 

[jgreiner]

-40 when the wife is talking.

LOL

 

[jerryv]

-40 when the wife is talking.

LMAO .. Is there any protection suitable for that application?

 

[Gary Clay]

Does any body use Eletronic Earmuffs that they like?
I would like to buy a nice set, I have seen them from $20 to $600

 

[cosermann]

Does any body use Eletronic Earmuffs that they like?
I would like to buy a nice set, I have seen them from $20 to $600

Start here: https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...tronic_hearing_protection_for_any_budget.html

 

[IUOE]

I always wear the expanding foam sets under my electric muffs.

 

[freekforge]

I know my hearing protection isn't enough because i usually forget it at the house. I imagine i have more damage from music than anything else. I guess my lack of caring about this is probably the reason my ears are always ringing

 

[cubbetm]

My right ear is actually ringing currently from shooting earlier this week and having an ear plug not in all the way. From now on its either double up or muffs