Shooting without ear protection

[Jay]

It only took one shot with my .454 Casull Taurus Raging Bull to find out my left ear will shut down completely (deaf) for about 15 minutes. I think you would be hard pressed to find another caliber with this DB level report.

...and from this you learned...

 

[1911Shooter]

I personally didnt start wearing hearing protection until about 4 or 5 years ago. My ears are bad as confirmed by a doctor. I hear ringing almost all the time and exspecially if it is quiet. It really started to bug me when I try and sleep. Although I say I wear hearing protection now, that is only at the range or when dove hunting. I do this because at the range and when dove hunting I know where everyone is so I just pay attention with my eyes and not my ears. When deer hunting or even rabbit hunting with other people I need to be able to hear. In most cases I dont know where the deer are and in rabbit hunting we try and walk a line but that can get scattered and out wack, so I want to be able to yell and let everyone know where I am and where they are. The only time I have shot inside anything was in a homemade blind at deer. I will say shooting a 44 mag pistol inside of basically a shed is not a good idea. Your ears will ring for months and it does actually hurt. I would recommend always wearing hearing protection when shooting, except for when situtaions call for no protection because of other, more important safety precautions.

 

[JetGirl]

I use these Howard Leight | Impact Sport Electronic Earmuff and provide them to students when I teach.

Those are good.
The first few times I went shooting with Jay, he loaned me a pair...I liked them so much, I bought my own. Here's a link to buy them from Midway USA, but keep an eye on the rotating coupons you can use here...every so often one comes up that you can use for 10 bucks off on a $50 order...it covers shipping plus a little.

 

[paperboy]

I always wear hearing protection. A 22 rifle doesn't bother me without using some but anything else bothers me.

 

[Jay]

I always wear hearing protection. A 22 rifle doesn't bother me without using some but anything else bothers me.

Gunshot noise ratings average starting at the low end of the caliber spectrum, around 120-140 db. (see previous post in the thread for a table)

Most OSHA regulations have established around 85 db of noise as the maximum safe level without hearing protection.

The math would indicate to me that whether it "bothers" you or not, you may well be damaging your ears... but... they're your ears. As you wish.

 

[88E30M50]

Back in the 70s, we rarely had any form of hearing protection when we went shooting. At best, someone brought along a handful of cotton balls, but more often than not, didn't even do that. I remember my ears ringing for a couple of days after shooting a 357. In the 80s and 90s, I worked as an aircraft mechanic and that was pretty hard on the hearing as well. There were times that a jet would taxi up to the front of a hangar and the noise would be with you for days there too. Even when we wore hearing protection, it was not always adequate. Doing inspections next to a running ADP was tough even with headphones and earplugs both at the same time.

But now days, we have the benefit of some pretty nice technology. The powered headphones we use are inexpensive ($29) and work so well that we usually don't take them off when the line goes cold. To be honest, I think I can hear conversations a bit better with them on than I can with them off.

 

[buford t justice]

We always use muffs at the range but a couple of weeks ago a gent showed up with a 340 weatherby with a muzzle break,it was so loud we went back to the truck and put ear plugs in and our muffs back on.

 

[Drail]

Even if you feel like "it doesn't bother me" you are doing permanent damage. Use plugs or muffs.

 

[Boost Lee]

The private range that I go to has a great setup,
but it's next to a large garage/shed, so I almost always use ear protection.

I fired a big S&W 44 Magnum only once before I opted to put the foam plugs back in.
I could not even IMAGINE the post-drone in your ears after firing a moderately large caliber firearm in your house out of self protection...

But my view? I'll never plan to unless my life is in threat;
And I'd much rather have ringing ears than ringing phones to relatives to be notified of my passing.

 

[24Carat]

...and from this you learned...

Duh, I lurnd two stik a figur in that er !

 

[Jay]

Duh, I lurnd two stik a figur in that er !

That's terrific.. keep in mind that the image conjured up is of your doing....