What gunfire really sounds like

[stanicus]

Went with a co-worker at lunch and fired off 30 or so rounds of .380 on his property(in the boonies). He had a Ruger LCP I wanted to see and try out. I have always been to a range with ear and eye protection. The only thing I have fired without it was a .22 rifle. I was caught off guard by how loud it actually was. I wouldn't do it on a normal basis as it would most likely damage your hearing (my co-worker is half deaf), but i'm glad I know what it will sound like if I were to get into a defensive shooting. My ears were ringing initially and i had trouble hearing clearly for 5 or 6 hours afterward. Anyone else ever shot without ear protection?

On a side note, I wasn't very impressed with the Ruger. It was all over the place.

 

[Squib]

Running around in the boonies with ear plugs is kinda self defeating. Of course, everyone had the little screw on plastic bottle with a couple pair, but I'd guess about half the folks coming home from Nam were hearing impaired.

 

[sporter]

What?

 

[JUMBO]

Huh??? Speak up Your a talking too low

 

[JUMBO]

I think most of us here at some time or other have gone without hearing protection. when i hunt i use a pair of electronic ear muff that are stereoscopic, you can hear pretty much omni directional and they cut out when the gun goes BOOM!

 

[jblomenberg16]

I think most of us here at some time or other have gone without hearing protection. when i hunt i use a pair of electronic ear muff that are stereoscopic, you can hear pretty much omni directional and they cut out when the gun goes BOOM!

I actually used to shoot skeet without ear plugs, and man talk about your ears ringing after a long day of that!

I've had my ear pro fall off/come out when shooting before, and it definitely gets your attention!

 

[r3126]

Want to know what it really sounds like? Try being on the receiving end...

 

[79BRUISER]

I hunt without hearing protection. I'm not sure if its the concentration or the adrenelin rush of sighting in on a deer but I have never had my ears ring after taking a shot. I always use hearing/ eye protection when at the range.

 

[subtlesixer03]

i let off a 9mm shot shell in my kitchen out the door at a racoon once. needless to say i didnt hear a damn thing for a good five mins outside of ringing anyway. had a hell of a headach for like three days after. im definitly planning on a supresser for my home 9mm so i can actually hear the 911 operator if i ever need it.

 

[kedie]

I zeroed and did day and night qualification with my M-4 with a cigarette butt as an earplug for my right ear. Somehow I had lost one of them on the walk to the range that morning. I couldn't hear out of that ear for three days and still have trouble hearing ten years later. The moral of the story is don't shoot without earpro.

 

[jblomenberg16]

5.56 and other smaller calibers are especially hard on the ears due to the higher frequency of the muzzle crack. I've shot my AR without earpro a few times and that was enough to reinforce the fact that it is necessary.


Now, about that supressor...

 

[figley]

...but i'm glad I know what it will sound like if I were to get into a defensive shooting...

auditory exclusion is your friend.

 

[historybuff]

I was involved with several historical re-enactment groups back in the 70's. Lots of blanks and live fire, all w/o ear protection. That, coupled with 15 years of farming with not all the tractors having cabs have left me with 20% loss of hearing and that darned pesky 24/7/365 ringing. Protect your hearing, folks, not only while shooting but anytime you are exposed to ear damaging decibels.

 

[thompal]

I zeroed and did day and night qualification with my M-4 with a cigarette butt as an earplug for my right ear. Somehow I had lost one of them on the walk to the range that morning. I couldn't hear out of that ear for three days and still have trouble hearing ten years later. The moral of the story is don't shoot without earpro.

No, I would think the moral of THAT story is that cigarettes cause hearing loss.

 

[tv1217]

I don't hunt with it. Usually wear it at the range, (only wear safety glasses at ranges that require it) but last time I forgot to bring any ear plugs, I couldn't hear right out of my left ear for a few days. The ringing persisted for a month and I can still hear it when it's really quiet or like right now when I think about it.

 

[Cru]

I won't shoot without ear protection. I know that if I'm in a SD situation, that I'm not going to have time to put on ear protection, so I have fired a couple of shots without it just to get an idea, but it's painful and unpleasant.

 

[POC]

I was bushhogging earlier this week, going around the pond I thought I'd take a crack at a frog with my .22 mag revolver. Thinking back it wasn't the best idea. I rested my pistol on my left forearm, bringing the gun to within ~18" of my ear. My ear popped when I squeezed the trigger. My ear still hurt the next day, but it is pretty much back to normal now. No blood on the q-tips, so I think I'm good.

 

[STEEL CORE]

Uncle Sam pays me monthly because I was EXPOSED to al sorts of gunfire and things that went Boom as I worked for him over twenty-one years. I would rather have my hearing back (and other body parts and functions) than all the monthly disability payments, I am super anal about hearing protection now for whomever I shoot with.

 

[Joe Williams]

I won't shoot without ear protection. I know that if I'm in a SD situation, that I'm not going to have time to put on ear protection, so I have fired a couple of shots without it just to get an idea, but it's painful and unpleasant.

There's no need to fire some rounds to see what it will sound like in a self defense situation. Most likely, if you have to pull the trigger to protect yourself, you won't hear or notice the noise.

 

[MinuteMan47]

I might have one of the worst cases of tinnitus...AND IT KEEPS GETTING WORSE.