EAR PROTECTION

bratgirllcp · Mar 2, 2013

hey fellas are there different "levels" of ear muffs for indoor shooting? I'm afraid the pair I have are not protective enough ??
I want to go browse the stores BUT hard to find ammo so i did not bother I really want to shoot but it was very loud. I used ear plugs with muffs
PS Ladies get a revolver for your first gun I like my Taurus 605
hope it warms up soon to shoot outdoors/of course not sure where to go

MaxVO2 · Mar 2, 2013

bratgirllcp said:
hey fellas are there different "levels" of ear muffs for indoor shooting? I'm afraid the pair I have are not protective enough ??
I want to go browse the stores BUT hard to find ammo so i did not bother I really want to shoot but it was very loud. I used ear plugs with muffs
PS Ladies get a revolver for your first gun I like my Taurus 605
hope it warms up soon to shoot outdoors/of course not sure where to go

****Best advice I can give is to buy the highest NRR rated protectors you can find (usually 30-32NRR) and make SURE they fit ok around your ears with no gaps, etc.. and if you have a smaller head be sure there is enough tension with the cups over your ears. If you still feel this is not enough, double up with good quality foam type plugs fitted properly to your ear canal.

Howard Leight, 3M Peltor, and *many* others make very high rated (NRR) ear protection that fit most people well but some folks are smaller or bigger than average so trying different styles can be helpful. Amazon has lots of reviews on ear protection for shooting sports, including ratings for products designed for women or those with smaller faces/heads, etc.. along with pictures and decent prices shipped to your door.

I personally double up (muffs and plugs) for indoor shooting and have had good luck with Howard Leight products. Outdoors I use the HL Impact Sport, and indoors the Impact Pro with 30NRR rating + ear plugs. Both of mine are electronic type and a bit more expensive, but they allow you to hear range commands, etc.. while blocking out gun shot noise well. They make non-electronic versions as well that are significantly cheaper with the same NRR ratings.

Best advice is to just make sure they fit - if you have any doubt, go to a store and try different types, or perhaps borrow some from others at the range - that's how I settled on mine after having similar issues you described.

Good luck

Boom Boom · Mar 2, 2013

Wear quality ear plugs underneath electronic hearing protectors. Turn the volume up and you'll be able to hear without risking your hearing.

ofofhy · Mar 2, 2013

Boom Boom said:
Wear quality ear plugs underneath electronic hearing protectors. Turn the volume up and you'll be able to hear without risking your hearing.

Second this. I use NRR 33 plugs for outdoor shooting. I would put my NRR 26 muffs on over those for indoor (EDIT: mine aren't electronic).

JPG · Mar 2, 2013

I was at a show a couple of years ago and had a custom molded in the ear canal pair made. They are great. I would not go back to the roll between your fingers before you put in the ear kind.

Boom Boom · Mar 2, 2013

For those with limited funds, $14 SureFire Sonic Defenders offer excellent protection, way better than cheap foam or wax plugs.

Pinecone · Mar 2, 2013

JPG said:
I was at a show a couple of years ago and had a custom molded in the ear canal pair made. They are great. I would not go back to the roll between your fingers before you put in the ear kind.

The foam ones actually work better.

The molded in place ones cannot change to deal with day to day (and hour to hour) changes in your ear canal from things like your hydration level.

They work well, but the NRR is typically less than a top quality foam plug.

They are a LOT easier to put in though.

cantstop · Mar 2, 2013

I double up with ear plugs and ear phones due to the shooting glasses messing up the seal on my ear phones.

I really just need to fork out some $$$ for decent shooting glasses

Mowog · Mar 2, 2013

I second plugs plus headset:

I bought surefire by sonic defender ($12)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004K9NXJW/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And 3M Peltor 30db ($21)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00009LI4K/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Excellent protection and comfortable.

Bob

Lawman1800 · Mar 2, 2013

Boom Boom said:
Wear quality ear plugs underneath electronic hearing protectors. Turn the volume up and you'll be able to hear without risking your hearing.

This is exactly what you should do. Don't need your ears ringing everyday for the rest of your life. It get can annoying from time to time.

Mt Airy · Mar 3, 2013

I have been using Peltor tactical Pros (noise canceling ) . They are not cheap but they work real good. I think I got them from MIdway.

Pinecone · Mar 3, 2013

Electronic shooting muffs are NOT noise canceling.

They are electronically amplified with a maximum level of output.

Noise canceling is like the Bose Quiet Comfort series. They generate a noise signal that is 180 degrees out of phase to cancel out the sound. They do not work well against changing or impulse/impact noise. They work against constant noise, like the drone of engines or wind noise.

The shooting muffs amplify sounds outside, but with a maximum of around 80 - 85 dBA inside the muff. So loud sounds are not transfered.

Mt Airy · Mar 3, 2013

Pinecone said:
Electronic shooting muffs are NOT noise canceling.

They are electronically amplified with a maximum level of output.

Noise canceling is like the Bose Quiet Comfort series. They generate a noise signal that is 180 degrees out of phase to cancel out the sound. They do not work well against changing or impulse/impact noise. They work against constant noise, like the drone of engines or wind noise.

The shooting muffs amplify sounds outside, but with a maximum of around 80 - 85 dBA inside the muff. So loud sounds are not transfered.

With all those big words .What are you saying they work or don't work . I know I like them .

Pinecone · Mar 3, 2013

They DO work.

I was explaining HOW they work.

NickZac · Mar 3, 2013

I use the Peltor electronic muffs as well. I always wear foam plugs that go partially into the ear canal. The protection they give is really as good as it gets. The custom foam ones I have had gave nowhere near the protection. The SF Sonic Defenders are really nice, but again they aren't giving the dB reduction of cheap foam plugs. I like the Howard Leight foam plus personally. I've yet to find anything more comfortable that gives as much reduction. As others have said, an electronic set of muffs with the volume up will help you hear voices. Just the plugs and a normal set of ear muffs and you wont be hearing much of anything, which can be a hazard in some instances.

I have the Peltor 6S Headband (hate the neckband). They are often thought to be one of the industry standards for an entry-level pair. For $60, they work well. However, alone they do NOT give a reduction suitable for indoor ranges and should be complimented with a plug. Outside shooting something like skeet and trap, they are fine alone.
http://www.opticsplanet.com/peltor-tactical-hearing-protectors.html

Howard Leight makes a pair that I have been told is a little nicer
http://www.amazon.com/Howard-Leight...ie=UTF8&qid=1362359928&sr=1-3&keywords=Peltor

The Howard Leight NRR 30 or NRR 33 MAX plugs can be had anywhere. When I was wearing ear plugs daily, often 10+ times a day, I used these as they are softer than others, have a base to prevent them going too deep, and are a little longer to make a better fit inside the ear canal. These alone are enough for indoor range, although it is much nicer when used in combo with the above.
http://www.amazon.com/Howard-Leight-Earplugs-Uncorded-NRR33/dp/B0013A0C0Y

shooting again · Mar 3, 2013

Here's a hearty amen to the need to use hearing protection and it doesn't have to be fancy. The foam ones (Wal-Mart, Target, others) are inexpensive and very very good. Look for the ones that have 32 NRR. Many are only 29 which is a lot more difference than you might think. As others have experienced, I find them more effective than the molded ones as they conform to changes in the ear canal during the day. The molded ones fit the ear as it was the day you had them made, which may not be what it is today.

I use both plugs and muffs on indoor ranges because of the sound reflection from the hard walls. And sometimes I use both on outdoor ranges when I'm shooting big bore stuff.

A little testimony. I "got religion" about hearing protection in 1969 when I began flying light aircraft, which are very noisy. And I use it for flying, shooting, the chain saw, and even the lawn mower. Now I'm 70 years old and can still hear a mouse rustling in the grass and other gentle noises. It works. Use it.

Uncle Duke · Mar 3, 2013

Lawman1800 said:
This is exactly what you should do. Don't need your ears ringing everyday for the rest of your life. It get can annoying from time to time.

Great post, and here's the deal with ringing ears. It's not something you want. Because when it goes away.....and it usually will.....it's not a good thing. It means that you've overloaded nerve endings, and that's a part of your hearing that you'll never be hearing from again. Firearms related hearing loss isn't what you might tend to think. There was a gun writer from years ago whom I remember by the name of Dean Grennell. If you see his name at all anymore, you'll see his name on early editions of "The ABC's of Reloading" amongst other publishings. Anyway, Grennell had firearms related hearing loss, and he probably summed it up best. With firearms related hearing loss, a speaker may say "Government Pension". And what you might hear is "Doberman Pinscer".

Get good hearing protection. You don't want to shoot without it.

bratgirllcp · Mar 3, 2013

OHH FELLAS THANKS Im getting on amazon site shortly after I finish writing all this info down thanks again Brat

Pinecone · Mar 4, 2013

BTW, when looking at the NRR, it is in dBA. dB is a log scale, so a 3 dB difference is TWICE the sound power difference.

A 29 rated plug lets in twice the noise as a 33 rated plug (assuming they perform to their rating).

rico903 · Mar 4, 2013

A lot of people don't know how to correctly insert the foam plugs, there by reducing their efficiency. You need to reach across your head with the other hand and pull up slightly on your ear when inserting the rolled up plug. Once I learned this it made a big difference.

EAR PROTECTION

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