Hearing protection on the fly

[treasurehunter]

How much damage would it do to your hearing if you carry and had to draw your 9mm and use it in an emergency situation?.I know you have to draw but just curious if it would ruin your hearing.

 

[4g64loser]

How much damage would it do to your hearing if you carry and had to draw your 9mm and use it in an emergency situation?.I know you have to draw but just curious if it would ruin your hearing.

It hurts. I have fired weapons in both open and enclosed areas without ear pro. Not fun or enjoyable. With that obvious info out of the way, I suggest shooting without ear pro for a few rounds at least once a year (yes I know I will be roasted for saying that).

Hearing damage is cumulative. I'd rather have that than be dead. Just my opinion.

 

[toppkatt]

Yeah, makes it obvious those writers in Hollywood have no clue about firing off a round or more in a building, then having that same person 'hear' a noise upstairs or in another room. No way is that happening without hearing protection.

 

[Art3]

We just had hearing protection training at work the other day, and they (somewhat surprisingly) briefly discussed shooting. Based on the db vs. nr numbers, we really should be doubling up on ear pro for pretty much everything but .22's and suppressed.

I've fired a handful or so of unprotected shots in my lifetime, for a variety of reasons. No way am I doing it again on purpose unless I'm stopping a threat.

 

[Brychan]

I grew up shooting, first time I used hearing protection was the first time I shot at an indoor range. I guess I was about 19.

 

[TxAggie]

I grew up shooting, first time I used hearing protection was the first time I shot at an indoor range. I guess I was about 19.

First time I used ear pro was in the Army. Shot everything from .22, shotguns, 243, 270, 300 without ear pro.

A few rounds fired in self defense will leave your ears ringing for a couple of hours, but in very short order any ear pain will be eclipsed by the realization you may have just taken a human life.

 

[Sundazes]

Can you guys speak up please.

 

[Biggfoot44]

A 9mm +P+ inside of a barn is decidedly painful . So much so , that I switched to .45 Colt for my Barn Gun , almost pleasant by comparison .

( Somewhat simplified , this is largely a matter of muzzle pressure levels . )

 

[Jimgoespewpew]

What?



I was at the range last weekend with some friends. We were the only people there and would call for cold range, ears off, etc. At one point one of the guys had announced he was going to shoot again, and I missed it. I was about six feet away when he shot his AR-10. It was loud, but I'm undamaged.

 

[treasurehunter]

First time I used ear pro was in the Army. Shot everything from .22, shotguns, 243, 270, 300 without ear pro.

A few rounds fired in self defense will leave your ears ringing for a couple of hours, but in very short order any ear pain will be eclipsed by the realization you may have just taken a human life.

Good point.

 

[Abuck]

Yeah, makes it obvious those writers in Hollywood have no clue about firing off a round or more in a building, then having that same person 'hear' a noise upstairs or in another room. No way is that happening without hearing protection.

Like shooting in an elevator, or especially a bathroom, and then having a conversation right afterwards, or even whispering with someone. Yea, ok.

Gotta thank Ted Nugent one day for having a huge effect on retaining a lot of my hearing. I had read an interview about ‘79 (I was 14) with him where he mentioned using earplugs. I purchased a set of Norton Sonic 2 earplugs, and got a lot of use out of them through the decades. Still have the originals, and a few replacement sets.

Being a musician, and performing with guys playing through stacks, I kept one in the closer ear. For shooting I often doubled up on muffs and plugs. And been at many concerts where I recognized the damage my ears were taking and tried to minimize that by using the plugs as I felt necessary.

 

[Crosseye Dominant]

Wonder how loud the p365 x macro is when shot in an enclosed space... Do comps make pistols louder?

 

[outrider58]

Wonder how loud the p365 x macro is when shot in an enclosed space... Do comps make pistols louder?

In my experience, yes.

I've blown both ears, both times, without pro. One, while shooting indoors(it was the repeated firing from the guy next to me). The second time was outdoors as I was near the wrong end of an XM177.

Whenever I shoot a deer with my .44 mag, my ears will ring for a bit. Whenever I shoot a deer with a long gun, I tend to not even notice the gun going off.

 

[pbharvey]

I grew up shooting, first time I used hearing protection was the first time I shot at an indoor range. I guess I was about 19.

Same here.
Eye protection too.

 

[John from MD]

Ask someone who has seen combat before the '80's. They didn't stress ear protection, they did issue us ear plugs though, and he will probably say "ehh, say again".

 

[teratos]

Read up on "auditory exclusion". There is controversy, but it is interesting.

 

[outrider58]

Read up on "auditory exclusion". There is controversy, but it is interesting.

I am a firm believer in this. I've always heard it referred to as 'combat hysteria'.

It only works in a limited way.

 

[eruby]

Read up on "auditory exclusion". There is controversy, but it is interesting.

Auditory exclusion - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[lazarus]

It hurts. I have fired weapons in both open and enclosed areas without ear pro. Not fun or enjoyable. With that obvious info out of the way, I suggest shooting without ear pro for a few rounds at least once a year (yes I know I will be roasted for saying that).

Hearing damage is cumulative. I'd rather have that than be dead. Just my opinion.

I wouldn't suggest doing a few rounds a year. But I would suggest at least one shot without ear pro on so you do have an appreciation for how loud it is.

 

[Doco Overboard]

One of the youngins has hearing damage.
I thought it would preclude him from specific work opportunity but thankfully that wasn't the case.
Tears me up when I notice it.