Is it normal for muffs to have..

[monotonous_iterancy]

Is it normal for muffs to have gaps in the foam? The ones I'm using came out of the box with small gaps in the foam. A few days ago I fired some rounds out of a Mosin-Nagant and my right ear was ringing, not muffled, but ringing. My left was fine though. I was doubled up, although one plug was sticking out slightly farther than the other.

This has me questioning the effectiveness of my hearing protection. Could it be sound leaking through the gaps in the foam?

 

[hso]

Is it normal for muffs to have gaps in the foam?

I would normally say NO, but I'm not sure if we're meaning the same thing. The foam pad (donut) is the only foam that really matters that you should be able to see.

What is the make/model of the muffs?

Can you send a pic of what you're talking about?

 

[Hunterdad]

If your ears are ringing, something isn't right. Its time for some new ear pro.

 

[monotonous_iterancy]

About those muffs I was saying had gaps in the foam, they're these. I got the only one in the store, and they cost me $26. Out of the box, I noticed some gaps or holes in the acoustic foam.



Wouldn't sound leak through those?

 

[Double Naught Spy]

You didn't answer hso's queries and your pics are absolutely useless, so it is hard to tell exactly what you are talking about. Gaps may be present in foam to prevent irregular or uncontrolled folding during compression, depending on how the foam is supposed to perform. Gaps, cuts, cutouts may be necessary for proper performance.

Right ear ringing and you are right handed shooting a rifle? Did you reverse the muffs to see if the problem was with just one side or if the problem was with large, bulbous muffs you were wearing being unseated during recoil?

You were wearing plugs and your ear was still ringing even though you were doubled up? Your plug(s) probably isn't seated properly either.

 

[monotonous_iterancy]

You didn't answer hso's queries and your pics are absolutely useless, so it is hard to tell exactly what you are talking about. Gaps may be present in foam to prevent irregular or uncontrolled folding during compression, depending on how the foam is supposed to perform. Gaps, cuts, cutouts may be necessary for proper performance.

Right ear ringing and you are right handed shooting a rifle? Did you reverse the muffs to see if the problem was with just one side or if the problem was with large, bulbous muffs you were wearing being unseated during recoil?

You were wearing plugs and your ear was still ringing even though you were doubled up? Your plug(s) probably isn't seated properly either.

The first pic is one of the corners. The second is between the foam and the cup, the part your ears touch. The point is that you can see the shell at certain spots.

I was shooting right handed, and I didn't flip the muffs around. I thought I was just imagining it. My ears already ring, and it wasn't until I took the plugs out that the ringing in my right ear was clearly louder than usual.

It's possible that the muffs were unseated during recoil, but they hardly touch the stock.

One of the plugs was sticking out slightly farther than the other. I pulled my ear back, they were in pretty deep.