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Disposable Ear Plug question

Sorry to disagree but my experience is different! I use Howard Leight's neck band plug assembly.......course the factory plugs do wear out so I replaced mine with the disposable foam type by simply using an exacto razor to make a cut deep enough to permit that ball end to hold 'em. I've found that I can get several washings from a set and as they are so cheap just toss the old or damaged ones. I happen to use Dawn detergent on mine and I note zero performance drop..........Course if you happen to have really hairy and greasy ears then that might be a problem!

Seriously tho, I find that the plugs are far easier to use and very effective when properly inserted.
 
Back when I worked in a high volume machine shop, the foremen were crusty, grumpy men that would chew your rear end up one side and down the other if you requested a new set of "foamies" every day. We were expected to re-use them and they did indeed get dirty. Two pairs a week were begrudgingly "gifted" to us.
 
I like using the used ones I find at the range to load into a primed 45acp case with the flash hole drilled out to 1/8” and use like a wax bullet, ie for chasing unwanted animals out of the back yard, or working on my quick draw.

I usually find at least 3 or 4 every trip to the local garbage pit range.

I do put them into warm soapy water first to clean any dirt off.
 
Brubz said:
These disposable ear plugs that are sold in bulk quantity. is there any reason why they can't just be cleaned and reused? I get that they're not that expensive but why throw something away if it can be cleaned and reused?
Click to expand...
For sure! When we had a top-loader washing machine, my wife was forever accusing me of not checking my pockets whenever she found a pair of foam ear plugs floating around in the washing machine.
Now that we have a front-loader, my wife usually doesn't find the foam ear plugs until after she's run the clothes through the dryer. I don't know why she accuses me of not checking my pockets though when half the time it's one of her shirt sleeves a foam ear plug falls out of later on when she's getting dressed. o_O:D
 
Been a long time since I've seen the "How to..." for ear plugs.

I used to be a Junior rifle coach so each new class I had to show / tell the kids how to protect their hearing. So, for grins and giggles, I'll review here for maybe newbies.

Roll the foam plug into a long stick. For your right ear, reach over or behind your head with your left arm, grab the top back of your right ear and pull up and back. This straightens the ear canal for easier plug insertion.

Insert the rolled up plug, and hold it momentarily with a finger of your right hand; you will feel the plug begin to expand. Hold it in place until fully expanded.

Reverse and repeat for your left ear.

Depending on who is shooting what around you, this is usually enough for small bore, but for larger rifles and handguns, I would recommend over-the-head headset, especially with the proliferation of short barrel 223's.

Now, there may follow a discussion of everyone's favorite ear protection...but the above is the minimum acceptable.
 
Ear plugs are worn by construction folks working in dust, heat and cold all day long so yes disposable then but heck I have reuses the plastic ones multiple times as I only wear an hour at most and not in adverse conditions.
 
17 years ago I found a case of them on a site that I was doing security at. The case they came in was soaking wet but the ear plugs were individually wrapped in packages and they were bone dry. I haven't had to buy earplugs since.
 
PWC said:
Been a long time since I've seen the "How to..." for ear plugs.

I used to be a Junior rifle coach so each new class I had to show / tell the kids how to protect their hearing. So, for grins and giggles, I'll review here for maybe newbies.

Roll the foam plug into a long stick. For your right ear, reach over or behind your head with your left arm, grab the top back of your right ear and pull up and back. This straightens the ear canal for easier plug insertion.

Insert the rolled up plug, and hold it momentarily with a finger of your right hand; you will feel the plug begin to expand. Hold it in place until fully expanded.

Reverse and repeat for your left ear.

Depending on who is shooting what around you, this is usually enough for small bore, but for larger rifles and handguns, I would recommend over-the-head headset, especially with the proliferation of short barrel 223's.

Now, there may follow a discussion of everyone's favorite ear protection...but the above is the minimum acceptable.
Click to expand...
This is important. Most people don’t use them correctly.
 
I am pretty meticulous about ear cleaning, so if I don’t get dirty or sweaty wearing foam plugs under my muffs I will reuse them a time or two before pitching them. I also have fitted plugs for shooting long guns where muffs interfere with a good cheek weld.

I loaned a buddy a set of from ones a couple of years ago because he forgot his ears. He was embarrassed, as he owns a ATM room/kiosk construction company and said he has at least twenty pounds of them at his shop for his crew. He said he would pay me back for the loaners, I said don’t worry about it. :)

A couple weeks later he shows up with a gallon ziplock bag filled with them. :what:

Months have gone by and I think I still have four years’ worth left in the bag.

5B8053F5-03EC-40BE-8D49-EF28693E34FB.jpeg

I guess he wasn’t kidding!

Stay safe.
 
They’re called “disposable” for a reason. You nasty sloths should not be reusing them if you use them for any length of time. We’re talking about $.15-.20/pr here. Or less than firing off a fresh, blow your lung out cartridge.

You only get one set of hearing. It doesn’t grow back. Act accordingly.
 
I have had some put away & forgot them, by the time I found them again they wouldn't expand right because the material they are made from had gotten stiff.
 
I keep my ears pretty clean and wear plugs often when working, I use the Orange ones with the blue string can't remember the brand at the moment. They last pretty long, think I had a pair going for over a month. I normally loose or have the string break before I need to Chuck them.
 
Bwana John said:
I like using the used ones I find at the range to load into a primed 45acp case with the flash hole drilled out to 1/8” and use like a wax bullet, ie for chasing unwanted animals out of the back yard, or working on my quick draw.

I usually find at least 3 or 4 every trip to the local garbage pit range.

I do put them into warm soapy water first to clean any dirt off.
Click to expand...
You nasty
 
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