Best Ear Protection

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gifbohane

gifbohane

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Went back over a year and did not find a topic on this.

I want to protect my hearing while shooting. I want the best and most effective method to cancel out everything. So I guess I am taking about passive protection with above 30 noise reduction. I do not want to buy the $300 type that let in conversation from the outside. Bad idea?

I just want them for an indoor range and to hear nothing.

Ideas, please?
 
The best way to protect you ears on the cheap is to double up you protection. Put in the highest rated disposable ear plugs you can find (typically between NRR 30-33 dB). Then over that wear a good pair of ear muff again with as high of rating as you can find. You can get very affordable passive ear muffs that will give you an additional 30+ dB ratting for less than $30. This combination will protect you ears better than just about any other method short of moving to full face helmets designed for that purpose.

The higher rated foam earplug tent to be slightly less comfortable due to being made from firmer foam. Same for higher rated ear muffs they will tend to be larger and heavier constructed unless you significantly increase you money investment.
 
If you are using the VA ask your audiologist to take an impression of your ears like they do for hearing aides, but to give them to you.

I suppose a regular hearing Dr. could/would do the same. They work great fo me. And you can put muffs over them too.
 
gifbohane said:
I just want them for an indoor range and to hear nothing.
Click to expand...
As above, doubling up is a good idea. Foam plugs in the NRF 30 range are inexpensive and readily available.

Now, "Hear Nothing" is a slightly taller order.
Gunshot, upper end is 160dB; a 30 reduction gets you to 130dB, which is still pretty loud (and technically above the damage threshold). Another 30 reduction gets you to 100dB, which is noisy, but tolerable.

Silent is going to be down around 40dB, and that's fuzzy from bone conduction and the like.

Dropping a couple hundred on hearing pro is way cheaper than hearing aids later (or any amount of tinnitus--ask me how I know).

Now, I have a set of unpowered Clear Armor muffs, IIRC they are NRF 38. They are not the least bit comfortable with any amount of sinus build-up, too. (They have to be tight to insure the 1/2" of foam surround is mushed down on your head.) I want to say those set me back $75. I keep them for those infrequent indoor range trips, when the dude one lane over pulls out his Krink pistol with maximum handloads meant for a 16" barrel.

My go-to is still my Howard-Leight EN 362s, battery life is about 6 hours of continuous use.
 
I like electronic muffs when I am shooting. Especially when around other people. I have a 20 year old set of Peltor electronic muffs that I paid a fortune for back then and it is still the best set I have found. I have tried some other slim electronic muffs and they don't compare to my old bulky $$$ Peltors.

I have never felt comfortable being completely shut off from the rest of the worlds while shooting... but maybe that is just me. I can't remember the last time I shot at an indoor range though. Maybe extra protection is needed in such surroundings?
 
I cannot thank you guys enough for this information.

I googled this question and really got nowhere.

THANKS

and Semper Fi
 
Your choice of electronic ear muffs, and the plugs pictured above, if on an indoor range. Actually, quite often I'll wear the same outdoors, depending on the calibers being fired. When I shoot Trap leagues, I wear just plugs, when I shoot my 1100 Competition for Trap, I wear my electronic muffs. I don't worry about scratching up the plastic comb, but I'm not going to scratch up the beautiful wood on my Ljutic by wearing muffs.
 
I agree with all the above advice to double up. Ear plugs plus ear muffs. Especially important for indoor ranges. Outdoors I usually just go with the expanding foam ear plugs since most of the noise reduction happens there. Then if there's someone nearby shooting a large-caliber rifle I'll put on my active electronic ear muffs on top.
 
I like the Surefire EarPro Sonic Defender Earplugs, They are the best I have used and recommend the Surefire ones. I had the SafariLand impulse 33db earplugs and my 7mm RUM still rang my ears. The Surefire ones I have had no problems with the 7 Rum or the 35 Contender or my 44mag.
 
The custom molded plugs made of a silicone type material are the best for me.

You do have to find someone who makes them, I got mine made at a booth at the local gun show, ~$50. Takes about 20 minutes to make with you in the chair, and 45 minutes to cure.

Comfortable, no muffs to get in the way, no swampy ears when it is hot.

The total lack of sound can be a problem, I can not hear range commands or timer buzzers with them on.
 
Bwana John said:
The custom molded plugs made of a silicone type material are the best for me.

You do have to find someone who makes them, I got mine made at a booth at the local gun show, ~$50. Takes about 20 minutes to make with you in the chair, and 45 minutes to cure.

Comfortable, no muffs to get in the way, no swampy ears when it is hot.

The total lack of sound can be a problem, I can not hear range commands or timer buzzers with them on.
Click to expand...

The same kits are sold as do-it-yourself kits, I picked up the last pair I had at Walmart for $12. Some on line gun places have them, too. The gun-show made ones are better, but just throwing it out there as an option.
 
Walkalong said:
https://www.amazon.com/Howard-Leigh...ronic+Earmuff&qid=1566954821&s=gateway&sr=8-3
Click to expand...

I went to these after months or years with the impact sport models listed in this thread. Ridiculously better.

Mine bought 11/19 for $49 a piece. One for wife and i

The impact sports are not good enough to use at an indoor range without extra protection imo.

This is thread when I finally got them.

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...ffs-or-plugs-buds.853699/page-2#post-11285898
 
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For anything above a .22 out of a rifle, you will need to get a suppressor. Then add plugs plus muffs.

When shooting anything high powered, plugs and muffs alone are not sufficient to prevent all hearing damage.

Plugs plus muffs only cut the decibels down around 35 or less. For firearms that generate 160+ decibles that is not good enough.

Hearing damage is frequently cumulative- a bit at a time. Even an audiologist may not be able to detect it until you have killed 90% of the hair cells at a particular frequency. You may think everything is fine, until all the sudden you can't hear as well as you used to. Or you have tinnitus.

Or you may be unlucky and have a lot of ear damage as a result of a single incident. Like me.

Get a suppressor(s) for your firearms. It is the only way to be sure you don't get hearing loss, tinnitus and hyperacusis.
 
Shooting on an indoor range. Any range commands being made.? I shoot at a public range where range commands are necessary and have to be followed. With hearing issues to boot my only recourse is to wear electronic muffs that cut out the loud noise of a gun shot by actually amplify voices. Mine are Walkers.
Amazon $38 to $69 depending on Model.
 
SharpDog said:
View attachment 955839
https://smile.amazon.com/Howard-Lei...ords=hearing+protection&qid=1605555411&sr=8-6
Click to expand...
index.php

A must ... and they are cheap... 50$ ear protection
 
Well, what I decided to do was buy a good pair of Howard Leight earmuffs AND went to my ear Doctor who is having a pair of inserted earmuffs made for me.

Originally he wanted to have me get a set of "Musician's ear Muffs" but decided to go with the plugs. Nothing comes through. It will save what hearing I have left (I hope.)

Thank you all for your suggestions.
 
I've never used electronic muffs before just the regular with the ear foam buds. Was at Academy just recently and saw that they had the Walker Razors so I picked up two and will try them out this week. These are rated for 23db cancellation. I thought both were the same but noticed that one was $54 and the other 74 bucks. Only difference is that the most expensive has 4 microphones. I'll try both and it they work ok I will return the more expensive one.
 
I want to protect my hearing while shooting. I want the best and most effective method to cancel out everything.
Click to expand...

The most effective ones I have were made by the audiologist at my ENT dr’s office. Nothing else comes close, if I use regular plugs and muffs, that’s as close as I can get to how effective they are with stuff off the shelf.
 
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