Electronic Muffs . are they any good?

[secluded]

I just bought a pair of the "cheap Harbor Freight ones" online a few minutes ago. I have a few friends that use them and many folks that are on the C&R FFL e-mail list that I'm on really seem to like them. We had a chance to try them side by side with a pair of more expensive ones (Peltors maybe), they were very comparable with the only exception being that they are mono not stereo IIRC. For $19.99 I figure they are worth a try.
If you have a Harbor Freight locally call them and see if they have them in stock. The one closet to me doesn't but one about an hour away does carry them I ended up purchasing them online, S&H was $7.99 but with gas prices the way they are and a 2 hour roundtrip drive time it's worth it.

I'll let you know how they stack up once I have a chance to try them out.

 

[eerw]

I have a pair of proears..that I really like..took me a while to get used to wearing them..as I have worn plugs for years..but I like them

Found a nice benefit..I took my son shooting and when he is wearing them..he can hear my instructions clearly..for that it is worth having a pair..

 

[Joe D]

Dave, "clip" means the muffs turn completely off for a fraction of a second. The muffs that supress reduce the noise to a level of about 85db. You can still carry on a conversation with these models.
Steve, the old saying "You get what you pay for." applies here. They are not true stereo in that only side has a volume control. Their reaction time from turning off to back on is very long. Not in the same class with even the Peltors.
It is well worth saving your money a bit to get the Radian ProAmps. The HF muffs are not in the same universe with them.
www.midsouthshooterssupply.com has them for $63. I have been ordering from them for 25+ years. Great company. Almost as good as Brownells.

 

[pax]

Joe, I like the way my Radians ProAmps sound, but they really hurt to wear -- there's just not enough room for my ears.

Pretending cost doesn't matter for a moment, what's out there with a similar sound but more room in the ear cups? (I do not care about slim muffs, since I'm a handgunner by preference anyway.)

I'm also unhappy with them because they aren't as sturdy as other muffs I've seen. Did I just get a less-robust pair, or are they all that breakable?

pax

 

[Joe D]

Pax, did the ones you try have the new padded head band? If the ear cups are too small try the Pro-Ear Predator 300s. Much more room in the cup.

 

[esheato]

I'll be the oddball and say that I hated having them.

I'll second that. I came across a pair of Radians and used them for all of about 3 days. For me, it was more of a distraction than anything else.

I can see the benefit if you were at a gun skool, but for basic range practice I prefer full size, non-electronic muffs.

Ed

 

[pax]

Joe,

No, mine have a flimsy plastic sheet over bare metal on the headband. The plastic began peeling at one end almost the day I got the muffs.

I'll take a look at the Pro-Ear Predators.

Thanks.

pax

 

[Joe D]

Nothing wrong with plain old muffs. I like the electronics for several reasons. During matches I like to hear the "ping" of my bullet hitting the steel. That way I don't have to look to see if the target fell. I think I have a little quicker reaction time to the beep also. Plus you can carry on a conversation without screaming.

 

[pax]

I can see the benefit if you were at a gun skool, but for basic range practice I prefer full size, non-electronic muffs.

I can understand how folks used to quiet when they shoot might find it distracting to be able to hear what's going on around 'em. I even sympathize.

But I'll give you two reasons to overcome that reaction.

1) If you're practicing for self defense, it is utterly necessary that you learn how to tune out distractions in order to do the job you need to do.

2) (and more important) Whether you're practicing for defense or not, it is just plain safer to hear what's going on around you. Buddy of mine was at a private club with his son when another group of people came onto the range -- two or three folks. The new folks set up not too far down the line, and everything was going along just fine when one of the new guys started handling a gun behind the line directly behind my buddy while buddy was shooting. Because buddy had electronics on, he heard the unmistakable sound of the slide going forward and was able to react appropriately to the noise.

Remember how Platt & Matix acquired their guns?

pax

 

[Richardson]

Not that they're absolutely necessary, but another advantage of the electronic muffs is that they can be worn for defensive use in the home. If they're with your pistol & you have time to slip them on, any indoor gunshots should be MUCH more distracting to your opponent than to you. And if you turn up the volume you'll actually enhance your hearing!!

Richardson

 

[CZ52GUY]

I have both the Remington and Harbor Freight models mentioned previously in this thread.

For my own practice (or with 1-2 buddies), I like them very much. The Remington's have a "long-gun friendly" shape too.

If you shoot from the line (e.g. NRA Bullseye) with a bunch of other shooters all at once...I've found that the muffs get overwhelmed and need to double-up with some plugs inside the Electronic Muffs.

They do work, and being able to hear range commands is a plus...it depends on the type of shooting you are doing. I'd recommend the HF model if you are uncertain..."double-mono", pretty cheap, and if you like the concept, you have a spare set when you go for the bigger $$ investment. If you don't care for them, you can probably find somebody that will be willing to take them off your hands.

Good luck,

CZ52'

 

[Joe D]

The better muffs do not get overwhelmed.

 

[roo_ster]

Another Harbor Freight Muff Owner

I have always doubled up (muffs+plugs) indoors. Now that I have the el cheapo HF muffs, I double up EVERYWHERE & crank up the volume on the muffs.

I like to be able to hear what is going on around me & the HF muffs allow that. They surely aren't top of the line, but they are adequate for my uses.

I have a fat head & large ears and experience no problems with comfort.

These muffs would not be good for home defense, as they are mono.

For $20 I took the plunge & bought a set for myself & the wife. We both like them.

 

[gobabygo]

I have kinda bad hearing to begin with. It's particularily hard for me to hear and understand what someone's saying when there's lots of loud noises around. Since I started shooting in local USPSA matches I decided bought the Radians ProAmp e-muffs and used them for a year and a half. I really like them, except that they clip so you can't hear while someone is firing near you.

I've also tried out a bunch of other ones like the Harbor Freight ones and returned them. They're sooo cheap, but if you're on a really tight budget then they'll work I guess.

I also bought the Peltor Tac6S and just haven't used them that much. They're comparable to the Radians in my minds but for me they're not as comfortable as the Radians.

Finally, I recently decided to splurge (a lot) and bought the Sordins from Tactical Command and I really like the way that it attenuates the sound instead of clips it completely off. I've only used it at one match so far and the only things I don't like about them is that they don't have as much room inside the ear cups for my ears as the Radians. Maybe I have huge ears or something. The other thing, is that the actual db rating is lower, so I'll probably double plug next time.