Eye and ear safety while shooting.

[bigjim]

I see casual shooters at the range every weekend. They come to the range once or twice a year with ear plugs and cheap plastic glasses to shoot.

Now they only shoot 50 to 100 rounds of factory ammo and only a few times a year. They will get away with this and be ok.

I shoot no less than 4 or five times a month plus matches. I shoot 500 to 1000 rounds of reloads every range session.

It is clear to me that I will blow a case, rupture a primer, experiance a out of battery discharge or something close to those things sooner or later. Its bound to happen. Because of my volume I crank my ammo out on a progressive press. I do not check every round. I can't.

So here is what I do. I had a pair of full coverage sport goggles fitted with Polycarbonate Lenses. They completely cover my eyes with no gaps. They do not slip around on my face when running around.

Lenscrafter has then on sale with RX lenses for 119 dollars.

Hearing protection was tougher. By the time you get enough protection for sustained periods of fire on a regular basis you have to strian to hear range commands.

Once again I improvised. I had a set of Ear plugs made for me and use them under some electronic Ear muffs. I crank the Ear muffs all the way up and can hear range commands really well. But gun fire becomes just a dull thud. Not even as loud as a hand clap.

I think I have my bases covered. Anybody else have a better plan? What works for you? WHat other precautions to you take to keepn our sport safe?

 

[Standing Wolf]

I never wear sandals while shooting, and always wear a long-sleeved shirt or jacket: hot brass and powder can sting in a serious way.

 

[DMF]

Bigjim,

Sounds like a good plan, but I would recommend getting standard earmuffs over the electronic ones. Usually you get 5 to 10 dB more protection out of standard muffs.

 

[bigjim]

DMF so true.

but....with the ear plugs worn under good muffs I can not hear speach or range commands.

So..... The electronic muffs cranked up with custom fit ear plgs worn under them.

I guess what I am wondering is this enough for pretty much unlimited exposure to shooting?

 

[DMF]

Well I see your point, but I have a slight hearing loss (and tinitus to go with it ), so I've done some research into noise, hearing protection, and hearing loss. From what I've found even a few dBs of extra protection is VERY important. So I prefer to use the best regular muffs with the best plugs I can get. I'd rather have some repeat whatever they are saying to me rather than get more noise exposure on each shot.

http://www.entnet.org/healthinfo/hearing/noise_hearing.cfm

What about Decibels?
Intensity of sound is measured in decibels (dB). The scale runs from the faintest sound the human ear can detect, which is labeled 0 dB, to over 180 dB, the noise at a rocket pad during launch.

Decibels are measured logarithmically. This means that as decibel intensity increases by units of 10, each increase is 10 times the lower figure. Thus, 20 decibels is 10 times the intensity of 10 decibels, and 30 decibels is 100 times as intense as 10 decibels.

As you can see just a few decibels is a HUGE difference in the amount of energy reaching your ears. At the level of shooting you are doing, you may want to consider regular muffs with a higher NRR.

 

[BluesBear]

When you buy ear muffs spend the extra $3-$5 and get the better set. 3db increase in protection is a 50% decrease in sound.

I use the Silencio moldable ear plugs (blue with orange tips) underneath 3db muffs. I would never use those "circus peanut" disposable earplugs indoors with no other protection.

 

[buy guns]

hey guys, would it be ok to wear regular sunglasses while shooting or are real safety glasses the only way to go?

 

[Ala Dan]

Eye and Hearing Protection are REQUIRED items
at my local PD firing range!

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[Sunray]

"...regular sunglasses..." Depends on what the lenses are made of. However, they'd be far better than nothing. Unless the lenses are small and don't cover your whole eye socket. Before I needed prescription specs, I wore Ray-bans. They are shooting glasses, but not cheap anymore.
Industrial safety glasses are cheap, readily available and you can get coloured lenses too. Any hardware store will have 'em.

 

[rayra]

I recall a 'Test to destruction' in a gun mag a few years ago, testing eye protection. They had everything from the cheapest to Firearms Manf-branded 'premium' safety glasses costing $75-80.
The test included directly firing upon them with a .22lr.
The hands-down winner was Silencio's one-piece polycarbonate lens wraparounds. The lens remained intact, had good coverage, etc.
Another plus is that they were inexpensive, ~$18.
I've used them as shooting and GP safety glasses ever since. Bought several pair to loan out at the range to my guests, store them in a purpose-made multi-pocket felt pouch that rolls up.
And they have tinted / 'sunglass' versions, too.

 

[cheygriz]

This is just ,my opnipn, but I always wear OSHA approved "Plastilite" or polycarbonate industrial grade safety glasses.

I wear silencio ear plugs, and standard muffs over them.

You can replace a gun. You can't replace an eye or an eardrum.

 

[Croyance]

I use the best earmuffs I can find with earplugs underneath. I can still hear brass falling and range commands. I am always looking for things that can protect my hearing more.
One problem is that bone (skull) will transmit sound, so there is a real limit to how effective hearing protection can be.