Firing without hearing protection?

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I've shot without ear pro, some indoors. SAW, 240 was pretty bad. M4 indoors was too, it would ring your ears and you wouldn't do it again. But the absolute WORST shot to my hearing ever was firing a 686 6" with 158gr. Eldorado Starfires outside with no ear pro. I literally couldn't hear out of one ear for a week, and it rung for a month.

There isn't much you can do about it. If you have time to put on the Peltors fine, but me? I guess I'll just hope it never happens and suck it up if it does. I guess you could stick to rounds that are slow/heavy, like .45ACP and reduced recoil shotshells. That should help some.

But the loudest part of a gunshot is actually the primer. Not much you can do about that.
 
When young and (err... Younger amd dumber...) Me and a couple friends after school ( 9th-10th grade-ish) would on occation (when a friends dad permitted) we would pop of a few rounds through a 12 gauge and a .22. No protection (back woods rwsneck kinda father, not to bright, and niether were we obviously) and our ears never rang after words..

P.s. not all backwoods rednecks are idiots, most of my family are country as hell, and most are prerty smart in my book.
 
I've never worn ear protection to shoot 22 rimfire rifles, or shotguns(I don't own a magnum shotgun unless you count 10ga and I don't count that). But that's my limit. 22 rimfire from a handgun and louder is when I put in earplugs. But that is nowdays. 30 years ago I didn't use ear protection for any firearms...but I never shot indoors back then and didn't own any magnums of any kind back then.
 
Ear protection is for the range. It's loud and may very well damage your hearing some but that'll be a long ways down the list of things to think about in the unlikely event you'd have to shoot.

Just to play devils advocate, I wonder if an overzealous prosecutor could try to paint a justified home defense situation as premeditated if you took the time to put on ear protection, "Mr. Smith why would you even think about that unless you were preparing to shoot someone."

I've done plenty of hunting and had auditory exclusion when shooting at game. Although I have to admit being 90 degrees off axis and a couple feet from the muzzle of a centerfire when hunting with a partner will definitely "ring your bell", auditory exclusion or not. I've been on both the giving and receiving end of that.
 
When I get the range alone I run twice at full speed up and down the hundred yard range and do a forward stop drill with no ear protection and can barley hear the two shots with my pulse pounding in my ears.But that's it only two once a week and it is a outdoor range and my gun is a .40.So its not real loud anyway.
 
I've been in 2 high-stress situatuions when multiple handgun shots have went off around me. The first, the shots went off literally right next to me and the second they went off more than 10 yards away, but bullets impacted glass and metal right next to me. In both instances, the gunfire only sounded like faint pops. When I'm at an outdoor range, however, hearing gunshots with no protection is really loud, I've experienced some ringing in my ears from that.
 
Touch off a .357 Magnum or a 10mm in an enclosed space and get back to me on that
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BTDT. Maybe it was the alcohol involved, but 6 shots from a 4 inch .357 inside a car rang my hears pretty badly, but no hearing loss 30 some years later.

Side note - electronic ear pro is very, very worth while. Expensive, but invaluable.
 
Guys, if you're getting up because of noises in the house, slapping on a pair of ear muffs isn't a good idea. Only two of your five senses will help you in a life or death struggle - sight and sound. So, why remove one of them?

I feel the same way about flashlights. After 20 years of standing bridge watches at sea, you learn that your night vision is everything. That's why only red lights are allowed on the bridge at night. Once you've turned on a white light, you can't see in the dark for another five minutes or so.

Forget the gadgets. Get your gun and trust your eyes and ears (and gun) to protect you. If possible hearing loss is more important than your life, then your priorities aren't in order. If you're that concerned, get a can for your home defense firearm.
 
Those of us who have been in several fights (I worked as a bouncer for five years) will probably not go into shock and experience auditory exclusion if we have to defend ourselves by shooting a bad guy.
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Experience in fighting and other stressful situations has very little to do with the presence of auditory exclusion. Nor is it shock that causes auditory exlusion. Note the prevalence of auditory exlusion in police officers and military operatives. Not to diminish your own life experiences, but police officers and military operators have likely been exposed to many more stressful events than even a seasoned bouncer.

Quite the contrary, those who are trained and proficient in fighting and shooting tactics are just as susceptible to the phenomenon of auditory exclusion, if not moreso, than the average citizen. It has to do with the focus of bodily mechanics to a specific end, i.e. survival. Those who have honed the specific skills necessary for survival are very likely to block the seemingly unnecessary senses, such as hearing. It is also for that reason that experienced hunters are often not bothered by the extreme noise of a 30-06 rifle, whereas they would be on a static shooting range. They have honed their skill and are now focused on a very specific end that does not necessitate hearing, i.e. killing the deer.

To be clear, auditory exclusion does not occur because a person is proficient in self defense, or hunting. After all, auditory exclusion is a physiological response and cannot be learned. Nonetheless, preparedness is one contributing factor that drives our physiological responses to utilize only what is necessary.
 
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I've never been concerned about my ears when I carry.
Guns are loud, deal with it.
 
This is one reason why I won't use anything supersonic in my SD weapon - I don't want to permanently damage my hearing in the event of having to discharge a weapon in an enclosed space.

I figure 230 gr. @ 900 fps should do a good enough job on the other end and I'll live to hear about it ;-).
 
My friend's dad has told us stories of when he was in the military during Vietnam. He told us that he would ask M60 gunners how they didn't lose their hearing and they told him that in the rush of it, it was as if their ears had "closed." I'm pretty sure if you need to fire a gun in defense, you won't be worrying about how loud it will be--adrenaline should null that out for you.
 
Quote:
Auditory exclusion.

A case study by Alexis Artwohl, Ph.D.
This. You won't hear it. I doubt that one magazine will damage your hearing
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Every shot above a certain dB does permanent damage to your hearing. If your ears rang, you did permanent damage, but, it's generally a small amount. Long term exposure and cumulative damage is what makes a person loose hearing.

The only thing that really matters is, what you have lost, you cannot get back. If you can afford to live without what you just lost... so be it. In a defensive scenario, I'll afford the loss. My .45 is roughly 154 dBs. Maybe it's 145? The threshold is around 120 dBs for most people. If I fire that without hearing protection I will likely suffer a small (very minute) amount of damage. I'm going to go ahead with the assumption that it was better than the alternative.

That being said, I really don't see any functional difference between in firing several rounds at a bad guy and firing several shots at a deer without hearing protection.
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There isn't always a difference, but sometimes there is. When shooting indoors (depending on the structure) there's a higher chance that more of the pressure waves will make to your ear drum. I've read cases before where shooting high pressure rounds indoors led to disorientation. There are a lot of factors, size of the structure, composition, pressure of the round, etc. But, your inner ear is your balance center.

If you're that concerned, get a can for your home defense firearm.
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They're less expensive than your hearing and a lot more fun. :)
 
Kieth, you simply haven't tried out electronic hearing pro. The good ones actually enhance your normal hearing.
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I have a set and use them when I practice. Even with them on, you still have no directional ability so you are still hindering your sense of hearing. It's dark, you need your ears. You need all your senses. Why handicap yourself when your life is at stake?

Honestly, if something like this happens it isn't a day at the range. Your ear muffs and shooting glasses should be the last things on your mind.
 
There's some phenomena that's reported to be present in life & death emergencies called
"auditory exclusion" - means loud sounds sound like they are far away.

This may make it possible to keep us from reacting as we normally would, i.e., being startled and losing hyper-concentration on staying alive.

BUT, the sound waves are still there, your ear and the nerves are still there, so damage can well happen.

It's so unlikely I would ever be in a gun-fight - I don't think about it.

At the range though I wear both plugs + muffs.
 
First, I don't believe I've ever "heard" a shot taken at game. Second, in reference to the paossible damage done, I had what IIRC is called an Aural Neuroma. The nerve to one of my ears has pyisically diconected. While, with reasonably good hearing in both ears, I alwaywore plugs or muffs, I was short on hearing protection when I had taken a group of teens out. They all had protection but I skipped the one for my dead ear. Well one shot with my short barreled .308 Win, in the hands of another shooter nearly sent me to my knees from pain in my non functioning ear. Needless to say I always wear plugs or muffs & sometimes both on BOTH ears whenever on the range.
I still don't wear them hunting though & doubt there would be a problem in a defensive situation.
 
I dont really know anyone that hunts with hearing protection (unless its electronic). But when I go out with a Carhartt hat on with a hood on a medium weigh jacket, the report of my Mosin doesnt seem that loud. Its like shooting with good hearing protection.
In a hunting situation or SD situation, Im guessing the adrenaline is very high, and maybe the body shuts certain things down (im not a doctor obviously), and maybe its not really an issue. If youre shooting full magnums out of a short barrel it might be a different story
 
I used to check the calibration of heavy weapons systems in the Military. Often very large armored vehicles would be moving and firing around me as I worked. Occasionally the Commanders of these vehicles could not have visual with me as I was on the ground.
Hearing protection was required, but with a couple of close calls (either vehicles moving or firing too near me) when wearing hearing protection, I decided it was better to use limited protection (one ear covered and one not) and stay as aware and mobile as possible while in this job.
This of course isn't an ideal situation, it is a compromise. Do I wish I had better choices, yes; but their weren't.
If I had to answer the proverbial "Bump in the Night", I wouldn't worry about hearing protection, I would worry about answering the threat to my Family.
Perhaps one day I will try some of those electronic ear muffs, I'm wearing two layers now while on the range; they may be an answer for training; but right now I can't bet lives on them.
 
When I pulled my first trigger around 1950 I never saw anyone with hearing protection. I shot all I could and I wear hearing protection now but afraid it is too late. If I hunt or need a firearm around the house hearing protection is the last thing I think about even now. It's not fun so I would advise anyone who shoots to wear protection whenever you shoot. Make it a habit.
 
In a self defense situation, no one is going to worry about hearing protection. ("Time out, while I put my ear muffs on!" doesn't work.)

As for firing extensively without hearing protection, been there, done that!.

Huh? What was that you said?

Jim
 
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