Hearing loss from the range trip today?

[YZ]

Head
Molded ear plugs are not much better than properly fit disposable ones. Even the best ones don't fill the ear canal tight enough for maximum protection (And if stuffed really tight, they may cause earache and eardrum damage) It seems a traditional double up with earmuffs is most practical.

The silicone plugs must be applied outside the ear canal, basically sealing it like wax. If I were spending time next to a firing 50 BMG or some such piece of artillery, I would triple up. A soft foam plug, sealed over with a silicone plug, and then the muffs.

It takes some time to plug up properly before shooting. We literally play it by ear when we decide just how much protection is enough. I double up always, except when shooting 22LR or suppressed centerfire.

Lastly, part of prevention is choosing what to shoot. I'd say choose the smallest caliber/load that is large enough for your needs.

 

[r1derbike]

I'll second the earplug/muffs doubleup. A must for an indoor range. I have severe hearing loss in one ear due to a tumor and the other is not far behind. Tinnitus is forever, folks, at least for me.

Last trip to my ENT specialist and audiologist testing confirmed degrading hearing, and need of amplification costing 3 to 5 thousand including programming as each ear has vastly different audio charts. Can't afford that. That's outrageous. I'll continue to hack people off (including my wife in restaurant settings) to speak up.

Hearing loss is forever...hearing loss is forever...hearing loss is forever...

I completely lost my hearing in my left ear for a few days that happened suddenly after 3 days radiation treatment, my oncologist immediately called-in a steroid pack to take, and I regained some of it. Steroid use worked in that instance.

 

[r1derbike]

Not entirely true oneounce.


When i was about 13 er so, i bot an 1898 and 200 rounds o' steel jacket fer $25.
( remember them days ?)
I took it to a local strip mine hole and fired all 200 rounds jist as quick as i could.
No hearing protection.
My left ear felt 'weired' fer a while afterwards. 3 years later i went to a Traffic and Edgar Winter concert and during that LOUD concert i suddenly felt a sharp terrible pain in that same ear.
It took about 30 years but my hearing slowing went completely away in that ear. I had to have surgery a couple years ago to have that wee bone in my ear replaced with a platinum one. Hearing is now better than ever in that ear.
Point is, it took a LOT of abuse and a long time after that initial shooting session for my hearing to be damaged to any great degree.

Today, i do nothing with any kind of noise without ear protection. Kind of a nusiance in my woodshop cause i can't hear my jams with ear protection on.

Jim, did your tinnitus ever go away in the ear with the prosthesis?

 

[Iramo94]

I'd also like to add that if I were you, I would never ever skimp on quality for the ear buds. The decibel scale that we measure sound with is not linear, as I recall it is log base ten. That means the difference between ten cent earbuds that block 30 dbs and ffive dollar ones that block out 35 dbs is massive.

 

[YZ]

Only in theory. The margin of error will cover the difference, depending on individual fit and correct application. Ie a pair of 28 DB that fills the ear canal and doesn't crawl out will work better than 32 DB that kinks and hangs on.

 

[Potatohead]

thx yz. is their a brick and mortar with the molded plugs or do i have to get online? i get tired of waiting on the UPS man

 

[Potatohead]

interesting...im sure i can google but i like asking experienced folks..how many decibels do wee need to guard against? shooting 223s is about the noisiest i m around

 

[YZ]

The Db ratings posted on the labels are not absolute. There is no FDA to verify them, and whether OSHA signs off on them, I don't know. As far as individually molded plugs, I used them for a different purpose, and just didn't see a lot of difference. Disposable silicone plugs pretty much do the same trick. So for fitted plugs, probably audiology/hearing aid offices do those (did for me in the 90's)

PS. I don't remember the numbers to guard against. To really use those, you will need to carry noise measuring equipment to the range.

 

[breakingcontact]

OP, it will probably be fine. But, use it as a learning experience. I shot in the Army some without hearing protection. Stupid macho culture right? I'm not denying it didn't affect me or I won't have issues down the road. The time that did scare me was shooting on a covered pistol line with my plugs as you said, kind of half way in. My ears rang for 2 weeks and it scared the hell out of me. Since then, I put my foam plugs in properly and put muffs on top of that.

Many of us should be more concerned with buying good "eyes and ears" and less concerned about the latest shooting gizmo.

 

[Potatohead]

good points all

 

[Ranger Roberts]

Original post by breakingcontact

I shot in the Army some without hearing protection. Stupid macho culture right?

I can't imagine what all those patrols did to my hearing plus add in the choppers, and heavy equipment. Thankfully tinnitus (which I arguably had from playing guitar in garage bands in high school and years of hunting with no hearing protection) is seemingly all I am currently suffering from. I'll give you an update in a few more years though... lol

To the OP, one shot from a .223 isn't enough to make you deaf, it's a subtle reminder to remember your ear protection. Just be lucky the guy sitting next to you wasn't shooting a 300 winmag with a muzzlebreak!

 

[Potatohead]

Amen brother! thx very much for your service gentlemen. and that aint just lip service

 

[jcwit]

To the OP, one shot from a .223 isn't enough to make you deaf, it's a subtle reminder to remember your ear protection.

True, but under a covered firing line its more than just a reminder too.

 

[silicosys4]

True, but under a covered firing line its more than just a reminder too.

Depends on where you are, most definitely. I made that mistake one day long ago when a buddy drove his 4x4 into the middle of a small temporary pond in a gravel pit so we could stand on the hood and shoot at floating plastic bottles....without earplugs.



ONE shot with a .223 standing on that hood with that perfect sound-reflecting water all around us....and I couldn't hear ANYTHING for the next few hours and my ears didn't stop ringing for two days.

 

[breakingcontact]

My Army shooting was just on the ranges. Never deployed, don't want to get any credit undeserved. Just did my small part.

I need to get a good set of muffs and glasses. Right now I've got the best they sell! ...at Academy.

 

[mugsie]

I think the hearing loss thing is a little over rated. The Civil War, WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Gulf War.... We'd all be deaf and we're not. I spent 68 & 69 in Nam, lots of combat and my hearing is fine. Do I wear hearing protection when I shoot, of course I do, but I still think lasting damage is false. The cilia may be damaged, but like everything else in our bodies, they too repair themselves.

 

[breakingcontact]

I think the hearing loss thing is a little over rated. The Civil War, WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Gulf War.... We'd all be deaf and we're not. I spent 68 & 69 in Nam, lots of combat and my hearing is fine. Do I wear hearing protection when I shoot, of course I do, but I still think lasting damage is false. The cilia may be damaged, but like everything else in our bodies, they too repair themselves.

Why take the chance though? I won't shoot without eyes and ears.

 

[YZ]

Mugsie
Don't subvert the young minds. You've been lucky, that's all. Maybe even made from a better material.
People smoke all life long and don't get lung cancer. Others never brush and have no cavities. So?

 

[Walkalong]

Asked and answered.

For everyone who says they haven't lost hearing, I can tote out 10 folks who can't hear anything but the wringing in their ears, and 100 more who didn't hear the question.

Please protect your hearing folks, you'll be glad you did. Hopefully, from using proper ear protection, you will never know what I mean exactly.

 

[hso]

I would triple up.

No, that's of no benefit. It also think there's a misunderstanding about what is meant by molded silicone.

Soft moldable silicone is different from the cast in the ear permanent silicone compound plugs that do seal the ear canal when properly done.

OTOH, they aren't any better foam plugs for NRR, but they fit properly each time which is a big factor in applying foam plugs.