Hearing Protection?

[DevLcL]

One time I shot my .45 without protection and for about 5 min I thought for sure I would never hear again. How do those guys in the military shoot fully automatic rifles over and over and over without protection???....

I suppose now-days folks have protection in the field but what about back in WWII or the korean war or even vietnam... if anyone says they often used hearing protection in these periods I will assume that is an assumtion.

To me, it seems, hearing protection would not be something highly desired in an enviroment of awarness and constant alert. How would you hear someone sneaking up on you. Also, from my experience, you cant effectively pinpoint the location of enemy fire (if you must rely on sound to do this).

I dont even want to get into trying to have a conversation with anyone other then your co who is yelling at the top of his lungs

I know this really isn't important, but honestly, its been bothering me.

-Dev

 

[MechAg94]

My Dad's hearing is not too good. He can't hear the high frequency stuff very well. But, he figures it was mostly from working in some of the chemical plants years ago when all they gave you was cotton.

 

[Telperion]

I've been told hearing damage is a very common disability among combat vets from the past. Did civilian shooters even use muffs 50-60 years ago? When did the shooting community start recognizing the danger for hearing damage?

Soldiers are now issued plugs, and I've seen pictures of soldiers in Iraq wearing Peltor ComTac muffs. So hearing protection is becoming more common.

 

[miragetex]

hearing protection

One of the numerous things I would change if I had to live my life over is that I would always, under all circumstances, use hearing protection when shooting. I've shot a lot over the years, including a tour in Vietnam (though I wasn't in the infantry, I still shot quite a bit). It surely would be helpful to be able to hear in the midst of a firefight, but I don't think anybody can hear much after the first few rounds, so ear plugs would be more help than hinderance. Now at the ripe old age of 60, I find myself frustrated at my inability to understand people, especially if there's much background noise, although my hearing isn't as bad as some. In order to save my remaining hearing, I now use both ear plugs and muffs for target shooting, and at least ear plugs even while hunting.

 

[dfaugh]

Well

"Did civilian shooters even use muffs 50-60 years ago?"

Don't knowabout that far back as I'm only 50, but when I started shooting,35 years ago very few (including me) wore hearing protection, at least not the "informal" shooters. Now most of us say "Huh?" alot...But its the constant ringing in my ears that really gets me.

 

[pauli]

devlcl, look at a good set of electronic earmuffs. i bought a few sets of cheap ones so i can talk to anybody i bring to the range without shouting all the time. they work great, especially for $20 a piece!

i know of a few hunters who use higher quality ones out in the field - crank up the gain, and you can hear the deer earlier than without the darn things on they also like to shoot the way they practice, and they practice with hearing protection, so...

for a military setting? obviously not a likely piece of equipment. can't see a problem with a good set of etymotics, though...

 

[fisherman66]

I've found the muff type protection especially cumbersome when firing a rifle. I do find the ones with gain incredibly attrative, but I'd almost need a rifle stock with a muff cutout. I wish they'd make them out of soft latex instead of the hard plastic (but I don't think they'd work as well )

 

[Coronach]

Did people back in the past wear hearing protection like we do now?

No, not really.

I also know a lot of deaf old guys.

Coincidence?

Mike

 

[TooTaxed]

Ditto CORONACH's post.

Those old guys suffered hearing damage...like me and my brother...aids in both ears. Also, you don't wear ear muffs during battle.

 

[GarrettJ]

I've found the muff type protection especially cumbersome when firing a rifle. I do find the ones with gain incredibly attrative, but I'd almost need a rifle stock with a muff cutout.

They make inside-the-ear electronic hearing protection now that work like the muffs. They amplify normal sound levels but cut out loud noises. They look like hearing aids. I have a couple of pairs of electronic muffs, but they get really hot in the summer.

Of course, my rabbit hunting guns have hearing protection built in.

 

[106rr]

I have had total hearing loss many times in combat. Usually from 106 Recoiless Rifles, but also from firing banks of claymores, mortar attacks, rocket attacks, firing a 45 in a tunnel, blowing tunnels and bunkers, landmines, as well as nearby airstrikes. After the fight most of your hearing comes back but each time you lose a little more.
It is critical to be able to hear the enemy coming or to hear movement around you. We cannot wear earplugs before the fight and the fight would be over before you could insert them. In a Vietnam era ambush, one side or the other will have fire superiority in three to five seconds. There is sporadic shooting after that time but the fight is won or lost in a very short time. If I am shooting a Recoilless Rifle my loader would communicate with me by slapping my helmet and yelling "UP" as loud as he could. His voice sounds like a distant muffled sound after the shot.
Every man in the Heavy Weapons Platoon is hearing handicapped. When we attended a 196th Light Infantry Brigade Reunion many of our brothers thought that the whole platoon was drunk because we were shouting. We weren't drunk we are deaf! You will be just like me if you don't wear hearing protection EVERY time you practice.

 

[fisherman66]

Wow; all I can say is thank you.

 

[30Cal]

I wear a set of Peltor6S electronic muffs for hunting or other situations where I'm only going to be shooting a handful of rounds at the most. If you turn the cups upside-down, they have a decent scallop for shooting long-guns. They don't offer up enough for range use though (a mere 24dB NRR), so I usually wear a set of 31NRR plugs under them.

 

[bogie]

You know, I probably shouldn't have tried putting my head inside the horn part of that speaker at a concert... That was loud...

 

[45crittergitter]

Say what?

 

[hps1]

Walker game ear muffs have a bevel on each ear cup at the bottom to help clear the rifle stock. They also have 2 mikes on each earcup, making it somewhat possible to determine direction a sound comes from. I say somewhat because the tenitis and considerable hearing loss in left ear makes determination of direction difficult with or W/O the muffs. I wear the muffs religeously on the range or hunting.

The cutout works for me both at the range and in the field. My rifle has a low comb, however, so YMMV.

Regards,
hps