hearing protection

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busterbrown

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looking for high quality muff hearing protection. willing to spend a decent amount


any suggestions?
 
I have had good luck with the muff type. I probably have 5-6 pair kicking around. I'm a woodwork so I use them in the shop as well as on the range or cutting firewood. Brand doesn't matter as much as fit and db noise reduction. A dbr factor of 29 is the least you should accept (the package should be marked). IF you can find them at sears they'll be less than $30.
 
I have the Peltor. I just ordered a pair of Remington 31 NRR and the Blast Foam Plugs rated at 33 NRR from Natchez. I used Plugs and the Peltors the other day and I got some damage anyway. I am guessing I did not have the plugs inserted to get a good seal. Anyway, tinnitus is no fun and could become lifelong torture. Be careful.
 
Peltor H10 muffs. Wear cheap foam rubber earplugs under the muffs for even more protection.

That's what I was going to say. If you can't find the Peltor H10's, the Peltor Ultimate 10's are a very good second choice.
 
leightning: This company also makes excellent "stethoscope" style ear plugs. They cost around $6 and are as good as most muffs. I use Peltor 6 with EAR plugs for high noise like indoor range and Sordin muffs with or without plugs depending on conditions outdoors.

I keep the Peltor muffs beside my Glock 17 home defense gun mostly for the sound amplification but also to avoid "stun grenade" effect if I ever have to discharge a round inside my home.

The better electronic muffs on high volume allow me to hear range commands through good plugs.
 
I questioned my ear Doctor about hearing protection for shooting. His response was that the best was a pair of foam expandable plugs, (The high priced molded ones often leave gaps for sound penetration if not precisely inserted and the shape of the ear changes with time.) Then also wear a good pair of muffs.
 
While we are on this subject:

Is there a pair of slimmer style muffs that are as good at reducing noise as the Leightnings? It's next to impossible for me to shoulder my rifles without the bloody things getting in my way.
 
This company also makes excellent "stethoscope" style ear plugs.
As an industrial hygienst I can not recommend these to shooters. The NRR is not very high and you can not use other hearing protection with them.

WRT muffs and rifle/shotgun use - You'll find that muffs that allow use of a stocked firearm are a lower NRR than the muffs with the larger cups. This makes use of plugs even more important.
 
The stethoscope plugs I use are Howard-Leight Model QB2HYG. The NRR rating is 25. As a practical matter this is about as good as muffs especially if you are wearing shooting glasses which have the bow running under the muff compromising the seal.

I only wear this type of plug outdoors. I like them because I can wear a full brimmed hat instead of a baseball cap.
 
Indoors, another vote for Howard-Leight Leightning 31s and expanding plugs in the ears.

What? What's that you say? :D
 
As someone in a related field takes HSO's guidance on this. He knows his stuff.

I like the Peltor Tac 6's since I prefer a rear headband style (lets me wear a hat) and I like the electronics if I'm teaching and not shooting a lot at the time. However, I still wear plugs under them and often turn them off if the range gets crowded.

If you do a search there is a good amount of info here about muffs.
 
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