There is a problem with that logic. Exposure to gunfire even once can equal the exposure to loud equipment for months. I'm glad your hearing is perfect. Or is it? I have hearing tests every year; it is required at work. My idiocy as a child of not using hearing protection has garnered me a hearing loss. I've fully protected what I have left for the last 30 years, and my hearing is not getting worse, except for what they call normal aging. Have hearing tests done, you may be surprised at the loss even at only one certain frequency. NEVER, I mean NEVER expose yourself to gunfire with unprotected hearing needlessly. (Non-defense capacity) Once lost, your hearing will never return. Please continue to hear what I am missing.Cousin Mike said:I've fired all kinds of guns without hearing protection. Rifles, pistols, and shotguns, and even a friends ported pistol (Glock 21C). My ears always ring after shooting without hearing protection, and it's not something I do very often, but it happens. I have never considered the sound of gunfire to be painful, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with my hearing. I'm always the first one to hear an ambulance in traffic (even with music playing), or whatever the situation calls for. I would go as far as to say my hearing is excellent. And as mentioned previously, what about combat veterans? Why aren't they all deaf?
OTOH, most people I know who work with incredibly loud equipment on a daily basis, or those who constantly listen to loud music, have hearing problems. IANAD, but I would think constant exposure to loud noise would do considerably more damage than occasionally or rarely experiencing loud noises like gunfire.
I recall reading that ringing is an indication that permanent damage has taken place.My ears always ring after shooting without hearing protection
I'm glad you take measures to protect your hearing, but I'm not sure an empty .45 casing has much of an NRR (noise reduction rating). Now a loaded .45 round would provide better protection , but I think cheap foam plugs (NRR > 20) would do better.
Ryder said:I don't believe foam is very effective without muffs to back them up. People use them because they're cheap, easy, and better than nothing but it's far from optimal.
WHAT'S THAT? WAX BUILD UP?hso said:My experience has been when a guy has lots of wax buildup, so much so that an ear plug would compact the wax, is at risk of ear infections anyway. I've sent some of our guys to the doctor for that problem and they usually work out a convenient way to clear the wax out to keep it from being a problem.