Onward Allusion
Member
Electronic muffs are great. They don't cancel noise (by creating a mirror of the sound wave). Electronic muffs work by using a mic that shuts off at a certain decibel.
How loud are high velocity .22lr?
- Thread starter Marlin60Man
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Electronic muffs are great. They don't cancel noise (by creating a mirror of the sound wave). Electronic muffs work by using a mic that shuts off at a certain decibel.
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
I hope everyone reads and heeds the post above.
And a big 10-4 on the wind noise riding motorcycles. Not the exhaust.
1911Tuner
Moderator Emeritus
The supersonic crack of the bullet is probably louder than the report of the rifle.
But...yes. A lot of shooting with a .22 rifle can damage your hearing. Foam ear plugs are adequate for a .22 rifle or pistol, but not for the higher calibers. Concussion can affect the small inner ear bones and result in hearing loss, too...even though your ears don't get "rung" with the shot. For the low number of rounds fired while hunting, ear plugs are fine.
But...yes. A lot of shooting with a .22 rifle can damage your hearing. Foam ear plugs are adequate for a .22 rifle or pistol, but not for the higher calibers. Concussion can affect the small inner ear bones and result in hearing loss, too...even though your ears don't get "rung" with the shot. For the low number of rounds fired while hunting, ear plugs are fine.
Foam ear plugs remain the highest protection you can get, barely matched by a few muffs in the past few years.
The whole hearing industry has yet to figure out a way to reliably rank impulsive noise.
The rise time of the impulse is so fast, it completely swamps normal audio measuring equipment.
The peak value is then not measured correctly.
Marlin60Man
Member
I think I am going to get some of those electronic muffs. I like to be able to hear what is going on around me. I do wonder if they will effect how my hold on the rifle, maybe rub up against the butt...
I hope I haven't done too much damage already. Been out shooting for a few hours at a time more than a handful of times the last couple of months...
One thing about those plugs for me is that they pretty much cut out all sound for me, since I am already totally deaf in one ear. I think the electronic muffs would be nicer.
I hope I haven't done too much damage already. Been out shooting for a few hours at a time more than a handful of times the last couple of months...
One thing about those plugs for me is that they pretty much cut out all sound for me, since I am already totally deaf in one ear. I think the electronic muffs would be nicer.
1911Tuner
Moderator Emeritus
If that were true, I wouldn't be just shy of functionally deaf. Until about 10 years go, all I used was foam plugs...and an ear specialist advised me to use good muffs in order to dampen the shock waves that were spankin' the small bones in my head.
Moose1995
Member
I use the foam plugs in the machine shop where I work, and the same plugs for shooting. They seem to be plenty sufficient. The noise and impulse from my 45 is much much less then a 22lr without the plugs. That being said, to the OP, I noticed the CCI stingers out of my short barreled ruger sr22 were nearly as loud as the guy in the stall next to me shooting a 9mm. The lesser velocity mini mags weren't nearly as loud.
Stevie-Ray
Member
So do I, and that includes even shooting JUST .22LR. Permanent Tinnitus and hearing loss is no fun, take it from somebody that has known for many years now.
22-rimfire
Member
I shot my Ruger SR22 without ear protection today (one shot) and I my ears were ringing. Wear ear plugs or simply ear protection.
Furncliff
Member
Hearing protection does not have to be expensive. The foam ear plugs are cheap (not my favorite). Midway has a wide choice and the Midway brand Muffs are only 20 bucks. I have a pair and they are the best muff I've ever used. They are large so there's a good chance they may get in the way for rifle shooters. But there are some low profile ones that work well in this case. I also bought a pair of Caldwell E-MAX Electronic Earmuffs (NRR 25dB) when they were on sale (under $20). I was skeptical that an inexpensive product would work very well. But they do the job quite well and they are low profile so they will not get in the way of the rifle stock.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/524517/midwayusa-ultimate-10-earmuffs-by-peltor-nrr-30db-black
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/524517/midwayusa-ultimate-10-earmuffs-by-peltor-nrr-30db-black
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josiewales
Member
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So you should wear hearing protection for .22 short sub-sonic?
BoilerUP
Member
Hearing loss runs in my family on my father's side.
I wear plugs for all shooting and using power equipment (mowers, trimmers, air compressors, etc). I typically only use muffs with handguns.
When BATFE approves my suppressor, I hope to shoot a rimfire rifle without hearing protection, but we'll see.
I wear plugs for all shooting and using power equipment (mowers, trimmers, air compressors, etc). I typically only use muffs with handguns.
When BATFE approves my suppressor, I hope to shoot a rimfire rifle without hearing protection, but we'll see.
gathert
Member
Those loads out of my .22 rifle are suppressor quiet, which is low enough to be acceptable without hearing protection. Its about as loud as a pellet gun, and nobody wears hearing protection with those. Anything more than the little Super Colibri 20g rounds I wear hearing protection. But then again, I only use those for back yard plinking instead of at a shooting range where I would be wearing protection anyway.
bigfatdave
Member
"sub sonic" is a pretty broad category, in most cases, yes, they can cause hearing damage.
Even a CCI CB short from a carbine (16.5" barrel) indoors is pretty loud, outdoors it would be right on the edge of needing hearing protection. From a revolver, even outdoors they call for earplugs.
I think there's a misconception on the nature and consequences of hearing damage going on here ... any damage is cumulative, permanent, and irreversible - be conservative in choosing when to skip the plugs, and consult a doctor or industrial hygiene expert that specializes in hearing loss/damage.
bhk
Member
CCI rates their new long rifle Quiets (40 grains at 710 fps) at 68 dbs at the shooters ears from rifles and indicates they are safe to shoot out of rifles without wearing hearing protection. This sounds pretty safe to me. They are very slightly louder than CCI CBs out of my rifles. I do not wear hearing protection when shooting either out of rifles outdoors, but do wear protection when shooting them out of handguns.
With all the liability concerning health issues these days, I bet CCI was very careful with their measurements and recommendations.
With all the liability concerning health issues these days, I bet CCI was very careful with their measurements and recommendations.
bigfatdave
Member
Regarding CCI "Quiets"
I haven't found any in the wild to test out yet, but they advertise about the same velocity as a CB short/long with a heavier bullet, so there's a bit more energy going on and a higher chamber/barrel pressure. As I said, CB shorts are marginal for neeing plugs, I wouldn't shoot the "Quiet" round from CCI in high volume without plugs, but wouldn't worry about popping small game or varmints a few rounds a day ... from a rifle with a closed action after testing it out.
CCI can claim whatever their lawyers say they can, but extended/repeated exposure is still not wise.
Seriously, is it that hard to buy a jar of foamies and keep them with the range stuff?
I haven't found any in the wild to test out yet, but they advertise about the same velocity as a CB short/long with a heavier bullet, so there's a bit more energy going on and a higher chamber/barrel pressure. As I said, CB shorts are marginal for neeing plugs, I wouldn't shoot the "Quiet" round from CCI in high volume without plugs, but wouldn't worry about popping small game or varmints a few rounds a day ... from a rifle with a closed action after testing it out.
CCI can claim whatever their lawyers say they can, but extended/repeated exposure is still not wise.
Seriously, is it that hard to buy a jar of foamies and keep them with the range stuff?
bhk
Member
Not hard to use ear protection and I use it when shooting almost all guns, when chainsawing, leaf blowing, weedeating, etc. But, I also feel very comfortable going out on my deck and shooting my air rifles, CBs, and Quiets without ear protection. The shooting experience is greatly enhanced because I can hear others talking, the birds chirp, and the squirrel/deer walking in the nearby woods. The DB rating charts show that the Quiets are quieter than normal radio volume and average street noise. Honestly, the noise the bullet makes hitting the trap is louder than the report of the rifle.
BTW, I always where protection at a range with other folks present, regardless of what I happen to be shooting. I am in my mid 60s and my hearing tests very well, thank you. This is after shooting a LOT for over 50 years. I keep my tv turned down much lower than other folks way younger than me and pick up woodland sounds MUCH better than almost anyone I know of any age. I am sure that using protection, when appropriate, has helped with this. But I am not going to go overboard.
I am going to drive my truck to town in a few minutes to pick up some supplies. Perhaps I should wear a helmet and maybe even my ear muffs because of the 70 db average street noise. Or maybe I won't because on my drive to town (3.5 miles) I may not even see another vehicle.
Don't get me wrong, WEAR HEARING PROTECTION WHEN DOING ANY ACTIVITY LOUD ENOUGH TO DAMAGE YOUR EARS.
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Many guns produce such a high level that there is NOTHING that can provide adequate long term protection form repeated gunfire.
The entire audiology field has yet to figure out how to even accurate measure impulsive noise at very high amplitude (like gunfire).
Even the ratings for plugs and muffs still contain notes about impulsive noise.
The vast majority of equipment used for measuring noise energy does not have enough bandwidth to even come close to providing accurate values for impulsive noise.
It is VERY hard to measure repeatable and reliably.
http://www.freehearingtest.com/hia_gunfirenoise.shtmlNot to offend anyone, but I was really interested in finding an actual dB level, anyone know where to find it?
I was a machinist and am already deaf in my left ear, so I kinda had a whim to check for sure when I got to playing with a dB meter app on my cell phone. Haven't had a chance to use it, nor do I trust its accuracy...
I guess better safe than sorry though
Double Naught Spy
Sus Venator
Just as a related aside, there is likely going to be a difference in dbs from the muzzle to the position of the shooter behind the rifle. There is a bit of shadow effect. So the quietest place to be when a rifle is being fired is behind the rifle. Many folks probably won't notice the difference and the difference on quieter ammo between the muzzle and behind the right isn't a lot. When shooting a much larger and more noisy caliber such as the .50 BMG, there is really a dramatic difference from being directly behind the rifle to being a few feet lateral to the rifle.
kd7nqb
Member
don't know but I will take my DB meter to the range this week and give a short report on a few different loads and calibers for comparison. Maybe the same ammo out of a few different guns.
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