How Many Double Up Ear Protection?

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NOW I do 100% of the time. After shooting for 5 years, 4 of the years which I either didn't even wear ear protection, or just wore ear plugs, I now know that losing your hearing isnt cool. I always double up with foamies and headphones. BEING SAFE IS COOL:neener:
 
i normally do when im shooting, I work around airplanes so im supposed to wear double when im at work but about 90% of the time I dont so i have a constant ringing in my ears:uhoh:
 
Quote:
1,000db over a time of 1 sec will give you hearing loss
500db over a time of 1 hour will give you hearing loss
200db over a time of 24 hours will give you hearing loss
100db over a time of 64 hours will give you hearing loss
54db over a time of 3000 hours will give you hearing loss
these numbers are way, way off.

1000db for 1 second would turn you into a heap of goo. That's many orders of magnitude louder than any sound on earth.

The other figures are equally bogu
Click to expand...

Thats why i stated they are made up, before i posted them.

Go here for some real numbers, after a quick search i found this.

http://www.abelard.org/hear/hear.htm
 
I always double up, even if I'm shooting a .22 rifle outside. I just don't see why I shouldn't. It isn't uncomfortable and is in no way a nuissance to me.

Once you lose your hearing, it's not coming back. Why risk it?
 
I usually us both the muffs and plugs. Keep them in the same container that my safety goggles are in.
 
Every time

I also use my 32 dBi Sennheiser closed circumaural headphones when mowing the lawn... not only am I not listening to the roaring 6 hp engine, I'm not cranking the iPod to hear over it. (my previous setup was a pair of iBuds under gun muffs... not the most friendly or stable setup)

The Sennheisers have more isolation than the muffs, I think. And I got the most potent earplugs I could find, semi-disposable Hearos, blue and yellow swirled.
 
I almost always double up

The thing with "temporary" hearing loss is that it really isn't. If you have ringing or any other symptoms you have lost some permanently. I'm only 41 but my hearing is the only thing that still works pretty much the way it did as when I was 21.

Anyone using those fancy electronic muffs that you can get in Cabelas that let you hear normally until you shoot?
 
I go with just the foam plugs. If you put them in right they work well, most are rated at at least 30 db, and they are cheap. The cheaper muffs tend to be around 25 db. Of course if you double up then you get an improvement over both, but muffs mess up my cheek weld. Also I am young and dumb.
 
Double your pleasure

I always double up, except on the .22 plinking range, where I find that the foam plugs jammed all the way into my ear canals seem to do the trick. I'm curious to hear more about the triple protection...
 
Mindwip said:
Thats why i stated they are made up, before i posted them.
Click to expand...
:scrutiny:

Hearing protection has been discussed with non-BS numbers before. For a simple rule of thumb for unprotected noise exposure cut the exposure time in half for every 5dB over 90 dB (for an 8 hr exposure). 95 dB = 4 hrs, 100 dB = 2 hrs, 105 dB = 1 hr, 110 dB = 30 min., 115 dB = 15 minutes and so on. These are the current OSHA exposure limits for workers. If you have NRR 30 plugs properly inserted well into the ear canal you will receive ~ 110 dB exposure from a typical 140 dB firearm. If that noise level isn't continuous, as shots are not, you have to add the fractions of a second for each shot together to get your exposure time. Considering that 110 dB noise has a safe exposure time of 30 minutes OSHA would tell you you'd be safe with NRR 30 plugs. The only problem is that there is evidence that OSHA's numbers may be too high by 5 or 10 dB putting the starting point at 80 or 85 dB (depending upon who's research you believe). That then gives us ~7 minutes of continuous gunfire for safe exposure. Sounds like an incentive to add muffs to the plugs so that you have some additional protection. How much? Only another 5 dB. Not another 20 for NRR 20 muffs, but another 5 dB. Of course that doubles the safe exposure time above the plugs alone and considering the hundredths of a second of noise each shot produces plugs and muffs will allow you a couple of hours of safe (to your hearing) fun.
 
Active electronic muffs suffice alone outdoors, but indoors I double up with EAR plugs and pump up the volume. The only practical way to RO in a Practical rifle match, the comped .223's really hit you.
 
As many, I always double up indoors and only sometimes when outdoors. Bulky muffs really tend to get in the way when trying to use a scoped rifle or low elevation iron sights.
 
Indoors I always double up. Outdoors only if I'm next to the guy with the big boomer, or if that guy with the big boomer is me.

jm

Ditto
 
Always!

I mean, once my wife starts nagging, there can be some serious ear damage after a while....

Ohhhhh... While shooting...

Yep. Eyes and ears are two things I suspect I would miss if they became irreparably damaged - and annoyed immeasurably if I could have easily taken measures to prevent that loss.
 
Indoors, I wear plugs and shotgun muffs. Outdoors (shooting) I just wear my good plugs, and outdoors (yard work) I just find a pair of muffs to wear.

~GnSx
 
muffs and plugs.
get the silicone reusable ones, then use them with muffs.

oh, and since we are on the subject -

SILENCIO "DEFENDER" muffs are the absolute worst muffs ever. They provide nearly no protection and only with plugs do they even come close to being useful.

that's probably why they cost only five bucks. you do get what yo upay for.

i would personally recommend silicones with electronic muffs. that way you can hear and not hear.


ps: i frequently see guys going to the range with napkins stuffed in their ears for protection. :what:
 
Always indoors, and outdoors if shooting loud guns. A like amplified muffs worn over plugs.
 
I didn't way back when and now I turn the TV up. Plus whats that whistleing buzzing sound? I do now and practice that way so my kids will not have to learn the lesson I have. I make them double up always. I don't want them going "Huh" in college some day.
 
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