Loundness of rounds fired inside a house

[Zach S]

Many years ago, I dropped a pistol, and stupidity caught it. I still have the speakerbox I shot as a reminder... A little dialtone in one ear, but could hear fine. My bedroom was pretty solid, a dresser and computer desk on a hardwood floor. The only "soft" item was my bed.

A few years after that, I heard about a house that was going to be demolished. I got in touch with the owner to ask if I could fire a few rounds in it, so I would know what to expect if I had to defend my castle.

I can't remember if I shot the AR or shotgun first, and they were about a week apart.

The AR was a little worse than the pistol. A very quick, loud "pop," then dialtone in both ears, but could still hear fine. I could hear someone speaking normally in the same room, but sounded like I had water in my ears.

The shotgun was unpleasant to say the least. Compared to the AR, it was a longer "boom." All I could hear was a dialtone, both ears. For a day or two...

I know I did damage, however the results of my last hearing test showed mine to be slightly above average for my age. I'm pretty religious about wearing ear pro when it would be a good idea (and not just when needed). I don't keep ear pro on my nightstand though.

Edit: I have tinnitus that comes and goes, I'm not sure if its triggered by certain frequencies, blood pressure, or what. Seems pretty random.

 

[FAS1]

Another option, if legal in your local, is a suppressor on your HD pistol. This will not only protect your hearing, but also the hearing of other family members in your home.

I can tell you that more and more people are choosing this option. Now if we could just eliminate the bureaucracy costs so that this is an option available to more people.

 

[Zach S]

FAS1, just out of curiosity, what is that on the dust cover?

 

[CopperFouling]

Those FAS-1 safes are incredibly well made. Here's a plug from a happy customer. Sorry to derail the thread momentarily.

I've wanted a suppressor for that very reason, but the paperwork and wait time are a headache.

 

[FAS1]

FAS1, just out of curiosity, what is that on the dust cover?

Viridian C5L green laser/light combo.

 

[JohnKSa]

I know two people who have discharged a handgun inside a house without hearing protection. In both cases the handgun was a 4"bbl .357Magnum revolver. Both of them noted significant hearing loss as a direct result of the incident.

Another option, if legal in your local, is a suppressor on your HD pistol. This will not only protect your hearing, but also the hearing of other family members in your home.

In one of the two cases, there was another person who fired a gun. Equipping your own self-defense firearm with a suppressor may help mute the sound of your own firearm but it obviously won't do anything to suppress your attacker's firearm.

When under duress, you likely wont even hear the shot.

In one case, the shooter was relaxed. He reported that he didn't hear the shot. He also reported being nearly totally deaf for a while after the incident.

In the other case, the shooter was definitely under duress. She reported that the discharge smoke from the firearm set off the smoke detector but that she was unaware of the sound due to the initial, temporary hearing loss. Another person who had not been present for the actual shooting pointed out that they were standing under the detector after the shooting and asked if they could move away from the detector noise.

In both cases, relaxed or not, the reports indicated very severe temporary hearing impairment which gradually reduced over time, leaving significant permanent hearing impairment.

I keep high-end, electronic hearing protection near my nightstand gun. If I get up to investigate a "bump in the night", I put it on. It provides an improvement over my natural hearing ability and it is designed so that I can still locate sounds normally.

In a more time-compressed response, I really doubt I'd even remember it's there. But if I need it and I have the time to grab it and put it on, it's available.

 

[brickeyee]

A little dialtone in one ear, but could hear fine.

Except at the exact frequency of your ringing.
You will show a huge loss at THAT exact spot.

 

[CopperFouling]

I keep high-end, electronic hearing protection near my nightstand gun. If I get up to investigate a "bump in the night", I put it on. It provides an improvement over my natural hearing ability and it is designed so that I can still locate sounds normally.

I'm curious to know what type you have. Does it have a switch to turn it on?

 

[JohnKSa]

I have the Peltor Tactical 7S model with the gel earpads. It has a switch with an on-off detent and an analog volume control controlled by the same knob. The volume control adjustment specific setting isn't critical and the range is reasonable which means even if you turn them all the way up, it's still a functional setting. So the simplest thing to do would put them on and spin the knob all the way to its stop.

These would basically be the last thing I grabbed from the nightstand, and if time was an issue they would get fall off the bottom of the list.