So... does hearing damage still occur or accrue WITH hearing protection?

[BHPshooter]

Actually, I did change medications recently, so that may be it. Overall I'd say the "chirping" has reduced, it just concerned me that it was changing.

I guess I'll start doubling up from now on. The ringing is already about enough to drive me nuts at bedtime... I can't imagine how veterans must feel.

Wes

 

[Zach S]

Doubling up is a good idea, especially indoors. However, I have to admit that I dont always double up, except when shooting my AR15. I shot it indoors without doubling up exactly once... My thompson is amazingly quiet (I actually think the bolt is louder than the report), however it is a low-pressure round out of a 16" barrel.

I prefer earplugs over muffs, if I can only have one. I use these while punching heavy metal at work and at the range. I also used them when I ran mills and chainsaws at previous jobs. They're far from comfortable, but they work.

I just googled and found this webstore that has them pretty cheap, they also offer trail packs with different styles and sizes of ear plugs, might be worth looking into.

 

[gulogulo1970]

I used to just use muffs. But now I double up (muffs and plugs), because every time I didn't my ears would ring for most of the day.

I injured my ears when I was 18 shooting a 12ga about 50 times without any protection. Stupid!

 

[JohnBT]

Heck, I'd done more damage than that by the time I was 5 or 6. There was usually something to do like watching the men shoot the big shotguns; plinking with the little .22s or bolt action .410s; following the men around while they shot groundhogs with a .222. When I got a little bigger they'd let me finish them off with a .22 if they needed it. That .222 was a noisy sucker.

Then there were the firecrackers. Lots and lots of firecrackers.

John

 

[roo_ster]

I double up: foam earplugs & cheapie electronic muffs turned up full blast..

How cheap? Well, take a gander at this:
Twenty Dollar Electronic Ear Muffs

No, they aren't stereo. No, they aren't built like a tank. And, no, they aren't the latest technology (they clip the sound off when it exceeds a certain level).

But, they are cheap and they do work for my purposes.

Using just plugs or just muffs seem terribly loud to me, nowadays.

 

[redneck2]

Standing Wolf says

Being male makes one more likely to lose more hearing than women

The one making the noise doesn't go deaf. It's the one on the receiving end that goes deaf