what ear protection?

[Axis II]

I always used the harder rubber ear plugs and they give me a headache so I switched to the $15-20 plugs that look similar to hearing aids and lost them.

Im interested in electronic muffs and was wondering if someone could steer me in the right direction.

I see $25 muffs and $200 muffs.

Ive been kinda deterred by muff for shooting rifle but never tried them. do muffs get in the way when shooting a rifle or shotgun?

Ive heard some people don't like the electronic muffs but 99% of the time im at the range im alone and would like to be able to hear if someone is walking up on me.

 

[Vonderek]

I have some cheap Howard Leight muffs. They work well, amplifying speech and block loud noise, but have a NRR of only 22. I've noticed the more expensive muffs with similar NRR. It's not enough so I double up with foam ear plugs. I can still hear well enough w/o gunfire and it's much more protection with gunfire.

I have not noticed the muffs in the way when shooting a rifle.

 

[Reloadron]

Ive been kinda deterred by muff for shooting rifle but never tried them. do muffs get in the way when shooting a rifle or shotgun?

Depends on the type and your cheek weld to the stock. I still use an old set of muffs from the flight deck days. I also have several sets from when I worked in high noise areas. Eventually I plan to get an electronic set, till then the old, tried and true, traditional sets seem to be working for me.

Ron

 

[Bama Drifter]

I have some cheap Howard Leight muffs. They work well, amplifying speech and block loud noise, but have a NRR of only 22. I've noticed the more expensive muffs with similar NRR. It's not enough so I double up with foam ear plugs. I can still hear well enough w/o gunfire and it's much more protection with gunfire.

I have not noticed the muffs in the way when shooting a rifle.

+1 on the Howard Leight muffs. There is a reason it is Amazon's #1 best seller under hunting/shooting accessories with over 8,000 positive reviews. One engineer even posted up a video review in the comments section. Definitely worth a look!

http://www.amazon.com/Howard-Leight...&qid=1464279377&sr=8-1&keywords=howard+leight

 

[joem1945]

I like Sordin muffs. Not cheap but work very well.

 

[Jim Watson]

The higher the NRR the better. There is an Internet Expert who will tell you that a particular brand rated 22 dB is just as good as others at 30 dB. Considering that the one he touts is one of the most expensive, I am not willing to test his theory.

For maximum protection wear muffs over plugs. The NRR does not add, but it is still a considerable increase in noise reduction.

I cannot wear muffs effectively to shoot a rifle or shotgun, the cups knock against the comb of the stock. So I depend on good cheap foam plugs at 33 dB.

 

[BP Hunter]

I sometimes do what Gunny does. I just use spent 9mm casing to the ear canal.

 

[fireman 9731]

http://www.accurateshooter.com/gear-reviews/leight-quiet-band-nrr-25-banded-earplugs/

This is what I like. Quick and easy to put on and take off like muffs but less bulk and interference with stocks. You can take them on or off with one hand and they are convenient to wear around your neck when not in use. Pretty comfortable for extended wear too. I use them for shooting, weed-eating, chainsawing, and tractor work.

Hard to beat for 5 bucks!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1N1K7JQS674EJ3E2QF2N

 

[Warp]

I always used the harder rubber ear plugs and they give me a headache so I switched to the $15-20 plugs that look similar to hearing aids and lost them.

Im interested in electronic muffs and was wondering if someone could steer me in the right direction.

I see $25 muffs and $200 muffs.

Ive been kinda deterred by muff for shooting rifle but never tried them. do muffs get in the way when shooting a rifle or shotgun?

Ive heard some people don't like the electronic muffs but 99% of the time im at the range im alone and would like to be able to hear if someone is walking up on me.

I have both sizes of the howard leight as well as MSA Sordin Supremes. The howard leights don't seal to my head/around my ear nearly as well. The foam is not supple enough, so it is much easier to break the seal even by just moving around. Also the MSA electronics are better, they handle background noise better, have a little more clarity to the amplified sound, and even seem to cut in and out better around the gunfire. To me they are definitely better. Are they worth the extreme price difference? Maybe, maybe not, but I never ever reach for the howard leights.

For rifle shooting I think you pretty much need (at least I do) a slim muff that does as much as possible to avoid interfering with the stock AND plugs underneath. I use Surefire plugs as they are not too expensive and are much easier to insert reliably than the foam ones that have to expand. Then just turn the volume up a little more on the muffs. I have even done a plug under my right ear when firing off my right shoulder, but not under my left, for some coverage in case the stock breaks the muffs seal.


I wear the big fat muffs with the most NRR I can get whenever I am indoors with anything centerfire though. More NRR the better.

http://www.amazon.com/3M-Peltor-Ove...HBCQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1464292369&sr=8-2

 

[Reloadron]

+1 on the Howard Leight muffs. There is a reason it is Amazon's #1 best seller under hunting/shooting accessories with over 8,000 positive reviews. One engineer even posted up a video review in the comments section. Definitely worth a look!

http://www.amazon.com/Howard-Leight...&qid=1464279377&sr=8-1&keywords=howard+leight

Thanks for the link. Earlier I mentioned "someday" and described my ancient muffs. Today is someday. Hey forty bucks and Amazon Prime.

Ron

 

[wally]

My wife and I like the "Browning" muffs sold at Academy and elsewhere. They are rated 29db while most other are 24-26db.

They are also smaller (don't stick so far out from your head) than most and don't interfere when I shoot rifles, being an SBR fan we need better than average earpro.

Only downside is they are tight, but have to be to get that good seal for the better NR figure.


Price was right too, under $30 if I recall. I used to use electronic muffs but unless everyone else is using them I find nobody hears me because I don't raise my voice enough because I am hearing myself too well. They also fold up nicely so they pack efficiently in the range bag.

 

[exbrit49]

Electronic ear muffs

I used to use standard muffs with a noise reduction of around 22Db, Had many types and styles over the years and was happy with most.
About two years ago I was in Harbor Freight and they had the electronic ones for around $13. Being curious, i picked up a set.
I was initially a little wary of them but was pleasantly surprised at the audio quality and how well I could hear conversations while they still attenuated loud sounds. After some initial testing at home I finally took them to the range and used them with various calibers and was stunned that a $13 set of electronic headphones would work that well.
I tested them with everything from .22 to 45 Colt in handguns and various 30 caliber rifles. The loud noises were clipped so fast I dont think i was ever exposed to more than 80 Db. I dont have the equipment to test actual measurements, but I can be shooting and they clamp and within milliseconds,then within a split second I can hear my buddy talk to me.
I was so impressed that I went out and bought 2 more pairs and keep one in each of my shooting bags, Just checked and Harbor Freight still carries them and they are up to about $15.

 

[Corpral_Agarn]

I shoot a lot of indoor Matches and generally do instruction indoors.
I like to double up. It gets loud in there.

The electronic muffs with the volume cranked all the way up let me hear pretty darn well when not shooting.

Works great for rifles with muzzle brakes, too.

I use these:
SureFire Earpugs

Paired with these:
Howard Leight Electric Muffs

 

[hso]

We've had a lot of discussions on hearing protection and they boil down to this -

Wear properly inserted high NRR plugs under the highest NRR muffs you can use, ensure the muffs cover the entire ear and comfortably seat against your head with as little to no gap in the pads as possible and purchase from a well known industrial hearing protection manufacturer like Peltor/3M, Howard Leight/Honeywell, Sordin/MSA, ELVEX to ensure quality construction and reliable performance.

I recommend Peltor/3M, Howard Leight/Honeywell or Sordin/MSA electronic muffs fitted with comfort gel pads and simply using disposable foam plugs that are rolled up nice and tight and inserted well into the ear to block the ear canal.

 

[LocoGringo]

With precision rifles, I use plugs and a silencer. With pistol only (indoor or outdoor), I use plugs and muffs (non-electronic). Shooting 3-gun (which is only outdoor), I use plugs only because muffs interfere with my cheekweld on the rifle and shotgun. It's what works for me.

After 11 years in armed security work while shooting a M134 in .308 twice a year during about 5 of those years and shooting pistol/rifle quals indoors for all of those 11 years and competing in various shooting games for about 8-9 of those years, my hearing has not diminished one little bit as tested by my yearly physical.

 

[Savage99]

When shooting rifles at the range I wear both plugs and muffs.

The gun's stock lifts muffs.

 

[Tirod]

Used GI plugs for years and they work. While employed two years in a CNC department with turret presses banging out 1/4" plate parts I used different ones and they all work. Solid plugs inserted correctly do the job.

I, too, bought the HF amplified muffs and they are a good example of Gen One electronics - they simply turn off the circuit at a predetermined level, pause a split second, and turn on again. Run a small engine with them on and they can be "out of circuit" for long periods of time, cutting in and out.

I then bought Peltors and the upgrade is significant - it's multiple generations past the HF "clippers" which can be difficult to use when conversation is necessary or desired. Turned up they are also amplifiers which have advantages when hunting.

Surefire also offers plugs with active hearing protection, they have two ratings and are noticeable with an ear wrap to keep fitted in. They also work and are easy to carry when a pair of large muffs on you might be cumbersome the rest of the day. Currently Walmart has them in stock which should give a lot of access to them.

X2 the gel cups which I understand are an improvement in long term comfort. For summer wear there are water absorbent cup covers which reduce sweat buildup.

Support the Hearing Protection Act which will allow us to use the same kind of muffler technology on a gun that is required by law for most gas and diesel engines. Silencers don't mean you can go without hearing protection, but they do make your neighbors happy.

 

[khari]

We've had a lot of discussions on hearing protection and they boil down to this -

Wear properly inserted high NRR plugs under the highest NRR muffs you can use, ensure the muffs cover the entire ear and comfortably seat against your head with as little to no gap in the pads as possible and purchase from a well known industrial hearing protection manufacturer like Peltor/3M, Howard Leight/Honeywell, Sordin/MSA, ELVEX to ensure quality construction and reliable performance.

I recommend Peltor/3M, Howard Leight/Honeywell or Sordin/MSA electronic muffs fitted with comfort gel pads and simply using disposable foam plugs that are rolled up nice and tight and inserted well into the ear to block the ear canal.

I'd never heard of Peltor before, but I bought a pair from Midway for my son (see here) based on the NRR. I am impressed with these, and will be buying a few more pairs real soon.

 

[dmoserwy]

I like my electronic muffs for rifle and pistol. Tried them on the trap range and they bumped the stock which didn't work for me.

 

[Bullseye]

Just ordered Howard Leight Impact Sport Sound Amplification Electronic Earmuff, Classic Green (R-01526) after seeing this thread here yesterday. Sent best offer w free shipping total $37.00 and won them. Package has been opened and they were returned to store. That doesn't bother me. Looking forward to these for rifle shooting as they look to be slim enough to not get in the way with the stock.
I have been using the $5.00 Harbor Freight cheapos and they are fine for handgun. I always have a couple sets of those in the car in case a friend needs to use a set.

 

[cdk8]

I find that muffs do get in the way, and they mess with shooting glasses. The biggest difference between say a $40 versus a $200 pair of electronic muffs is that the pricier one will do a better job at picking up non-gun sounds and amplifying them so you can hear them. Obviously the fitment, comfort, and longevity will usually be superior on the $200 pair, but the most pronounced difference is the amplification of voices.

I like the SureFire EP5 as plugs. These are the ones that do NOT have a valve, and because of this they are far more comfortable and reduce noise much more than the passive models using a valve (which I find uncomfortable to wear and unable to provide enough protection to shoot indoors with the valve open.) The valveless EP5s are fine for firing even louder guns both inside and out. However, inside ranges I will wear these + muffs because the muffs provide a modest additional noise reduction and they allow me to better hear voices without having to remove the EP5s. The muffs I use are an entry-mid level Peltor Tactical 6s model with noise amplification. I think they were like $60.
http://www.surefire.com/ep5-sonic-defenders-max.html

If I am shooting skeet or trap, I find that my body movements can shift the positioning of muffs slightly and, because of this, that second shot comes in a lot louder due to the muffs no longer making a perfect seal. Consequently, I favor one of the valved model SureFires despite their limitations and discomfort because, if you are shooting birdshot outdoors, they will provide enough protection with the valves open. Given the need to constantly comunicate with others in a group shoot, and how a skeet field tends to have multiple side-by-side lanes limiting when I can safely remove my ear protection, the ability to use passive plugs that help me hear voices without removing the ear protection is desirable to me.
http://www.surefire.com/ep3-sonic-defenders.html

I also hate how most muffs can make eye protection very uncomfortable. The best solution I found was purchasing a frame designed for use with muffs that uses a very thin crossbar designed to reduce irritation. The brand I went with was ESS. I chose them based on user reviews and I had no real bias for or against them upon purchasing, but first-hand experience made me a loyal customer. Their lens successfully stopped a piece of a bullet that ricocheted off a backstop, and even though it was only a fragment of the entire bullet and lost much of its energy hitting the backstop, it still hit HARD and I damned near crapped myself.

(The most ironic part is that the muffs are why I purchased the new eye protection when I did. I had a cheaper pair of safety glasses I was using because my Wiley X lens had gotten pretty scratched over many years of use. If the muffs vs eyewear did not drive me nuts, I would have waited a few more months to shell out the cash on a better pair of safety glasses, and this incident would have occurred while I was using cheap glasses. And if those cheaper glasses failed to stop such a hard impact, I think it is very likely I would have lost an eye.)
http://www.esseyepro.com/Suppressor_212_category.html

 

[Bullseye]

Last edited by cdk8; Today at 05:58 PM. Reason: correcting typo--birdshot, not bird****

That was great!

I haven't been bothered by using safety glasses for eye protection and muffs, but interference with the new muffs may require some different glasses than I already have. I don't remember this being a big problem. Maybe I have the right shape head for the setup.

 

[rdtompki]

28 - 30NRR non-electronic muffs for rifle

Deleted

 

[White35]

I can not wear my eye protection comfortably, and wear earmuffs, without breaking the seal on the muffs, causing too much noise to enter. I am working a summer job at a factory for the second time though. I had to do safety training both summers, and wear earplugs for 3-4 hours at a time for 10 hour work days. I feel pretty confident that you can find some disposable ear plugs that will not hurt your ears for a short period of time. I can use my muffs for rifles, and they do reduce the noise to a comfortable level, but I can't comfortably wear eye protection while doing so. I would also rather wear double hearing protection (plugs and muffs) while shooting high velocity rifle calibers. At the factory we have something like 10 differnt types and sizes of plugs to use, so I would suggest trying different types out and you should be able to find a pair comfortable for you. Good luck.

 

[Warp]

I can not wear my eye protection comfortably, and wear earmuffs, without breaking the seal on the muffs, causing too much noise to enter. I am working a summer job at a factory for the second time though. I had to do safety training both summers, and wear earplugs for 3-4 hours at a time for 10 hour work days. I feel pretty confident that you can find some disposable ear plugs that will not hurt your ears for a short period of time. I can use my muffs for rifles, and they do reduce the noise to a comfortable level, but I can't comfortably wear eye protection while doing so. I would also rather wear double hearing protection (plugs and muffs) while shooting high velocity rifle calibers. At the factory we have something like 10 differnt types and sizes of plugs to use, so I would suggest trying different types out and you should be able to find a pair comfortable for you. Good luck.

I think you need better ear protection and/or better ear cups on the muffs. Eye protection with flattened stalks designed to work with earmuffs are the way to go. Also goo dearmuffs with supple cushions that conform tot he shape of the glasses.