What kinda ears?

[Hardtarget]

Muffs over plugs for the "over .22 days". My ears ring enough already.

Mark

 

[hso]

We've several threads on hearing protection and the best advice from all of them is to use high NRR muffs over high NRR plugs.

Foam plugs work fine if properly inserted. Improperly inserted, they do little good. Make sure you roll them up small before putting them into your ear canal and you'll be fine.

I have Peltor electronic muffs, but when they die I'll be getting the Howard Leight Impact Sport electronics.

 

[BellyUpFish]

Well you all convinced me. I bought some HL Impact Sports.

 

[cavman]

Muffs over plugs.

Howard Leight over either the Lowe's 3M 80-pack plugs, or some custom silicone types

 

[nyresq]

electronic peltors over custom molded plugs! I dont want to be like the old range instructors I learned from that always say "WHAT?, WHAT DID YOU SAY??"

Tinitus is no fun, so even outside with small caliber arms I will double up... Modern medicine is good, but I dont want to wear hearing aids at age 40 and have to take medication to minimize the ringing in my ears.

wear enough protection to dull everything to a low pop.

 

[Legionnaire]

Electronic muffs (Peltor Tac-7s) most of the time. Sometimes the rolled up foam plugs. and when shooting extended rifle sessions, I wear the Peltors over foam plugs. Once you get a set of electronic muffs--especially if they are stereophonic--it's hard to be happy with anything else.

 

[cskny]

Foam plugs under muffs. Definitely like to have both on.

 

[brickeyee]

I've always just worn the roll up foam ear plugs I get from work..

Thinking about maybe upping the ante..

Most muffs cannot match the foam plugs.

 

[ratt_finkel]

I wear plugs and electronic muffs from walmart. The $20 ones. They work great. I had doubled up before the e-muffs too. Now it's the perfect setup. I can hear perfectly, just like I had nothing on. No problems shooting indoors with my muzzle braked rifles.

 

[bergmen]

Unless I'm shooting alone, there are always conversations that need to happen (techniques, gun handling, etc.). With the passive muffs we were always yelling back and forth. Now with e-muffs, we can hear each other fine. The e-muffs we have are also equipped with leather pads so our ears don't sweat near as much as the passive muffs with plastic pads.

A good side benefit of e-muffs is hearing the steel clang out at 100+ yards where we couldn't hear it with the passive muffs.

I double up with foam when I shoot the .357 Magnum or the M1A Scout Squad. The report is too sharp for me with the e-muffs (or passive muffs) alone.

Dan

 

[iLikeOldgunsIlikeNewGuns]

I've only read the original post, but I don't take my hearing lightly, even .22lrs are worth hearing protection every time. Tinnitus is NOT fun! Especially when trying to sleep at night

When shooting outdoors i sometimes just use ear-plugs, but certain calibers call for muffs. When I shoot at an indoor range I always use muffs

I'd love to try some of the fancy high-tech stuff, but don't have the $$ for that yet.

 

[x_wrench]

i wore nothing but the foam ear plugs for a long time. back about 1988, when i bought my S&W 357, i decided to try a regular set of ear muffs. i bought a set of Safariland's, which i still have today. last year, i picked up a set of Caldwell electronic muffs, mainly because i have 2 young children that i am teaching to shoot. and i want to be able to hear, with no guess work if they are understanding all of my instructions. i will tell you that since wearing these electronic muffs, i will only use something else if i have to. they are so much safer, it is not even funny. no one can walk up behind you without you knowing. and you can hear everything being said by anyone near you. i would highly recomend a set of electronic hearing protectors. what kind is up to you, but the pair of Caldwell earmuffs i purchased work just fine for me.

 

[Bentonville]

Pro Ears NRR 33 and foam plugs with an NRR of 33. That's the highest level of protection I can find. The plugs only add about 5 or so decibels additional protection to the muffs. It doesn't work like it seems, unfortunately. I have bad tinnitus from shooting many years in the 1960s with no protection. When I discovered what I had done to my hearing, I started with the double protection. I had a hearing test done last month and over the past 15 years I have not lost any measureable hearing. I'll keep doing what I have been doing.

 

[Doug b]

A heads up on those foam plugs,if they say disposable that means they are only good for one insertion in the ear after that protection is degraded.

 

[Calibre44]

Deben electronic ear protection ... nice and slim and folds up easily for your coat pocket.

 

[BellyUpFish]

Pro Ears NRR 33 and foam plugs with an NRR of 33. That's the highest level of protection I can find. The plugs only add about 5 or so decibels additional protection to the muffs. It doesn't work like it seems, unfortunately. I have bad tinnitus from shooting many years in the 1960s with no protection. When I discovered what I had done to my hearing, I started with the double protection. I had a hearing test done last month and over the past 15 years I have not lost any measureable hearing. I'll keep doing what I have been doing.

I've got some tinnitus from a concert.. Stupid..

Now I try and take care of my ears...

 

[Inebriated]

For anyone interested, my Howard Leight Impact Sports came a couple days ago. Best electronics I've used. Even over plugs I can still hear perfect.

 

[kanook]

I bought a $200 pair electronic from Bass Pro (don't remember the name) that failed after 6 months use. BP replaced them and the next set lasted a little over a year, then failed.

While buying foam plugs at Home Depot I spotted the Ryobi powered muffs for $50, and this pair will let a MP3 player to be plugged in. (great for mowing the yard) The foam seal is soft enough to go around a pair of glasses and still seal.

Had a $100 custom pair molded to my ear at the Gunshow that were only 23 db's that started to fall apart after about 4 or 5 months use, so I threw them into a box and forgot about them for a couple of years. Went to show in Dec. and talked to a different vender about the problem with them and inquired about the process and if anything has changed.

Well He put me on a payment plan and I now have the custom molded electronic plugs. He said for me to go to a Hearing specialist and have my hearing tested and give him the results. He will adjust the aids to function for hearing loss and to help elimate the constant ringing from all the years of neglect. $1,500

 

[carrierx]

maybe my ear canals are strange but with just plugs i cant hear a damn thing except my breathing...

22l i dont bother.

 

[dmazur]

I use 30dB NRR earplugs under electronic muffs.

With the volume turned up on the muffs, I can still hear range commands through the earplugs, and when the muffs clamp on shooting noise, the protection of the muffs adds to the earplugs NRR. (Not a direct sum, but more than earplugs alone...)

I've found this reduces my tendency to jump when the guy at the next table starts up with a .300 Winchester Magnum...

 

[brickeyee]

Pro Ears NRR 33

They will never achieve 33 dB reduction when you have the temple piece from your shooting glasses under the muffs.

 

[Stevie-Ray]

Muffs over plugs, specifically 33dB plugs and Silenzio Magnums over them. If I need a little extra hearing like when a RO is present the muffs are Caldwell E-muffs with the plugs still present. I also leave the E-muffs with my HD weapon next to me at night.

I have bad tinnitus from shooting many years in the 1960s with no protection. When I discovered what I had done to my hearing, I started with the double protection. I had a hearing test done last month and over the past 15 years I have not lost any measureable hearing. I'll keep doing what I have been doing.

Sounds like my story. Pity we can't go back isn't it?

 

[paratroop23]

Can the MSA Sordin Supreme Pro-X be worn with an ACH/MICH helmet?