When did use of hearing protection become standard practice?

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I started shooting in the 1950s with a .22lr rifle. An outdoor area, not a formal range, but reasonably safe. The muzzle report was not great. I was eight or nine and hearing protection was not afforded. Didn't bother me enough to gripe. Next serious shooting was in late 1960s on outdoor range with a .45 ACP pistol. It was loud. Loud enough to bother me.

Someone mentioned reading a magazine article about hearing loss and loud noise. I bought a set of cheap 'muffs' that did wonders for my comfort and shooting. About that time I met a couple guys shooting a M1903 Springfield of some type. They were not wearing hearing protection. They said the noise didn't bother them. They also, I noted, only replied when looking straight at the speaker and their most used word was "Huh?"

Marine Corps Basic Training in 1969. No hearing protection. On qual day, the Drill Instructors took pity and gave us some loose cotton to stuff in our ears. About a year and a half later, I rotated to Marine Corps Air Station El Toro (now gone) between San Diego and Los Angeles, California. (North of Camp Pendleton.) With all the jet engines there, the administration was rabid about hearing protection. Not only did I get to use (and be issued) hearing protection (the external, over the head type) but I had my hearing checked regularly.

Border Patrol Academy in 1978, range issued hearing protection. U. S. Customs Academy in 1988, hearing protection issued at range.

Hearing protection by my own choice since the late 1960s.
 
I know one thing, being in the Army artillery did a job on my hearing. Cheap ear plugs were a joke. I now use them even for shooting my Air Rifles. And I have custom tuned, English/German rifles. I have a Decibel meter and they are very quiet. Around 78 to 82 DB, yet I developed tinnitus when I was not using them. Most folks do not realize that hearing loss in "Accumulative". Doing anything around loud noise for a long time.
 
I know one thing, being in the Army artillery did a job on my hearing. Cheap ear plugs were a joke. I now use them even for shooting my Air Rifles. And I have custom tuned, English/German rifles. I have a Decibel meter and they are very quiet. Around 78 to 82 DB, yet I developed tinnitus when I was not using them. Most folks do not realize that hearing loss in "Accumulative". Doing anything around loud noise for a long time.


I went to so many concerts between 1976 and 2000 and never even thought about hearing protection. I’m a guitar player and until my son took up drums I managed to avoid any hearing problems. A few years of standing next to his cymbals and it was payback time. Tinnitus is now part of my life. As everyone else has said , wear good hearing protection before it is too late.
 
In the 80s, I remember a lot of old-timers and tough guys rolling their eyes at people that insisted on eye and ear protection. Hell, just a few years ago, I stumbled over a nest of copperheads on my property, and ran back to the house to grab a shotgun. I came back with ear and eye pro for the neighbor, and he thought it was dumb. I would say he was in his early 60s. He also only wore glasses when he though no one would see him.
 
I wonder how many people do not wear eye glasses simply because of vanity. The same with Hearing Aids. Most people go into denial. I remember as a sales rep. having on occasion, not being able to hear every word from my customers, especially around loud back ground noise. In my profession, Listening was a top priority. I went to a audiologist, tested and ended up purchasing hearing aids at around $5K. I remember walking out of the office after receiving my new aids, and for the first time could hear what sounded like a million birds singing. Obviously I needed them and had enough sense to get checked out. Same with glasses.
My biggest regret was not paying attention to proper hearing protection for so many years. Protect them now or Pay later.
 
I grew up with a trap range in my backyard back in the late 50's and early 60's. I saw hundreds of shooters over the time we had that trap machine. Not one of them ever wore protection. We did cover our ears when someone else was shooting. Luckily it was a long gun and not high powered most of the time. It could have been worse. When I got into shooting handguns it was clearly too loud and I got hearing protection. That would have been in the 70's. During the 60's I shot shotguns and .22's and never a lot of either. I could have had worse damage thna I got.
 
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