Interesting thread re hearing protection.

[NationalMatch]

Earmuffs and Ear Plugs worn together

There's been a lot of talk on the forum about ear protection. it seems that a lot of guys wear earplugs and ear muffs over top of them how many of you do that? is it just extra caution or overkill?

www.thehighroad.org

No wonder I have tinnitus and it's clear there's really no way to protect your hearing while hunting and still be able to hear rustling leaves when deer walk by, etc.

The following excerpt from one poster illustrates that tinnitus is inevitable even with some forms of hearing protection.

Even with an NRR of 30 on my HL Impact PROs, hearing damage will occur over time. The formula for NRR is very stupid, but for some reason it's the convention. Take your NRR and subract 7, then divide it by 2. So, (30 - 7)/2 = 11.5 db reduction from the Impact PROs.

When you double up with earplugs too, you simply add 5 to the NRR total. Again, this is the formula set out many decades ago. So my inner earplugs are NRR 21, but they only count as 5 using the formula. So (35 - 7)/2 = 14db reduction.

A gunshot of 158db lessened by 14db (with double protection) is down to 140db. Every 3db reduction is roughly a halving of sound pressure. So a 140db noise is over 9x quieter than a 158db sound. I try and run suppressors as much as possible nowadays. A suppressed gunshot is typically in the 130db range. So, 130 minus 11-14db is just under the 'accepted' threshold of 120db being 'hearing safe' for sudden short sounds. Cumulative sounds over 120db will degrade your hearing over time and can cause tinnitus.

 

[cboss]

My earmuffs got lost in my move, Along with one of my bass guitars, so I picked these up recently. Going to use them for the first time tomorrow at the range.

 

[Okie4570]

I've always worn hearing protection when shooting, except when hunting(unless hunting with a pistol), which was/is dumb and I'm paying for it. 40y around/in tractors/combines hasn't helped.

 

[rocketman]

Ear plugs at the range with rifle, muffs with pistols. Double up when a jerk sits next to you with a pistol-length, rifle-caliber, ear-bleeder with ported muzzle device(a "shorty-porty" as I call it).

I don't wear any hearing protection with 22lr rifles, 12ga bird guns, and 9mm carbines when on my own land. Its like the harley guys and no helmet. Feels like freedom!!

Huh? Did you say something? Oh.

 

[rocketman]

I don't wear hearing protection when hunting usually but when I did, I wore my Howard Leight Impact Sport muffs with the sound turned way up. I could hear a deer fart 1000 yards away. There isn't much of an excuse with modern technology to not wear them while hunting besides comfort.