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Hearing protection?


Reaper

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Reaper,

 

I no longer go to indoor ranges since joining a great outdoor club. There are a number of things I don't miss about the indoor ranges. The air quality, the close quarters shooting, and yes sirree, the noise. Before joining the club, I shot at Mega, very often. (love the place and the staff) For me, for indoor shooting, I doubled up on hearing protection. I 'd put on a pair of Peltor Sport Tri-Flanged Reusable Earplugs first, and then put my ear muff type protection on over them. The upside is, it cut down the noise in huge way, and it was a comfortable setup. The downside is, with this setup, it's near impossible to have a conversation with anyone. :) You can grab the Peltor's from Amazon or WalMart for about 2 bucks a pair and they come in 3 packs. I highly recommend them for indoor range shooting.

I love being out in the elements when practicing and competing. The extreme heat and cold can be a factor, and that's the only downside. I think you'll like the doubling up, I know it really helped me a ton.

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I'm deaf enough to have needed a hearing aid when I was in 8th grade.

Because I like to have some inkling of what's going on around me I use electronic muffs but indoors they aren't enough when the guy in the next lane starts shooing an AR with a brake. As others said already, double up. The problem is if I double up with foam plugs I can't hear voices anymore. My solution? These handy plugs with a impact noise baffle valve. https://www.earplugstore.com/health-enterprises-acu-life-shooters-impact-ear-plugs.html

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FWIW:

Wearing an earmuff simultaneously over an earplug doubles the noise attenuation. FALSE!

There is a ceiling effect that limits the amount of hearing protection we can achieve with dual protection (wearing an earplug and earmuff). Once we reach that limit, adding more protection offers no additional benefit. Wearing an earmuff over a well-fit foam earplug only adds about 3-5 dB of additional attenuation; we don't get to simply add the NRR values of both protectors. Still, using double protection provides the maximum possible attenuation in extreme noise environments.

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I'm going to tag onto this one right now I'm using the Howard Leight electronic hearing muffs they work ok

for handgun but I need something for Rifle with a scope Who makes a flat low profile electronic muffs

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016MPZF8I/ref=asc_df_B016MPZF8I5263718/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=395033&creativeASIN=B016MPZF8I&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198055185038&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15094756920062570166&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9021553&hvtargid=pla-355064151493

 

they're pretty flat, but they aren't free

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I'm going to tag onto this one right now I'm using the Howard Leight electronic hearing muffs they work ok

for handgun but I need something for Rifle with a scope Who makes a flat low profile electronic muffs

I have a pair of Howard Leight flat muffs that I use when target or trap shooting. They work OK once you get used to them.

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I'm going to tag onto this one right now I'm using the Howard Leight electronic hearing muffs they work ok

for handgun but I need something for Rifle with a scope Who makes a flat low profile electronic muffs

I have a pair of Howard Leight flat muffs that I use when target or trap shooting. They work OK once you get used to them.

 

The problem i have is when i look through the scope the seal from the muffs gets broke from my cheek weld on the stock

hand guns is fine

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I work with loud equipment pretty frequently as well as shooting so I get a lot of experience with hearing protection.

 

I have tried numerous models of earmuffs, these are the best IMO:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005ERRM4G/

 

Also find a type of foam earplugs that fit you well and wear them in addition to the muffs. I just use the tan ones from Walmart HBA dept. Tan ones are less noticeable if you wear them to a concert or something like that.

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When it comes to hearing... I run the trifecta of bad habits (shooting, motorcycles, & many loud concerts).

 

A few years back my Mrs. surprised me with the MSA Sordin Supreme Pro Xs (with the gel earcups). I hadn't experienced anything quite like them before or since. Great for listening to range commands during courses.

 

At the start of this year, I also decided to see an audiologist and got myself some molded plugs from Westone. Their DefendEar Convertible Com these are designed so you can connect a radio as well.

 

When I was younger I would've never considered paying the equivalent of the price of a firearm for some hearing protection. I'm already experiencing some tinnitus and frequency loss at my age... hindsight being 20/20; I'd gladly pay double if it would help preserve my hearing.

 

Best of luck in your search.

Respectfully,

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When it comes to hearing... I run the trifecta of bad habits (shooting, motorcycles, & many loud concerts).

 

A few years back my Mrs. surprised me with the MSA Sordin Supreme Pro Xs (with the gel earcups). I hadn't experienced anything quite like them before or since. Great for listening to range commands during courses.

 

At the start of this year, I also decided to see an audiologist and got myself some molded plugs from Westone. Their DefendEar Convertible Com these are designed so you can connect a radio as well.

 

When I was younger I would've never considered paying the equivalent of the price of a firearm for some hearing protection. I'm already experiencing some tinnitus and frequency loss at my age... hindsight being 20/20; I'd gladly pay double if it would help preserve my hearing.

 

Best of luck in your search.

Respectfully,

Do the molded plus amplify low level noise and speech? Or just fancy earplugs?

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FWIW:

Wearing an earmuff simultaneously over an earplug doubles the noise attenuation. FALSE!

There is a ceiling effect that limits the amount of hearing protection we can achieve with dual protection (wearing an earplug and earmuff). Once we reach that limit, adding more protection offers no additional benefit. Wearing an earmuff over a well-fit foam earplug only adds about 3-5 dB of additional attenuation; we don't get to simply add the NRR values of both protectors. Still, using double protection provides the maximum possible attenuation in extreme noise environments.

Great to know.

 

Is there a recommended standard for indoor range hearing protection? Is it measured in db's? Something else? would just one set of passive earmuff's be a good standard? does anybody know? Thanks

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One of the problems is bone conduction. You skull actually transmits sound/pressure waves to to your ears.

It's as if we need to wear ear plugs and Full face shield helmet to mitigate risk of damage.

I'm sure someone knows the super scientific version of how to describe this concept.

There is an upper limit of the attenuation that is possible to achieve, yes. And using a combination of earplugs and the highest performance earmuffs is essentially at that limit, which seems to be somewhere in the mid 30's in decibels.

 

Consider that rifle gunshot peak sound pressure is generally in the mid 160's dB range, and if (cringe) fired indoors probably add 10dB.

 

It is literally impossible to shoot, especially indoors, without hearing damage, using unsuppressed firearms. Put another way, the only way to shoot without hearing damage is by using a combination of a sound suppressor as well as hearing protection.

 

That doesn't mean that it's not a whole lot worse without hearing protection, but the antis and fudds who pontificate against sound suppressors by saying "just wear earplugs" are wrong.

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When it comes to hearing... I run the trifecta of bad habits (shooting, motorcycles, & many loud concerts).

 

A few years back my Mrs. surprised me with the MSA Sordin Supreme Pro Xs (with the gel earcups). I hadn't experienced anything quite like them before or since. Great for listening to range commands during courses.

 

At the start of this year, I also decided to see an audiologist and got myself some molded plugs from Westone. Their DefendEar Convertible Com these are designed so you can connect a radio as well.

 

When I was younger I would've never considered paying the equivalent of the price of a firearm for some hearing protection. I'm already experiencing some tinnitus and frequency loss at my age... hindsight being 20/20; I'd gladly pay double if it would help preserve my hearing.

 

Best of luck in your search.

Respectfully,

Do the molded plus amplify low level noise and speech? Or just fancy earplugs?

 

 

The molded plugs I have actually have a 'filter' built into them. They do not amplify anything but, the attenuation range is adjusted so that speech is relatively easy to hear & noises on the hi & low end of the frequency range are attenuated more.

 

For years I have used (and still sometimes do) the Howard Leight MAX. They are one of the best fitting, high attenuation plugs you will find. (they are particularly good if worn for longer durations).. can find them very reasonable on Amazon..

Best of luck in your search.

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An article about suppressor says: "So how quiet can you expect your AR-15 to be with a suppressor? It’s a hard question to answer and depends on barrel length, ammunition and the suppressor being used. In general a 16 inch AR-15 firing standard M193 produces a decibel level of around 167 dB give or take depending on environmental conditions. Averaging out a couple of the leading suppressors in the industry you see an average noise level of around 136 db with a suppressor attached. Which is a significant reduction. For comparisons sake a unsuppressed 22lr rifle typically falls in the 130 dB range."

 

https://loadoutroom.com/thearmsguide/suppressing-ar-15/

 

It says an AR15 produces a decibel level of around 167 dB. This is consistent with a 3M chart which shows a 12 Gauge shotgun produces about 160 dB.

 

Does anybody know of any ear muffs which independently covers 167 dB? Thanks

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Quiet factor also depends on the type of suppressor. You have the QD ones like Surefire SOCOMs and reflex cans like the OPS Inc. 12th Model and Allen Engineering (AEM5, AEMwhatever) cans like what's on Mk11 and Mk12 rifles.

 

Sent from my VS987 using Tapatalk

 

 

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I have had good luck with the Howard Leight electronic hearing muffs. I do also use a set of in-ear protection when at the indoor ranges, because here in Kansas the guy in the next lane can be full auto with a .50bmg (and often that's the case).

 

At an indoor range? What a waste of very expensive ammo! (unless they have 100yrd or longer indoor ranges...) But it is very sad there are no public ranges in Illinois that allow 50BMG. :(

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