Ear protection

[Moomooboo]

I will tell ya i have tinnitus. Atleast im pretty sure it is. You know that tone the movies play wheb a grenade or bomb goes off nearby and the person cant hear much? I hear that alot.

Not sure it was decibel damage though. I never go more thab medium to medium high. I am almost certain it was my ear infections from swimming or the crazy fevers ive had. Which explains why I would deny it all this time as Ive never really abused it too much.

 

[Boncrayon]

An audiologist created custom inner ear plugs (blue dot left and red dot right...like our political system. Ha!) they are made by squeezing a light compound into each ear and letting it set for a few minutes. They are then removed, trimmed and used in a mold made of a more durable compound. It is then drilled and a special material is inserted into each one.

They can be worn in conversations with others, and allows up to 85db of sound in, blocking the gun blasts around you. Best of all...no batteries! I got a pair for my son who sometimes frequents Indi-Rock bands.

Ask you local audiologists about it. As an NRA Instructor, I got my pair for $50!

 

[Moomooboo]

An audiologist created custom inner ear plugs (blue dot left and red dot right...like our political system. Ha!) they are made by squeezing a light compound into each ear and letting it set for a few minutes. They are then removed, trimmed and used in a mold made of a more durable compound. It is then drilled and a special material is inserted into each one.

They can be worn in conversations with others, and allows up to 85db of sound in, blocking the gun blasts around you. Best of all...no batteries! I got a pair for my son who sometimes frequents Indi-Rock bands.

Ask you local audiologists about it. As an NRA Instructor, I got my pair for $50!

I wish i hadnt learned about tinnitus. Now it just bugs yhe crap out of me. Im in my late 20s too. Ugh guess ill go see a audiologist

 

[cw308]

I use the two componds you mix together, insert in each ear wait 15 minutes to set, and your good to go. MidwayUSA has them,works great indoors & out. I,m a benchrest shooter 308 cal. thats all I use for ear protection, very natural, nothing to get in your way.

 

[Stevie-Ray]

I wish i hadnt learned about tinnitus. Now it just bugs yhe crap out of me. Im in my late 20s too. Ugh guess ill go see a audiologist

Tinnitus for me for the last 25 or 30 years. It doesn't go away completely. I had many ear infections, having a swimming pool, as well. I also wasn't very careful around loud noises as a kid. You can be a good boy for the rest of your life, but if it was due to cumulative sound exposure, rather than an acute single case, such as an explosion, you are likely married to it. Even some of the acute cases can be permanent, but are generally likely to get at least a bit better without further exposure. Bottom line is, SAVE THE REST OF YOUR HEARING AT ALL COSTS. For me, that's doubling up with plugs and muffs, for ANY caliber.

 

[Mansura]

Cumulative: increasing or increased in quantity, degree, or force by successive additions

A whole generation of youth are doomed to tinitus because of earbuds cranking out high decibel music (if you can call it that).

A technique for inserting ear plugs that was taught to me is to roll the plug tightly, reach around the head with the off hand and pull back the ear flap thus opening the ear canal, insert plug and wait until it expands before noise exposure. Buy the plugs in bulk, use for all high noise situations, chain saws, lawn mowing, motorcycle riding. Even with a full coverage helmet wind noise at 60+ MPH will cause damage, regardless of muffler effectiveness.

 

[Merad]

I wish i hadnt learned about tinnitus. Now it just bugs yhe crap out of me. Im in my late 20s too. Ugh guess ill go see a audiologist

I'm 30 and have it. Thankfully mine isn't too bad, but sometime about 3-4 years ago I realized that I never hear silence anymore, even when it's quiet there's always a dull whine in the background. Probably because I was a dumbass when I first got into shooting and spent a week or so shooting a 9mm pistol without hearing protection.

 

[Gazpacho]

Put a Levang Linear Compensator on the end of your barrel, preferably a 20" barrel. It will redirect a small but significant portion of the sound impulse forward, away from the shooter.

The Noveske "Flaming Pig" brake does this even better IMO, but looks stupid on a rifle barrel, weighs a lot more and cost a lot more too.

I like Peltor indoor/outdoor ear plugs (the military ones), and Spark Plugs (nascar inspired)

 

[psalm7]

Growing up shooting without ear protection kept me from my career I had planned in the Military . I didnt make it through meps . That was 30 years ago . The said they could inlist me then deafen me but they could not inlist me with such hearing trouble . Very disapointing but all thins work out for the best as I have a great family and have been gainfully employed most of my life .
I always wear hearing protection now and anyone shooting with me will too .