Hearing damage after firing 9x19mm indoors?

[Para Bellum]

OK, we'ver had these threads on .357 Mag. and .44 Mag. They reportedly did damage some ears indoors. But what about the 9x19mm?
I had to fire mine outside once. I didn't hear the actual blast (auditory exclusion) but I did have a strange stress-feeling in my ears for about five minutes. My ears are fine. I had them testes after.

So, any negative experience with having to fire a 9x19mm indoors?

 

[Black Majik]

with or without ear protection?

Without, I'd definitely say your hearing can be damaged shooting 9mm at an indoor range. Even a .22 can damage your hearing, its loud!

 

[Capt. Charlie]

Black Majik

+1

Every time you hear ringing in your ears from loud noise, you've done a little bit of permanant, irreversable hearing damage. Each time adds to the damage. I smoke, so when I was carrying a 9mm and had to put down a sick or injured raccoon or deer, I broke off two cigarette filters and stuffed them in my ears. Works well in a pinch.

 

[AttackTurtle]

A 9mm is normally LOUDER than a 38 special

There is NO round that will not damage your hearing.


You will almost always experiance some sort of permanent ear damage from firing a gun without protection. This is probably the case even with .22 or a .17
I always use Ear plugs and ear muffs.

I would put in ear protection if you have time in a fight but I fear prosecuting attorney would use it to prove I had intent which is I guess is fairly true.
Probably scare the bad guy though, sticking in ear plugs.

"A clap of thunder from a nearby storm (120 dB) or a gunshot (140-190 dB, depending on weapon), can both cause immediate damage."
http://www.dangerousdecibels.org/hearingloss.cfm

http://www.freehearingtest.com/hia_gunfirenoise.shtml

.25 ACP 155.0 dB
.32 LONG 152.4 dB
.32 ACP 153.5 dB
.380 157.7 dB
9mm 159.8 dB
.38 S&W 153.5 dB
.38 Spl 156.3 dB
.357 Magnum 164.3 dB
.41 Magnum 163.2 dB
.44 Spl 155.9 dB
.45 ACP 157.0 dB
.45 COLT 154.7 dB

 

[chris in va]

With 155 from a .223, how do all the soldiers come back with any hearing intact? Do they wear protection or something?

 

[Capt. Charlie]

Eh? Whadya say?? Don't know about today, but I was a gunner's mate working with 5" 54 guns during Viet Nam. They didn't give a damn back then whether you came back alive, let alone whether or not you could hear . As a result, I have moderate to severe hearing loss in that frequency range and its harmonics . That's why I'm so picky about protecting what I have left. I don't know about today's military.

 

[Bullrock]

My ears are fine. I had them testes after.

Leave it to a dirty old man, but aren't testes located in another area of the body ???
Sorry I couldn't help it! The devil made me do it!

 

[n3twrkm4n]

It's definately going to ring or bleed... I had a .380 pistol which I thought I could fire outside without ear protection (mostly cause I forgot it) and I had hiked a good distance in the woods and didn't want to go back. But the first shot I set off *BAM* *RIIIIIIIIIIINGGGGGGGGGG* so yeah no matter how small I'm sure it does some damage.

 

[AttackTurtle]

With 155 from a .223, how do all the soldiers come back with any hearing intact? Do they wear protection or something?

They probably dont come back intact.

 

[JohnKSa]

Any centerfire can damage your ears in the absence of hearing protection. Being indoors only makes it worse.

BTW, typical hearing tests will only tell you if your hearing falls into the normal range or not. They can not tell you if your hearing has been damaged (unless the damage is severe) unless you have had a baseline test BEFORE the noise exposure.

 

[Zekewolf]

Capt. Charlie: Shouldn't the thought of dying of emphysema or lung cancer outweigh your concerns about hearing loss? Isn't it more likely that you'll die of smoking-related disease prior to going deaf?

 

[AttackTurtle]

Who said anything about smoking??

 

[Capt. Charlie]

Zekewolf

You sound like my mother! But you're right *sigh*. It's the one vice I can't seem to kick. Tried dozens of times. So, at least I might as well get SOME beneficial use out of them.