How do you protect your ears (btw a 9mm is louder than a .223, .308 or 30.06)?

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Para Bellum

New member
How do you protect your ears when firing your rifles?
Why did you make your choice?

And here's some interesting data: A 9x19 pistol and even more a .357 Mag is louder than a .223, .308 or 30.06!
Don't believe it? Here's the source:

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

I use a Peltor Optime III (super-muff for extremely noisy environments with double casing that minimises resonance in the holder casing. This results in maximum high-frequency muffling, while at the same time its still easy to understand speech and signals).

However, when I shoot my rifles, I use a thinner Peltor SportTac which muffles much less. When shooting rifles I additionaly use earplugs.

The data posted above makes this seem absurd, since the pistols are louder and I shoot them indoors.
What do you think?
 
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hogdogs

Staff In Memoriam
I never really did... I only wore plugs/muffs when at the range if required.
I suffer from hearing loss and un ceasing ringing.
BTW... I ain't drinking the 9mm is louder than an ought6:rolleyes: Different tone maybe but louder?
Brent
 
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sc928porsche

New member
If you noticed, the closer you are to the muzzle, the louder the sound. The 06 was louder than the 9mm with the shorter barrel. If you put the muzzle equal distance at the tests, the comparison would be a little more fair.

Muzzle brakes: Muzzle brakes work by exhausting the gasses in a different direction than straight forward. Usually it is up or to the sides or sometimes all around. When that happens, the direction from which the sound is being emited has been changed and consequently is much louder. It is much easier to hear a person talking to you if they are not talking with the back of their head to you and the closer you get to the front, the louder the voice is.
 
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BillCA

New member
Muzzle brakes: Muzzle brakes work by exhausting the gasses in a different direction than straight forward. Usually it is up or to the sides or sometimes all around. When that happens, the direction from which the sound is being emited has been changed and consequently is much louder. It is much easier to hear a person talking to you if they are not talking with the back of their head to you and the closer you get to the front, the louder the voice is.
Click to expand...

I'll dispute this. Some years ago I owned a Bushmaster AR-15 that was functionally equivilant to my friend's Colt AR. The significant difference was the Colt had a muzzle break. The sound from the Colt was much quieter than the bare muzzle of the Bushmaster. The Bushy emitted a very loud, sharp report while the Colt's was not as loud or sharp. My guess is that the muzzle break also disrupted the supersonic shockwaves at the muzzle.

For the OP, I typically use ear muffs with a 29db rating and if that's not enough, foam ear plugs underneath the muffs for another 10-15db. I need to get another set of the sonic ear valves for under the muffs. Those seemed to work pretty well when sound got past the muffs.
 
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taylorce1

New member
I've always thought pistols were much louder than rifles. I thought my M-4 with 16" barrel was far louder than any rifle I had regardless of caliber. I used to only use ear plugs, just a holdover from my infantry days. Before I joined the Army I never used hearing protection. I was give a set of Peltor electronic ear muffs and since then that is what I wear. I really like the electronic muffs don't foresee I'll ever go back to ear plugs except for when I hunt with my Encore Pistol.

I've got a 17" .280 GNR pistol barrel with a brake, I can't imagine how deafening it would be without hearing protection.
 
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Hawg

New member
Pistols have more pop than rifles. Revolvers more than semi's. My hearing is really bad from shooting a lot of pistols in my younger days without hearing protection. I use North Gun Mufflers while shooting pistols. Rifles don't bother me at all without them, not usually anyway. I fired off my .54 muzzleloader from a shootin house this past deer season with the muzzle inside. Dang that sucker was loud!
 
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Catfishman

New member
I wear a foam plug in my left ear and a Sonic II baffled plug in my right ear so I can hear what's going on aroung me. When I hunt I don't wear hearing protection and my left ear is bothered much more than my right. Does anyone else notice this? I am right-handed.
 
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B.L.E.

New member
I wear earplugs and ear muffs when shooting at rifle and pistol ranges. Earplugs only when shooting skeet or trap. Sometimes no ear protection when shooting standard velocity .22 lr out of a rifle on the farm unless I'm shooting a lot.
I also won't ride a motorcycle anymore without earplugs and yes, I have a quiet muffler on mine. It's the wind noise that slowly gets to you after an hour or so.
 
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levrluvr

New member
David Clarks at the range- they protected my ears from 30 years of working on turbines.
Sonic foam plugs while hunting or plinking- same as used when working around aircraft- they have a string connecting the two and you can easily remove one and reinstall it without deformation problems. Bought them from an aviation supplier; box of 250. Throw-aways.
 
P

Para Bellum

New member
Porsche 928SC

If you noticed, the closer you are to the muzzle, the louder the sound. The 06 was louder than the 9mm with the shorter barrel. If you put the muzzle equal distance at the tests, the comparison would be a little more fair.
Click to expand...
I think the barrel length also has a lot to do with it. The longer the barrel, the more poweder burns inside it, the less blast outside of the barrel.

I'd also recommend actvie earmuffs for hunting. My Peltor SportTac even improves your hearing while protecting it. :D

And, just to say it, the Porsche 928SC is my favourite car, buddy!
 
3

.300 Weatherby Mag

New member
Always plugs... I generally don't shoot indoors but plugs and muffs in that case... I wish .257 wby was on that list, I sure want to know the db of that screamer...
 
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ritepath

New member
It's been years since I shot anything other than a 22 or shotgun without either plugs or muffs and plugs. I wear plugs whenever on the mower, or using a weedeater or push mower. It's been 5 years since I fired a gun in the woods.
 
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44 AMP

Staff
distance from the measuring device (or the ear)

has a LOT to do with it. Consider the report from a 9mm with a 5 inch barrel against a .30-06 with the muzzle 19 inches further out (24 in bbl).

The sound from the Colt was much quieter than the bare muzzle of the Bushmaster. The Bushy emitted a very loud, sharp report while the Colt's was not as loud or sharp.
Click to expand...

It is possible that someone standing to the side of you would not agree.
 
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B. Lahey

New member
A 9mm is not louder than a .308. That is a ridiculous and tremendously misleading statement.

It's all about the inverse square law. When you double the distance from the source to the measurement point you get one quarter the sound energy.
 
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