New take on ear plugs. ?????

[Lavan]

This is frustrating stuff.

I have severe shooting induced hearing loss. I've posted this before if you've noticed.

I just bought a CZ 455 Ultra Lux .22 rifle to "try" to get the sound level of 22LR SV down to a manageable level with the 28"barrel.

I use audiologist custom molded earplugs and the Decibel Defense 37NRR muffs.

Both together.

Then today I read where the FOAM plugs are more likely to conform to the ear canal.
http://www.howstuffcompares.com/doc/f/foam-earplugs-vs-premolded-earplugs.htm

What do YOU folks think?

 

[Sevens]

I had a set of custom ear plugs poured in and molded to my ears back on commercial row at Camp Perry, this would have been mid-1990's. I never liked them, I constantly felt as if I had locked pressure inside that I couldn't "equalize" or make comfortable. I believe I spent $65 or so on those, that was BIG money to me back then.

Over the past decade-plus, I've done the MOST shooting in my entire life and my routine is very long range days. Rare that I will do any session that is less than 4 hours in length, and typically 7-9 hour days when I get to shoot.

If we are on the outdoor rifle range, it's soft foam plugs under my electronic muffs, the Howard Leight Impact Sport. Indoor range is soft foam plugs under BIGGER electronic muffs, the Howard Leight Impact Sport Pro. Outdoors on the pistol range... it's just the slimmer electronic muffs, the Impact Sport.

I've always felt that my ears were EXTREMELY sensitive, I cannot stand loud noises. I have been seen at sporting events and in movie theaters with my fingers in my ears. I would never go to any concert without ear plugs. For me, loud noise is instant pain.

 

[Hanshi]

I have the same sort of hearing loss. I wear cheapy ear plugs and muffs which really deaden sound for me. With them on I can't hear conversation and gunfire is just an unnoticeable "thump".

 

[Lavan]

"Cheapy" ear plugs don't do it for me.

Think I'll ...try.... the Howard Leight plugs.

They look a bit formed.

 

[TXAZ]

I wear foam plugs that I work to get in properly. Sometimes takes a couple of tries.
ThenI wear electronic muffs on top of those. That works for me shooting anything from a .22 to a .50BMG.
Prior, I purchased some $$$ conformal plugs but they weren't as comfortable, and I don't think worked as well as my combo above.

 

[TJB101]

Foam... very deep in the ear. I see some guys walking around with 2/3 of the plug sticking out of their ear. That plus muffs when indoors.

 

[Lavan]

Looking at the post by Sevens, I am wondering which SLIM PROFILE muffs seem to work best for you folks.

I have the Decibel Defense NRR 37 muffs now but when I use them on a rifle, the stock vibration makes a definitely uncomfortable high pitched "CLANK" through the muff case.

Thinking of taping something soft on the stock and maybe that would dampen the contact enough to keep the sudden sound from transmitting.

 

[Sevens]

I am FAR more a handgun shooter than rifle. I'm not sure there exists any easy way to make muffs... slim muffs or fat muffs get along with a cheek-weld on a rifle stock.

And the Howard Leight Impact Sport at only 22 db rating sounds like a poor choice for your needs.

 

[dyl]

Orange foam and muffs over top. From a physics standpoint, a custom molded ear plug has a maximum volume (space wise) and it was molded to fit your ear canal. That would be fine if your ear canal was like the frame to slide fit on a finished 1911 where dimensions are stable. From the medical view: tissues stretch and swell or compress depending on your condition, the weather, your temperature, whatever have you. If you squeeze the thin skin above your shin bone for 1 minute and let go you will see an indentation unless you have thick skin or are overweight. The dimensions just changed because you displaced fluid. So my logic says something that will continually exert an outward force to seal against the ear canal no matter the minor variations will form a better seal than one requiring exact dimensions in a specific orientation, materials being roughly equivalent effectiveness.

Also, I wish ear muffs were designed by serious engineers, physicists, and docs. I know they can be better. Ever take apart one? It's just a hard plastic shell with a lot of empty space and maybe a circuit board for the fancier ones. Nothing to interrupt transmission of sound through vibration of the plastic, nothing inside. So much potential but practically speaking maybe plugs and muffs are enough. I don't mind being the one who yells when he talks

 

[Lavan]

I modified an old pair of Silencios by stuffing it FULL of foam.

I think I'll try adding some layers of leather and re-do the job.

 

[dyl]

I too added a bit of foam to one side of my slim ear muffs. I can hear a difference in ambient white noise from 1 side compared to the other. I had sliced thin pieces of harbor freight foam puzzle mat. What I don't know is how that foam behaves in the frequency that is most damaging and under high volume. Also if it weren't for the plugs I wear too I'd probably have replaced my muffs which are several years old. The limiter to their effectiveness is now the foam / gel donut that contacts around the ear. The foam has degraded and lost a lot of its elasticity. I wear glasses so there's a little gap and I feel more hard plastic. Wish there was a way to rejuvenate them, I could probably just cut big rings out of foam mat. Or better yet urethane mats. Then glue them on. Or just buy new muffs