Let's play, Would You Rather. Shoot Guns/Deaf

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Orion8472

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So, I was at a local gun store talking about my sensitive hearing and getting rid of certain firearms in my collection [AR-15, AK variant, 9mm pistols], and the guy behind the counter said, "I wouldn't sell any of them.........I'd rather go deaf than not shoot." [Something along those lines].

Would you rather:
1. Continue shooting larger calibers and eventually go deaf.
2. Sell what may further damage ears and keep small calibers [22lr, for example].

Updating:
This isn't about whether or not someone CAN go deaf using proper hearing protection, but about someone saying that "they would rather go deaf than to not shoot certain calibers".
 
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So, I was at a local gun store talking about my sensitive hearing and getting rid of certain firearms in my collection [AR-15, AK variant, 9mm pistols], and the guy behind the counter said, "I wouldn't sell any of them.........I'd rather go deaf than not shoot." [Something along those lines].

Would you rather:
1. Continue shooting larger calibers and eventually go deaf.
2. Sell what may further damage ears and keep small calibers [22lr, for example].
Why would you go deaf if using adequate ear protection? Even with "sensitive" ears?
Muffs with plugs (double up) should protect anybody adequately.
 
This is not a choice, it's two choices linked in a false dichotomy.

There is no human with hearing so sensitive that it can't be adequately protected against damage from conventional centerfire arms using conventional hearing protection.

Come ask again once you're running a M116.
 
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So, I was at a local gun store talking about my sensitive hearing and getting rid of certain firearms in my collection [AR-15, AK variant, 9mm pistols], and the guy behind the counter said, "I wouldn't sell any of them.........I'd rather go deaf than not shoot." [Something along those lines].

Would you rather:
1. Continue shooting larger calibers and eventually go deaf.
2. Sell what may further damage ears and keep small calibers [22lr, for example].

What kind of question is this?? Plus I didn't know that 9mm was "large caliber"?

Buy some hearing protection.
 
So, I was at a local gun store talking about my sensitive hearing and getting rid of certain firearms in my collection [AR-15, AK variant, 9mm pistols], and the guy behind the counter said, "I wouldn't sell any of them.........I'd rather go deaf than not shoot." [Something along those lines].

Would you rather:
1. Continue shooting larger calibers and eventually go deaf.
2. Sell what may further damage ears and keep small calibers [22lr, for example].
I would rather invest in good hearing protection, and keep shooting-which is exactly what I've done.
 
Barrel length/muzzle devices have more to do with noise than what caliber is being shot. So ARs and AKs and handguns would all qualify as louder than a normal hunting or target rifle.

I would definitely just use hearing protection. You will will rapidly get permanent hearing loss if you do not.
 
Okay guys......the premise was with a guy saying "he'd rather go deaf than not shoot a certain caliber". It's more about the mentality of it than whether or not someone would/could go deaf using proper hearing protection.
 
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Okay guys......the premise was with a guy saying "he'd rather go deaf than not shoot". It's more about the mentality of it than whether or not someone would/could go deaf using proper hearing protection.
Let that idiot behind the counter go deaf then. You can lead a man to wisdom, but you can't make him think.
 
I have come to a place where it bothers me that some people don't SEEM to fully comprehend what they are saying. There is SO much more to life than "being able to shoot a larger caliber" [if has become an issue with you]. To me, hearing and playing music is FAR more valuable than "shooting 9mm or .223 firearms", yet the LGS guy would "rather go deaf". I'm not sure if it is a variant of the "...from my cold dead hands" motif, but it's how I see it.
 
This isn't about whether or not someone CAN go deaf using proper hearing protection, but about someone saying that "they would rather go deaf than to not shoot certain calibers".

I have major hearing loss. It affects my entire life. I'm sitting here typing this and my ears are ringing so loud it hurts. I was actually sitting at work one day when a fault alarm sounded on the fire alarm control panel. After a minute my coworker looked at me and asked "Do you not hear that alarm?" I told him I thought is was my tinnitus. (Tru story bro).

I can't enjoy music, I can't use a phone, My TV is set to Closed Caption by default. My wife has given up on repeating herself to me.

Whoever told you that is an idiot.

Next time you're in that gun store show him this post
 
I have major hearing loss. It affects my entire life. I'm sitting here typing this and my ears are ringing so loud it hurts. I was actually sitting at work one day when a fault alarm sounded on the fire alarm control panel. After a minute my coworker looked at me and asked "Do you not hear that alarm?" I told him I thought is was my tinnitus. (Tru story bro).

I was at religious service yesterday and something was making a large shrill noise every few minutes. Sounded like a mixture between a fire alarm and the sound fast food places make when fries are done cooking. I ignored it, thought it was my tinnitus. I noticed my wife heard it too. Being on the volunteer security team I checked the building for fire, just in case.
 
I have major hearing loss. It affects my entire life. I'm sitting here typing this and my ears are ringing so loud it hurts. I was actually sitting at work one day when a fault alarm sounded on the fire alarm control panel. After a minute my coworker looked at me and asked "Do you not hear that alarm?" I told him I thought is was my tinnitus. (Tru story bro).

I can't enjoy music, I can't use a phone, My TV is set to Closed Caption by default. My wife has given up on repeating herself to me.

Whoever told you that is an idiot.

Next time you're in that gun store show him this post

I feel for you! I do have some tinnitus and would rather not increase it because music is a huge part of my life. I'm about to purchase a keyboard to do some ambient music....perhaps even ambient music that would incorporate an aspect of tinnitus issues...of course, I'm sure not everyone's tinnitus is on the same pitch.

Anyway, thank you for telling your part of the topic.
 
Several things come to mind.

I would never give up my ability to hear to continue shooting overly loud cartridges. My hearing is my strongest sense and my best defense weapon I have. I also love music.

Suppressors are legal unless you live in a crappy state. Hearing protection is real also.

If a person loads, there are some powders known to be louder than others, and even a larger caliber cartridge can be loaded down to effective terminal ballistics, with lower noise levels.

Whomever said they’d go deaf to keep shooting clearly has different priorities than I.
 
I have worked in many industries. Out of about 600 people I have worked with, not one of them wore ear plugs properly. Just a thought. The difference between stuffing plugs in your ear, vs proper rolling, pulling up, and fitting them correctly is around 15DB. No reason to go deaf. Muffs over plugs are an option. I have heard many complain the plugs don't work even when worn correctly, just don't work for them. Every one of them had been wearing them wrong. The guy behind the counter probably just knows how to not go deaf, and can't sympathize. Doubt he actually meant it as stated.
 
I certainly love my guns and thoroughly enjoy all my shooting activities. But IF ( big if here) the only choice I had between going deaf and shooting something quieter I would choose the go quieter option. I don't wish to give up on any of my senses. They are how I connect to the world around. If I had to drop down to a pellet pistol to keep shooting then that's what I do.

I understand and agree with the notion that quality hearing protection should make that choice unnecessary but the OP said to choose between deaf and quieter guns.
 
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