avoiding ear damage with powerful rifles

[mainecoon]

I just put a Triad Tactical stock pad on my rifle and it has eliminated the bone conduction discomfort.

 

[peterotte]

If having bare threads bothers you, put a thread protector there.

The thread protector can extend past the muzzle which might help some.

 

[RecoilRob]

The Linear Compensator works a treat on the KT PLR-16 which is a nasty loud little thing...especially with the factory 'two-port' muzzle brake. That thing was just rediculous how much concussion it directed back at your head...and was enough to blow apart a red-dot sight after a few shots. Never seen that happen before...but with the linear comp it is nice to shoot. Muffs and plugs of course.

Somewhere in the thread was mentioned shooting 50 BMG's with brakes...which is highly recommended...otherwise body damage beyond ears is likely to be encountered. With a good brake the 50's don't punish your shoulder, but DO punish the rest of your body with the sonic pulse/concussion they deliver while reducing the shoulder thrust. This really should be limited or, over time, they can do serious bad things to you. A World Champion shooter died many years ago from complications the Dr claimed was due to his constant shooting which was many thousands of rounds.

I belive the Military puts a round limit on their 50 Barrett shooters monthly trying to limit the damage and some retina detachment has happened as you really take a sonic pounding...which is really great fun...just limit how much fun you have or it can turn ugly. My friend once fired the AR-50 without ears and I was down the line watching for muzzle flash and didn't notice he had forgotten his ears in the excitement of getting to shoot it. Totally ruined his ears and to this day (over 10 years later) he still has severe ringing. On the shot he went over backwards holding his head and rolled on the ground a while in agony...it was sad to see. Plugs and muffs a MUST with the 50's!

 

[Walkalong]

Many jokes are made about hearing. However, it is not funny one bit when it is YOUR hearing that has been damaged

Amen, just do it folks. It ain't worth the hearing loss or tinnitus, trust me, and I am luckier than some here as far as how much damage I incurred earlier in life. That goes for working around noise as well. Protect your ears, and eyes too for that matter.

 

[Bentonville]

I have been doubling up for years . Too late to avoid tinnitus but not too late to save what hearing I have. I use 33nrr hearo plugs and ProEars 33 muffs. I haven't found an electronic muff that approaches 33 NRR . Is there something better?

 

[WestKentucky]

Too late for me...

Me too.

 

[Enkiduthewildman]

I had a Browning with the BOSS in my early 20s. I now have a hearing aid for my left side from the VA. Never told them the truth when they asked "what happened to your left eardrum?", so it's service connected.

 

[rondog]

This thread reminds me of a guy I knew in NY. He'd had hearing problems for years, but hated going to doctors. He finally gave in and went to get checked out. Imagine his surprise when the doc pulled out the really nasty wads of cotton that he'd crammed in his ears when he was in an artillery unit, in Vietnam!

Got the plugs out and all the goo cleaned out, and lo and behold - he could hear again! Stuff had been in there for 25-30 years.....

 

[1stmarine]

double up protection always you can even if you don't shoot competition. When it is gone it is gone.

 

[TG1618]

Just do it without the brake if you are worried about hearing. Better yet, stick a suppressor on it. The .50 is painful, to say the least, but it won't do any permanent damage to your shoulder. People shoot Safari rifles offhand, and those have similar recoil energy in an 8 pound rifle.

I firmly stand on the principle that the .50 BMG is best shot by the M2. Who needs muzzle brakes when you have a tripod?

And ALWAYS double up

 

[TG1618]

It's just idle speculation on my part, but I wonder if they have some sort of helmet device with integral hearing protection to reflect back sound rather than conduct it through your skull, something reserved only for the most extreme noise levels.
Sure would be uncomfortable for shooting, but I would be willing to bet you could significantly improve upon the practical NRR rating of 33 with something of that sort.

Anything airtight would work. Space suit maybe?

 

[zb338]

I shot on an Army pistol team back in the 50's. Don't remember anyone giving us ear protection. Same thing
qualifying with the M1 rifle and carbine. My ears are now trash.

Zeke

 

[Frank44]

I always try to double up regardless of the firearm used. I have severe hearing loss in my right ear from competing years ago with just muffs. I learned my lesson the hard way.

 

[Mrgunsngear]

Here you go...

What I see commonly... (wrong wrong wrong)

The proper way (thumbs up)

How to insert properly... (twist it up)

And yes, I just took the time to do all that... laugh it up lol

My tutorial for those looking.

 

[SamT1]

I'm deaf as hell for being 29. Ran a chainsaw for 10 years with no muffs. I can't hear women talk (maybe good, but the wife is tired of it.) shot lots of guns with no ears on. I had a guy shoot a 45-70 right by my left ear hunting, can't hear the phone on that side. Then we scrapped a lot of side rolls one summer. Cut the aluminum pipe with our firewood saws, I wore ear plugs, a scarf around the ears and a motorcycle helmet I think it was loud enough to rattle teeth loose.
Nowadays I try to protect what's left, I keep muffs on my dash, absolutely won't shoot anything with a brake on it and do most my shooting through a suppressor. The suppressor is really the ticket.

 

[yzguy87]

I would love to shoot a .50 cal, a 338 or similar muzzle-braked rifle. But I don't know if my ears could take it. Obviously I would use ear protection. But is that enough for these guns? Is there a limit to how many times you can fire a .50 or similar really loud rifle before it's time to call it quits for the day?

 

[Clayguy]

I qualified with M1 in training, and then with M14 when I was on active duty. I wish I knew how many rounds I fired with those rifles. I then was weapons qualification officer and No earplugs from the Army. No real hearing test ( whisper test) when I was discharged. They said my hearing was "normal". Now that I have tinnitus, and severe hearing loss, the VA has approved the tinnitus, but says my hearing loss was not caused by the military noise.
Please wear your hearing protection!

Got the same response when I retired after25 years of AD. Nobody wore hearing protection back in the old days!

 

[Clark]

I set off a firecracker on Jan 20.
My ears still hurt.

 

[Pete D.]

The solution for loud boomer's is a mini-suppressor, shrouded muzzle brake or full suppressor. Shrouded muzzle brakes might be legal in your country, depending on the wording of suppressor control laws.

Not a solution when you are at a range and the folks on both sides of your point are shooting powerful guns.
Wear hearing protection....double up.
Pete

 

[Legionnaire]

I am thankful that I got good advice early on. I've always worn hearing protection at the range. The one time I shot my T/C Contender in .35 Remington with a brake in the field, my ears rang for several days. I promptly bought a set of Peltor electronic muffs to wear while hunting with a handgun. Hunting with long guns, I keep a pair of plugs slung around my neck and put them in if there is time. I've been known to wear the Peltors when hunting with a rifle, too. Definitely double up at the range, even with medium cartridges. Your hearing is too precious to do otherwise.

 

[Clark]

I have worn earplugs AND hearing protector earmuffs, and the sound got through the front of my face.
When Quickload prediction is above 10,000 psi muzzle pressure and the volume of the barrel is high [big cal] then the diameter [of the gas ball at super sonic to sound propagation transition ] will be large.
The amplitude of the waves at high frequency from almost any gun is 2 atmospheres, the threshold of cavitation. But the big guns, like cannons, have more bass. Not only does bass go around corners better, it goes through stuff better too.
In acoustics in college we measured the standing wave ratio with a calibrated HP microphone in front of sound absorbing material. Absorption is not flat in the frequency domain.

 

[RugerBassMan]

I have a set of Howard Leight, L3 muffs (big mouse ears) that I use with Howard Leight Max foam plugs. Good advice concerning inserting cold plugs vs warm ones, the cold plugs appear to be stiffer and easier to insert. This setup can handle .50 BMG having a brake some 15 feet away. Past military experience back then had nobody using ear or eye protection.

 

[fotheringill]

I wonder how our GIs had to feel who had to shoot one of those Garands all day ????? Never saw one of them with a plug or muffs on the ears. Wonder how they felt about that ?

My old man was a gunner on a twin 40 on an LST in the Pacific. He didn't hear too well when I was growing up.
I have to tell you that when a guy sits down next to me at the range with a "cannon", I just move away to another area. I use plugs and muffs for my mighty .223.

 

[Solomonson]

Every marksman should watch and this clip or something similar even if they already feel they know what they're doing:

 

[Clark]

Solomonson,
At Boeing commercial Aircraft Company 1978-1981 I was an associate engineer with my own desk... I shared a phone.
But there were all the 3M roll ear plugs I wanted for free.
I filled my pockets.
Those other guys took home their pencil, I took home my ear plugs.

Now I to pay for them with my own money