Ear muffs 243

[fernie kazam]

Hey I am looking at buying a set of ear muffs for use while shooting my .243WIN. Does anybody know what DB rating I should get/need? I am currently using earplugs but they take to long to roll and insert and get dirty in my pocket real fast. My ears aren't too sensitive, if someone else is shooting and i cover my ears with my hands it doesn't worry me. This is a link to a pair I like because you can wear a hat with them on.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Ear-Muffs-Pe...goryZ383QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Thanks

 

[Owen]

fernie, wear both, and get the maximum db rating you can find.

 

[Starter52]

Any quality pair of muffs will work with a .243 Win. Peltor Presidentals are my favorite.

 

[hso]

You need both even if you don't think you do. Hearing damage is cumulative. It's like chipping away at the foundation of a building. A little chunk here and another there and you only notice with the dang bathroom door won't close (or you wonder what that blasted ringing is all the time).

Get NRR 30+ plugs and wear them any time you are around shooting. Put a pair of good electronic muffs over them so that you can hear conversations without hearing the ka-boom of gunfire.

Good muffs can be had from a number of sources from Pro Ears to Peltor. Be sure to get what fits and look for gel pads for comfort. Wear them as intended with your plugs and you'll be able to avoid the constant annoying ringing of tinnitus (like is sounding in my right ear at the moment).

 

[Capo]

... eh??? ....

There's lots of life-long shooters at my club that restrict their shooting due to tinnitus.

They describe it as a constant ringing that exist 24/7. And it's especially noticeable at night when they try to sleep. They all say the same thing - protect your hearing by using both plugs and muffs.

The bottom line is than no amount of money is too much to protect your hearing. If you can't afford the better muffs then at least double plug.


Here's a link that provides some great info on protection and devises. Take some time and click on the links for info .....


http://www.hearingreview.com/related_articles.asp?frmArticleId=2007-03_04


Here's a link with good pricing, discounts and free shipping on ear muffs....


http://www.gundogsonline.com/hearing-protection/



Also interesting ....

"NIOSH recommends that exposure to peak impulsive noises not exceed 140 dB SPL. That is, exposure to one event at 140 dB SPL would constitute 100% of a person's daily allowable noise exposure. The OSHA-permissible exposure limit for impulsive noise is also 140 dB SPL. However, peak level is not the sole factor for hearing damage. Other factors, such as the duration and number of impulses, also have an effect on the resulting hearing loss. In an indoor firing range, reflected sound (reverberation) also becomes an important factor."

"The peak sound pressure level from any firearm is usually sufficient to require the use of hearing protection, even if the gun is fired only one time. Recent NIOSH studies have shown that peak sound pressure levels may range from a low of 144 dB SPL for small caliber weapons such as a 0.22 caliber rifle to as high as 172 dB SPL for a 0.357 caliber revolver."

That means one shot from a .22 without hearing protection and you're done for the day ...