shooting without ear protection at the range

[Michael R.]

hello,
i just have a quick question for all to answer. if you could, would you shoot without ear protection at the range? i have a hard time shooting with ear protection at the range because the muffs feel weird on my ears. so, if you had the choice, would you shoot without ear protection at the range?

 

[oerllikon]

Never if i could help it. I like listening to music, and I still want to be able to hear all of it.
I just use foam plugs, I prefer that instead of my ears ringing for a week. (after I shot a couple cylinders of full magnums out of my GP)

I would recommend wearing hearing protection. Id try foam plugs if the muffs bother you. You barely notice theyre in

 

[Sam1911]

Yes, I would, and have, as long as the gun we were shooting was fitted with a silencer.

Otherwise, you are destroying part of your own body with every single shot, and the part you are killing cannot grow back or heal to any appreciable degree.

There are ear plugs ranging from disposable foamies to custom-made inserts that fit your ears like they grew there, to custom fitted inserts with electronic noise-filtering.

There are muffs that range from $10 basic models right up through very "smart" electronic versions that let you hold a normal conversation right through ongoing gunfire.

Whatever you're shooting and whatever your budget, there is hearing protection available to work for you.

The muffs may "feel weird" at first. Keep shooting and keep using them (or plugs) -- you'll get used to it.

Shooting without is absolutely (forgive me) a STUPID choice to make.

You can take the muffs off when you're done and the weird feeling goes away. There's nothing you can do to get rid of the ringing and buzzing that comes with the damage you'll accrue, and those hearing aids are going to feel mighty "weird" when you have to wear them 24/7 just to hear someone talking to you for the last 30 years of your life.

 

[glock36]

Let me tell you this " the ringing in my ears never goes away " why? Because when I was young and dumb I would shoot without proper hearing protection.
Take care of your hearing at all cost.

 

[451 Detonics]

Even 22 rimfire will damage hearing and the damage is cumulative, the more you do it the worst the damage becomes. This is permanent damage, it won't get better over time. I have enough hearing loss now that I know I don't want to lose anymore. Either get use to wearing a headset or wear earplugs. If you dislike not being able to hear conversation when wearing them get one of the electronics types.

 

[EmbarkChief]

451 nailed it.

You won't realize how important your hearing is until you lose some of it. Trust me. I'm so paranoid about losing anymore of my hearing I use ear protection at concerts, vacuuming the house, or any activity with a DB over 95.

 

[Jonah71]

No....although I most likely lost a lot in that department at concerts in the "70's. I always wear protection even when firing my .22 LR.

 

[M-Cameron]

honestly, most of the time i dont wear hearing protection.....

then again, most of the time i am shooting my .22lr outside, from underneath a canopy.....with the muzzles of the guns outside the canopy........so there is practically no noise at all....far quieter than some airguns i have shot.

but for anything indoors, anything in a pistol, or anything larger than a .22......ive got hearing protection.

 

[oneounceload]

Metallic shooting for me means plugs AND muffs, and if you value your hearing, you'll do the same

It really sucks not being able to discern what is being said because there are several conversations going on, like in a restaurant, or in a room with the TV

Once it is gone it NEVER comes back, EVER.

Start to lose your sight - they have options - but start to lose your hearing, it is gone for good - after a while you get used to that hissing noise, at night I pretend I'm listening to crickets outside

 

[Tirod]

The worst hearing damage I suffered was a day in Non Lethal munitions training. I wasn't told what I was training for, and the course instructors neglected to ensure hearing protection was available. Major Fail.

That was the icing on the cake, I now have eternal ringing in my ears, and conversation in a busy retail environment makes me cup a hand around my ear and annoyingly ask some whispering customer "EH, WHAT'S THAT YOUR SAYING?" I swear I'm going to get an oil funnel and start using it. They WON'T speak up, and I really should get a hearing aid.

Got $3,000 handy? Can you afford $20-30 bucks in batteries over and over? I don't want to be unpleasant, but you need to wear hearing protection whether you like it or not, no matter how much discomfort it may seem to bring.

I won't point out those who refuse, lack the mental capacity to make a better decision. If they don't come to that conclusion later in life, they can't anyway. What we are trying to say is don't hurt yourself, humans capable of afteraction review do make different decisions, and are quite willing to point out they made a major mistake.

It's the ones who won't listen who let Darwinian theory become an actual force in their shortened life. Don't be that guy. Ask yourself, would you let yourself suffer accumulating damage to your eyes to the point you were legally blind by age 45? And yet, people will do that with their hearing. Ask any rock band player, or construction worker if he would change what they did. If they say no, you're not looking at a contributor to the future success of the human gene pool.

WEAR HEARING PROTECTION should be the first rule of firearms safety.

 

[ny32182]

I would give up shooting entirely before I would ever shoot without hearing protection. And I love shooting.

I have been at a square range before where a guy, probably in his late 40's, with a young teenager, were there; I'm about to start shooting... "hey buddy, I'm going hot, want to put your ears on?"

"Nah, go ahead, we're used to it".

I was completely dumbfounded... his ears, I guess.

 

[Gtscotty]

My dad is kinda deaf at this point from a lifetime of riding motorcycles and listening to music. One time when I was younger I was shooting a buddies .357 vaquero at his house, and realized after the first shot that I had forgotten to put my "ears" back in.... Like an idiot, not wanting to look stupid I finished the cylinder and was somewhat deaf for a week. :banghead:

I always, always, always wear hearing protection now, even if its just the little foamies (im not sure why some folks don't like them, they generally have a higher dB reduction rating than the over the ear type). If im shooting especially loud guns like heavy 30-06 rounds or magnum pistols, I double up on hearing protection. Not only does this protect my hearing, but the extra reduction in muzzle blast lets me shoot longer before I start developing a flinch.

 

[Sig88]

Don't do it. I wouldnt if I can help it. I'd rather keep my hearing and not risk major damage. You also Have no idea what someone may start shooting next. If ear muffs don't work for you, just get some ear plugs. You can buy them in bulk or around $.50 for a pack of two.

 

[RonZ]

I spent most of my youth shooting .22's with no hearing protection, that added onto rock music and my Harley have destroyed my ears. It cosy me $4K worth of hearing aids to get back to about 80%.

I now shoot with expensive custom ear plugs and electronic ear muffs even if it is a pellet gun in the garage, mowing the lawn or hammering a nail. I have no Choice now, I wish I would have made better choices when I was young.

BTW, I am lucky enough to have 4 ranges within 1/2 hour of my home and the first rule of all 4 is "Hearing and Eye Protection required". None of them will let you on the range without both.

 

[Brockak47]

earplugs for sure. no fun to be deaf by the time you're 40

 

[Hizzie]

I think I'd rather punch myself in the groin that shoot without hearing protection. The naseau and pain goes away in a few hours. Hearing damage and ears ringing is permanent.

 

[gudel]

I tried once, shot one round of 45 without ear plugs. Never again!
The ear muffs are not comfortable, if you don't like using those muffs, as I don't like those either, use those simple ear plugs.

 

[Cal-gun Fan]

My biggest problem with the ears is being able to hear the rangemaster when he calls a ceasefire. For those that don't use them, you should look into some ears that block only high decibel noises, but still let you hear people talking.

 

[gotigers]

huh? did you say something?

no really. Hearing protection is a must. I want to hear my grand kids the first time they say "paw paw".

 

[gatorjames85]

I use hearing protection even when hunting now. When I am at the range, I double up on plugs and muffs. Like others have said, once you lose it, you aren't getting it back.

 

[LKB3rd]

No, because I don't want to lose my hearing.

 

[Nugilum]

WHAT!?!

 

[InkEd]

WHAT? HUH?

I don't recommend it. My hearing isn't REAL bad BUT it's worse than average. It isn't to fun asking people to repeat themselves.

I used to work around loud machinery for extended periods of time, attend concerts (often stood RIGHT next to the speakers) and shot guns (mostly) outside without ear protection.
I would NEVER wear earplugs doing the first two things and about 50/50 for the guns.

FWIW think the machinery did the most damage in the least amount of time.

I can't stand the earmuffs style hearing protection. I wear a pair of the custom rubber plugs that you mold the putty into your ear and let it set-up. Once it's done you have pliable custom fitted earplugs. The little kit costs less than $20 and IMHO work better than most everything else on the market.

 

[Smokey in PHX]

In this day and age I am surprised at the question. I have been shooting for over 55 years and have received hearing damage. It can not be repaired. It is very foolish to shoot anything without hearing protection, even a 22LR.

 

[Rattlehead]

Nope. Mostly for the reasons Tirod listed. Hearing aids, batteries, and the surrounding tech isn't cheap. And with the loss being irreversible, it's damn-near-guaranteed that you'll wind up paying it.

And that's not counting the PITA that comes with the more significant hearing loss. Missing conversations, loss of situational awareness, etc....

Yeah, not worth it.