Hearing Protection

[BugDude]

I to have the tinnitus or whatever it's called. Constant ringing, buzzing. I read up on it on the internet and have begun to be able to manage it.

Mine not from shooting, I do wear ear protection for that. Mine is from being the drummer in a band with a guy who pointed his Fender amp in my direction and wailed on it at Mach 10! After a few hundred hours of that, it's no wonder my hearing suffers.

I'll have to read up on managing it. My Doc basically said learn to live with it. I do so by sleeping with a small fan running for background noise and keeping a radio playing softly in the background most of the time. My old VW Bugs don't have radios, but the engines are loud enough in them that they wouldn't do much good anyway.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Guardian]

I to have the tinnitus or whatever it's called. Constant ringing, buzzing. I read up on it on the internet and have begun to be able to manage it.

Mine not from shooting, I do wear ear protection for that. Mine is from being the drummer in a band with a guy who pointed his Fender amp in my direction and wailed on it at Mach 10! After a few hundred hours of that, it's no wonder my hearing suffers.

JoJoGunn, I have it also, while I'm not sure exactly it came from, just diagnosed with it about 2 months ago, driving me crazy, could you PM me and explain what you are doing to manage it. I've read up on it, but have found nothing that can deal with it except learning to live with it from what I've read.

I'm going for a 2nd opinion here in the next month.

[BugDude]

JoJoGunn, I have it also, while I'm not sure exactly it came from, just diagnosed with it about 2 months ago, driving me crazy, could you PM me and explain what you are doing to manage it. I've read up on it, but have found nothing that can deal with it except learning to live with it from what I've read.

I'm going for a 2nd opinion here in the next month.

I'd be interested in knowing myself. I've been just learning to live with it for years. Thanks.

[SIGP250]

JoJoGunn, I have it also, while I'm not sure exactly it came from, just diagnosed with it about 2 months ago, driving me crazy, could you PM me and explain what you are doing to manage it. I've read up on it, but have found nothing that can deal with it except learning to live with it from what I've read.

I'm going for a 2nd opinion here in the next month.

I have had the problem to over two years. I attempted to send you a PM but it appears you have a setting switched on to not allow private messages. PM me with your email and I will tell you what I know.

[nutz4utwo]

Many thanks for the reminder and info.

I am extremely careful with hearing, eyesight, and other safety measures. I double up with plugs/muffs.

it is sound advice... :)

[TheGreatGonzo]

Back when I started in law enforcement, hearing protection was considered important, but not nearly as important as it should have been. That was certainly the case when I was in the military also. As a result, I have some hearing loss. Several years ago, I started making a point of doubling up on my hearing protection: foamies and electronic ears. I am hoping to save what I have left. Thanks for an important reminder.
Gonzo

[SIGP250]

Many thanks for the reminder and info.

I am extremely careful with hearing, eyesight, and other safety measures. I double up with plugs/muffs.

it is sound advice... :)

Not at all,

Thank you for allowing me to make you aware or remind you of what I consider to be an important gun safety issue.

[jofrdo]

I double up with rubber plugs and inexpensive muffs, and want to step up to electronic muffs in the future. I also wear plugs when I mow the lawn or work around any unmufflered gas engine; preserving my hearing is important to me.

Right now my Glock 23 is my carry gun as well as my bedside gun. I'm concerned about hearing damage during a defensive use of firearms. I'm not ready to put a suppressor on my carry gun because it would become unholsterable and unconcealable, but a bedside gun is not so limited. Eventually, I want a dedicated bedside gun that has a suppressor, whether it be long gun or pistol. I'm thinking S&W Model 327 revolver w/ 8 rounds of .357 Magnum with a picatinny below the muzzle and another on the top strap or a bullpup style carbine in .223. In either case, red dot sight on top with light and laser underneath.

[jimtem]

Poly urethane disposable ear plugs are rated at about 18-22 NRR.

The $10.00 muffs may have an NRR of 20-22 NRR under ideal lab conditions. I do not feel this it adequate ear protection for hunting shooting and certainly not for indoor range shooting.

Normal conversation is about 60 decibels. You can experience a decibel level of up to 140 with a gunshot. This is higher than standing next to a jet at takeoff. Exposure to a decibel level over 115 for any length of time can permanently damage your ears.

NRR is a "C" rated scale mandated by OSHA for workplaces in the U.S.A., but to
accurately determine the effects on human hearing, an "A" weighted scale should be
used. To convert from the "C" scale to the "A" scale, just subtract 7. So, to
determine the results to expect from an ear plug, first subtract 7 from the NRR,
then subtract that result from the dBA (average noise level from which you need
protection). For example the noise of a chain saw at 120 dBA would be reduced to
98 dBA by an NRR 29 plug (120-(29-7)=98), which is still moderately dangerous. A
better choice would be an NRR 33 plug which would reduce the noise level to a safer
94 dBA (120-(33-7)=94).

The duration of the sound exposure is also important. The shorter the time you are
exposed, the less the danger to your hearing. Anything over 115 DB can permanently damage inner ear nerves. No hearing aid can help nerve damage. It amounts to a loss of hearing clarity. Hearing aids may make things louder but will not improve hearing recognition.

The highest rated ear plug in the market has a noise reduction rating (NRR) of 33.
The only way you can get higher than NRR 33 is by using ear muffs and ear plugs at the same time, and only then can
you achieve an NRR of 34 or greater. An NRR of 34 requires NRR 20 ear muffs worn over NRR 33 ear plugs. You can
get to an NRR of 36, but that requires the highest rated muff (NRR 30 or 31) and the highest rated plug (NRR 33) to
be worn at the same time.

Please get some adequate hearing protection.

I use Peltor Combat ear screws (reusable) and Peltor Tactical Pro Muffs for a combined NRR of 33-34.

SIG

Thanks a ton for the great info! I'll go looking for those NRR 33 plugs and NRR 31 muffs.

O.P. Thanks for bringing up this subject

[Guardian]

I have had the problem to over two years. I attempted to send you a PM but it appears you have a setting switched on to not allow private messages. PM me with your email and I will tell you what I know.

Ok, I will change that immediately, I didn't realize that function was disabled. My apologies folks. Going right now to fix that.

[SIGP250]

I double up with rubber plugs and inexpensive muffs, and want to step up to electronic muffs in the future. I also wear plugs when I mow the lawn or work around any unmufflered gas engine; preserving my hearing is important to me.

Right now my Glock 23 is my carry gun as well as my bedside gun. I'm concerned about hearing damage during a defensive use of firearms. I'm not ready to put a suppressor on my carry gun because it would become unholsterable and unconcealable, but a bedside gun is not so limited. Eventually, I want a dedicated bedside gun that has a suppressor, whether it be long gun or pistol. I'm thinking S&W Model 327 revolver w/ 8 rounds of .357 Magnum with a picatinny below the muzzle and another on the top strap or a bullpup style carbine in .223. In either case, red dot sight on top with light and laser underneath.

You might want to read the state gun laws of Virginia.
Section 18.2-308.6 Possession of unregistered firearms mufflers or silencers prohibited:

It seems that they are not totally illegal in Virginia but must be registered in the National Firearms and and Transfer Record. Otherwise it is a class 6 felony. I am not sure what registering entails in your state. They are illegal here.

[jimtem]

Poly urethane disposable ear plugs are rated at about 18-22 NRR.

The $10.00 muffs may have an NRR of 20-22 NRR under ideal lab conditions. I do not feel this it adequate ear protection for hunting shooting and certainly not for indoor range shooting.

...............

I looked up the rating on my plugs and muffs. The plugs are 29 NRR and the muffs are 25 NRR.

Does the group feel that this is good? If not I plan to purchase these plugs Howard Leight Max UF Foam Ear Plugs (NRR 33) - Howard Leight NRR 33 and these muffs Pro-Ears Ultra 33 Premium Passive Muffs (NRR 33 <font color=red>Highest Rated Muffs You Can Buy!</font>) - Pro Ears Ultra Premium Passive Ear Muffs also NRR 33

[SIGP250]

I looked up the rating on my plugs and muffs. The plugs are 29 NRR and the muffs are 25 NRR.

Does the group feel that this is good? If not I plan to purchase these plugs Howard Leight Max UF Foam Ear Plugs (NRR 33) - Howard Leight NRR 33 and these muffs Pro-Ears Ultra 33 Premium Passive Muffs (NRR 33 <font color=red>Highest Rated Muffs You Can Buy!</font>) - Pro Ears Ultra Premium Passive Ear Muffs also NRR 33

Well, you are protected but not well.

Plugs: 29 -7 = 22
Muffs: 25-7 = 18
Total NRR = 40

A large caliber gun shot may be 140 DB or greater.

140-40= 100 DB

This is still too high. Try to get it down to 85-89 dba with adequate hearing protection.


I sell hearing protection, sporting goods and firearms.
I am also the OP of this thread.

Please have a look at my website.
I want to sell to you but it is more important to me that you are adequately protected while shooting.

Good hearing protection can be expensive but not nearly as expensive to you as your loss of hearing.

Jim

GundAndSupply.com Home

email: GundAndSupply.com Home

888-745-2080 24/7

[9MMare]

My hearing was damaged in Vietnam, from cannon fire of our tanks. Every hearing test since then shows a steady, even decline to the point that I am now about 70% deaf. That plus continuous ringing of the ears, is not easy to live with.
GOOD ADVISE !!~

Thank you very much for your service & sacrifice Charlie8D.

[9MMare]

Good message Sig.

I wear ear plugs and ear muffs rated 33 NRR (pink camo )