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MLeake · October 22, 2011, 11:02 AM

I've never been through a military course of fire that did not include hearing protection, and I've never heard of such a military course of fire. I have to wonder if the OP's friend made that up.

As far as it being a useful thing.... it might be equally useful to train at shooting when injured by knife or gunshot, yet I don't know of any courses that stab, slash, or shoot their students prior to the course of fire. Similarly, I don't know of any schools that break the primary arm, to force good weak-hand training.

So, no, I don't actually see any utility whatever in deliberately training without hearing protection.

Shot a .30-06 outdoors once, without protection, and had about 8 hours of tinnitis. Shot a .357 indoors, once, with slipped hearing protection, and had three days of tinnitis. I was VERY happy when that subsided, since I wasn't sure it would.

I'll pass on any further such exposures.

October 22, 2011, 11:02 AM	#14
MLeake Senior Member Join Date: November 15, 2007 Location: Outside KC, MO Posts: 10,128	I've never been through a military course of fire that did not include hearing protection, and I've never heard of such a military course of fire. I have to wonder if the OP's friend made that up. As far as it being a useful thing.... it might be equally useful to train at shooting when injured by knife or gunshot, yet I don't know of any courses that stab, slash, or shoot their students prior to the course of fire. Similarly, I don't know of any schools that break the primary arm, to force good weak-hand training. So, no, I don't actually see any utility whatever in deliberately training without hearing protection. Shot a .30-06 outdoors once, without protection, and had about 8 hours of tinnitis. Shot a .357 indoors, once, with slipped hearing protection, and had three days of tinnitis. I was VERY happy when that subsided, since I wasn't sure it would. I'll pass on any further such exposures.