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Old August 19, 2013, 10:54 AM   #1
tpcollins
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Earmuffs versus ear plugs

When I'm bench shooting, my earmuffs get in the way of getting down close to the stock so I opt for wearing ear plugs instead. The other day I had my 6 year old grandson at the range and the youth Protector model ear muffs I had gotten him seemed to get in the way also so I switched him over to ear plugs as well.

Are the shooting type earmuffs better suited to skeet shooting or am I doing something wrong? Thanks.
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Old August 19, 2013, 11:11 AM   #2
BigD_in_FL
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You need to protect your mastoid area that surrounds the outer part of your ear from severe vibrations as they can get transmitted to the middle and inner ear and do serious damage over time - especially with a young kid because most muffs don't fit well. With metallic I wear both plugs in and muffs over to protect what hearing I still have
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Old August 19, 2013, 11:41 AM   #3
Ricklin
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Trap

Most all trap shooters wear plugs, and no muffs. The muffs do get in the way.

I have seen a few very nice guns with ugly marks on the butt stock due to muffs.

The report of a 12 gauge with a long barrel is not that bad. When I fire my handguns I wear muffs.

If you opt for plugs only, buy some good ones. There are big differences. I make a point of wetting my silicone plugs and make sure they are well inserted.
If you use the disposable foam earplugs make sure to follow the instructions. They to can be quite effective when they are inserted properly. The key is to compress them really well and quickly insert them.
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Old August 19, 2013, 12:09 PM   #4
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Whenever it's practical to do so, I wear both, even when competing in a .22 match. No point subjecting your ears to extra noise, and the double protection helps me focus as well.
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Old August 19, 2013, 12:11 PM   #5
BigD_in_FL
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I shoot sporting clays and wear muffs all the time - they never interfere with the stock
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Old August 21, 2013, 09:26 AM   #6
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Earmuffs versus ear plugs

Both

At the same time.
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Old August 21, 2013, 12:24 PM   #7
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Muffs give the best protection says my audiologist. In second place are custom moulded ones cast into your ear channel for a perfect fit. Wear both, if you can still hear voices from important safety people near you.

Some muffs have a cutout at the bottom of one side so the stock comb will fit up in it allowing one to easier see through the sights. I've not seen one for years.
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Old August 21, 2013, 12:56 PM   #8
Tom68
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Earmuffs versus ear plugs

As usual, I agree with Kraig. I wear both whenever it is practical to do so. The one sin to which I will admit, however, is wearing nothing when hunting. I know I should buy some electronic jobs, or at least have a set to slip on just before a shot, but I don't. Perhaps I can work on that.

Other than the fact that I haven fired my rifle at a deer in the past two seasons :-(
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Old August 22, 2013, 02:05 PM   #9
WESHOOT2
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"I can't HEAR YOU!"

Quote:
Earmuffs versus ear plugs

Both

At the same time.
This.
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Old August 22, 2013, 02:24 PM   #10
SIGSHR
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I wear both, especially on an indoor range. Outdoors, on an uncovered range with few shooters I have gotten by with just plugs. Covered range, both.
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Old August 22, 2013, 05:01 PM   #11
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I prefer both, but I don't shoot skeet.
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Old August 22, 2013, 09:01 PM   #12
David13
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I use both, where appropriate. The ear molded plugs. The muffs give greater protection.
Hunting, I am going to say they are not needed. As, you are not going to be doing much shooting.
I don't know if the 'ear people' agree with that, but it seems to be just a few shots isn't too bad. It's the steady noise like the range that does damage.
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Old August 23, 2013, 12:46 AM   #13
leadcounsel
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Puzzled why this comes up about once a month. It ain't rocket surgery or brain science.

Hearing is important.

Loud noises and repetitive loud noises are bad for your hearing.

Your hearing ain't gonna heal.

Being deaf, having tinnitus, and vertigo ain't fun.

Protect it. Costs a few dollars on the low end, or $50 on the high end.

Same with eyesight. Eyesight is expensive or impossible to fix.

Protect it. Costs a few dollars to protect it with basic shooting glasses.

Never experienced any eye pro or ear pro that interfered with shooting to the point that I couldn't get a good cheek weld.
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Old August 23, 2013, 07:58 AM   #14
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Depends on what/where I'm shooting.

If it's an unsuppressed .22, I'll just wear a set of electronic ear muffs so I can still talk. But if I'm shooting at an indoor range, I'll double up with both ear plugs and ear muffs.

It only takes one time at an indoor range where you accidentally open a gap between your ear muffs and your ear with the stock, to make you always want to double up on both.
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Old August 23, 2013, 09:08 AM   #15
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I use ear muffs, I really, I mean really hate stuffing anything inside my ears, it irritates me to the point I become angry, and very few things irritate me to that point.
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Old August 24, 2013, 11:43 AM   #16
SgtLumpy
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Off the shelf plugs vs custom molded...

I find muffs get in the way, always wear non-electronic plugs.

I find that custom molded plugs give the same level of attenuation as the disposable or other non-custom styles. BUT the customs are much more comfortable to wear. I tend to spend hours at the range at a time. The customs sit in there like, well like they were made to fit.

Mine are the $15 mold it yourself kind from Amazon.


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Old August 24, 2013, 06:30 PM   #17
RamItOne
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This is america! we want it all right so I use both lol

I have the electronic muffs and wear plugs as well, man it is so much nicer, I work in a noisy environment so I'm already concerned about hearing loss, therefor I take a lil more precaution at the range.
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Old August 24, 2013, 06:36 PM   #18
JWT
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Muffs if I'm shooting handguns. Custom molded ear plugs shooting long guns where the muffs tend to get in the way.
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Old August 24, 2013, 07:41 PM   #19
RodTheWrench
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Earmuffs versus ear plugs

My answer is: it depends. The other day at the range when the sun was beating down, my ear holes almost drowned in the sweat that was pooling in the cups on my electronic muffs. I was afraid they were going to electrocute me!

Sometimes plugs alone are fine. I generally double up at the indoor pistol range though for reasons mentioned above.

One bit of advice on plugs: follow the directions. Sounds simple but if you reach behind your head with the opposite hand and pull your ear up and back a bit while inserting, it seats so much better that way and provides maximum sound protection.
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Old August 24, 2013, 08:19 PM   #20
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Quote:
One bit of advice on plugs: follow the directions. Sounds simple but if you reach behind your head with the opposite hand and pull your ear up and back a bit while inserting, it seats so much better that way and provides maximum sound protection.
Agreed, I really jam mine in there but I see guys walking around with them hanging most of the way out and wonder how they can be doing any good at all.
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Old August 24, 2013, 09:08 PM   #21
vytoland
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a six year old needs ALL the protection they can get. it is much too early to risk hearing loss at this young age.
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Old August 25, 2013, 03:20 PM   #22
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i would go with muffs
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Old August 25, 2013, 03:43 PM   #23
TXAZ
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+1 vytoland

The energy transmitted to your ear when inside a building is typically more than when outside skeet shooting, or even up against a outside hard wall or ceiling. I've gotten a pretty good case of ear ringing, and shooting often tweaks it.

As such like Kraigwy, I use both.

If I was young just starting out / over again, I'd wear both good plugs and excellent muffs. If I could go back knowing I could make the ringing go away, I'd gladly spend $5-10k in today's $'s to do so.
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Old August 25, 2013, 10:06 PM   #24
dakota.potts
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I shoot outside.

Everything I have read would indicate that properly used ear plugs do more for you than muffs.

I use both. The first time I shot a handgun, there was ringing in my left ear. I was wearing only muffs. That was when I realized that even if it was my fault and I didn't have it on right, there was absolutely no reason not to wear plugs under the muffs.

The muffs do push my glasses into my head and get uncomfortable, so when I shoot my .22 I sometimes use only ear plugs. It's bolt action and it's got a long barrel (I think 20 inches) so it's like nothing at all with ear plugs properly used.

My mom's .22 I even double up for every time. It's shorter and has a muzzle brake.

Inside I would double up anyways. There was a person one booth down from us (the owner and his son) with an SBR AR 15. Must've been 10 inches. That thing was LOUD. Can't imagine something like that or a shotgun in an indoor range would be good for you even at another stall.
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Old September 2, 2013, 05:33 AM   #25
cryogenic419
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I will generally double up on protection when it does not interfere with shooting, plugs and muffs. Unfortunately when shooting service rifle (AR15) the muffs get in the way so I am down to just plugs. I am lucky enough to shoot at 2 different outdoor ranges so sound levels aren't too bad when outside. I DREAD shooting indoors, truly dread it. Something simple like 9mm after a while just starts to rattle me.

As somebody who has lost hearing due to loud musical instruments and car stereos over the years (only 37) I'll continue to preach this....TAKE CARE OF YOUR HEARING. Its not going to disappear on you in one day, all the trips to the range add up over time. All the other things in life add to this like loud TV's, car stereo, power tools, etc. One day you will wake up and notice you can't hear things like you used to. What seems like a normal volume on the TV will be loud to everybody else around you. You will find yourself asking people to speak up or not being able to hear them clearly in a conversation. Anybody that thinks it won't happen to them is fooling themselves, you just don't notice it happening until it's too late.
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