The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Pros & Cons Of HD Shooting Using Ear Protection

stonewall50 · June 27, 2013, 01:16 AM

I make fun of family members for being deaf all the time. They aren't born that way. They made the foolish error of shooting regularly without hearing protection. I have protected my hearing from a young age (refused to shoot without protection even at like 8). I am the go to guy for finding out which direction a turkey gobble comes from.

That said. In home defense, I won't be taking the time to put on the hearing protection. I also won't be concerned with tinnitus or whatever else I may have to go to the ENT doc for. My concern is whatever made me grab my gun. There is no reason to handicap yourself in the situation by not being able to hear every little normal sound around you. Even the electronic hearing protection is a bad idea. It is omnidirectional. That means 1 mic per ear and you lose all sense of what direction a sound is coming from. I use them to duck hunt. Even gun shots are hard to determine the location of.

For training? Wear hearing protection. Put on eyesight limiting goggles (safety goggles). Make the lighting limited. Play ridiculous annoying sounds and loud music tjat you hate. Never shoot in "perfect" conditions for self defense training. But always be safe...and obviously that part includes the hearing protection. If you ever have to defend yourself with a gun, the odds are you won't be all that concerned about your hearing. Heck odds are you won't even have it near you anyway.

June 27, 2013, 01:16 AM	#103
stonewall50 Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 668	Pros & Cons Of HD Shooting Using Ear Protection I make fun of family members for being deaf all the time. They aren't born that way. They made the foolish error of shooting regularly without hearing protection. I have protected my hearing from a young age (refused to shoot without protection even at like 8). I am the go to guy for finding out which direction a turkey gobble comes from. That said. In home defense, I won't be taking the time to put on the hearing protection. I also won't be concerned with tinnitus or whatever else I may have to go to the ENT doc for. My concern is whatever made me grab my gun. There is no reason to handicap yourself in the situation by not being able to hear every little normal sound around you. Even the electronic hearing protection is a bad idea. It is omnidirectional. That means 1 mic per ear and you lose all sense of what direction a sound is coming from. I use them to duck hunt. Even gun shots are hard to determine the location of. For training? Wear hearing protection. Put on eyesight limiting goggles (safety goggles). Make the lighting limited. Play ridiculous annoying sounds and loud music tjat you hate. Never shoot in "perfect" conditions for self defense training. But always be safe...and obviously that part includes the hearing protection. If you ever have to defend yourself with a gun, the odds are you won't be all that concerned about your hearing. Heck odds are you won't even have it near you anyway.