Hearing protection while in operation?

Sea Bass · December 13, 1999, 03:07 PM

New to this forum, so I don't know if this topic been covered before. But for all the law enforcement or military who have actually
assignments in CQB, do you wear hearing protectors while in action? I would think w/
all the explosions or gunfire, one would damage your hearing ability quickly.

Art Eatman · December 18, 1999, 04:02 PM

Hearing loss from high-db impacts is cumulative. Unless it's as loud as, say, a naval 5" gun, no one live-fire encounter should create more than a short-term problem.
It's the accumulation of small damages over years of range-practice and plinking without the use of "hear-guards", which made me deaf in the middle of the human speech-frequencies. (They didn't have commonly-available "hear-guards" in the 1940s-1950s.)

Okay? Huh?

, Art

Ned Roundtree · December 18, 1999, 07:55 PM

Huuh?

Dad2Jane · December 20, 1999, 09:14 AM

I'm not in LE, but I carried a weapon daily while in the military, and was often placed in situations where using it was potentially possible.

Few, if any, LEO's fire thier weapons "in action" often enough to damage their hearing.
In fact, to use hearing protection while "on the job" could get you killed. In a combat situation, you need ALL of your senses... sight & hearing being the top 2 senses used in a deadly force situauion.

However, I HIGHLY recommend that hearing protection be used when at the range or during ANY extended practice/shooting session. I DON'T recommend using the bulky, slip on "head phone" type of hearing protection - its unrealistic for training for "real-life" situations. Instead I recommend the "in the ear" hearing protection like foam, etc...

Also, when I AM firing my weapon during training sessions, I usually don't hear my gun fire anyway... I'm too focused.

------------------
Stand against evil, lest evil have its way...

TROW805 · December 20, 1999, 06:33 PM

What about the use of Pro Ears, or Peltor electronic ear muffs as sound amplifiers.
Protection from muzzle blast.
Amplify surrounding sounds (footsteps).

Valdez · December 23, 1999, 07:48 PM

Beyond the pro-ear type protectors there are now custom fit, in ear protection that does the same thing. At a greater cost, but obviously easier to wear with a helmet etc.

I recall a shotgunner giving the web address for one of these companies.

GgnubrKihn · December 25, 1999, 06:33 PM

Walker's Game Ear and tactic'l Ear come to mind:
http://www.walkersgameear.com/

December 13, 1999, 03:07 PM	#1
Sea Bass Senior Member Join Date: December 11, 1999 Location: CA Posts: 176	New to this forum, so I don't know if this topic been covered before. But for all the law enforcement or military who have actually assignments in CQB, do you wear hearing protectors while in action? I would think w/ all the explosions or gunfire, one would damage your hearing ability quickly.

December 18, 1999, 04:02 PM	#2
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	Hearing loss from high-db impacts is cumulative. Unless it's as loud as, say, a naval 5" gun, no one live-fire encounter should create more than a short-term problem. It's the accumulation of small damages over years of range-practice and plinking without the use of "hear-guards", which made me deaf in the middle of the human speech-frequencies. (They didn't have commonly-available "hear-guards" in the 1940s-1950s.) Okay? Huh? , Art

December 18, 1999, 07:55 PM	#3
Ned Roundtree Senior Member Join Date: December 8, 1999 Location: Lexington, KY,USA Posts: 738	Huuh?

December 20, 1999, 09:14 AM	#4
Dad2Jane Member Join Date: November 16, 1999 Location: Nashville, TN, USA Posts: 95	I'm not in LE, but I carried a weapon daily while in the military, and was often placed in situations where using it was potentially possible. Few, if any, LEO's fire thier weapons "in action" often enough to damage their hearing. In fact, to use hearing protection while "on the job" could get you killed. In a combat situation, you need ALL of your senses... sight & hearing being the top 2 senses used in a deadly force situauion. However, I HIGHLY recommend that hearing protection be used when at the range or during ANY extended practice/shooting session. I DON'T recommend using the bulky, slip on "head phone" type of hearing protection - its unrealistic for training for "real-life" situations. Instead I recommend the "in the ear" hearing protection like foam, etc... Also, when I AM firing my weapon during training sessions, I usually don't hear my gun fire anyway... I'm too focused. ------------------ Stand against evil, lest evil have its way...

December 20, 1999, 06:33 PM	#5
TROW805 Junior Member Join Date: December 15, 1999 Posts: 10	What about the use of Pro Ears, or Peltor electronic ear muffs as sound amplifiers. Protection from muzzle blast. Amplify surrounding sounds (footsteps).

December 23, 1999, 07:48 PM	#6
Valdez Junior member Join Date: October 16, 1998 Posts: 234	Beyond the pro-ear type protectors there are now custom fit, in ear protection that does the same thing. At a greater cost, but obviously easier to wear with a helmet etc. I recall a shotgunner giving the web address for one of these companies.

December 25, 1999, 06:33 PM	#7
GgnubrKihn Senior Member Join Date: November 5, 1999 Posts: 100	Walker's Game Ear and tactic'l Ear come to mind: http://www.walkersgameear.com/