Best...I SAY BEST.... noise reduction muffs around?

[Lavan]

Hang the expense. Which one is the absolute BEST in noise reduction?

I've already lost way too much just a month ago from someone shooting something HORRIFIC and PORTED just 2 benches away. Were they using the concrete pipe provided by the range?

NO!

So.... I now have TWO hearing aids PLUS they made a set of neoprene non vented plugs and it STILL hits my hearing after a shooting session.

It's even MORE worrisome as even with the new hearing plugs AND Peltor Tac100 muffs, I am getting somewhat MORE hearing damage.

So..... my question is which muffs (active preferred but not mandatory) would stop the MOST noise.

And still be able to be worn while shooting.



I'm even wondering if gel PLUGS would be better than the FITTED ones.
I have a hard right ear to fit.

Are there some store bought (or online) PLUGS that are so damn good it's scary?

Thanks.

[Bill West]

I bought a pair of ear muffs from Decibel Defense.
https://www.decibeldefense.com/produ...ear-protection
I think they are as good as they claim. The only problem is that you can't hear the other shooters talk so if you go to the range for the great conversation they may not be for you.

[g.willikers]

Yikes, that's terrible.
Why was your hearing loss was so severe?
How long was this big boomer blazing away like that?
What was the range layout like?
What hearing protection were you using at the time?
We've probably all experienced something similar once in awhile, but without the damage you've had.
Any info would be appreciated.

[603Country]

Home Depot sells some red and black earmuffs made by 3M, or made by Peltor and marketed by 3M. The NRR rating is 30. They are not expensive and are the best I've used. Put ear plugs in and then the muffs and my chainsaws aren't even loud. Of course, your ability to take part in a conversation is severely limited.

[Lavan]

The range is outdoors but has a roof.

I was zeroing in a Savage bolt .223 and stayed about an hour or so at around 9:30 in the morning.
During that time, I noticed nothing amiss with my Peltors on.

HOWEVER..... at 7:00 PM.... my hearing STOPPED!
Poof...gone. Maybe 20% of hearing was left. I could hear things if they were LOUD enough. But nix on speech unless I told the speaker to speak VERY loudly.

Scary.

Scary enough to visit the ER because of the extent and the seriousness of the loss. I mean.....NO hearing.

20%....maybe. Maybe even less.

So, after 10 days on prednisone, I had the hearing test.
VERY bad. Hearing aids ordered. TWO of em because BOTH ears went.

Strange that it took from 9:30 AM to 7 PM to kill the hearing.

I wish now that I had paid attention to WHAT he was shooting. It was BIG!
And PORTED. And it came thru my Peltors even though muted somewhat.

The range PROVIDES concrete pipes that the boomers are SUPPOSED to use.
But they don't enforce it.

I have to get the special NEW plugs that the hearing place made for me because I think the right one doesn't go deep enough into the canal.

I sold ALL of my 22LR HV rounds just last night.
I could hear them coming PAST the Peltors even with the neoprene plugs in.
And I got a ...minor.... blast damage that lasted most of the day.

FROM A 22!

The STANDARD velocity 22s were "okay" and that is all I am gonna use from now on. In the Ruger 10/22 about all the SVs do is let me hear the action working. In the 9422 about same thing....but not a semi of course.

I....fear.... that I will not EVER be able to shoot HANDGUNS again.

But will not be testing them out til I get the plugs RE-fitted.

I'm not REAL optimistic on the handguns and may even sell them AND the centerfire rifles.

I've never gone for BIG guns so most of my arsenal is rimfire or .223.

Couple of shotguns and may try trap again WITH the plugs.


NOT A HAPPY CAMPER!

Wife asked if I thought I should just give up shooting.
VERY hard. It has been a LIFETIME passion.
Worse yet, I am GOOD at it. Got the trophies and pins and crap from matches. It's WAY harder to give up something you have gotten GOOD at.

Don't know yet. Hell, all I had from age 9 to about 17 or so was 22 RIFLES. I can enjoy a 22 rifle if I have to stick with that.

I just looked and my Peltors are NRR 22 so a 30 might do the job.
I'd have to try them AFTER I get the plugs refitted.

I ...strongly... suggest you do NOT EVEN BE NEAR.... BIG and PORTED rifles being fired. Whatever this one was was far more than the usual .308s and such.

Thanks for interest and I'll let you know how things progress.

[g.willikers]

Losing your hearing like that after the time delay is weird.
Are you sure the hearing loss was actually caused by the shooting and not something else?
There's lots of things that can cause sudden hearing loss, from infections, congestion, medications, insect bites and a host of other causes.
Did the doctor have any opinions about it?

I've experienced some mighty loud guns, too, (including 50s with brakes), but the ears closed down immediately not all those hours later, and recovered by the next day.
Having a ten hour delay for the damage to manifest itself is mighty strange.
Keep us posted please.

[GEARHEAD_ENG]

Have you thought about a multi caliber suppressor to run on your rifles and pistols? That combined with sub sonic rounds and good ear protection should keep things safe.

http://www.gem-tech.com/store/pc/ONE-p1146.htm
http://www.griffinarmament.com/OPTIM...ER-p/gaopt.htm,
https://silencerco.com/silencers/hybrid/
http://libertycans.net/mystic-x/

I know you can't controll who is shooting next to you but maybe you can find a less busy range or private place to shoot.

Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk

[tipoc]

Lavan,

That is indeed unusual. I take it that you've been shooting there before and that this is the first time this type of event occurred? Meaning that you heard loud noises but had no effect from them at the time, but were suddenly effected by them hours later. That is out of the ordinary.

Like g.willikers said, there could be other causes to this then just the noise. An infection, a virus, etc.

Anyways, I'm also interested in upgrading from my Silencios.

tipoc

[Onward Allusion]

Double up on muffs and plugs. The highest NRR I've seen run in the upper 30's.

BTW, have you seen the doc? It's very unusual to have hearing go like the way you'd described.

[Lavan]

Audiolgists to immunologist plus primary care doc.
The hearing aids have brought a lot back but my audiogram confirms noise induced.
While the docs said it's not usual, neither is it that unusual to have a delay.
Getting aids fine tuned tomorrow.
Also gonna discuss DRR with him.

[dontcatchmany]

I have a couple of cheap muffs (are they all red...lol).

I could not find them on a day I was going to the range so on a lark grabbed my radio head phones (3M TEKK) that I use to listen to the radio when weed eating and working around the garden.

These things with the radio turned off are the best I have used. My wife likes them over the red muffs. They do have a small antenna, but that does not cause a problem.

Got them from Lowe's Home Improvement. 50-60 bucks.

I am ticked though because I am on my second radio and threw the first broken one away (left it out in the rain) before I thought to use them as gun muffs.

[Lavan]

Tomorrow my Howard Leight NRR 30 .....active..... muffs arrive.

Which will be used IN CONJUNCTION with the pair of SOLID unvented custom fitted PLUGS from the Kaiser hearing aid place.

I really DO want to keep shooting.

[Lavan]

Plus I ...did.... sell all the HV 22LR and replace with SV.

It actually is a palpable difference.
In the Ruger 10/22, all you hear is the action working.
Well..... a...little "pip."

I don't know why I ever started using the HV 22s.

As a kid and in competition, I ....ALWAYS.... used SV ammo.

And it will clang the metal 4" square at 100 yards with NO sight change from the HV.
Maybe not as much, but you can see it jump.


The acid test will be my short 22 auto pistols.

I have 2 that I like too much to sell.




Actually, I guess 3 if you count the 22 PPK