Ear Protection while Rifle Hunting

[dkynoch]

I have been hunting with a suppressor for a year now. It is great. Suppressors reduce the noise by about 20 to 25 dB on a supersonic magnum cartridge. Ear plugs are rated at about 20 to 25 dB, so they are about the same.

 

[noisy]

I recently went to an audiologist and according to them there are no solutions for the ringing.

That is what I was told by an audiologist, but turned out to be wrong. My chiropractor has about a 50 percent success rate fixing or diminishing tinitus (ringing) through upper cervical manipulation. If you have had neck/spine trauma it's something to look into because the ringing can be caused by irritated nerve endings in the upper cervical and inner ear due to the vertebrae being out of whack.

If the ringing is purely from excess noise damage, I don't think a whole lot can be done. In my case when I start to hear ringing I go see my chiro and a couple days after the adjustment the ringing stops. YMMV

 

[noisy]

Low level laser therapy has also been used to successfully treat tinnitus, my chiro told me today. Even if the ringing is due to excess noise. Some study results here:

Low-level laser for treatment of tinnitus: a self-controlled clinical trial

Don't listen to the audiologists, they just want to sell hearing aids and have no vested interest in treating the underlying causes.

 

[kicker338]

Price out some hearing aids, and compare that to the cost and weight of a suppressor. And be aware that once the ringing sets in, it does not get quieter as your hearing fades.
I don't say that to be a smart ass, but as a guy who had a few warning shots, so to speak, before that ship sailed.
I know suppressors are expensive, and the weight time involved.
I like to fool around with muzzle brakes at the range, but I know me, and I need a brake I can remove for hunting.

Your talking to a real pro here when talking about hearing aids. I'm on my second set, both ears updated about 2yrs ago. These things are like pure gold price wise, $8000.00 for these. Price doesn't bother my though as I have life time insurance so zero cost to me. That's the good part though, the bad are they as good as natural hearing !!!!! NOPE !!!! As the ear doc and audiologist put it no device yet has been able to replace your natural hearing. Better take good care of your ears guys, as the old saying goes, if I had it to do all over again, wont work with your ears.

 

[BluMtn]

WHAT? Can you please repeat that. My ears have been ringing for about 40 years now. Had issues as a kid and then in my 20s you were considered a little girl if you needed ear plugs to shoot guns. Don't know how many thousands of rounds I shot without them. Spent the majority of my life working on equipment banging on steel with hammers and running grinders. Now I have to look at you and listen to you while I read your lips. Wife is mad at me all the time because I have the TV volume on high all the time and she thinks I am ignoring her when she speaks to me if I am not looking at her. Lose the brake and get some ear plugs.

 

[rodney482]

Trash Panda by Q and bought 4 cherry bombs. Paperworked filed w nfa.
I will run this suppressor on my 4 hunting rifles.

 

[jspradley]

Those little ear plugs on tethers cost like $5 and weigh nothing. Keep a set on your neck under your shirt.

You will almost always have time to put them in before a shot. There is literally no downside to having them on you

 

[HookUp]

I keep ear plugs in my marsupial bino harness, they are off to the side in a clear tube. As soon as I'm around animals they are in. I also keep back ups in my side pocket of my pack belt.

 

[nrh6.7]

I've had tinnitus for as long as I can remember from shooting as a kid, to loud music/concerts and plenty of shooting in the service. It has become normal for me and doesn't bother me anymore, but I'd go back and change it if i could. Take the plugs AND get rid of the brake.

 

[sndmn11]

I looped these through the zipper pull on my base layer and i didn't find them to be a nuisance at all. EarPro EP3 Sonic Defenders(R) Earplugs from SureFire

 

[kicker338]

WHAT? Can you please repeat that. My ears have been ringing for about 40 years now. Had issues as a kid and then in my 20s you were considered a little girl if you needed ear plugs to shoot guns. Don't know how many thousands of rounds I shot without them. Spent the majority of my life working on equipment banging on steel with hammers and running grinders. Now I have to look at you and listen to you while I read your lips. Wife is mad at me all the time because I have the TV volume on high all the time and she thinks I am ignoring her when she speaks to me if I am not looking at her. Lose the brake and get some ear plugs.

Hey you sound like me, grinders, hammers, you forgot about the airarc screaming and the big 1in. impact guns.

 

[Muttly]

That 1 inch impact is a sneaky bastard, doesn't sound that bad at first. Bout 4 years running one, and other fun stuff in my early twenties..
Along with a few guitars, couple amps, and one rice rocket..
At this point, I see an impact come out in the shop, tend to vamoose..
Got muffs hanging off the miter saw at home...
On a positive note, the turbos in the trucks have all gotten quieter over the years...

 

[BluMtn]

Hey you sound like me, grinders, hammers, you forgot about the airarc screaming and the big 1in. impact guns.

WHAT? Oh thanks for the reminder.

 

[ChrisA]

Protect that hearing at all costs. My ears have been ringing 24/7 for over 25 years and I'm only 45. It was more of an annoyance until I couldn't hear during conversations where there's background noise; like in restaurants, driving in vehicle, meetings, etc., and especially when a soft spoken person, kids or a female is talking.

I have a set of E.A.R. Push-ins in my pocket always. They are very handy and reuseable many times, I'm on my second box of 100. They offer 27 nrr noise reduction. Works for me but you need to remember to put them in.

Chris

 

[Tod osier]

Protect that hearing at all costs. My ears have been ringing 24/7 for over 25 years and I'm only 45. It was more of an annoyance until I couldn't hear during conversations where there's background noise; like in restaurants, driving in vehicle, meetings, etc., and especially when a soft spoken person, kids or a female is talking.

I have a set of E.A.R. Push-ins in my pocket always. They are very handy and reuseable many times, I'm on my second box of 100. They offer 27 nrr noise reduction. Works for me but you need to remember to put them in.

Chris

So are they faster than regular roll and insert plugs?

 

[ChrisA]

Much faster, no rolling.

 

[isu22andy]

Never understood a brake other than maybe a 50 cal or unless your bench rest shooting there is no reason for a brake. No one remembers the recoil when shooting at a critter.

 

[ChrisA]

Never understood a brake other than maybe a 50 cal or unless your bench rest shooting there is no reason for a brake. No one remembers the recoil when shooting at a critter.

I use brakes simply for the recoil reduction so I can spot my shots and adjust in the event a follow-up shot is needed, and to see the impact if there is one.

Heavy guns help too but sometimes a brake is necessary. Either way, hearing protection is mandatory

 

[Tod osier]

So are they faster than regular roll and insert plugs?

thanks, I have some in my cart to try!

 

[mowing_machine]

I've been using a Howard Leight band for the past couple years and it's been great. It's always around my neck and you don't have give much thought on putting it in, it just pops in, give it a little press, and you're good to go. And if it doesn't completely seat in your ear it still turns the volume down enough to avoid that couple minutes of ringing right after a shot.

Best part is, it's dirt cheap.