I've always used foam plugs and used over the ear muffs for my 300 UM.....
What is the dB level that's needed for deer rifles and shotguns? 25 dB ??
An unsuppressed .308 from a 20” barrel measures roughly 160 db at the shooter’s ear (not the same as the dbA measurement usually listed by suppressor manufacturers. The .308 from a 20” barrel measures about 156 SE dbA). To be “hearing safe” for a single exposure, you want to get that below 140 db. A single exposure above 140 db can cause permanent hearing damage (that’s the OSHA threshold). That’s not to say that “all you need to do is get below 140 db” to be safe. You want all the protection you can get, especially for repeated exposures.
As the frequency of the exposure goes up (more shots per minute), the need to protect your hearing goes up. So, for example, repeated exposure to 120 db can still hurt your hearing.
A pair of *properly inserted* and *properly fitting* ear plugs provides approximately 30 db of protection.
A set of *properly worn* and *properly fitting* headphones provides approximately 30 db of protection.
Combining a pair of *properly inserted* and *properly fitting* ear plugs with a set of *properly worn* and *properly fitting* headphones provides approximately 45-55 db of protection. Some sound can still be conducted into your ear drums via your jaw bones and there are diminishing returns as you stack that kind of hearing protection. That’s why it’s not 60.
And the emphasis on properly worn is important, because many people don’t wear them properly.
A good suppressor on a 20” .308 takes the measurement from 160 db down to about 132-133 SE db (The same suppressor measures about 128 SE dbA).
For an extended range session, it is important to use as much hearing protection as possible. At the range, I use plugs, headphones, and a suppressor. For hunting in open terrain, or wherever time permits, I use plugs and a suppressor whenever possible. For hunting in close terrain, I just use the suppressor.
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