Author Topic: What type of Hearing protection ? (Read 644 times)

Gratman · « **on:** February 17, 2004, 10:32:29 AM »

Hello folks...

With most of the regular hunting seasons gone out for the 2003-2004 hunting season...I find myself just stir crazy these days....my only trigger pulling option is braving the elements and doing some target practice/sighting in of my rifles. (They were all shooting great before and during deer season)...but hey...who needs a reason..right?
I was just wondering if anyone could tell me their choice for hearing protection. My son and daughters shoot with me , and we use the headphone style. I was curious as to what Db rating is most common for protecting those young ears we include in our weekend hunts.

.308 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 17, 2004, 10:39:38 AM »

I don't recall the Db rating but I love my Peltors. They are the Tactical 7S model. They ain't cheap, they knock out the harmful noise and amplify other harmless noises. :wink:

Brett · « **Reply #2 on:** February 17, 2004, 02:28:09 PM »

I have a set of 'phones but seldom use them because they squeeze the temples of my shooting glasses into my head and it starts to hurt like heck after a while. Most of the time I use the yellow foam ear plugs with a plastic tether between them. They have a noise reduction rating of 29 dbs. I also wear them when I mow the lawn. I don't want to wind up like my poor dad who is deaf as a post without his hearing aids from working at a shipyard and woodworking mills most of his life.

Brett

Primer · « **Reply #3 on:** February 17, 2004, 07:48:01 PM »

Gratman,

The headphone style that I highly recommend are made by Howard Leight (a Div of Bacou USA safety,Inc) and are called Leightning 31.

They are adjustable,padded amply for comfort and have a noise reduction rating of 31 Decibels. I have really enjoyed mine and never go to range without them. Picked them up at a well stocked sporting goods in my state and they were priced around $35-$40.

You can get cheaper ones with lower noise reduction ratings,but I highly recommend the extra investment for adequate protection and comfort. You won't regret it. Whatever you get, check to insure proper fit.

If all that is available are the lowed dBA rated HPhones, then added protection for your their ears would be to use a pair of the soft foam plugs in addition to the lower dBA type HPhones.

Your dear young shooters will surely remember your concern for their safety throughout their lives. Good thing you are doing, and best....Primer :wink:

MarkJ_Thompson · « **Reply #4 on:** February 17, 2004, 09:11:30 PM »

I have the kids wear some of the low profiles like Silenco Orion or Phoenix they are really inexspensive. I don't stop there though. I make them stick in some soft plugs (NRR-30+/-) before hand for 2 reasons...(1) they like to take off their muffs when someone else is shooting...(2) they can't hear me say "I can't believe that lil !@#$%^* made that shot" when they have both on.

MJT

Haywire Haywood · « **Reply #5 on:** February 17, 2004, 11:05:33 PM »

I have some of those plugs you get from the hearing centers. They squirt some of this foam in your ear to get an impression, then send the impressions off to get custom plugs made. They are a lot more convienent that foamies but some foamies work better. Mine have an NRR of 29, the foamies we have at work are 33.

Ian

Gratman · « **Reply #6 on:** February 18, 2004, 03:21:44 AM »

Thanks for the input......so I am not crazy when I ask the kids to put in the foamies BEFORE we put on the headphone protectors.....NOW I can show them these posts and maybe they'll forgive me. It's hard to try and convince kids that you are really not an idiot . But I have three , so I am used to being second guessed. Again, thanks for the replies.

Wlscott · « **Reply #7 on:** February 18, 2004, 03:37:45 AM »

Great post. I wish that hearing protection would have been as popular when I was in the military as it is now. I know, it's still my fault for not putting them in. They issued them to us, we just hardly ever wore them.

If I had, I wouldn't have this constant ringing in my ears now :cry:

I wear a pair of headphones, with foam plugs backup.

.308 · « **Reply #8 on:** February 18, 2004, 03:53:57 AM »

Wlscott, I have that constant ringing too. Doc says it's called 'Tinnitis'. No way to treat/stop the ringing. Went to a hearing specialist, wanted me to use a hearing aid. I asked if it would make the ringing louder, they didn't have a good answer, so I didn't get it (them, one for each ear). Doc also said it's pretty common.

So I live with it.

dread · « **Reply #9 on:** February 18, 2004, 01:21:05 PM »

Any hearing protection is better than none at all. I worked at noisy jobs. No one ever used hearing protection. But when I go shooting target with my friends, we all wear hearing protection. I use the muff type as most of my friends do too. I have had the Beltone custom made hearing protectors for several years and they work well. My ears have a constant ringing in them tho. The ear doctor told me it was nerve damage from the years I worked in my youth

at the noisy jobs in mills and road crews. Those chainsaws really make loud noise. No cure for nerve damage. So take care of what hearing you have. It will have to last you for the rest of your life. :-)