Hearing protection statement! ...MOD's, post where you want

[GhosTT]

I saw a post asking about hearing protection and felt the need to stress how important it is.
I have worked in a factory for Owens Corning for 25 years.

Every Year we have training on the importance of hearing protection.

Included in the training is the importance of hearing protection for shooters.


I could describe the way sound travels from your ear to your brain,through the outer ,middle, an inner ear,but there is only one part you need to know about.


In your inner ear are little"hairs" that get pushed over by sound.They transfer the "info" that lets your brain register what it hears.
They bounce back to an upright position,but as you age they have more trouble standing back up.

BUT, no matter how old you are,gunshots(ALL GUNSHOTS) push those hairs down harder. The harder they go down the less chance they stand all the way back up.

Even rimfire rounds, knock them down.At a certain point ,they don't stand back up. That causes your hearing loss.

EVERY ROUND CAUSES DAMAGE!

Plinking, target shooting or hunting, you need to use some kind of hearing protection.

Hunters can buy electronic muffs that not only shut down the sound, but amplify the sound of your quarry.

The biggest thing I've learned from my training is every shot wears down those hairs!!!

25 years of training on this subject and my annual hearing tests are better than great.

Hope this helps.

[bgjohn]

HUH!
JM :-)

[skb2706]

good post Ghost................I know all too well the effect of inadequate hearing protection as my father is virtually deaf and I have considerable hearing loss specifcally from shooting. As my young son has grown up with me shooting alot and alot of centerfire stuff he has never fired a round at anything without the best hearing prtection money can buy. He starts big game hunting next year and he will be wearing HP then as well. Kind like seat belts........he grew up with them and has used them his whole life......I was told I had to wear them back when few people ever told me to do anything that I listened too.

[ftw]

Good Advice. I wear a set of Sound Bands around my neck and I never know they are there. If I hear or see a deer, I put them on.

I worked for 32 years around Jet Aircraft and four years before that on fighters in the Marine Corps and I have shot a jillion rounds of ammo of all types and my last hearing test before I retired was excellent. They said I could be a poster boy for hearing protection as I wore it religously. I wore it early on because I did not like the noise and later,after I got smarter, I wore them to protect my hearing.

Wear them everytime you shoot!

http://www.pro-am.com/Catalog/Exec/product.asp?product_id=939

[Hopalong7]

Take it from one deaf ole fool who didn't and wishes he did!!!  WEAR EAR  PROTECTION!!!   Walt   :evil:

[tipiguy]

What decibal rating should they have?  I have seen some that said: "Listen to conversations, keep an ear on machinery while protecting your hearing. Revolutionary technology blocks out only the sounds that exceed safety levels.
Screens out noise over 85dB "

Are these good for electronic muffs?

Thanks for the help.

tipiguy

[skb2706]

I have two sets of electronic ones. Mine are Peltor Tactical Pros...state of the art. These reduce loud sounds to 82 db and quieter sounds they amplify up too but not exceeding 82 db. They have no definitive noise reduction rating as it varies with the sound level. A gun shot is just a pop...even from the big boomers and foot steps are very distinguishable even in the dirt. I use them at work and hunting/shooting whenever possible or necessary. If I recall when the battery dies (it lasts for 270 hours) they default to a 26db NRR. With ordinary ear muff type I would us at least a 29db NNR and 32 if you can find them.