I always use hearing protection, ear plugs while hunting, and muffs while practicing. I have hearing loss in my left ear from shooting a .44 mag without protection when I was 16 -- my ears felt like they were clogged for 2 weeks; also, from driving a Jeep for 8 years with the windows down and the air rushing by on the left side. When I took my hearing test at boot camp, they asked me if I was trying to go home! HA!HA! I use the kind you can buy at Wal-Mart for $12. They are a silicone or rubber material with a diaphram that allows you to hear normal sounds, but blocks the report of the gun. Cheap, but they work. I have shot several deer with handgun and rifle while wearing them, and have never had my ears hurt or ring afterwards -- if that's a true indication of no damage being done.
-Jeremy