How is it possible to fire without ear protection?

[insin]

I was at the range this weekend, getting some target practice in with my .45 USPc when I thought it might be a good idea to try a round or two without ear protection. I know that may sound like a stupid idea to some, but what happens when an intruder comes into my home at night, I highly doubt I will reach for my .45, flashlight, and earplugs.

So I tried, one shot, and all I have to say is WOW. It was like a cherry bomb went off right there in front of me. My ears were ringing so bad and the shock of the unanticipatedly loud blast made me realize how bad of an idea it was. BUT now what, what happens when if I have to sqeeze off a few at some baddy that wants to break and enter? Im sure the sound in the confines of my walls will be at least twice what it was outside. Im not saying I couldnt do it, but im sure after a whole mag, ill be deaf for a week.

Anyone ever try this?

[Stanze]

I've shot a single round out of a Remington 870 and a whole magazine out of a Taurus PT-22 and had a negligent discharge from my 870(unloading with finger on the trigger) and a Grendel .380 pistol(friend handed me a pistol with a loaded mag to tryout his trigger job-I showed him how I clear a misfire in my Glock and BANG! Dead ceramic elephant decoration!). All without hearing protection, and I've damaged my hearing. Occasionally my ears will start ringing extra loud, they are alway's ringing from my days as a gigging musician(tintinus)

So yes, in a SHTF situation, gunfire may or may not be harsh on your ears depending on your adrenaline level. But, there will be damage. I don't have combat experience so I can't comment there.

Heck, the other day I was shooting my 10/22 without ear plugs(I wanted to be able to hear someone pulling up on us since it was a "secret" shooting spot) and my ears were fried later that day.

Don't take your hearing for granted. I'm fortunate to still be able to hear, all things considered.

P.S. All my negligent discharges(they happened in my youth) could of been avoided if the rules of safe gun handling were being observed which they weren't, I was either distracted or trusted that the gun was cleared, fortunately they were pointed in a safe direction and no on was hurt. I've learned from the bad experiences.

[bu-bye]

there is a price you pay to save your life or a loved ones life. A good idea is to keep a pair of electronic muffs close to your bed. If you have time to put them on then do it. If not then the shot better be worth it.

[Vigilante]

Yeah I once shot about 15-20 rounds of .45 acp with out ear protection and my ears rang for a day or so, then I couldn't hear right for weeks. Stupidly I did it again a few years later with a .38 which ended in me not hearing much for a few days again. I must like to shoot more than I like to hear...

Anyway, I would imagine that your hearing will be the last thing on your mind when you are shooting at an intruder. Worry first about killing the home invader, or you might not hear anything ever again.

[blacklisted]

I once fired a single shot from a .357 magnum revolver with my right earplug not in properly. Oops. Never again!

[leelaw]

I've never fired a gun without ear protection, but a guy did discharge two 9mm rounds about 3 feet away from my left ear one time on the range when it was supposed to be cold, and it's been giving me some issues every once in a while. It rang for about two days, and I had a headache for about a week solid.

[PistolKidd]

adrenaline causes your body to react in different ways.. Apparently it effects the amount of blood sent to yoru ears and in the event taht you're really "ramped" up, your hearing starts to go south.. You'll still damage your hearing, but the noise wont be nearly as distracting as you think.

Its good to know youve thought about "what if's" if you have to shoot someone in your home., but I've had enough moments of shooting without headphones/earplugs to never ever want to do it again.. especially indoors where the sound echos back off the walls.. I double up indoors and i sometimes do the same outdoors depending on what's rifles are being used..

Admittedly, while it's extremely uncomfortable, I find the noise from shooting is not debilitating enough to prevent me from shooting a badguy if the need arises.. Ill worry about the hearing loss later..

Also, hearing loss is a cumulative process.. you'll lose more and more frequencies as you damage it.. eventually you'll be the quintessential old guy that grumbles, "huh- what did you say?" all the time..

[Cardinal Sin]

Some people report never hearing the gun go off or seeing the flash when faced with a life/death situation . . . Id gladly take ringing ears if it ment i was safe when it was all over.

As for my story . . 357 Maximum at an indoor range, no hearing protection. We were shooting the subsonic 22lr rounds and found it to be low enough so as not to need plugs, (This was after hours mind you), and then billy bad arse didnt bother to warn us before he cranked off a round . . . Didnt damage my hearing but DAMN!!! You felt it more than heard it . .lesson learned.

[bwiese]

Back in the mid-80s I was rushing to meet friends at Coyote Pt range - back in the good ol' days when you could still shoot centerfire handguns (now it's just centerfire rifles and rimfire handguns). I was fairly new to 'active shooting' then.

Somehow I forgot my earmuffs and earplugs, and thought wadded up Kleenex would help. I was wrong: while it did help some with the mild 38Spl wadcutter target loads, the guy next to me (and not of our party) was firing a 44Magnum (which was apparently banned, apparently too many guys weren't controlling them and would tear up the target frames due to inaccuracy - he was later booted from the range). The noise didn't seem that loud but after the range session and for the next 4 days I had a funny ringing in my ears. Ever since then my right ear has been a bit "dim": while I can pass the simple tone tests, my frequency discrimination ability is reduced in that ear and voices behind me at 4-5 o'clock can be a bit difficult to discern.

So now I always travel with 2 sets of earmuffs in my truck (one for a guest or shooting buddy 'just in case', along with WetOnes to clean off the earpieces) and always carry the orange foam earplugs in my shaving kit when I travel.

[Stormfeather]

Easiest way I know of. . .





1st annual O.L.L. Shoot!

[nosewitdot]

it all depends on where you're shooting. If you're shooting in an indoor range, of course it will be louder, they have means to trap the sound inside the range. Outdoors is a different story, as well as inside a house. though i wouldn't test it unless i had to.

[jdberger]

at an informal range, I had a friend sep up from slightly behind me and let off 5 rounds from an FNC (.223) before I had my plugs in. The muzzle blast almost knocked me down.

A 120mm round is a little loud, too.



I'm sure that my hearing is pretty damaged. I can pass the tone tests, too, but I have trouble with conversational voices (so if you are ever talking to me and I keep nodding but not contributing, it doesn't mean that I'm bored, I just can't hear you and am tired of asking you to repeat yourself)

[ZipperZap]

Bang! Bang! Bang! bang! bang pop

What? Speak up!

Whatcha say?

Huh?

I can't hear you - say that again?

What did he say???

[PanzerAce]

well, considering that I have already messed up my ears enough and have gone through 4 surguries to correct the problem (I was missing 80% of my right eardrum) I dont EVER plan on shooting without ears. On the other hand, my friend forgot to put his back on at an outdoor range last week, but one round of 17HMR made him remember.

[rod]

I hunt deer with a 7mm Rem Mag and never wear hearing protection when I hunt. I have never heard my gun when I shot a deer. I guess I'm too focused on the shot that I never notice the noise. It's a different story when I sight my scope though. That rifle is LOUD!!!!