Hearing Protection - how much dB reduction is enough?

[Vacaville]

Just bought a new set of ears for my wife today and it got me thinking, how much dB reduction is enough?

The ones I currently use and the ones I bought for her reduce noise by 26 dB. I looked online at a medical site and it said that a gunshot can range from 120 to 150 dB. That means with a 26 dB reduction I'm still looking at somewhere around 100 dB every time I fire a shot. I've outlined several options in my poll, but I think I'm going to wear plugs beneath my muffs from here on out. Thoughts?

[wooger]

What? I can't hear you!

[ironpete]

I used to shoot quite a bit so I do plugs and muffs (that sounds bad somehow).

It is a pain when shooting with a group but since I mainly shoot by myself, it is reassuring that I'll retain some of my poor hearing.

-pete

[rtlltj]

I've always wondered if wearing muffs was good enough at 29 dB. Even with hearing protection are we always going to have hearing damage? Even with 30 dB reduction that 150 dB gunshot is still 120 dB.

[BamBam-31]

I always double up.

[Jicko]

Very much dependent on whether it is indoor or outdoor.

The best combo(for indoor) I had found is Surefire Earpro EP-3 or EP-4, wearing it without the plug. And then wearing a set of HL Impact Sport electronic muff over it.

This -> Surefire Earpro EP3/EP4 ($14)

http://www.surefire.com/pdfs/ep3-ep4_tech_copy.pdf

http://www.surefire.com/EP3-Sonic-Defenders

Plus this -> Howard Leight Impact Sport ($60)


And for outdoors, sometimes I go just with the EP4.

[Capt. Speirs]

My option is not listed, indoors Muffs and Plugs, outdoors Electronic Muffs.

[high_revs]

i wish i can double up when i shoot my rifles (I do it for pistols). either i have a very small head, or there are some other muffs out there for rifles. i have the electronic one with mic, a couple of other ones that are different styles, and even 1 from the airlines! all hit my ear when i put my check weld on.

[HotRails]

[QUOTE=Jicko;2260954]Very much dependent on whether it is indoor or outdoor.

The best combo(for indoor) I had found is Surefire Earpro EP-3 or EP-4, wearing it without the plug. And then wearing a set of HL Impact Sport electronic muff over it.

This -> Surefire Earpro EP3/EP4 ($14)

http://www.surefire.com/pdfs/ep3-ep4_tech_copy.pdf

http://www.surefire.com/EP3-Sonic-Defenders

QUOTE]

Mmm interesting earplugs. How well do these actually work as compared to the 25 cent pair?

[jumbopanda]

Plugs only. I rarely shoot indoors though.

[xzw151]

Some figures to remember, 160db = instant hearing damage, 130db = pain threshold. 85db at 8 hours is enough to cause hearing damage, and for every 3db over the permissible time is cut in half, so at 115db you wont feel pain but you will have hearing loss in about a minute of continuous exposure. 100db hearing loss in about 15min. Probably not a bad idea to double up on hearing protection, I don't but having just done the math I think I might start. I'm too young and unlike some people I know I don't think its the true mark of a man to have to say "Huh?" after every other word. I want to be able to hear my grandchildren.....I think??

[Voo]

[QUOTE=HotRails;2263238]

Very much dependent on whether it is indoor or outdoor.

The best combo(for indoor) I had found is Surefire Earpro EP-3 or EP-4, wearing it without the plug. And then wearing a set of HL Impact Sport electronic muff over it.

This -> Surefire Earpro EP3/EP4 ($14)

http://www.surefire.com/pdfs/ep3-ep4_tech_copy.pdf

http://www.surefire.com/EP3-Sonic-Defenders

QUOTE]

Mmm interesting earplugs. How well do these actually work as compared to the 25 cent pair?

I have these as well. I found them to be somewhat gimmicky. They dont do really do anything 'special' that the walmart/.25 cent ones dont.

I bought them with high hopes but as it turns out, the benefits are subjective as "yes" you can hear some sounds better, but is it simply due to the lower NRR rating? I tried these indoors/out and while they're very comfy (the cheap ones were comfy too), I finally gave up on these after shooting outdoors with guys using guns with compensators. It was just not enough protection.

I went out and bought the little plastic container of purple plugs you find at walmart. The container has some 50 pairs and was only about $10. The NRR rating is also 32 or 33- much better than the Surefire at a fraction of the cost.

The other reason I went to the disposable foam ones is exactly because of that. I lose/destroy/throw these things away all the time. If I lose one, no biggie, I just grab another one to replace it with.

[Noboundaries]

Indoors or out, I always double up. 27db muffs and 32 db discardable plugs bought in the snoring section of the drugstore or at WalMart.

When I was young I hunted with a 12 gauge and a .22 and never used ear protection. I followed that with a decade of ear protected military jet flying and decades of shooting WITH ear protection.

The ringing in my ears (tinnitus) is a constant reminder of my ear abuse.

[maxicon]

When using the foam plugs, their rating assumes an excellent fit, but it's easy to get them in there with a less than perfect fit, and it depends on your ear shape as well. I'd definitely recommend muffs over plugs vs. plugs alone.

I go to a lot of metal concerts, and always wear plugs, because it would just look too goofy to be wearing my Ultimate 10 muffs. The last show, though, one of the plugs wasn't in quite right for one of the bands (I think it was Suicide Silence - grindcore's especially hazardous!), and I didn't notice until after. My hearing's still a little off on that side, and that was about a week ago.

Also, plugs don't block bone conduction the way muffs do, which is a major hazard with low-frequency sounds.

Anyway, I won't shoot with less than NRR 26, and I prefer NRR 29 or so. I love music way too much to take a chance with marginal protection at the range.

[tgriffin]

Muffs outside, doubled up indoors.