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  #51  
Old 04-22-2010, 01:00 AM
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You've got to be kidding.
You home has been invaded, you may not know exactly where they are or how many there are; and your first move is to put ear plugs in? You will be handing them a big advantage, that's for sure.
If you are concerned about your hearing, a short barrelled .357 is one of the worst choices you could make unless you are willing to downgrade to 38 specials for indoor use. Magnums are loud to begin with, and short barrelled guns are even louder. My advice: switch to something subsonic like a 45 auto or 45 Colt. Or maybe use electronic ear muffs like akviper suggested (assuming that you have the time and presence of mind to put them on). That might give the advantage back to you.
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  #52  
Old 04-22-2010, 09:20 AM
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Originally Posted by Model520Fan View Post
That's a reason why you SHOULD wear ears that amplify non-destructive sounds.
I've used them and don't care for them at all. Having been in the situation of dealing with an intruder I can tell you that the last thing that I would want to deal with is having to put on hearing potection. It's a high enough stress situation as it is. A realistic estimation of distance, and to a certain degree direction, is distorted by amplification. I find the electronic ears very disorienting. Not for me.

Last edited by Storm; 04-22-2010 at 10:04 AM.
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  #53  
Old 04-22-2010, 10:38 AM
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Quote:
Shooting a .357 indoors may leave your ears ringing for a while...
You mean the ringing is going to go away - Man is this Good News! I shot a Security Six .357 Magnum with 125 grain hollow points in a house once - 40 years ago. Oh yeah - How long is a while?
OTOH - I'd do it again (my 686 is full of 158s now though) if I HAD TO.

I always get a laugh when they have a shoot out in a house on TV or in a movie and then calmly discuss it afterwords. In reality the only thing that anyone involved in such an incident says is "WHAT?"

BTW - I'd loose the flashlight! But then again - I'm cheap. You can save a lot of money just by turning on the lights and yelling "Hey, I'm over here."
OR - Have your house's night lighting and layout set-up to your advantage -- Way before you need it. An idiot that breaks into here at night will NEVER see my wife or myself. This is by design and planning. Once the drama starts it's too late to set things up
BE PREPARED - Works for non-scouts as well.
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  #54  
Old 04-22-2010, 11:20 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Storm View Post
The risk of hearing loss is nothing compared to the risk of missing three spoken words: "It's me daddy".
Yeah, that's what I've been thinking. When I was young and stupid, I shot a .300 Win Mag at a tree from inside the house. It took about 36 hours to hear normally again.
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  #55  
Old 04-22-2010, 11:39 AM
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I have fired 45 ACP indoors in my home and muzzle blast was not even an after thought. I don't remember the sound of the round going off, nor did I suffer any ringing in my ears afterward.
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  #56  
Old 04-22-2010, 04:23 PM
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Originally Posted by andyo5 View Post
My advice: switch to something subsonic like a 45 auto or 45 Colt. Or maybe use electronic ear muffs like akviper suggested (assuming that you have the time and presence of mind to put them on). That might give the advantage back to you.
Ditching the .357 ammunition would be the first thing I would do, in favor of 38 Specials.

I am not sure whether the popular notion that a low-pressure round will lessen the chances for hearing damage is true or not, but it seems logical. On the other hand, decibles is decibles.

My choice is a full-size .45 Auto, since it is a low pressure round, and has no barrel-cylinder gap. Hopefully that will direct as much of the noise straight forward as possible. I have thought about trying to whip up some reduced loads (maybe in the 700 FPS range) to cut down on noise. So far, have not bothered.
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  #57  
Old 04-26-2010, 07:13 PM
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I believe Mr. Ayoob always recommended amplified hearing protectors to better hear what was going on in the house.
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  #58  
Old 04-27-2010, 07:23 AM
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Originally Posted by 32sgteot View Post
Just me, but, If I saved my family's life by stopping an intruder with discharging a firearm, hearing protection would be very low on my immediate list of concerns. My list would concern a very good lawyer, doctor, home owners insurance, and family health.
Good Luck
You are certainly correct to put a good lawyer on your list of concerns. However, I really doubt that your home owners insurance carrier will be of any value to you in a deliberate, non-accidental deadly force incident.
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  #59  
Old 04-27-2010, 08:29 AM
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I'm not an audiologist, but as a lifelong tinnitus sufferer and someone who was at one time responsible for buying safety equipment in a manufacturing setting, I've come across several bits of information that it sounds like some people on this thread might be interested in.

Exposure to something as loud as gunfire results in immediate and permanent hearing damage -- even just once, and whether or not you consciously heard it at the time. It may be a level of damage you don't really notice, but it will be there to add up with all the other little losses you don't notice until one day, you realize you have a problem. This is never reversible.

Temporary ringing in the ears after an exposure (gunfire, rock concert, whatever) alerts you that permanent damage of some level has been done. If you're lucky, the ringing will eventually stop; consider yourself warned and take care to avoid it happening again.

Repetitive exposure to very loud sounds that may not immediately bother you (like lawnmowers, leafblowers, etc) without hearing protection will, over time, result in noticeable hearing loss. It can take years, but it will happen.

If you have tinnitus, it is important to accept it as peacefully as you can and just get on with your life. If you allow yourself to get upset over it, this will cause central nervous system excitation that will actually make the ringing worse, creating a truly vicious cycle.

In my case, I notice that watching TV can greatly aggravate the ringing, especially certain frequencies or crowd-type noise. While my hearing is quite serviceable for day-to-day living (except when the ringing gets so loud that I actually can't hear some real-world sounds over it), I do have some difficulty with catching dialogue on TV. I found that I would turn up the volume to catch the spoken bits better, but that the louder noise level would set off much worse ringing. My solution is to watch TV with closed-captioning on most of the time, with the volume lower than normal (I turn it up for others when I am watching with company).

So, that all said, I'm in the same boat with the rest of you as far has having the bedside handgun and being faced with what to do if there's an intruder in the middle of the night. While I would love to be able to protect my ears before firing, the time taken for that would be time taken away from getting adequately prepared to deal with the worst situation in my life. If that time ever comes for me, I'll focus on getting out of the situation alive first, and deal with the hearing issues later. And there will definitely BE hearing issues, but at least I'll be there to have them.

Best luck to everyone.

Last edited by AirLitenewbie; 04-27-2010 at 01:24 PM.
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  #60  
Old 04-27-2010, 08:52 AM
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I just got my Caldwell electronic muffs. I know, they're not as cool or fashionable as the Dillon version that costs over six times as much, but they DO amplify low volume sounds inside the house. I'll be taking them to the range shortly to see how they work with gunfire. I don't see how anything bad can come out of this. These are inexpensive enough that you can buy a dedicated set just to keep next to your home defense firearm of choice. If you hear the loud crash in the middle of the night, grabbing your ears and turning them on would take only a few seconds and would be well worth the effort in terms of any amplified voice and/or protection against the sounds of gunfire. If you are in a situation where you literally do not have those seconds to spare, then you don't grab them. Simple as that. And your ruptured ear drums are not going to make your shooting any more justifiable to the D.A.

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  #61  
Old 04-27-2010, 12:56 PM
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A long time ago, I fired 2 shots in a 14 x 16 room from a Model 19 2 1/2" using WW .357 145 grain Silvertips. I had no sensation of sound, recoil or muzzle flash (nighttime). For a second I wasn't even sure the gun had fired. My wife (in the room) spoke to me a few seconds later and I could hear her as though no shooting had occurred.

I DO have hearing loss - and a fairly bad case in the upper ranges. Not sure how much the above incident caused/agravated the situation. My professional and personal lives have both included a lot of noise. I DIDN"T have any immediate loss after the incident.

I wouldn't have put on muffs-plugs- etc ... if they had been laying on top of the 19. I'd NEVER wear plugs in bed as I feel the need to hear sounds in the night (although my wife does wear them).

Last edited by Larry from Bend; 04-28-2010 at 12:51 PM.
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  #62  
Old 04-28-2010, 12:23 PM
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Originally Posted by sonofthebeach View Post

At least two posters in the threads that I mentioned at the start of this thread claimed to have lost a significant part of their hearing, and one of them claims to have a constant ringing in his ears which is so bad that he can't sleep...and these posters claimed that these symptoms resulted from exposure to just a few rounds of .357 being lit off in a shooting range setting.
I do take your post seriously and have given this subject some thought over the years.

I don't doubt the posters who have hearing loss from firing a .357 without protection. However, a range scenario is different than the home. I don't live in a cinder block shanty devoid of carpet, furnishings and wall coverings. All that stuff absorbs sound to a certain degree and makes it much less devastating on the hearing. I have been inside a home, in fact, in the room, when a .45acp round went off. Granted, it was sub-sonic unlike a .357, but it was not nearly as loud as many would expect. My hearing was not affected to any extent, either short term or these many years later.

Personally, I wouldn't be too concerned about it.
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  #63  
Old 04-28-2010, 01:39 PM
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However, I really doubt that your home owners insurance carrier will be of any value to you in a deliberate, non-accidental deadly force incident.
+1

You all need to purchase special insurance thru the NRA. The lawyers are then free.

I'd just drop it down to 38 specials +P to protect the ears. At 7 yrds or less the penetration is fine. You not shooting thru car doors in the house are you?
Add flashlights phone and indoor room lighting to aid in your home protection list. A dog or electronic alarm is a big plus too.
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  #64  
Old 04-28-2010, 02:18 PM
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Originally Posted by sonofthebeach View Post
Have any of you ever fired a weapon indoors without hearing protection? is there anything else I might use to protect my hearing while seeking to protect my family and myself?
Would .38's (aside from the reduced muzzle flash) be better from this standpoint?
1. Yes, unfortunately. One shot, 4" 357 125 gr., closed 9' X 12' room. Surprisingly, almost no ringing and I could hear fine. I suspect the ammo was only warm as opposed to hot.
2. As discussed above, I don't think that's a good idea personnally.
3. I think that's a good bet. See # 1 above.
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  #65  
Old 07-06-2016, 05:56 PM
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Everyone has there own opinion for various reasons. I’m very hard of hearing due to firefighting situations: continuous noise, and a few explosions, one in particular in a confined space. Wearing hearing protection in home defense situations does not make you any less of a man, the way I see it. It might even aid one in getting the job done, as the electronics in some amplify conversation and ambient sound. As far as the time it takes to don them, why not simply keep them alongside your gun. Can’t imagine just swinging around and blasting away (although I suppose that could be your only option) as opposed to taking the one second it takes to put the things on and then actually look at what you’re shooting at. If you shoot at an intruder, and miss, and your hearing is then no longer up to par, you’re a bit behind the 8 ball from that moment on. No? Just a thought, here.
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  #66  
Old 07-06-2016, 06:10 PM
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You probably won't have time to don your hearing protection in an emergency situation. You'll just have to decide for yourself if sacrificing some or all of your hearing is worth it to protect your home and family. I think most of us in this forum believe it probably is.

At the same time, you probably don't need a .357 Magnum to shoot a target 2 yards away in your hallway. At least I don't. And if you fire a .44 Magnum inside your house it may very well be the last thing you ever hear. Don't listen to those who say firing a weapon without hearing protection won't damage your hearing. It will.

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  #67  
Old 07-06-2016, 09:58 PM
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That would be at the bottom of my list of concerns.
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Old 07-06-2016, 10:33 PM
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If I am preparing to use lethal force in self defense, the permanent hearing loss from one firefight will be prioritized with how much pulp was in my orange juice that morning.
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  #69  
Old 07-06-2016, 10:45 PM
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Bad guy in my house, I wouldn't want to deal with him with my hearing diminished anymore than it is. I'd just have to do what many of the cops here have done before, expect ringing and hope that it goes away. Although, mine hasn't.
Price that you pay.
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Old 07-06-2016, 11:56 PM
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Considering all the guys around who are willing to clear their own houses, I guess some would be willing to enhance their hearing and protect it at the same time.


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  #71  
Old 07-07-2016, 12:21 AM
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At the same time, you probably don't need a .357 Magnum to shoot a target 2 yards away in your hallway. At least I don't. And if you fire a .44 Magnum inside your house it may very well be the last thing you ever hear. Don't listen to those who say firing a weapon without hearing protection won't damage your hearing. It will.

Full house magnum loads in .357 and .44 produce pretty much identical decibel levels. Pressure, not bullet diameter, is the primary culprit. In fact the 9mm is very close behind magnum revolvers in decibel level.

I certainly wouldn't say discharging either one indoors won't damage your hearing, but it won't render you instantly and permanently deaf, either. Taking time to put on hearing protection with an intruder in your home could render you instantly and permanently dead, though.

A shot fired inside of a house isn't nearly as bad as an indoor range. The range is enclosed in concrete and steel, both of which transmit sound very well. At home, you're surrounded by Sheetrock, insulation, wood, carpet & furniture fabrics that absorb the vibrations.
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  #72  
Old 07-07-2016, 01:17 AM
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What? I can't hear you...
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Old 07-07-2016, 09:55 AM
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What? I can't hear you...
Even if there are only 2 people in the room, one of them is always "that guy".
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Old 07-07-2016, 10:22 AM
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I'm so concerned about that issue, I purchased a silencer for my HD weapon. I'm waiting on my Form 1, from the ATF.

There are several factors that played into my decision. The second one is how much more FUN, shooting a suppressed firearm is. The third is the new rules Obama created.

Unfortunately, we can't dictate the circumstances that may arise. So, I also have my Governor and Bodyguard .380.
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Old 07-07-2016, 10:29 AM
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I think through this scenario every day, and often discuss it with my wife as her safety is as important as my own. My thinking is that there will probably be one to three "bad guys" coming in to our home after breaking down one of the entrance ways. Our security system is always armed from dusk to dawn.

Now, at 2:00 or 3:00 a.m., when the security alarm is sounding, the security company is trying to contact us on our telephone (LL and mobile) to determine if it's a real or false alarm, and I'm trying to wake up and determine where my wife is, and to encourage her to hide somewhere ASAP so that I know exactly where she is (not in my field of fire), I just can't imagine that hearing protection would be high on my list of things to do. The "bad guys" want to get in and neutralize us as fast as they can. We have the very same goal. We each have seconds (let's say less than 20 or 30 at the most) to win. There is also some likelihood that they are already high on coke, meth, etc. when they arrive.

I would think that you would want to have good hearing as long as possible before you physically confront the "bad guys" and crank off those well-placed, deadly rounds. If there are three "bad guys" EVERY round has to count for a kill! When you are trying to continuously retain and maintain the "element of surprise", I am sure that I will not be yelling or speaking in a normal tone of voice (think "whisper") or voice level to my wife.

Additionally, although I'm not a LEO with their extensive experience, I doubt that I'll have time to fire more than three or four rounds. Five or six at the most. This is not the same noise hazard risk as firing many rounds at the gun range.

Xfuzz described his situation perfectly when the backups arrived and he thought that they were mimes is spot-on!
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Old 07-07-2016, 10:39 AM
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At first I wondered if this is a serious topic. Guess it is. For what it's worth, I and many others have done a whole lot of shooting with no hearing protection at all, and we're holding up just fine. Shooting a .357 indoors may leave your ears ringing for a while, but they'll recover. Sometimes I wonder how any of us survived without bicycle helmets, seatbelts, biohazard suits and warning labels on everything we touch.
You may be the rare fortunate one, but I know plenty of people with partial hearing loss from firearms. My father is one of them. Many people don't even realize the partial hearing loss unless they've been tested. The ringing may go away, but the damage doesn't.

I wouldn't recommend worrying bout hearing protection in an emergency situation, but I have fired a 357 magnum indoors in an emergency situation. My ears hurt for several hours afterwards. And I was very worried about permanent damage. I've seen switched from a hot 357 mag. to a mild 44 special for slightly less roar for an inside gun. It would probably be smarter to switch to a 38 special.

Last edited by diyj98; 07-07-2016 at 10:40 AM.
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Old 07-07-2016, 11:33 AM
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Here is the voice of experience.

My wife recently bought a 686. She prefers standard pressure .38 special ammo and that is what we load in her bedroom defense pistol. She had a accidental/negligent discharge in our house, a few weeks ago. Thank God, no one was harmed (other than a door jam, drywall and older TV).

The .38 round she fired was subsonic and we could definitely hear just fine immediately after the shot was fired.

Now, the pucker factor for a AD/ND is a 10+, appropriately it will scare the living **** out of you and hopefully teach you a lifelong lesson, without any loss of life or limb.

Since that incident, I have reloaded all of our HD weapons with heavy for caliber rounds that are rated by the manufacturer as being subsonic.
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Old 07-07-2016, 11:36 AM
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[QUOTE=pinkymingeo;135444128]At first I wondered if this is a serious topic. Guess it is. For what it's worth, I and many others have done a whole lot of shooting with no hearing protection at all, and we're holding up just fine.

Half my hearing is permanently gone from shooting with no hearing protection in years past and no, I'm not holding up just fine. Anyone who shoots on a regular basis without hearing protection will loose hearing to some degree. It's cumulative and permanent.
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Old 07-07-2016, 04:37 PM
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This is making me think a silencer would be the answer; not just for my benefit but for my family too.
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  #80  
Old 07-07-2016, 05:34 PM
sooper44 sooper44 is offline
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Call me odd, but the thought of hearing protection in a home defense situation has never occurred to me. Whether it's the old .45 ACP, 12 ga. pump, AR-15 or whatever I grab. Protecting home and family would always be my priority. I'm 72, been shooting since Spot was a pup and the only hearing loss is high pitch frequencies, due to 4 years working around jet engines in the Navy. Note: I wore hearing protection around jets and always do when shooting.

Last edited by sooper44; 07-07-2016 at 05:35 PM. Reason: Additional Info
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  #81  
Old 07-07-2016, 06:42 PM
italiansport italiansport is offline
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Why would you want hearing protection in a home invasion situation? Assuming you come out ahead and the perps are out of commission the next thing that will happen is law enforcement will show up. You should know that it is NOT a good idea to talk to them without consulting with your lawyer first. No ear protection gives you an excellent excuse to state your hearing is impacted and you will talk to them tomorrow when it comes back!
Jim
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  #82  
Old 07-07-2016, 07:23 PM
Rpg Rpg is offline
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"So you paused to put on your electronic hearing protection before picking up your (fill in the blank) to hunt my client down with a gun with a flashlight and a laser. You knew you were going to shoot him. You were worried about the noise, not about a threat. No more urgent than leisurely walking up to the firing line at your gun range. Putting on that equipment is evidence of premeditation. "

Want to have that used against you in your (civiil or criminal) trial for shooting the intruder?
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  #83  
Old 07-07-2016, 08:27 PM
ShelbyV8 ShelbyV8 is offline
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I have found that the amplified muffs do amplify sound but you can't tell the direction it came from.
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  #84  
Old 07-07-2016, 09:02 PM
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Originally Posted by Rpg View Post
"So you paused to put on your electronic hearing protection before picking up your (fill in the blank) to hunt my client down with a gun with a flashlight and a laser. You knew you were going to shoot him. You were worried about the noise, not about a threat. No more urgent than leisurely walking up to the firing line at your gun range. Putting on that equipment is evidence of premeditation. "

Want to have that used against you in your (civiil or criminal) trial for shooting the intruder?
That does not bother me at all, even if I was to clear my house. I suppose it would be more sporting to take a knife or a bat, and look around without a light. but I'm not precognizant, and I've already got tinnitus. I think I'll put my shooting glasses on as well to deflect pepper spray. I figure it's no worse than putting in your hearing aids and glasses on. I guess I could turn on all the lights instead of using the flashlight, but I've never heard that was a good idea. My BE linemate has armor/trauma plate, lighted ar-15, shooting glasses, and a mag sling for his serious bumps in the night. He has wife and kids. I'll have to ask him about the hearing protection. Ultimately, I'm not going hunting in my house at all. I'm staying behind solid locked doors and letting the police sort things out.
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  #85  
Old 07-07-2016, 09:21 PM
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Originally Posted by italiansport View Post
Why would you want hearing protection in a home invasion situation? Assuming you come out ahead and the perps are out of commission the next thing that will happen is law enforcement will show up. You should know that it is NOT a good idea to talk to them without consulting with your lawyer first. No ear protection gives you an excellent excuse to state your hearing is impacted and you will talk to them tomorrow when it comes back!
Jim
You need an excuse not to talk to cops? How about, I'm upset. Tomorrow is still a bad time to talk to them.
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  #86  
Old 07-07-2016, 10:10 PM
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[quote=Stan O;139156723]
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Originally Posted by pinkymingeo View Post
Anyone who shoots on a regular basis without hearing protection will loose hearing to some degree. It's cumulative and permanent.


Protection or no, if you're shooting at intruders in your home on a regular basis, it might be time to move.

Or check in to the nearest psych hospitalHearing Protection In Home Defense Situation
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  #87  
Old 07-15-2016, 09:45 AM
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Originally Posted by Parker Phoenix View Post
I retired my 357 for just this reason. A great round, but not something I want to grab off the night stand at 3 AM. It hurts outside, I can imagine what the noise would be like in a confined area, not to mention muzzle blast.
I have a S&W 640 but I have no plans to ever load/fire magnum ammo - gave that up a long time ago. I simply wanted the extra margin of build for safety. I also picked up a Model 351PD simply to have a vapor-weight for hot summer days of CC. Frankly, I wrongly assumed I could load .22 LR in the darn thing' back when I purchased it. As for 3:00 a.m. shoot-outs' I plan to add a suppressor option as some point.
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Last edited by SaberOne; 07-15-2016 at 09:59 AM. Reason: Corrected content
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  #88  
Old 07-15-2016, 11:42 AM
ImprovedModel56Fan ImprovedModel56Fan is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rpg View Post
"So you paused to put on your electronic hearing protection before picking up your (fill in the blank) to hunt my client down with a gun with a flashlight and a laser. You knew you were going to shoot him. You were worried about the noise, not about a threat. No more urgent than leisurely walking up to the firing line at your gun range. Putting on that equipment is evidence of premeditation. "

Want to have that used against you in your (civiil or criminal) trial for shooting the intruder?
If you are defending yourself against intruders by pondering lawyerly responses, you either don't have a real threat or you are essentially defenseless regardless of weapons present.
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  #89  
Old 07-15-2016, 12:42 PM
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Originally Posted by sonofthebeach View Post
I can't remember where I heard it discussed, but potential hearing loss resulting from firing a weapon indoors in a home defense scenario was mentioned in several threads, especially as it relates to calibers like .357 fired from short barreled revolvers.

I have absolutely no experience firing centerfire calibers indoors without at least one layer of hearing protection, and as I was thinking about the possibility of using a .357 2-1/2" 686 for home defense, I was wondering what ideas any of you had on this topic.

I didn't know what part of the forum to post this in, but since it applies (in my case) to a 686, I thought this might be a good place to ask.

Have any of you ever fired a weapon indoors without hearing protection? If something went bump in the night, and I grabbed my 686 and a flashlight, is there anything else I might use to protect my hearing while seeking to protect my family and myself? Would .38's (aside from the reduced muzzle flash) be better from this standpoint?

Assuming I had the time to use it, isn't there some kind of hearing protection that would enable me to hear clearly, yet shut down any muzzle blast? I know that there are electronic "muffs" that work at the range, but would they also enable me to hear more subtle sounds in my home, as I checked out each room?

I, and what's left of my hearing, thank you in advance.

--Andy
In a home defense situation or a SD situation anywhere the last thing you'll be thinking will be your ears.
Been there. Never gave my ears a thought. As a matter of fact never carried hearing protection with me on or off duty.
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  #90  
Old 07-15-2016, 12:47 PM
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In the world today,I would worry more about the court "hearing"
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  #91  
Old 07-15-2016, 12:48 PM
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I think most of this was covered 6 years ago when the thread was started - and ended.

NOTE: Done in large font for those who can't hear due to indoor firing.
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Last edited by Tom S.; 07-15-2016 at 12:50 PM.
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  #92  
Old 07-16-2016, 07:26 PM
Ron AZ Ron AZ is offline
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Got a set of electronic muffs that let you hear normal noises bedside. Yes, agree with the comments to only put them on if there is time.

From 2nd hunting season on, always wore hearing protection at the range but never hunting. Shotguns were the worst hunting and my ears would hurt but pain eventually went away. I played around with plugs or Walker's Game ears but they all were awkward and uncomfortable to use. Finally, in my 40's, after a couple of shots with a 3" magnum turkey hunting, it never went away and I have permanent tinnitus (ringing).

Too late, I finally did what I should have done 20 years before that. I had an audiologist make a mold of my ear and have a set of hearing protectors made. These are like hearing aids but not vented and cuts loud sound off electronically. $? Yes, they cost about half as much as getting hearing aids. But being molded to my ears they are comfortable. I wear them all day every day hunting for over 20 years now.

So wanting to keep what hearing I have left, I will don the hearing muffs if there is time.

Last edited by Ron AZ; 07-16-2016 at 07:28 PM.
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  #93  
Old 07-16-2016, 07:45 PM
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Hearing protection???? First I need to find some clothes, then my glasses, then my gun, answer the call from the alarm company....ear muffs are not high on my list!
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  #94  
Old 07-16-2016, 07:59 PM
russelldvk russelldvk is offline
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Hearing damage would be the last thing on my mind. Not going to hurt to shoot for a short time without protection. A different story when going to the indoor range to target shoot.


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  #95  
Old 07-16-2016, 08:05 PM
russelldvk russelldvk is offline
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If it worries you then you can use a silencer or suppressor while at home. Then you could hear everything and not much from the firearm.

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  #96  
Old 07-16-2016, 08:35 PM
drphysics drphysics is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sonofthebeach View Post
I can't remember where I heard it discussed, but potential hearing loss resulting from firing a weapon indoors in a home defense scenario was mentioned in several threads, especially as it relates to calibers like .357 fired from short barreled revolvers.

I have absolutely no experience firing centerfire calibers indoors without at least one layer of hearing protection, and as I was thinking about the possibility of using a .357 2-1/2" 686 for home defense, I was wondering what ideas any of you had on this topic.

I didn't know what part of the forum to post this in, but since it applies (in my case) to a 686, I thought this might be a good place to ask.

Have any of you ever fired a weapon indoors without hearing protection? If something went bump in the night, and I grabbed my 686 and a flashlight, is there anything else I might use to protect my hearing while seeking to protect my family and myself? Would .38's (aside from the reduced muzzle flash) be better from this standpoint?

Assuming I had the time to use it, isn't there some kind of hearing protection that would enable me to hear clearly, yet shut down any muzzle blast? I know that there are electronic "muffs" that work at the range, but would they also enable me to hear more subtle sounds in my home, as I checked out each room?

I, and what's left of my hearing, thank you in advance.

--Andy

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