I carry a m60 357 and a 686 3" barrel they are loaded with a 38+P. and I know they will further damage my bad hearing. When at the range I wear those new finagle ear plugs the military issue to our combat troops. they have a sound sensitive plug that closes when a load noise occurs like a gun shot or IUD. under normal conditions you are able to hear normal conversations. I would use those for hunting as well. My hearing loss is from gun fire and rocket and claymore mine explosions and air craft engine noise. Knowing what I know now It would not keep me from buying a 357 gun for personal protection. My hearing would/will be put far behind my need to protect my family or myself.

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Carpriver.

Er, that would be I"E"D there, carpriver. IUD, well, we're talking a different orifice to be protected.

Thank you for your service, sir.

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Ukraine -- now more than ever

41 years of F-111 and F-16 engines have ruined my hearing (that was with plugs and muffs) and even so, a 357 is painful. It's odd, the lower frequency 45 Colt isn't near as bad. Hearing and eye protection is a must at all times.

I routinely shoot my 686 with factory 125 grain SJHP 357 magnum ammo at least twice per year in IDPA. I have had no problem with my hearing and I just wear ear plugs. Actually guys who shoot 357 Sig factory ammo cause more noise than the 357 magnum ammo. As a former deputy, I have fired a full house 125 grain magnum round inside a house during a drug raid and never heard the report of the gun. I did see the flash. The only problem I have ever had with the full house magnum round was during one USPSA match when I went prone to fire through a metal drainage pipe. My ear plug fell out of my right ear and by the time I finished firing 6 rounds, my ear was ringing. The pipe enhanced the sound. I still didn't lose any hearing as I had a physical yearly including a good hearing check.

The noise level of a .357 magnum I personally consider secondary to have a caliber I am comfortable with for stopping the threat. If the blast is loud and bright for me, who is ready for it, imagine the effect on the bad guy

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Hook686

For you young guys out there who think their hearing is forever no matter how bad you abuse your ears. After 33 years of Army Aviation active duty and Civil Service, and in my younger years thinking as you...maybe an picture is better than a 1,000 words.
If you shoot without hearing protection STOP, does not matter if it's a .22 or a 8" gun!!!

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I always thought I took care of my hearing wearing protection when shooting,but after a lifetime of using power tools my friends are noticing I don't here them in noisy restaurants or on the phone.Protect those ears.

You don't want tinnitus be sure of that. I've had it since 1974 and my hearing, especially the left ear, has gone downhill very slowly. I can't hear the noise my keypad on the house alarm makes when I disarm it by pushing five numbers. Just a year ago I could so, tinnitus doesn't get better and you hear ringing 24/7. Protect those ears at all cost and there's no way I'd fire a 357 Magnum indoors...or outside for that matter without protection.

Assuming you'd use the gun to protect your life then the question is protect your life or protect your hearing.
Stick with an air soft, I'll stick with the .357.

will result in hearing loss also.

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Hook686

I blamed my hearing loss on mis-spent youth playing rock and roll, working in steel mills, etc. For sure that's where the tinnitus came from but I had a hearing test because I had similar complaints like those noted above.

I was told a lot of it was normal "for a man my age." My wife chimed in with "That's what I told him - just another victim of Birthday Candle Disease."

OUCH!

Stick with an airsoft? I'm a 43 year old man who has been shooting for 30 years. I opened this discussion a year ago because I was curious as to what my fellow shooters thought about the subject. I didn't ask the question so that I could be insulted by a smart ***.
I didn't ask whether or not my hearing is worth more than my life. I didn't ask to hear from a parade of badasses who think machismo is going to protect them from high decibels. I asked whether or not anyone chose a different weapon because of the .357s noise level. The guy who revived this thread fired a .357 without protection in an enclosed space and he's suffered for it. There are plenty of effective rounds out there that aren't as loud as a .357 magnum. In a self defense situation, you are trying to avoid injury. Losing your hearing is a serious injury. themaxx69 thank you.

Eh? What did you say?

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

I've been trying to say this earlier in the thread. There is nothing wrong with a .357mag revolver. Just load it up with .38spl+P when you expect to use it indoors. The load is fully adequate as a man stopper at short distance and will protect your life and go easier on your ears.

But of course, the parade of badasses will contradict this now along the lines that more is simply better. Well fine, everyone should use whatever load they think is adequate. For some people out there, adequate is nothing less than a .44mag and up . . .

oh, well

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QM3

I can attest that a single round from a 357 can destroy your hearing as it happened to me. Shooting a 22 rifle (and not wearing any ear protection), at the firing line, my bad. Guy comes up behind me on my left and barks a hot round from a 357 snubbie about 6" from my left ear. I flinch and swear, he laughs, "Not wearing your ears huh?". He knew and thought it was a big joke until the ringing never stopped. Lost about 80% of my hearing in his moment of stupidity.

I own two 357's, a tricked out Ruger Police Service Six and a S&W 649 with CT's and love em both. Most of the time I shoot 38's (P's and +P's), in them because they are a tad quieter and easier on my hand, not to mention cheaper. If I want a cannon I always have my Dan Wesson 6" 44 Mag...bears beware.

When I shoot load rounds off (I include 125 gr 357 mag in that group), I wear ear plugs and muffs. I have lost a fair amount of hearing to the 357 and 44 mag rounds. I have kids now and believe me that I make sure they understand how important having hearing protection is when shooting any "gun".

No the noise from a .357 has not turned me to another caliber. It sounds like maybe being a 'little bit pregnant' is considered maybe better than being pregnant. I think a .38, .357, .40, .44, .45 caliber fired without hearing protection will do some hearing damage. The amount might depend upon distance from source and duration. In any event I doubt any firearm is good to shoot without hearing protection. Personally I am partial to the .357 for a PD handgun. The OP indicated that the use was while camping. A pair of Walker game ear devices is my choice when in the woods. I can get amplified sounds from the environment, as well as noise reduction on sudden LOUD sounds.




Walker's Game Ear - Game Ear Series Digital HD Elite

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Hook686

For those of you that have seen the elephant,you are probably laughing as hard as I am at this thread. For those of you that are worried about your poor little ears don't fret you will never hear the shot that kills you.

Wow! What an intelligent statement this is. A real contributor to this discussion . . . thanks for that one, Hoss!

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QM3

Huh ???? I can't hear ya'
Grew up as a teenager shooting a model 19
6" nickle. Boy, i loved that gun and shot nothing
but full-house .357 mags out of it.
Of course i "never" wore hearing protection until
it gave me a headache. Not a macho thing to do
when you are young and invulnerable.
Now i hear the crickets chirping whenever it's quiet.
Wife has to repeat everything she says to me.
I turn on the close captioning on my TV set alot.
The .357 mag has a very sharp report but it would
not deter me from buying another.
Suggest you just wear some plugs on string around your
neck. A .38 special might not take care of what needs
shooting out in the woods.



Chuck

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They hold no Quarter