In a hurry get to the range this AM and grabbed 2 handguns and ammo and my red box. Get to the range--no muffs--found a pair of junk ear stuff in my red box --orange spongy with blue string. Well let off 1- 9mm shot and I thought I was going to die. I had ringing, static like sounds, couldn't hear very much and TV sounds
distorted. It's gotten a bit better since 9:30 AM.
So, I really don't recommend shooting without hearing protection.
Best is to take your time packing up and be extra sure you have all your safety stuff and your ammo then enjoy
Len

I didn't often use hearing protection when shooting as a kid, and now pay the price. Even when deer hunting, where only one or two shots may be taken, I use them. Good electronic ear muffs can actually enable you to hear sounds you might have missed in the woods.

Those squishy foam ear plugs actually work very well. The key is to roll them between your fingers until compressed, then insert them as far into you ear as you can. In a minute or so, they will expand, and provide a good seal.

Larry

Never knew that. I'll try that at home.
Lesson learned.
Thanks
Len

I've used empty handgun brass in a pinch. .38 cal or larger, of course. Better than nutin'.

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SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS

Cigarette butts work, what we used in RVN when we had cigs with filters... 4.2” was beginning of my hearing loss.

I earned my living with my ears and tried to take care of them. I had borrowed several of these from the Air Force and kept them in my gig bag. They came in handy in large, loud venues. There were times when I found myself without them and would stuff cigarette filters in my ears as a stop gap.

The best thing to happen in the music industry was the invention of in-ear monitors and limiters. Except for a slight loss above 15kHz I can still hear well even down to 25Hz.

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

These days cig. butts are hard to find.

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No baby we aint

Sounds like you know it already, but if you get to the range and find out to you don't have sufficient earpro, don't shoot. Go home or go to walmart/whatever sporting goods store and spend the money on some basic muffs, it's annoying at the time but less annoying than always having to fall asleep with a fan or other white noise thing going to stop the ringing.

I have learned the hard way to keep two pairs of muffs and multiple foam earplugs in both of my vehicles at all times.

I have to wear the muffs and plugs at the same time. Still not always enough. My ears still ring all the time, even though I will not even run the weed eater, vacuum cleaner, lawnmower, or drive nails without hearing protection.
The years of gunfire and turbine-engine aircraft noise have taken their toll.

I have 4 shooting boxes-22 RF, CF handgun, CF rifle, Black Powder and have dedicated muffs and plugs in all of them-I have a pair of muffs I wear when I use power tools. I have a sidebar I carry and have several pairs of plugs in that.

Back when I was still mowing my own grass I hung a dedicated set of ear muffs on the lawn mower. Cheap insurance.

I double up with plugs and walker sound suppressors.

Been thinking about getting some of these:
Easy Shape Custom Molded Earplugs Hearing Protection


Anyone here use them?

Huh? Come again?

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Everybody could shoot

I have this habit of pushing my muffs up off my ears while setting targets and every once in a while I end up sending a round without remembering to put them back over my ears.

It never fails to shock me to hear how loud the shots really are.

I carry extra ear plugs and muffs with me, just in case. I have always used passive muffs (Pro Ears NRR 30) but wanted electronic muffs after trying out a friends. My wife just got me a pair of Walker's Razor Slim electronic muffs for my birthday. I like them a lot.

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"In God We Trust"

What he said was.....

Mower,leaf blower.... any powertool..... mine let me listen to talk radio!!!!

Oh, always keep a pair of in ear extra in your range bag. I keep a pair of the surefire model. They can be bought on Amazon or in Walmart or local hardware store.

For ear muffs, but the optional gel cups. If your shooting session is less than an hour, it won’t make a difference. After a couple of hours, your head/ears will be thanking me. I had mine on for almost 9 hours last Saturday. No way I could do that with the stock ear pads.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I took my daughter and her friend to the range and I remembered to grab the extra set of ear muffs, only it was blue tooth headphones by mistake. I have those foam plugs in my bag for such occasions but they didn't work very well; I'm sure I put them in wrong. It was brutal! Then in all my genius I shot the .327 Magnum and that just made me let them shoot while I "manually" plugged my ears. Lesson learned.

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Waiting For The Sun.

I recommend you get a range bag and leave it packed with the basics.

My range bag stays packed with two sets of muffs, three sets of safety glasses. clear for very overcast days, medium blue for partly cloudy days and dark for bright sun. A small bottle of gun oil, rag and small cleaning kit.

After years of green jet engine runs, tractors, shooting and teenagers my hearing is almost gone - even with protection. I still wear muffs, but there's little left to protect.

You are correct about the gel pads. The only complaint I have about the Walker's is that they push against my glasses enough that after a couple of hours, they begin to hurt in the temple area right above my right ear. If I was only going to be on the range for an hour or so, I probably wouldn't notice it. I have not purchased the aftermarket gel pads as of yet but am in the process of checking them out online.

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"In God We Trust"

I've tried electronic twice in the last twenty or so years. Less than impressed. I'm much better off with ear plugs and high number earmuffs.

I have multiple sets of earplugs in my rage case, in my truck, and in my storage area, so I always have some. I did have some with the strings on them once that got caught behind the stock on my shotgun, and when I fired a shot, the recoil pulled it out of my ear- just the echo was like I was in the twilight zone- so eerie... I only had it happen once or twice. I prefer earplugs to most headphones, they're less bulky, and unless you wanna spend a decent chunk of change on headphones, the foam earplugs have a better db reduction rating. I bought some inexpensive headphones, and they don;t even work great for mowing my lawn because they shift too much, and only have like a 15 or 20 db reduction because they just have cheap foam in them.

My rule is outdoors, at least 25-30 db reducing foam ear plugs, indoors plugs and earphones.

I use to wear big ear muffs with ball cap but I usually wear cowboy hat to stop skin cancer on temples. So now I use those in ear molded ear protectors that you listed. They work great and I can wear cowboy hat.

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V/r,
Markham

does anyone know how good are the muffs with knobs to adjust the sound.?

price dictates quality on those. Just saying... there are cheap electronic ones, and expensive ones... you only get one set of ear drums

I keep 2 caldwell rests and a sandbag in the trunk A pair of muffs shouldn't take up much room
Thanks

Most of the muffs I have seen have a lesser rating than most plugs. 25-27 vs as high as the 33 on the plugs we used to get at work. Make sure that you follow the proper instructions on plugs, opening the ear canal and allowing 15-20 seconds for them to settle in before going to the next ear.
CDC - Mining - How To Wear Soft Foam Earplugs - NIOSH

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Front sight and squeeze

If you want the best in protection, the standard, non-electronic muffs with the highest number rating plus soft plastic (not foam) ear plugs can't be beat. If you want to have a conversation, take off the muffs and you'll still have some protection. With this setup, there are no batteries to worry about, either.

Unfortunately I've learned the hard way!!!!! Please take this advise from someone who knows about hearing loss.

1) Buy disposable foam ear plugs at the highest rating you can find. I get the Howard Leight brand that are rated at 33db's. Wear them underneath a good set of ear muffs that are at least a 30db rating. NOTE: READ the directions about inserting the plugs - most people I watch do NOT insert them correctly!

2) Always carry extra sets of plugs! Keep some in your car, shooting bag, hunting vest, jacket pockets, etc. I always bring them to weddings too!

3) In case you fail and find yourself in a situation that you just don't have a set with you, toilet paper that is wet and formed in your ear will work in a pinch! It actually works quite well. May not be something you have heard of before, but you have now - believe me it works well! Just keep them wet!

4) Avoid using the electronic muffs by themselves or at all if possible. Unless I've missed something when looking at their ratings, they do not protect your hearing half as good as the double protection method does.

5) NEVER, NEVER, NEVER be "bullied or shammed" into being "macho" and not wearing hearing protection! You WILL pay for it in the long run. I only wish I followed these simple suggestions myself 40 years ago!