Hearing Protection In Home Defense Situation

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sonofthebeach

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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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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
 
I have also thought on that same situation. I always thought that a pair of the small ear plugs made for shooting would be good, if you had time in install them. However, they would cut down on your ability to hear.
I have a set of the IMPACT shooters ear muffs. You can still hear other sounds and they only activate with a loud sounds. They actually increase the hearing level.
I cannot imagine turning these on, putting them on, all within a few seconds/minutes. Good idea, but I do not think it is practical.
 
I wouldn't really worry about it. My opinion is that you really wouldn't want anything to diminish your ability to hear in your home. If you are "clearing" your home then you need to have all of your senses available just in case. Also I have a co-worker that worked in a "poker room" as a security officer and got into a "shootout" with a armed robber. Needless to say it didn't fair to well for the robber as he was taken out with well placed .357 sig rounds. I distinctly remember him saying that he never heard a round that he fired and he even reloaded during the fight.
 
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.
 
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Hearing protection would be very low or not even a priority on my list, after being awakened at 2 in the morning by the sound of breaking glass or the dog barking.

Being groggy from sleeping and trying to get your bearing, while grabbing your sidearm and flashlight is going to be difficult enough, until you wake up, let alone trying to don a set of hearing protection and turning them on.

My hearing takes 2nd place to my family in that situation.
 
Pinky, I also wondered if this was a serious topic. I was gonna treat it NOT SO, and was gonna add the need for shooting glasses, proper weaver stance, possibly shooting gloves, a two handed hold, correct breathing, sight alignment, and finally a cleaning recommendation that wont mar the finish on the weapon after the shooting. In summation, an A OK from the instructor before you take the shot, and an inquiry from the perp as to what political party he/she supports.
But, since it is a serious thread, I would not worry about the ear protection
Good Luck
 
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Most of the time you will suffer auditory exclusion during your shot. Unless you plan weekly shootouts in your home don't worry about it.

If time is available quality electronic muffs are a valuable tool for detecting sounds in your home. As mentioned in the thread above you need to allow several seconds to don them and turn them on. If you never used a pair, imagine hearing what your dog hears when they are turned to the higher sensitivity. They are very useful in building searches as you can hear the slightest sounds made by the opponent that you would never hear with your normal hearing.
 
The time spent donning ear muffs or plugs would be better spent dialing 911 nasd getting to a safe room.
 
You could always use a pump shotgun and "rack it" to lock and load a shell. The sound of that may allow you never to shot the gun and risk hearing loss. A pump is one of the best home defense weapons out there. All in all, that concern would be the last thing on my mind in that situation.
 
The odds are greater that you'll win the lottery once within your lifetime than ever having to discharge your weapon inside your home in SD. I'd worry about how you're gonna spend the money before I'd worry about damaging you hearing.
 
By some of your replies, I guess I might have gone a little over the top by mentioning the need for or use of hearing protection in a defensive situation.

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.

And so the reason for my starting this thread.

And pinkymingeo, I also hate warning labels, restrictive devices, and other impositions on my freedoms. I've never used a bicycle helmet and I probably never will. And when I see a bunch of bicycle riders wearing their spandex knickers and helmets going down the road, it brings a smile to my face, wondering if they are really having fun, or are their lives so immersed in fear that the riding experience is more work than play? If it weren't for the laws down here, I wouldn't wear a helmet on my motorcycle either.

And 32sgeot, thanks for brightening up my day! I'm not sure about assuming the Weaver stance, but as a civilian exercising my right to defend my family and self, I'm sure I wouldn't wait for someone to give me the green light to do so.

I didn't mean for this post to suggest yet one more reason for possible hesitation in using our guns to protect ourselves...just wanted to know if any of you have had any experience or prior thoughts about the topic.

So for those of you that took this post seriously, thanks. And for the rest of you, thanks also...I tend to worry about stuff, and sometimes have difficulty separating those things that need concern from those that need to be put aside.
 
There was an article in one of the gun rags (Guns & Ammo?) a few years back where the author went through an incredible "pre-confrontation" prep.

He got his two sons out of bed and behind him in his bedroom, donned a Kelvar vest, shooting glasses, and hearing protection. Oh yeah, I think he had to retrieve a pump shotgun and a handgun. (Can't have them too accessible with the young boys in the house). I don't recall if he gave the amount of time this all took, but it was presented totally seriously, not tongue in cheek at all.

I suppose there are situations where there may be time for all that, but I would worry about being caught with my hands occupied putting on the vest or the like.

I could see the value in putting on some of the Peltor-type ear protection, but having a gun loaded and ready to go (and within reach!) is more than enough to worry about. Where the ear protection is, does it have good batteries, etc., may be just too much. And all that other stuff (Kelvar vest) seems like someone is living in a dream world.
 
Ok, I know you’re honestly concerned about it, but you won’t be if it ever does happen. In fact, your autonomic survival skills will kick in resulting in sharp tunnel vision with increased audio acuity to match. The very last thing you would want is to impede those motor and sensory attributes in a time of life or death.
 
SOB,

I think that it's a perfectly reasonable question. My answer is, keep a pair of electronic ears available, and if you have time, you'll put them on. If you don't, you won't. That's how it will work out naturally with sane people, so the only cost of keeping the ears available is a small amount of money, or maybe not even that, if you already have them. Ears that amplify sounds are nothing but an advantage, if you have time to put them on.

If you don't have time to put them on, don't worry about it. If you have to shoot, temporary (or even permanent) hearing loss is not as important as the reason you were shooting.

It's a no-brainer. Put them by your bed and check the batteries regularly.
 
I fired a magazine of .45ACP indoors. My ears still ring 30+ years later.

I like this, now:
mm_m9.jpg
 
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