Hearing

[Dvan34]

From some of the information regarding protecting your rights after an SD shooting, another is recommended, other than requesting to notify a lawyer before making any statements at all. That recommendation is to request receive emergency medical care to have your hearing checked. I had something similar happen during my yearly qualification at an indoor range. The range officer shutdown the shooting range after it was completed. A couple of moments later a person still on the range began unsupervised firing their handgun again. I made the mistake of removing my electronic ear protection, as did the R.O.. Next time they don't come off until I exit the range.

 

[oldiegoldie]

I was 46 and had near perfect hearing when I suffered ONE shot from a .357 in a SW 640 in an enclosed space. I went deaf immediately, and then within seconds my hearing began to return and started ringing. Five years later they are still ringing due to the permanent tinnitus.

After the shot I had a massive threshold shift that lasted for a few weeks. There were other hearing-related injuries as well.

Since then I cannot listen to higher-pitched music (e.g., violin concertos, etc.) at anything other than a moderate volume...

Bach Partita for Violin Solo No. 3 E Major, I. Preludio.wmv - YouTube

Soo...GIVEN THE CORRECT ACOUSTIC SETTING, ONE SHOT CAN PERMANENTLY DAMAGE YOUR HEARING!

lost 90% of hearing in left ear after shooting a mini 14 .223 out of pickup window. barrel was well outside of window. have done this all my life. 1 shot, 1 ear made mostly useless.

i keep ear phones next to my bed along wth FNX 9mm. just maybe i would have time to put phones on if a break in occurred.

 

[SMSgt]

Jet engines and hunting did my hearing in. Constant sirens in my ears now.

 

[686-380]

I've got hearing loss, primarily from working the flight line for 26 years. I guard what I have left as best I can. After listening to some of the old hands on this forum, I decided to acquire a suppressor. It's on my nightstand firearm.

 

[diggler1833]

I have unfortunately shot and been around other M4 rifles shooting inside of structures. The military had to adjust my baseline, but my hearing hasn't deteriorated in the last 7-8 years. I do have tinnitus.

I have often toyed with the idea of keeping hearing protection next to my beside guns. While it would be nice to hear after the shooting, I can't assure myself (in my own mind) that I'll have enough of a chance to put them on. They would also have to be electronic muffs and amplify noises.

I settled on a 12ga with lower velocity #4Buck, and 9mm shooting 147gr ammo. While not hearing safe by any means, they are better than a supersonic pistol or rifle round.

 

[richardw]

Since my hearing is very deteriorated and I need and use hearing aids, I am always concerned about doing further damage to my hearing. So I have done a lot of inquiry into ear protection for the range. I have tried foam plugs, but I did not think that they worked well in closed spaces while I thought they were OK outdoors. Until s couple weeks ago I used muffs. I have used passive and electronic types.

I have to remove my hearing aids when shooting because otherwise you are simply amplifying the noise of the gunfire. So with passive muffs I could not hear the range officers very well and sometimes not at all. So I bought electronic muffs, and they pretty much made the range officelr audible while reducing the noise level of the gunfire. But I found them to be problematic in several ways. I have to wear prescription eyeglasses to shoot, I also have to earn safety glasses over the prescription glasses. I find the glasses prevent a complete seal with any muffs, although they do substantially reduce the noise level in spite of that. I also have found that there are times when the automatic noise level cutoff sometimes (not often) fail to act properly. That is annoying at least. I find them bulky and uncomfortable, and they take up a lot of space in the gun bag, and they eat batteries. So I kept looking for a better solution. There are many non foam earplugs but I just felt that they were not going to be reliable because of getting the plug size right. My ear canal diameters are different with the right ear being smaller than the left.

Three weeks ago I found an Otis Hearing Protection device that claimed to reduce dangerous noise level but still allow non dangerous decibel level sounds to come through. They were not muffs, required no batteries, were not plugs of the traditional type. They were lightweight ear protection that employed a passive system based upon an entirely new approach. They were developed by scientists at Syracuse Univertity.

They rely on a scientist principle that sound takes the path of least resistance. So the device uses a baffle to route danger level sound away from the ear while allowing safe level sound to enter the ear.

Now I was very skeptical but I decided to try them after reading an article at CHickHawks. And since they have an NRR of 31 and only cost $20. I bought a pair. The article is at:
Otis Ear Shield Hearing Protector

I find them amazingly good. I have shot 200 rounds out to my 9mm using them, and I have to say that they work as described.

The photo shows the unusual configuration.

 

[ContinentalOp]

Three weeks ago I found an Otis Hearing Protection device that claimed to reduce dangerous noise level but still allow non dangerous decibel level sounds to come through.
...

I find them amazingly good. I have shot 200 rounds out to my 9mm using them, and I have to say that they work as described.

Thanks for sharing. I'll have to check them out.

Question: I may have missed it in your post, but have you tried them at an indoor range? If so, how do they work there?

 

[richardw]

Thanks for sharing. I'll have to check them out.

Question: I may have missed it in your post, but have you tried them at an indoor range? If so, how do they work there?

Good question. I have only eased them at an indoor range.

 

[Scorpion520AZ]

".....a gunshot (140-190 dB, depending on weapon), can cause immediate hearing damage."
Dangerous Decibels >> Noise Induced Hearing Loss

Shooting Illustrated | Ear Defense for Home Defense

Howard Leight Impact Sport Electronic Earmuffs (NRR 22 dB)

 

[HCH]

I'm assuming a low (24,00 psi) .45 load will be quieter than a (35,000 psi) 9 mm load. Can anyone with real world experience confirm this?

 

[andyo5]

I have not made measurements. But 45 ACP loads are subsonic. So they should be quieter than supersonic 9mm loads, which generate a sonic boom.

 

[steelslaver]

HUH, I didn't catch that, I was told I would get used to the noise and I did.

In a self defense situation I would not worry about hearing protection, simply because time is critical and you have to be alive to hear.

The rest of the time there is no good reason not to wear hearing protection. Not being able to hear well sucks.

 

[Camster]

While I don't think that mine is related to shooting (though I too,was careless when young), I'm sorry to hear that so many of us here, have tinnitus.

 

[Whitwabit]

I always wore ear protection while shooting and then that carried over to working in a noisy factory ..

I was always surprised at the people that tried to scam the system wearing ear plugs side ways ands such ..defeating any protection .. I always wore mine properly and can hear at the age of 67 where others my age can't and some wear hearing aids .. other just suffer with the loss ..

Scamming the system didn't work to well for them !!!

 

[Ranger17]

I've only been really shooting for the past 6 yrs, but i would readily say any hearing issues I have now were likely from decades of music WAY too loud. Esp back in my teens in the 70's..... and my hearing isnt that great anymore; just ask my wife lol

I can say though, that while the high % of my range time is indoors, even when i do some outside shooting (on family land) i still wear earmuffs. When i dont, it can pain a little if i'm anywhere near where something is being fired.

Cant imagine who it can affect those who end up in shooting circumstances indoors without any protection (ie the PD, etc). They may not think about it at the time, but it cant be good for their hearing

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

I've been shooting for well over 40 yrs. and have always used the best hearing protection available. Obviously in a self defense situation in my home hearing protection would not be in the mix. My question; does anyone the damage that a fired shot or shot can cause to our hearing. I am NOT talking about "be deaf Or dead" type of thing I'm talking about damage to our hearing. I would hate to be in a room where an ar went off ---probably permanent damage. Wondering if a suppressor is way to go. Any thoughts????
Thanks in advance Jim

I'm slightly surprised that you even ask the question, although I suppose that that WAS the best way to get the answers. Most of the answers are obvious, and you probably could have figured them out on your own.

Not everyone suffers when they practice poor ear protection, although many (most?) do. I suspect that individuals differ. Certainly circumstances do. I also read once that drinking alcohol temporarily inhibits certain built-in protective reflexes against damage from loud noises.

My own experience seems a little strange. When I was about eighteen, I spent an afternoon firing a Garand with the NY State militia. My ears later sounded like they were stopped up, for a couple of days. In the Navy, I worked around jets (F8s) for a few weeks before a JUNIOR person told me I was endangering my hearing. I have also experienced two or three occasions when I unintentionally fired indoors without hearing protection. I actually experienced NO hearing loss, as tested by the VA and experienced by me to this day. Nevertheless, I certainly believe richardw's report and others, and believe that this is a more common experience.

Of course, a suppressor is a SIGNIFICANTLY good thing! Why even ask? So is a pair of ears, preferably the electronic kind that allow you to hear better rather than worse. Either one might be unavailable for one reason or another, and, in the end, you should probably not be shooting someone unless possible deafness would not change your decision.

Interesting thread, and thanks to richardw for his link. Think I'll check out some Otis protectors.

 

[jim lock]

Model520fan-
Might have obvious, however not one comment about having a suppressor or hearing protection in their home. Since I've posted, I have purchase another pair of electronic muffs for the sole purpose of using them in a self defense situation in my home. In my home situation its very feasible to be able to utilize them.