LoboGunLeather
US Veteran
You are very welcome, sir.
Would one really lose hearing firing 357 indoors in home defense scenario?
- Thread starter BugBeard
- Start date
You are very welcome, sir.
LoboGunLeather
US Veteran
This experience was in 1977, long before I became a great-grandpa!
pps
Member
One disadvantage to the electronic is that things sound MUCH closer than they really are. Second (maybe I'm the only goof ball that experiences this) but I have a heck of a time discerning which direction the sound is coming from when I wear the electronic. The peltor ones work well for me, though conversational noise is not amplified I can tell which direction it's coming from.
BTW, If I am able to survive a deadly use of force encounter, I'll deal with the inevitable hearing loss. You WILL loose some of your hearing.
robotoid
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I have been present for 2 indoor AD/ND. Both involed rookie P.O.'s. The first was a female rookie in her laundry room. I was showing her how to decock her 9mm Taurus 92 (no decocker model). She let the hammer slip and off went a 9mm into the window sill. Then she dropped the loaded/cocked gun on the floor and ran out of the room. The second involved a rookie and the locker room clearing barrel. Rack slide, remove mag, spin around and point at clear barrel from 5 feet away, pull trigger and BANG goes a .40 S&W. Did I mention I was walking towards the clearing barrel (smartly placed right next to the door???) and only he missed putting it through my thigh by about my being 1 step away from the door. Anyways, back to the point, in both cases my ears had a ringing for about a week afterwards, but it went away. I would think from personal experience a .357 magnum is MUCH louder.
Outrider
Member
Unfortunately, hearing injury is probably unavoidable collateral damage to a self defense situation indoors.
It just is -- and it's a "cost of doing business".
Electronics are only as reliable as the circuits and power source.
It's dangerous to worry more about your hearing than your life. Your don't want to reach for your Walker Game Ears before you grab your firearm when the plate glass window shatters in the middle of the night...
(Of course, if you don't take care of your hearing beforehand in the first place, you might not hear the plate glass window shatter in the middle of the night...)
I guess I do favor a .45 indoors -- and opening the mouth slightly does seem to equalize the eardrum pressure -- so that it apparently lessens the impact of the sound wave on the ear drum.
If I knew I were walking into an indoor situation with a clear sight picture, I'd probably go with ear plugs.
Truly -- and think about this -- how reliable is your hearing anyway with multiple gunshots indoors? You might be functionally deaf after the first shot anyway. It's a tricky call, but I'd at least consider ear plugs.
And by that I mean you're looking at this paradox: You might be able to hear such loud sounds as shouting, etc. WITH ear plugs better than you would if your eardrums had just been traumatized by multiple, high-pitched, close-in gun shots.
Ironically and counter-intuitively, I find that I can hear really loud sounds like shouting even with ear plugs in.
However, I appear to be getting significant hearing protection.
Of course, ear plugs no doubt contribute to compacted ear wax.
Given the delicate state of my ear drums, if I had the time -- and had a good line of sight -- I might try ear plugs.
You could be deaf after the first shot indoors otherwise anyway. But, you might need that edge in hearing to prevent being shot by the first shot indoors.
So, it's a tough call.
It probably boils down to doing what the situation calls for.
In an extreme emergency, you probably shouldn't even be worrying about your hearing -- and under such pressure, it might not even cross your mind until the after-action analysis.
It just is -- and it's a "cost of doing business".
Electronics are only as reliable as the circuits and power source.
It's dangerous to worry more about your hearing than your life. Your don't want to reach for your Walker Game Ears before you grab your firearm when the plate glass window shatters in the middle of the night...
(Of course, if you don't take care of your hearing beforehand in the first place, you might not hear the plate glass window shatter in the middle of the night...)
I guess I do favor a .45 indoors -- and opening the mouth slightly does seem to equalize the eardrum pressure -- so that it apparently lessens the impact of the sound wave on the ear drum.
If I knew I were walking into an indoor situation with a clear sight picture, I'd probably go with ear plugs.
Truly -- and think about this -- how reliable is your hearing anyway with multiple gunshots indoors? You might be functionally deaf after the first shot anyway. It's a tricky call, but I'd at least consider ear plugs.
And by that I mean you're looking at this paradox: You might be able to hear such loud sounds as shouting, etc. WITH ear plugs better than you would if your eardrums had just been traumatized by multiple, high-pitched, close-in gun shots.
Ironically and counter-intuitively, I find that I can hear really loud sounds like shouting even with ear plugs in.
However, I appear to be getting significant hearing protection.
Of course, ear plugs no doubt contribute to compacted ear wax.
Given the delicate state of my ear drums, if I had the time -- and had a good line of sight -- I might try ear plugs.
You could be deaf after the first shot indoors otherwise anyway. But, you might need that edge in hearing to prevent being shot by the first shot indoors.
So, it's a tough call.
It probably boils down to doing what the situation calls for.
In an extreme emergency, you probably shouldn't even be worrying about your hearing -- and under such pressure, it might not even cross your mind until the after-action analysis.
Capt Steve
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Ron H: No offense intended and certainly none taken. I am glad your experience wasn't as severe as mine. Getting back to the original question: It is clear that firing even one round "can", (as in my case), destroy or at least seriously and permanently impair your hearing. It is also clear from your experience that it doesn't necessarily happen to everyone. There are lots of variables at work here. I wish someone ha` alerted me to the possibility, hopefully I would have been smart enough to take the appropriate precautions but who knows.
I love my 357's but fire mostly 38's through them. It is cheaper, more fun and easier on my hands and ears. The right load will get whatever job that is at hand, done. Ironically, if I dial down the input of my hearing aids they act as very effective ear plugs. This can be very convenient as they are in place so long as I am awake.
I love my 357's but fire mostly 38's through them. It is cheaper, more fun and easier on my hands and ears. The right load will get whatever job that is at hand, done. Ironically, if I dial down the input of my hearing aids they act as very effective ear plugs. This can be very convenient as they are in place so long as I am awake.
Mickey D
Member
I fired my 4" Security Six with a hot .357 load outdoors without hearing protection. My right ear hurt and rang for two hours. I can imagine an indoor shot would be worse.
I have fired my Beretta 92 indoors and it wasn't pleasent, but not deafening like the .357.
I would also imagine that in a defensive situation, firing a handgun indoors my not seem as bad when the adrenaline is pumping.
I have fired my Beretta 92 indoors and it wasn't pleasent, but not deafening like the .357.
I would also imagine that in a defensive situation, firing a handgun indoors my not seem as bad when the adrenaline is pumping.
"Was at indoor range next to guy shooting some insanely loud rifle wrapped in camo. I had new over ear protection and earplugs on at the same time. After 30 minutes I left but my left ear ached for 2 days later! Now that is a loud gun, and next time I am next to one I am immediately moving."
I totally understand Bug. Took my wife for her first firearm experience only to have someone show with a Desert Eagle .50 There are only two good things about that weapon indoors. There are only 7 rounds and those seven aren't cheap.
I totally understand Bug. Took my wife for her first firearm experience only to have someone show with a Desert Eagle .50 There are only two good things about that weapon indoors. There are only 7 rounds and those seven aren't cheap.
conchmariner
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I hope none of us ever have to find out.
Landpimp
Member
fired(lets leave it at that) a 308 in a 12x12 closed room once.....I can still hear.....but my shorts were dirty
38-44HD45
Absent Comrade
Ever shoot a big deer with your heart pumping like a jackhammer due to massive adrenalin dump? Remember not really hearing the shot? That's auditory exclusion, and it's not just psychological, it's also physiological. The results in the presence of massive adrenalin dump before the shot goes off are not the same as when the shot goes off(accidentally?)and THEN you crap your pants. Can you suffer hearing damage if the muzzle is close enough to an ear? Sure, but it's a far lesser worry than catching a bullet or a blade. I don't sweat it. Yes, I do speak from some experience, and with some substantial hearing loss. Huh?
I had a similar experience at an indoor range. Had over-ear hearing protection on and was shooting a Sig 9mm and everyone around me was shooting significantly louder stuff to the point where my ears did ring for about 30 seconds after I stopped shooting. I am not a fan of crowded indoor ranges...even with hearing protection on it can be annoying.
On another note, I was looking at the chart linked to on the first page of this thread and noticed that it didn't mention .40S&W. Would I be correct to assume it has roughly the same noise level as a 9mm? Also I assume using subsonic ammunition would reduce noise levels, but is there any information on the extent to which it affects noise?
Rookie investigating a prowler call in an empty house at 3AM.
Opened a bedroom door and something (later found out it was an ironing board) pushed the door towards me.
I pulled the door to see what was behind it and saw a guy with a flashlight drawing a gun.
We both fired at the same time. .41 Mag broke the full length mirror and went through two more walls. I sure as hell heard that one go off, not to mention the flack I got later.
41 years later I have to have the TV or radio on at night to overcome the Tinnitus ringing in my ears in order to sleep.
There were a couple of other instances of responding to threats from BG's without ear protection but they were outdoors and didn't seem to worsen the condition.
Opened a bedroom door and something (later found out it was an ironing board) pushed the door towards me.
I pulled the door to see what was behind it and saw a guy with a flashlight drawing a gun.
We both fired at the same time. .41 Mag broke the full length mirror and went through two more walls. I sure as hell heard that one go off, not to mention the flack I got later.
41 years later I have to have the TV or radio on at night to overcome the Tinnitus ringing in my ears in order to sleep.
There were a couple of other instances of responding to threats from BG's without ear protection but they were outdoors and didn't seem to worsen the condition.
AZretired
Member
Ten years ago I was involved in a shooting in which 10 rounds (six .45+p,two 9mm, two 12guage) were discharged within 2-3 seconds. Ever since I have had the same problems as Iggy.
Smitty500Mag
Member
Nope you won't. I've forgotten to put my ear muffs on a few times at the indoor range over the years while shooting the .357 Mag along with other larger calibers also and while it don't feel good, it's nothing you'd want to do on a regular basis, but it won't make you go deaf the first time you do it.
Smitty
