Hearing Protection

[LandDiver]

A search produced 4 threads, with the latest being 2014.

I am curious to know what you all are using while practicing and hunting. I'll say this right now I am not in the market for electronic ear plugs. Just way to much for me right now. Looking for something reasonable <$60.

Thanks!

 

[fishing4sanity]

Just go suppressed, but that's gonna blow by your price point and beyond mighty quick. I do love shooting suppressed rifles, but the cheap foam ear plugs work pretty good. My son just tried Decibullz custom shaped plugs and he's happy with them. I've got another type on order from Axil, but have yet to see them.
Link to Decibullz if you haven't seen them before https://www.walmart.com/ip/Decibull...5035&wl11=online&wl12=102524893&wl13=&veh=sem

 

[LandDiver]

I was looking around on Walmart.com but their item descriptions didn't give me any details about the amount they reduce noise. Went on to Amazon and saw a couple that seem good.

This one has a 34NNR: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01F...ds=hearing+protection+for+shooting&psc=1&th=1

This one is Amazon's best seller: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001...r+shooting&dpPl=1&dpID=41Ax4oZwZmL&ref=plSrch

Amazon's best seller has almost 10,000 reviews while the other one has just over 2,000 reviews.

 

[LandDiver]

Just go suppressed, but that's gonna blow by your price point and beyond mighty quick. I do love shooting suppressed rifles, but the cheap foam ear plugs work pretty good. My son just tried Decibullz custom shaped plugs and he's happy with them. I've got another type on order from Axil, but have yet to see them.
Link to Decibullz if you haven't seen them before https://www.walmart.com/ip/Decibull...5035&wl11=online&wl12=102524893&wl13=&veh=sem

Thanks!

 

[fishing4sanity]

I've used the Howard Leight muffs many times, for me ear muffs often get in the way, but the Howard Leights worked pretty good. On a windy day the HLs will pick up wind crackle and noise, still good muffs overall.

 

[marksjeep]

I use the HL's for range days and hunting.

 

[Cornell2012]

For range days, pretty much any decent earplug + muff combo will bring all but the loudest guns to reasonable levels. [NOTE: I DID NOT REMEMBER CORRECTLY. SEE BELOW FOR CORRECTION. If I remember correctly, the NRRs will add together (so a 22 dB drop + a 28 dB drop will be a 50 dB reduction, but I think each method blocks out different frequencies more effectively than others so this may not be precisely true).] In the field might require a bit more digging to find something that works well for you and is effective. The best hearing protection in the world does you no good if it is too much of a pain or too bulky or too slow for you to use it.

dB's are on a logarithmic scale. You can google log math if you are interested. For very simplistic purposes though, start with the bigger number (in your example 28) and add 1 or so for the second device of similar dB reduction. So 28 + 23 = 29.

 

[choc dogs]

I wear plugs on a cord around my neck while hunting. My son has a pair of game ear muffs. For goodness sake wear something, and if you have to shoot so fast you can't get plugs In, how do you evaluate what you're shooting at?

Range time it's old school non electronic muffs and foam earplugs doubled up.

 

[COEngineer]

If I remember correctly, the NRRs will add together (so a 22 dB drop + a 28 dB drop will be a 50 dB reduction

Nope. dB's are on a logarithmic scale. You can google log math if you are interested. For very simplistic purposes though, start with the bigger number (in your example 28) and add 1 or so for the second device of similar dB reduction. So 28 + 23 = 29.

Or use an on-line calculator like this one: https://www.noisemeters.com/apps/db-calculator.asp

 

[archer wapiti]

I find that .410 shells fit perfectly in my ears. as long as I'm shooting a .410, I always have plenty of ear plugs.

 

[tim629]

on the range it's foam plugs plus ear muffs. I would believe whomever said they think each hearing protection method takes out different frequencies as it makes a huge difference for me

when hunting anything other than groundhogs i don't wear anything, I should but don't like wearing anything while walking and most of my shots are pretty much snap shots or close up not going to play with hearing protection just trying to get the rifle up without detection

groundhogs I just wear the ear muffs around my neck until I'm ready to shoot

 

[MJE2083]

I like the Howard Leight electronic muffs but only for pistol shooting. Muffs interfere with my cheek weld for rifles and shotguns. I just use regular old foam earplugs. I usually don't wear anything while hunting, except groundhogs I'll throw in some plugs before the shot.

Years ago I had a ported shotgun that would absolutely blow my ears out when shooting ducks. I started using these while waterfowl hunting http://www.radians.com/radsite/inde...g-protection/item/radians-cease-fire-earplugs they certainly don't block out much, but anything is better than nothing I suppose.

 

[mdhunter]

As a 49 yr old with crappy hearing I can't express the need for you all to protect what you have because you will miss it when it's gone.

I now wear hearing aides and as it was explained to me, without them your ears will slowly continue to lose the ability to hear sounds i.e. You go deaf faster. If you have bad hearing, don't wait to get help.

Anyhow, I am done preaching. Please go do the right thing.

 

[Cornell2012]

Nope. dB's are on a logarithmic scale. You can google log math if you are interested. For very simplistic purposes though, start with the bigger number (in your example 28) and add 1 or so for the second device of similar dB reduction. So 28 + 23 = 29.

Or use an on-line calculator like this one: https://www.noisemeters.com/apps/db-calculator.asp

Thanks. I stand corrected.

 

[Highlands Hunter]

I use the above for all my shooting sports. They work really well, they are cheap, and I don't lose them.

 

[Laelkhunter]

Camofire has two types of Walker's electronic ear muffs right now, $35 and $65. I have several pair, and love the quad ones the best ($65). I wear them at the range, and while hunting. They amplify the sounds in the woods, but cut out the muzzle blast.

 

[nhn2a]

I'm a huge fan of the Walker Razor XV with Blue Tooth. I picked them up for $78 on Amazon so a little more than your price point but not too far off. I've had them for about 6 months and they are really comfortable and nice to use. The are noise enhancing for lower decibel sounds but they cut sound for all sounds above a certain decibel point if you are into the electronic ear plugs. They are also Bluetooth so you can answer calls while at the range without having to take your ear pro off. This was a big feature for me since the wife seems to always want to call me while I'm at the range. They are also rechargeable unlike other electronic earplugs in the same category.

Lastly they are a band style that you wear around your neck and the ear plugs them selves are retractable and extend out from the neck piece. This was a huge feature since any of the earmuff style headphones always interfered with my check to stock positioning so this doesn't change that at all. They are like wearing foam earplugs but will all the added features above.

 

[LandDiver]

Thank you everyone who replied. I went with Walker's Game Ear Razor Slim Electronic Ear Muff. I am also going to stop in and get a pack of the foam ear plugs as well just in case.

When watching many YouTube videos I had a hard time finding videos with people shooting hunting rifles with the HL. A lot of taticle stuff with them. When's I came across the Walker's it seemed finding more reviews from hunters and people who go to the range were easier. I'll see how the Walker's work for me when they come in tomorrow.

Thanks again everyone. Going to look at a rifle this weekend and shoot it for a bit.

 

[RobG]

The Walkers should work fine. Some practical info based on my experience:
The foam ear plugs expand relatively slowly so they aren't very good for hunting unless you are wearing them all of the time, but then you can't hear game. The non-expandable plastic ones probably work ok and have no wait period.

For 15 years or more I have used Westone passive ear plugs custom fitted to my ears for big game hunting. The prior 25 years of hunting without them decimated my hearing and I never noticed it until my wife started pointing out things like not being able to hear small rattlesnakes or brakes needing to be changed. The custom ear plugs work great and offer protection as soon as you push them in. I keep them loosely inserted when walking so I can hear. They have never caused me to lose an animal, and I've probably shot 50 in that time period. My wife also loves them for hunting.

However, when my son started hunting I gave him my passive range ear muffs. Between my passive ear plugs and his passive muffs it was very difficult guiding him through a shot at an animal, nor could I understand his questions as he was preparing to shoot. So I picked up two pair of electronic ear muffs from Sportsmen Warehouse for about $45 each. These are bulky and are cumbersome to put on, but otherwise work adequately, even in the wind. When walking around I just hang them on the barrel of my rifle.

I wish wearing protection in the field would become more mainstream, especially for kids. Even one shot does a lot of damage. I have talked a few people into trying them and once they get comfortable using them they wish they had started earlier.

rg