AR Sponsor
Posted: 3/27/2014 5:49:12 AM EDT
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I went to an indoor range last weekend when I was on a trip to the in laws. I had forgotten my hearing protection (actually, I looked for it, but pretty sure it's at my Dad's, where I do 99% of my shooting), so I bought some in ear protection at Walmart. Big mistake. I've used the foam stuff you squish between your fingers and it expands in your ear which, in general, works pretty well. These were worthless as I quickly found out when the guy in the next lane fired up his AR with a noisy as hell brake.
I have the ear muff style which works fine for handgun, but gets in the way when shooting a rifle or shotgun (IMO). What style and brand do you use? Do you find it effective? Is there anything out there that's a great bang for the buck universal option? |
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http://www.cabelas.com/product/Howard-Leight-Impact-Sport-Earmuff/708113.uts
i use these. they're pretty standard, i've seen tons of people wearing them. they're electronic so you can talk to people at a normal volume without having to yell, and then when a shot goes off the sound is clipped off instantly |
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the foamy ear plug things usually have a higher decibel reduction than ear muffs. 32 vs around 22. Some of the higher end ear muffs ($$) equal ear plugs.
If someone has a really loud gun next to you, wear both. I personally like standard ear plugs. You can get a big box for cheap and you got 100's of back ups for those who forget theirs, and the reduce sound better than a standard ear muffs. |
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Quoted:
the foamy ear plug things usually have a higher decibel reduction than ear muffs. 32 vs around 22. Some of the higher end ear muffs ($$) equal ear plugs. If someone has a really loud gun next to you, wear both. I personally like standard ear plugs. You can get a big box for cheap and you got 100's of back ups for those who forget theirs, and the reduce sound better than a standard ear muffs. This is what I do. That is if me and my friends aren't shooting suppressed. 
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I have tried several foam in-ear ones and just can't get them to stay in well. That being said, next time I go to the indoor range, I will be wearing both. Between my AR and the guy next to me shooting a shotgun and .357 SIG, I felt like I wasn't wearing anything with just the over-the-ear muffs.
I had a pair of in-ear ones years ago that worked that I've never been able to replace. They were sort of gel-filled and held their shape better and were on a metal band that went around your head. I hated the band, but the ear plugs actually stayed in and worked. I've never found another pair like them. |
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i have been to indoor range 2 times and used their earmuffs not sure but its over the ear style. they did ok but when it gets buisy it dose seem like they are barely enough. but the time i was in there by my self it was ok. after that i bought my own set from midway. got the ones that had some of the high rated noise reduction for fairly cheap. they are nice when i went to an out door but haven't been back indoor since i go them.
if they still aren't enough you can use the in ear and add the over the ear. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/524517/midwayusa-ultimate-10-earmuffs-by-peltor-nrr-30db-black?cm_vc=wishList |
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I have some Howard Leight electronic sport muffs, but they interfere with my cheek weld (maybe I'm doing it wrong...) and also wearing a ball cap or glasses interferes with the seal around your ears. I find myself wearing them more for yardwork than shooting. I bring some Surefire EP3s to the range and they work pretty good; http://www.surefire.com/ep3-sonic-defenders.html |
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Quoted:I bring some Surefire EP3s to the range and they work pretty good; http://www.surefire.com/ep3-sonic-defenders.html I saw some of those at the LGS and almost impulse-bought a pair. Now that I know they work, I might give them a shot. They're not super expensive. |
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My biggest advice.
Buy slim lines. They don't look goofey and work great. Very compact. I never have any problems. I rock these all the time at indoor ranges with my AR pistol. Amazon.com 
Customs ones for your ear's are by far the best... lots of ppl just buy the kit and then they fit perfectly. 
Ya I double up often too. |
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Quoted:
I went to an indoor range last weekend when I was on a trip to the in laws. I had forgotten my hearing protection (actually, I looked for it, but pretty sure it's at my Dad's, where I do 99% of my shooting), so I bought some in ear protection at Walmart. Big mistake. I've used the foam stuff you squish between your fingers and it expands in your ear which, in general, works pretty well. These were worthless as I quickly found out when the guy in the next lane fired up his AR with a noisy as hell brake. I have the ear muff style which works fine for handgun, but gets in the way when shooting a rifle or shotgun (IMO). What style and brand do you use? Do you find it effective? Is there anything out there that's a great bang for the buck universal option? I usually use double protection - can never be too safe with the hearing after all. And I've found that when I'm shooting my revolver in the local indoor range (especially if I shoot .357) single protection doesn't protect enough. Inside my ears it's a set of Surefire EP3s Over my ears I wear Howard Leight Impact Sport active hearing protection If I can't find my EP3s, I just use the foamies at the range along with my "micky mouse" ear pro. Just remember, you got to actually get that shit IN your ear canal. Back when I was in the Navy, I would always see people at the range for gun quals who kept flinching... because they didn't know how to put in their hearing protection right. They'd just shove the foam-tube into the outer part of their ear and wonder why it didn't work.  
How to wear foam ear plugs IIRC the CPO at the range my first time up for quals taught us this. But seriously, if all you have is foam make sure you're getting it in right. |
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Someone with a brake right next to you can be quite a blast even with muffs AND ear foamies. Some ARFcommer demonstrated this nicely to me using a 30 cal. WWII carbine a couple years ago. Usually I just move. 
Yeah, that'd be nice, but on a Saturday morning we had to wait 30 mins to get a lane. Moving wasn't really an option. When I pulled my target up to look at it, it would ripple and shake like crazy every time the guy shot. |
| I do most of my shooting at my local indoor range. The ear muffs I use for handgun shooting would not work with my rifles as I could not get my cheek on the stock. I tried out a number of different muffs to use with my rifles and found the best fitting one for me was the Peltor "Shotgunner" which turned out to be an inexpensive muff. I wear these along with foam earplugs and nothing bothers me. I also get an excellent cheek weld. |
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Quoted:
My biggest advice. Buy slim lines. They don't look goofey and work great. Very compact. I never have any problems. I rock these all the time at indoor ranges with my AR pistol. Amazon.com http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41XkSTpdZOL.jpg Customs ones for your ear's are by far the best... lots of ppl just buy the kit and then they fit perfectly. http://www.radians.com/radsite/cache/com_zoo/images/m_cmep2_2508b53d14d2ad9783e6db1be8d3dffa.jpg Ya I double up often too. I have the L1 pictured. They are fairly slim and comfortable with a NR of 25. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001PCTSZK/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 |
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I usually use double protection - can never be too safe with the hearing after all. And I've found that when I'm shooting my revolver in the local indoor range (especially if I shoot .357) single protection doesn't protect enough. Inside my ears it's a set of Surefire EP3s Over my ears I wear Howard Leight Impact Sport active hearing protection If I can't find my EP3s, I just use the foamies at the range along with my "micky mouse" ear pro. Just remember, you got to actually get that shit IN your ear canal. Back when I was in the Navy, I would always see people at the range for gun quals who kept flinching... because they didn't know how to put in their hearing protection right. They'd just shove the foam-tube into the outer part of their ear and wonder why it didn't work.
How to wear foam ear plugs IIRC the CPO at the range my first time up for quals taught us this. But seriously, if all you have is foam make sure you're getting it in right. Quoted:
Quoted:
I went to an indoor range last weekend when I was on a trip to the in laws. I had forgotten my hearing protection (actually, I looked for it, but pretty sure it's at my Dad's, where I do 99% of my shooting), so I bought some in ear protection at Walmart. Big mistake. I've used the foam stuff you squish between your fingers and it expands in your ear which, in general, works pretty well. These were worthless as I quickly found out when the guy in the next lane fired up his AR with a noisy as hell brake. I have the ear muff style which works fine for handgun, but gets in the way when shooting a rifle or shotgun (IMO). What style and brand do you use? Do you find it effective? Is there anything out there that's a great bang for the buck universal option? I usually use double protection - can never be too safe with the hearing after all. And I've found that when I'm shooting my revolver in the local indoor range (especially if I shoot .357) single protection doesn't protect enough. Inside my ears it's a set of Surefire EP3s Over my ears I wear Howard Leight Impact Sport active hearing protection If I can't find my EP3s, I just use the foamies at the range along with my "micky mouse" ear pro. Just remember, you got to actually get that shit IN your ear canal. Back when I was in the Navy, I would always see people at the range for gun quals who kept flinching... because they didn't know how to put in their hearing protection right. They'd just shove the foam-tube into the outer part of their ear and wonder why it didn't work.
How to wear foam ear plugs IIRC the CPO at the range my first time up for quals taught us this. But seriously, if all you have is foam make sure you're getting it in right. The army audiologist who gave me my surefires told me they were to only be worn with muffs over them. Most of the cheaper in the ear designs are for wear over long times when you have to take your muffs off. I don't know for sure what the level of noise reduction is for the surefires but I would definitely not suggest them for indoor range use. |
| Those custom made ear plugs are by far the best most comfortable and effective plugs I have ever used. Wish I had some made years before I did. Even then when I RO shooters shooting comped pistols and rifles I often put a pair of pro ears electronics over the top of them. |
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I use the regular old foam plugs. $20 for a box of 200 or 250. Inserted correctly, they have the highest ratings for attenuation barring some of the custom stuff.
If you are wearing foamies, and it sounds as if you aren't wearing anything, you either didn't insert them correctly, or whatever you are next to is simply loud as hell. Plain and simple as that. |
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Quoted:
I use the regular old foam plugs. $20 for a box of 200 or 250. Inserted correctly, they have the highest ratings for attenuation barring some of the custom stuff. If you are wearing foamies, and it sounds as if you aren't wearing anything, you either didn't insert them correctly, or whatever you are next to is simply loud as hell. Plain and simple as that. They weren't the foam ones. They were rubber with 3or4 layers. Pretty much worthless IMO. I looked around on Amazon last night and bought 3 packs of Hearos extreme. 33 DB attenuation. They look like what I've liked in the past and about 17 cents a set. |
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I usually use just the foam in ear type as many seem to. I've also tried inexpensive winchester brand over ear w/ 24/26? db ratting from walmart that weren't bad but certainly not as good as the foamies. This led me to a peltor over ear muff w/ 30 db rating. Sure enough the're good, big as hell too. And to be honest I cant tell much difference b/w the foamies and over ear peltors, even though ratings wise they are 2-3db of difference. Sure can tell the difference from others Ive tried though.
Probably important to remember that db is a log scale and so the difference in seemingly small numbers may make a large difference in perceived sound |
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When shooting indoors with a rifle or magnum, you should double up. A lot of sound is conducted through bone and even good quality custom plugs. I use Peltor/Dillon electronic muffs.
The squeeze type foam plugs are actually pretty good, if you don't get tiny cheap ones. |
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I have the Howard slims that the guy above posted and love them. The best thing to do is find a place in ur town that does custom molded plugs where they actually take a mold of ur inner ear. I live in a small town and we have a few different places that do this . So I'm sure if u check around u can find somewhere, takes about 20 mins and costs under $50.
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Quoted:
Those custom made ear plugs are by far the best most comfortable and effective plugs I have ever used. Wish I had some made years before I did. Even then when I RO shooters shooting comped pistols and rifles I often put a pair of pro ears electronics over the top of them. +10 They are legit. Plus you can pick custom colors which look cool for you and all your family members. |
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