Quoted: Quoted: I never use hearing protection when I shoot my AR, I only use hearing protection when I’m shooting a high-powered rifles, doesn’t seem to bother me with my AR. If you can shoot a 14 1/2 in M4 with mil spec ammo and have it not bother you I think your hearing is 3/4 gone already.

+1

FWIW...

My last stint in Iraq I wore Peltors on every convoy. Just keeping the overpressure out of your ears is an advantage toward quicker response to IED's or incoming. Outgoing fire through the windshield or out the windows is really loud but the pressure can deafen you for days. That, plus the rain of brass sucks.

Quoted: I'm only 26 and have lost a significant amount of my hearing.  It happens over time and you won't notice it at first. It's nearly impossible for me to understand someone when in a noisy enviroment unless I can see their  lips moving to see what they are saying. Its hard to hear people on the phone etc.. It sounds like I have cotton in my ears. On top of the fact I have to have something like a fish tank or fan running at night when I sleep to drowned out the ringing in my ears when it is quiet. Pure hell.  Wear ear protection! I double up now, and wish I would have before. It doesn't take long to permanently damage your ears.

+1 on the ringing  ,drives me crazy  sometimes when it's real quiet , especially my left ear .

Quoted: I'm only 26 and have lost a significant amount of my hearing.  It happens over time and you won't notice it at first. It's nearly impossible for me to understand someone when in a noisy enviroment unless I can see their  lips moving to see what they are saying. Its hard to hear people on the phone etc.. It sounds like I have cotton in my ears. On top of the fact I have to have something like a fish tank or fan running at night when I sleep to drowned out the ringing in my ears when it is quiet. Pure hell.  Wear ear protection! I double up now, and wish I would have before. It doesn't take long to permanently damage your ears.

+ 100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Quoted: Quoted: us.st11.yimg.com/store1.yimg.com/I/botach_1885_237884929 Insert YELLOW plugs for weapons fire in dismounted mode. Insert OLIVE DRAB plugs for steady state noise in and around aircraft, noisy vehicles and watercraft. etc. Can these be bought anywhere, or do I just have to hope I get them issued eventually?

I bought some from BOTACH before I deployed.  They worked great.  Now I've got them for everyone in the unit.

Quoted: Said it before and  I will say it again: some of you firing your AR's and any other firearm who do not feel your hearing is affected better read some of these post carefully. I see firearm related hearing impairment routinely every day  in my practice and there are numerous well done studies of veterans demonstrating significant loss directed related to  degree of exposure. You will know when you can't hear someones voice on the phone or when you cannot hear someone speaking in a group or when your  kids/spouse yell at you for having the tv at 87 decibels. Please don't subsidize my gun addiction with your bad choices. My 2 cents.

I think we should listen to the Doctor.  This thread is long overdue.  I would like to see "acoustic attenuator" options legalized for all civilian firearms, if not all,  then particularly the rifles.  I am sure the Feds have their reasons for not doing it, but it seems the  healthy thing to do.  

I would like to hear more about the bone conduction problem.  The mortar, and howitzer teams used to open their mouth and put fingers in ears.  This was suppose to equalize pressure by exposing the eustachian to the pressure pulse.  Is this urban legend?

As a little hijack- what is the consensus: Peltor comtac vs Sordin supreme?  Which is better and why?

http://www.users.qwest.net/~ejenny1/photos/gameear.jpg

I would still recommend going with something like this.  I started using the Walker Game Ear in 2002 and absolutely love them.  I have worn them for extended times going on 20 hours and they are still comfortable.  The plugs are custom molds made by my daughters audiologist.

I started out with just one ear piece, and then started to get nausious and dizzy while wearing it.  Was thinking this was a joke.  I wasted how much on this POS?  Afer talking with the audiologist, it was because my body was attempting to compensate for one ear having "normal" hearing with the ear piece, and the other ear having a reduced hearing due to the ear plug.  I actually had bought one for my wife and decided to give it a try.  With both ear pieces in, no more dizziness and the woods came to life for me again.  I added the polar fleece over the microphone to cut out the wind.  It works pretty good up to about a 25+ mph wind.

I used this while in Kosovo in 2003 and would not even think about going to Iraq or another combat zone without these.  They fit great under a helmet even with sunglasses on. Are comfrotable to wear and don't get hot like muffs do.

They do have a Tactical Game Ear III which is supposed to be compatible with radios.  I can figure it out off the internet how it works with a Motorola FRS radio, but that is about it.  I haven't called to see.

Does anyone know of another style/brand that would be available? and compatible with other radios?

I was at the range today, I shot about 2 rounds out of the AR, just to see what it was like. WOW, pretty loud, not deafening, or even ringing, but I'd be fucked up hearing 25 guys going F/A.

ETA I usually use the foam plugs, I curl them so tight I can use them better than a Q-tip. Now my brain tickles.

I never use hearing protection when I shoot my AR, I only use hearing protection when I’m shooting a high-powered rifles, doesn’t seem to bother me with my AR.

Well it is your hearing to discard if you wish to. Anytime you have ringing in your ears after noise exposure, you have sustaned damage that is not gonna heal or come back. Noise damage is nerve damage and it does not get better. I think any noise above 85db is damaging and you can bet that the report from a AR15 is greater than that. It is a cumulative type of damage, gets worse over time and as we age. I wear hearing aids now because of gunfire. You may think you have no hearing loss now but you do and if you don't notice it now you will as time goes on. But it is your body so.........
On another note, I have been married 20years and back then my hearing was not as bad as it is now. It is pretty bad now, the hearing aids help but still there is a loss. My wife has pointed out that I am handicapped and it affects her, it is a burden to her. Apparently something that she did not sign up for. Something else to consider. I never thought that I would ever be a burden  to anyone.

It’s worth it to throw a spare set of earplugs into the stock of your AR-15. That way you always have a spare set in case you loose or forget yours.

Put me down with the double up crowd.  Plugs and muffs.  I am going to try the electronic muffs ASAP.  After all the years (60s) of rock concerts and getting wasted with the headphones turned all the way up and semi protection while shooting I have no apparent damage to my ears.  At 50 I quit while I was ahead and for the last nine years it's been double up time execpt when I am at the range alone and playing with 22s.  Then it's just plugs.  If there is another person at the range I always double up because you never know what they will pull out of their bag.  Man, after some of the hearing loss stories I hear I consider myself very lucky.

I didn't use hearing protection on the ground in combat, but then, I'm half deaf now. I felt the incoming artillery was cheating, though.

The way I deal with it is that I now get a nice disability check every month from the VA for the hearing I lost while in combat in Iraq. Still can't hear worth a damn and I have constant ringing (Tannitus) but at least Im getting paid for it.

Side note for any vets with hearing loss, When I discharged (Honarable of course) the Army tried to tell me that since I didn't wear issued hearing protection while engaged in combat during the war that I wasnt' albe to get compensation. Wrong go to the VA and file a claim, If you can prove you were in combat and its a direct result of you hearing loss (Line of Duty injury) you are eligible for benefits.

Man o man, I can't even imagine shooting without hearing protection on pourpose! When I was a kid some friends and I went on a camping trip and everybody forgot their ear protection, we were just kids so we said screw it, we are super tuff badasses right? Wrong, everyone who went on that trip to this day has all kinds of hearing problems. And we were just popping of a few dozen .45s.

Quoted: www.users.qwest.net/~ejenny1/photos/gameear.jpg I would still recommend going with something like this.  I started using the Walker Game Ear in 2002 and absolutely love them.  I have worn them for extended times going on 20 hours and they are still comfortable.  The plugs are custom molds made by my daughters audiologist. I started out with just one ear piece, and then started to get nausious and dizzy while wearing it.  Was thinking this was a joke.  I wasted how much on this POS?  Afer talking with the audiologist, it was because my body was attempting to compensate for one ear having "normal" hearing with the ear piece, and the other ear having a reduced hearing due to the ear plug.  I actually had bought one for my wife and decided to give it a try.  With both ear pieces in, no more dizziness and the woods came to life for me again.  I added the polar fleece over the microphone to cut out the wind.  It works pretty good up to about a 25+ mph wind. I used this while in Kosovo in 2003 and would not even think about going to Iraq or another combat zone without these.  They fit great under a helmet even with sunglasses on. Are comfrotable to wear and don't get hot like muffs do. They do have a Tactical Game Ear III which is supposed to be compatible with radios.  I can figure it out off the internet how it works with a Motorola FRS radio, but that is about it.  I haven't called to see. Does anyone know of another style/brand that would be available? and compatible with other radios?

Talked to a guy who wore those on missions and he lost several becasue they fell out of his ear and he did not notice till he was in the chopper flyinh away.  Not cheap and wont stay on your person.  Better to have the muffs under your helmet you cant lose.

Quoted: As a little hijack- what is the consensus: Peltor comtac vs Sordin supreme?  Which is better and why?

Sordin, acording to Pat Rogers, has outlast the Comtacs by a wide margin in the reliability and ruggedness dept.

Yea, my ar seems plenty freakin' loud. It must be the pressures or something with .223 because my mini-14 seems even louder.  My ak's and sks's don't seem as loud though.  I've shot them both a few times without protec. several yrs. ago.  I don't do that crap anymore.

Quoted: Quoted: I never use hearing protection when I shoot my AR, I only use hearing protection when I’m shooting a high-powered rifles, doesn’t seem to bother me with my AR. This is either complete B.S. or incredibly stupid. Seydou

Anyone ever heard of Silencio ear plugs. They have some sort of baffel. I got them at wally world for a song and a dance.

If you don't have Sordins or other muff style, wear your CAEPs.  They may not be perferct, but they allow you to hear enough to get by even on foot patrols.   But you will be able to hear after a fire fight or an IED going off.

I prefer the comtac II to the Sordin.  Both are excellent!

anything is better than nothing.  i can only sleep on one side now, or i wont hear my alarm.

tag