Muffs or plugs? and what brand?



TIA

Take it from a guy who can't hear the phone ring one room away. Plugs and muffs. Wish I had been a little smarter when I was younger. Just get a bunch of those foam plugs and some muffs rated in the 20's and you'll be doing fine.

I SECOND THAT!! Sorry for yelling. I do the plug and muff deal too. When at the line and shooting I have on both and then take off the muffs while in the general area. I shoot at outdoor rnages mostly. You can still communicate with the plugs in.


ByteTheBullet   (-:

I say both also. I am suffering with severe tinnitus - it is so bad some nights I often wonder how I go to sleep and I should be using a hearing aid. But my stupidity wasn't just shooting w/o protection - I also raced cars with open headers and was in a rock band when younger. Do everything in your power to protect your hearing.

Amplified active noise cancellation is the way to go if you can afford it.  With plugs- if you can stand it.  I have the peltors. Work great, fold up, comfortable and fairly cheap.

Whatever is comfortable.

Protection wise, they are pretty comparable with the best plugs giving a few more dbA protection (roughly 32-33) than the best muffs (30-32).

Adding the two together doesn't "add" the protection, but does reduce total exposure by another 6 db or so (if I remember correctly).

I personally use plugs just because they are cheap and disposible (no cleaning) and they take next to no space in my shooting bag.

Still, if you want the extra protection of both, I won't poo poo the idea.

Please be aware also that the bones in head also coduct sound waves. Even though you are wearing plugs and muffs, you could suffer some hearing damage especially if you are firing 44mag loads. I had a hearing test once, and the guy could tell that I was a right handed shooter because of my minute hearing loss curve.

Definitely both.

Another vote for both muffs and plugs.

I use MAX ear plugs from [url=http://dillonprecision.com/template/p.cfm?maj=7&min=1&dyn=1&]Dillon Precision[/url].  You can get them in bulk for a pretty decent price.  I use Pro Ears electronic ear muffs.  They're kind of expensive, but they allow me to hear conversations yet block harmful noise levels.  As for non-electronic ear muffs, Peltor is a good brand.

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For pistol shooting in large calibers like .357mag, .44mag, .480, .454 casual, or .50 S&W use plugs and muffs

Other pistol calibers muffs or plugs are fine.

All rifles I shoot usaually only plugs. Muffs get in the way.

 If I'm in bed MUFFS ONLY!