Quoted: That all depends, whats more important, the little bit of hearing lose, or your life......

+1

Quoted: My friends made fun of me when we went to the Metallica concert, and I wore earplugs.

You missed out! That is worth losing a bit of hearing!

I have a constant ringing in one ear from years of loud music capped by standing too close to a speaker at one concert.  Part of my reason for building a suppressed SBR is to have a home defense rifle which will not further damage my hearing should I need to use it.  Life before hearing, but both if you can reasonably have them, right? :)

Quoted: Your body has NO physiological mechanism for preventing hearing damage, short of plugging your ears. Suggesting otherwise is INSANE, bordering on criminal. "Auditory exclusion" is a psychological effect that dictates what you pay attention to; it does not protect against hearing damage, and it cannot synthesize auditory information you need to fight.

That's what I thought, but some time ago on a similar thread (can't remember if it was this board or another), another poster linked an article which indicated that adrenaline initiated swelling of the auditory canal, reducing its exposure to elevated sound pressures.

Don't know if it's true or not, but it may be something to investigate further if someone really wants to know.

Quoted: Quoted: My friends made fun of me when we went to the Metallica concert, and I wore earplugs. You missed out! That is worth losing a bit of hearing!

I could hear fine.  I think I'd have been OK if I had plugs in and was across the street inside a building.  But their concerts rule.  I'm gonna go throw in some creeping death.

Quoted: I think for now, I'll just keep my .45 next to my bed and keep the AR in the safe.

Since when is a .45 quiet?  I don't think there is that much of a difference where one would be more of an advantage.

Go read

its loud as hell

but effective too

HUH?

I keep some electronic ear muffs by the bed ,if any thing sounds amiss they go on first and let me tell you, you would be amazed (at what you can hear with them) then if I need them a glock 45or 9mm both have lights, the AR is in the closet with a light.

Each step up in readiness in my "system" can work alone or together.

That said I like NV for the AR in the home and I have some ideas working in my head so maybe.....

Oh and I think a suppressor on an AR would be bitching.

as mentioned the suppressor would be very cool IMO.  oh, do i wish that the powers that be didn't think my wishing for suppressors on our ump's as unnecessary.  

in my experience using the electronic ear muffs (providing you remember/have time, batteries not dead,etc.) are better than nothing (i don't agree w/ simple disdain of potential hearing loss).  

as i recall in BHD, Mark Bowden quotes Paul Howe as mentioning that he popped out his ear plug at one point so as to better hear talking that was approaching him-turned out to be somalies who apparently didn't realize how loud they were, as they were chattering away.  if Howe wears ear plugs in combat, and he's about got the ultimate and deserved BTDT/ got the t-shirt reputation.  i try to pay attention to actual experience.

the problem that i have experienced w/ the electronic ear muffs (qualification range uses the full ear muff, i can't remember the brand but the microphone faces the rear only.  on the part time tactical team that i've been a member for 6 years, we use those tactical ear things-they look like old fashioned hearing aids- for one ear, radio plug in the other ear), the point i'm getting to is that you hear quite well behind you, but even normal conversations are hard to hear in front of you.
and for us, we're going towards the threat as we clear an area, even though you're going to face a similar problem as you are barricaded and waiting for the calvary.
my $.02.

Quoted: Quoted: I think for now, I'll just keep my .45 next to my bed and keep the AR in the safe. Since when is a .45 quiet?  I don't think there is that much of a difference where one would be more of an advantage.

+1 a .45 is more painful and louder than a 5.56 any day of the week unless you have a 5.56 SBR.

I shot a coon in a steel building with an AR.  My ears were ringing for at least an hour.  I doubt that you would be affected by the noise in a gunfight.  Sure you are damaging your hearing but hell...i don't plan on lasting forever.  I'll take my chances when it comes to home defense.

Quoted: Soldiers fired off Garands and BARs in houses fighting the Nazis without being stunned. If you end up having to shoot some SOB in your house use the AR, the ringing in your ears will be the least of your problems.

and our soldiers today usnign the m16 and saw in houses...just look ath the fighting in falujah

I dont care what anyone says, if there is even a remote chance of me being hurt or killed, I'm pullng the trigger till the threat is gone, hearing loss or not. While someone is slipping on the ear muffs that's 3 extra seconds some scumbag is raping your daughter in the next room, or stabbing your newborn son to death.

after the first shot everything was muffled, but I could still hear, and thats after fireing a 357,  it happened in my garage doorway. My 20Ar wasn't as bad indoors.