So I went to the local indoor range with the AR. (took my buddy who had never shot a gun before) I was wearing the range "muffs" cause I didn't have my earplugs with me. So I line up my shot through the sights and relax before I fired. As a I pulled the trigger, I got a sharp reminder that my hearing protection wasn't on right. Damn did that hurt. Not more than 4 rounds later it happened again. Now by this time my hearing is fucked! So I get pissed and go buy some ear plugs and keep shooting away. 6 days later my hearing is still messed up!!!!!!! Does this ever happen to any of you guys?

It has happened a few times.  I fired an M1 without plugs in once.

I once shot a fifty with one of the muffs jjuuuussstttt a tiny bit off (good cheek weld?).  Holy Crap did that hurt for an hour or so...ugh.  Rang off and on for a week

yeah I've got the ringing. Sometime it sounds like somebody is talking to me through a can sometimes too. Man it sucks!!!!!!!

Btownboy: Should've spent the money for the plugs, they would be cheapest thing you bought that day. Hearing loss from what I understand, is a cumulative thing, ie your hearing doesn't return completely before the ringing etc, and little is lost everytime you do that and its permanent.

How do all the grunts have any kind of hearing left?  I always wondered about VN and how they could possibly hear others in the jungle.

I've had hearing probs just from .223 and 12 ga.  for a day or two.

just asking anyone who knows...

Man that's a good question, cause my ear is screwed from TWO rounds!

I'm not a anal guy about safety, but my ears always get plugs AND muffs, or I don't shoot. My ears are the last thing in the world I would want to lose.

ahh the dreaded muzzle break. I have one on my Oly-M4gery. DAMN is that thing loud. I like being at the range though. With every pull of the trigger, everyone on the line jumps and looks at me wondering what the hell is so loud. haha the girlfriend just laughs at all the people jumping and flinching!!!!!!!

I shot my .50 once and forgot that I had my muffs on above my ears because I was talking to my friends. It felt worse than getting punched by a bitch-boy.

Yep.  Had a black cat go off about 5 feet away 3 years ago on the 4th.  Freak deal as far as the hearing damage.  My ear (left) rang for a week, so I finally went to the ear doc.  

Results:  I have tinnitus.  Deaf in my left ear at 3800 MHZ.  Permanent.

There are two types of hearing damage.  Prolonged exposure damage - like working around power equip, shooting alot without plugs, etc.  Or Acute, which is what I got (and sounds like you did).  1 time freak deal that damages your hearing permanently.  

Go get a hearing test.  If it is permanent, your brain will eventually filter the ring out most of the time.  It's a bitch for the 1st few months though.  Can't sleep for shit!  

Or, you may go crazy and cut off your ears like Van Gogh (he had tinnitus)

I have had lots of worse noise experiences with no appreciable damage before, especially when I was a kid.  The sad part is, I was showing my son hoew to light a firecracke ron the ground when it went off.  Doc said it just happens to hit the right MHZ cycle at the right angle and your ear hairs (for lack of a better word) at that range are toast.

FWIW I wear ear plugs for EVERYTHING now, from mowing to power tools.  Just like your eye protection, you only get 2 ears.

Good luck and hope yours is temporary.

what's that?   between shooting and rock concerts and playing in bands...i'm doomed.

I think there's something with adreneline that shuts off your hearing and protects it?  Just a guess, but....

I don't deerhunt with ear protection.  I probably should.  But if I only shoot once, I barely hear the shot.  Now if I go to the range it's loud as hell (30-06).

Couple years ago I ended up dumping an entire mag at a deer (5 rounds total).  The 4th and 5th rounds were loud as hell, the previous three were like a .22.

Yes, I did get it.  3 holes COM.  Damn thing went 200 yards without lungs or a heart.

Permanent hearing damage (tinnitus) in my left ear from ONE shot of a 44mag when I was really stupid 15 years ago....

Quoted: Permanent hearing damage (tinnitus) in my left ear from ONE shot of a 44mag when I was really stupid 15 years ago....

+1   me too!    

about 1988, I fired my 44 mag with light loads which have a much sharper pitch and damage hearing worse than magnum loads in my opinion, I didnt have hearing protection just for one shot, me ears have been ringing ever since ......

I messed my hearing up by having two 10" Kicker Solo-Baric subs, a 500 watt amp, four 6X9s, and two tweeters in my single cab pick up back in high school.

That and the combined occasional 30 round magizine form the AR-15 and hunting with out hearing protection did some damage.

I still can't hear very well and I'm only 24.  The ringing in my ears has become my friend.

Quoted: Quoted: Permanent hearing damage (tinnitus) in my left ear from ONE shot of a 44mag when I was really stupid 15 years ago.... Hog hunting with an AK74 brake on a 16" AR15 got me i nmy right ear.  Mild hearing loss,  after 12-18 rounds unprotected. Dumb... TRG PS.  but, I did kill three hogs on the run, offhand from 175+ yards!  w00t!

nice shooting.

my ears are ringing right now.

I have worked around loud machinery, raced cars, and I shoot.  HUH?

Now I am almost 50, and I con't hear the last 5 or 6 notes on a keyboard.  I don't know why they call it ringing, it sounds more like a screeching turbocharger..  Ops

Spend the $85 and get the peltor "tactical" (slim line) from midway.

Best money you will ever spend. You can hear, and you never 'pull one up' to hear during lulls in shooting, which means you never forget to put it back down prior to shooting.

1991 We heard some pretty loud sh*t , GW1...ears ring for a week.
Shooting any rifle without hearing protection just once isn't really a good idea. That kind of hearing loss is permanent and doesn't come back.  Actually when at the indoor place I try to wear plugs w/ muffs.   Word to the wise: protect your hearing, its not one of your organs that can actually repair itself.

Quoted: Hog hunting with an AK74 brake on a 16" AR15

AK brake on an AR is the most painful experience Ive ever had with a gun ....

Can you say that again.......I didn't hear you........