Hearing Protection?

[Delight523]

I was at a large event this weekend and noticed nobody on the firing line was wearing any ear protection that I could see. This was a living history shoot at a historic site. I got a good look at many sets of ears and didn’t see anyone using them.

I also attended a little class about how to fire a flintlock rifle, with some live fire at the end. It was a lot of fun but no ear pro was provided to the students and the instructors didn’t wear any either. I fired two shots with none and it wasn’t too bad. The gun was loaded fairly light.

Do you wear ear protection when shooting your flintlocks or percussions? If so, why or why not? Thanks!

 

[ElDiablo]

Absolutely! Hard to believe anyone wouldn’t these days at a range or event. I’ve shot thousands of rounds hunting not wearing it and my ears paid the price.

 

[michiganmuzzy]

Yes sir. Even if its just the foam ear plugs. But usually I'm wearing electronic Walker Razors.

 

[bronko220002]

HUH? What's that? LOL. Yes at 70 years young I've shot many times without hearing protection and now need hearing aids. Now I don't really need other hearing protection because my devices shut down any damaging noise.
Before I got the hearing aids my audiologist recommended both ear plugs and muffs even when cutting the grass.
I strongly recommend both hearing and eye protection when shooting.

 

[toytruck]

I do at the range, everytime. Also eye protection. I can't believe all the folks not wearing either!
I don't use ear muffs or anything when hunting, but wear glasses so the eyes are covered.

 

[biggamehunter78]

I was at a large event this weekend and noticed nobody on the firing line was wearing any ear protection that I could see. This was a living history shoot at a historic site. I got a good look at many sets of ears and didn’t see anyone using them.

I also attended a little class about how to fire a flintlock rifle, with some live fire at the end. It was a lot of fun but no ear pro was provided to the students and the instructors didn’t wear any either. I fired two shots with none and it wasn’t too bad. The gun was loaded fairly light.

Do you wear ear protection when shooting your flintlocks or percussions? If so, why or why not? Thanks!

That’s because they’re either stupid or too full of bravado. They’ll pay the piper someday, but that point it’s too late. Ask any old guy with hearing aids.

 

[dakotamar]

HUH? What's that? LOL. Yes at 70 years young I've shot many times without hearing protection and now need hearing aids. Now I don't really need other hearing protection because my devices shut down any damaging noise.
Before I got the hearing aids my audiologist recommended both ear plugs and muffs even when cutting the grass.
I strongly recommend both hearing and eye protection when shooting.

that is probably good advise, I always wear muffs when cutting the grass, snowblowing anything that is noisy. already paying the price for a life of hard rocking, snowmobiling etc without any. tinnitus has doubled in the last year and not sure what caused that. I did have ear issues after the second covid shot and it's been down hill since then.

when shooting now, anything that is not black powder or cowboy loads, get both molded plugs and muffs. for cowboy I got the molded plugs.

 

[vintovka]

We live near an ATV park. I see folks from like 6 to 80 riding and standing around without hearing protection, I still have calibrated noise recording noise dosimeters and both routinely peg at 120 to 135+ Db with long durations. I find it uncomfortable even with 28+ Db ear phones. No wonder hearing aid companies are doing so well.

 

[Felonious]

I went duck hunting for the first time with some guys who had been doing it their whole lives, and I was the only one wearing ear protection. I think it's kind of a macho manly thing, but you know what else is manly? Being able to hear when I get older.

To each his own, but unless I'm hunting something where I will only be firing once, I always wear ear protection.

 

[vintovka]

As you can see from my avatar i spent some time around jet engines. We all thought it was a joke and rarely put on earphones unless barked at by the first Sargent. Now in mid 70's am paying the price. Not so much hearing loss but constant loud tinnitus (ringing) and ear thumping that wakes me up almost every night. (pulsile tinnitus). VA is giving me $5000+ hearing aids with "dampers". Hope they work.

 

[Waxxy]

Your ears are a terrible thing to waste.

 

[JeffB1961]

i got a pair of walker 500BT because i abused my ears when great rock was still being made and i worked with power tools and loud radios on jobsites for a few decades . i wanna protect what i have left .

 

[MrTom]

The club I belong to requires ear and eye protection whenever one is on the line or immediately behind it.

 

[anonymouscowherd]

I can't stand lots of abstract noise, and I really like hearing the birds tweet and such so I am paranoid about ear protection. Big auditorium meetings, concerts, dance recitals, and any time I'm shooting (exception is hunting, one shot is OK)

 

[vintovka]

Think we may be seeing side effects of so many with damaged hearing. Hearing is key to learning. The number of folks today who cannot spell or communicate properly is astounding.

 

[Wil]

Well the United States Army didn't know any better about hearing protection either. We never had hearing protection in the Nam and when after two tours over there and got out of the Army,I tried to get a job at General Motors and couldn't land a job because I failed the hearing test. Since then the VA covered my hearing aids. I take them out when shooting and wear my hearing muff protectors along with specials molds that I had made.

 

[.45er]

Yes sir. Even if its just the foam ear plugs. But usually I'm wearing electronic Walker Razors.

I've even stuffed a piece of tissue paper in my ears if I forgot my ear plugs. Better than nothing.
You gotta protect them ears to hear those deer coming.

 

[anonymouscowherd]

Think we may be seeing side effects of so many with damaged hearing. Hearing is key to learning. The number of folks today who cannot spell or communicate properly is astounding.

I work in education and teach as an adjunct at the "grade 13 and 14" level (ie, what used to be community colleges). It is the relaxing of requirements AND the constant video feed of the past 20 years playing catch up.

You see the same in older people who only consume via TV etc and never read books growing up.

 

[GLenn]

I haven't been able to hear a deer walking in the leaves for many years!!
A lot of shooting, dove hunting, as a teenager and a lot of chain saws for 4 or 5 years without protection did me in!!

 

[JeffB1961]

critical thinking is becoming more and more rare along with being objective .