Thread: Hunting without a suppressor.......... ear plugs or cop the lot?

How did you get Toby to model for you ?

Easy

Originally Posted by Gibo

Easy

Blackmail??

Originally Posted by Pengy

Blackmail??

Don't be racist!

Seems to be a theme here.
The older you get the worse your hearing gets. Simple as that.
I could blame shooting/hunting for my deteriorating hearing as I have never used plugs or muffs for hunting (always at the range though) and suppressors are a fairly recent thing. Or I could blame loud music, aircraft or motorcycles for my worsening hearing but it seems no worse than my non hunting mates of the same age. My 92 year old mother is a deaf as a post and she has never been hunting.
I don't think normal hunting without protection is a massive danger to you hearing unless the sound of the shot actually hurts your ears so don't stress about. Just use plugs/muffs at the range or when it is convenient.

Show us a photo of your safety glasses, h'mm Elton John comes to mind

If your using them purely for hunting just grab a set of sonic defendors will set you back about $30. That way even if you hardly ever use them its no great loss...
I use them for ducks etc but for that one off shot its too much hassle.

Get a can for your bush rig, they weigh like 200g and are pretty reasonably priced.

You only get one set, so I for one want to look after them

I have worn muffs for 30+ years making Joinery.

When I was shooting Goats or firing multiple shots in the field I would always put plugs in.

Now when hunting with a braked rifle or multiple shots with a suppressed or non-suppressed rifle I use electronic muffs.

At the range or shooting steel/rocks etc I always use plugs & muffs.

Hunting in the bush etc when likely to fire a single shot with an un-braked or un-suppressed rifle I don't bother unless I have time

I generally have plugs with me all the time hunting.

We get our hearing tested every year, I have some loss but not gun related apparently, wrong frequency they tell me every time....

Look after your hearing it is precious, but it diminishes with age

After nine years in a noise rich environment (factory) and seeing what not wearing ear-pro does to people at the same time as wearing it myself and not suffering the same loss - I've always worn muffs or plugs while shooting, and always will.

I'm thinking about switching to these, instead of my bulky Grade five muffs which makes a good cheek weld challenging.

Allen Ultra Light Sound Sensor Hearing Protection Orange - Ear Protection - Accessories - Reloaders Supplies Ltd

They're only the equivalent of Grade four (NRR 26) but with a Can they should be fine.

I've always protected my ears because they are so damned sensitive. To @TimeRider's annoyance I can nigh on hear when she drops a thought pattern. Even with a suppressed rifle I use electronic ear muffs or plugs when pest hunting where a number of shots are likely to be fired. If I'm only expecting one or two shots on the trip it will be suppressor only.

I don't really understand people who won't have a suppressor because they are ugly. The rifle is a tool and as long as it does it's job well I don't care what it looks like. I do care about it's accuracy, fit, function and quietness. Have never hunted without a suppressor and just consider the weight to be what it is, just man up and suck it up.

I recently got a DPT Suppressor for my .270, and it is great. Still wear ear protection whenever i can, but it is A LOT softer on the ears when i dont have ear protection, well worth the money imo.

With 2 minutes of research you'd discover it's pretty obvious that basically all unsuppressed centerfires will cause permanent hearing damage with every shot, whether your ears ring or not.

Suppress it, or wear some form of ear protection. Or both. Anything else is just stupid. Stalking and a one off fast shot at a deer I can sort of understand, but just be aware you will be trading some hearing loss for that deer.

Then again i'm influenced by how much deaf people piss me off (note: only when it's self inflicted of course!!). Because they were too stupid/arrogant to protect their hearing I now have to yell or repeat myself. That just fucks me off .

I was at the range about 6 months ago and I forgot to put my left side muff on standing next to a braked AR and my ear has been ghslitly sore now and then ever since. Should probably get it checked.

Even suppressed is too loud for me.
I use electronic muffs you can hear better than normal, there an advantage.