Thread: Hearing protection

Originally Posted by Rushy

Cups hands to ears and says "come again Dundee, what was that"

Pump action Rushy....what

Look after your ears even when shooting a .22 Being half deaf with a shithouse full of mozzies buzzing away is not remotely funny. After years as a PH with recoil retards and their damn muzzle brakes leads to too many "Sorry, beg your pardon, didn't catch that."

I went shooting with the 17hmr today. I was lying in wait for some varmints to show their heads, got a rabbit and tried to get another, whilst lying and waiting I had no problem wearing ear plugs.
But when I went walking, ear plugs seemed to majorly mess up mu situational awareness. Sure using a chainsaw or a loud tool it works fine as you are doing that one job. But walking through trees, over fences, and over rough ground, it just felt wrong.

Yep tinitus is a bitch, I wish I could cure mine

Remember that you cannot hear leaves rustling and the slight sounds deer make once your hearing is gone. Ever hunted with a mate when you're behind him and you see or hear something he doesn't and you go "pssst" and he doesn't hear you? You can't hear that over tinnitus or with hearing loss.

Even a semi-suppressor reduces the muzzle blast below the alleged damage threshold (and works a good as a muzzle break - excuse the pun). Any load noise hurts my ears and the tinnitus has multiple frequencies (prolly not caused by gunshot) and it's not funny at all!

Anyway, I always wear ear muffs when others are shooting or just ear plugs worn sideways with my semi-suppressor even when hunting (when I get to go hunting). That way I can still hear the leaves rustling (when the tinnitus isn't so bad).

Evidently it only takes one blast to cause some damage. I wear them all the time except when hunting. I have already damaged my hearing and not yet 50. I suppressed a lot of my hunting rifles (not just for this reason though) which helped and so did my mates.