Thread: Hearing protection?

Well I figure this fits in with Firearm safety.
I'm wanting 'something' better than the 3M corded ear plugs I currently use.
I have 3M ear muffs (class 5), but they are too bulky to allow a close fit against the gun stock.
So I'm looking for a decent set of passive ear muffs that are slim enough to not clunk against the gun stock when I'm shooting (indoor rimfire benchrest only).
A .22 is not too noisy but when you are sitting in with a detail of shooters there is a fair bit of noise.
So...Class 5, slim style ear cups, not made in China rubbish (if possible?).
I see these, and they are Class 5. Any good?
https://www.earjobs.co.nz/collection...32555944149066

Or the Perazzi Peltor maybe?
https://www.reloaders.co.nz/shop/Man...+Earmuffs.html

I don't really have a need for electronic ear muffs.
Just want a set of passive ear muffs that work nicely.
Any other thoughts?
Thanks.

Think outside of the box.

I use Sony WH-1000XM4 noise cancelling headphones for smallbore (benchrest) and fullbore shooting.

Lightweight, comfortable, effective, USB-C rechargeable. Cheaper than proper electronic earmuffs.

You can configure them to be able to hear the Range Officer without compromising their noise cancelling functionality.

I don't use them outdoors if rain threatens.

Head in to a safety shop that stocks a decent range and try and few. The different brands and models do fit differently...

Im using the 3m peltors that you linked,
Ive not encountered any issues with muffs contacting the gun stocks, fairly comfortable, more so than some howard leight muffs brought at the same time which are also larger in the cup and will contact the stock,
Used the peltors with 12 gauge, 303 and 243 all of which I'd consider comfortable noise wise with the muffs,

also pretty sure these are the same muffs, I brought mine from blackwoods
https://nzsafetyblackwoods.co.nz/en/...en-each-410179

Originally Posted by NAKED_GOOSE

Im using the 3m peltors that you linked,
Ive not encountered any issues with muffs contacting the gun stocks, fairly comfortable, more so than some howard leight muffs brought at the same time which are also larger in the cup and will contact the stock,
Used the peltors with 12 gauge, 303 and 243 all of which I'd consider comfortable noise wise with the muffs,

also pretty sure these are the same muffs, I brought mine from blackwoods
https://nzsafetyblackwoods.co.nz/en/...en-each-410179

Yep, these are what I now wear. Slimmer than the big Peltor dark green jobbies, and seem to have more clamping force to keep noise from sneaking in around the sides.

My memory is going...I don't have 3m ear muffs, I have those big fat dark green Peltor H7F.
Yeah, they are a tad big.
Went to Blackwoods this afternoon and the cup size looks to be about the same ear size as the Peltor ones (but they are slimmer).
I grabbed a few Class 5 foam plugs for now.
I did like the look of these. Slim ear cups, and foldable.
https://nzsafetyblackwoods.co.nz/en/...w-each--436026

3M bought up Peltor.

They are the same thing.

Thanks @XR500 that explains why I thought I had 3M muffs.
OK...quick idea...what if I bought these on ear headphones. Nothing fancy. Won't need to listen to music through them. Bung in foam ear plugs, fit these headphones on top and I 'should' be happy with incoming sound levels then? As they are 'on ear' and not 'over ear' then I shouldn't have any clunking issues ('cos they are smaller in size).
https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/HST...phones---Black
Yeah, those Sony 'phones that @Cyclops has are over $400. I'm OK with something a tad cheaper!

Howard leight and 3m both do inexpensive slim lines.


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howard leights dont last that long- i use to sell em years ago, out of 20 there d be at least 1 return and 1 fix for client, its why i stopped selling them, they were half the price of peltors though with a slimmer fit, ms got 1 pair which is still going 15 years later, if they fail , they fail within 2-3 months, peltor 3m is defn better IMO

Originally Posted by Cyclops

Think outside of the box.

I use Sony WH-1000XM4 noise cancelling headphones for smallbore (benchrest) and fullbore shooting.

Lightweight, comfortable, effective, USB-C rechargeable. Cheaper than proper electronic earmuffs.

You can configure them to be able to hear the Range Officer without compromising their noise cancelling functionality.

I don't use them outdoors if rain threatens.

Are they that good?
I would have doubted any consumer ANR headphone would attenuate the impulse noise of a gunshot enough to be hearing safe.

I have a set of custom moulded passive-impulse ear plugs! I got them supplied and the impressions taken by Bay Audiology. They are very good in most shooting applications, and extremely comfortable. I can easily wear them for 8-10ths each day for a couple of days without them getting sore and being flush with your ear they don’t interfere with cheek weld.

The passive filter closes when it is hit with a sudden increase of air pressure, so doesn’t require batteries etc. I find them adequate for magnum calibres even braked when outdoors. Shooting indoors or undercover can be still a little loud with some firearms (mainly pistol). I think they are rated at 33db NRR when the impulse filter closes and about 18db as the baseline.

Thanks @Oli1102 I have had my hearing-aids ear plugs cast by Bay Audiology, and those moulded passive-impulse ear plugs may be the answer.
I'd still wear ear muffs over them too.
Just read an interesting article about shooting and ear muffs, etc...a gun shot is about 120 decibels.
Hearing damage/loss can occur >85dB. So take a baseline ear muff giving protection of (say) 25dB, take that 25dB off the 120dB of a gunshot = 95dB that you are still 'hearing'.
Way above the range of the hearing loss damage limit of 85dB.
I'd never really thought about those numbers before, but will be real careful now as I've already lost 30% hearing (thanks to NZ Army, tinnitus, etc).
I'm not an audiologist so I don't know if that is really how dB levels work re ear muffs/gunshots, etc. Maybe one of you can advise?
If that really is how the dB levels work, then most of us are way under in our hearing protection levels.

You have to remember with earmuffs that they go down a rating if not tight to your skin. So class 5 become class 4 if you wear glasses etc.

Originally Posted by Happy Jack

You have to remember with earmuffs that they go down a rating if not tight to your skin. So class 5 become class 4 if you wear glasses etc.

Yes, quite right.
I see on a US forum that they like the gel pads on the ear cups as they seal better. The old Kiwi normal of soft foam is not all that good at sealing out the sound.
Memory foam may be slightly better, but gel pads seem to be the way to go.