Ear plugs or muffs, passive or electronic?

ruger22 · Post by **ruger22** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 8:50 pm

(See previous post ranting on earmuff quality. )

I have an assortment. I have several pairs of $3 earplugs, a couple of pairs of the Radians Cease Fire baffle plugs, and just bought a couple of pairs of Leight LOF muffs. I'm throwing out some $10 Radians muffs that barely survived ten range trips.

The electronic muffs sound useful, but I'm not happy spending that much, and they don't look too durable, anyway.

Anybody else have a preference in type of hearing protection, or brand, or model?

I'm happy with $3 plugs shooting just rimfire. Some guy shows up beside me with a centerfire cannon, the muffs come out and my irritation level goes way up...........

bigfatdave · Post by **bigfatdave** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 9:34 pm

Plugs always, I add muffs for enclosed ranges, extended shooting, and/or cannons.
Cheapo muffs do the job, I got two no-name sets with cheap muffs and some crappy yellow-tinted shooting glasses I left at my conservation club's range for public use.

Of course, my plugs are ones I snag from work, and are pretty damn good plugs. I use the silicone kind with multiple soft baffles. They clean up just by washing with your hands, and I've never worn out a pair, I've only lost them.
MrsBFD likes foamies, I can't stand something expanding in my ear so we've experimented with industrial ones and retail ones, she likes the elongated cones best.

blue68f100 · Post by **blue68f100** » Sun Feb 21, 2010 9:19 am

I use to use both ear plugs (foam) and muffs. Now I only use the electronic ProEars muffs. I did send them back to be checked due to pink noise and hurting my ear. They replaced the electonics in one ear and replaced the pads with a slightly thicker model and that did the trick. I do not turn them on at the indoor range, just way too loud even though they clamp at 70 db. These are rated at 33NNR which is the highest in the industry. I'm thinking about getting their non-electronic model for guest and my shop. Their leather ear pads make them very comfortable.

Post by **Bullseye** » Sun Feb 21, 2010 3:18 pm

Both plugs and muffs for me. I use individually molded plugs in addition to my regular ear muffs.

R,
Bullseye

Bud33 · Post by **Bud33** » Sun Feb 21, 2010 5:02 pm

I scored a pair of muffs from a Navy jet mechanic back in the early 60's (not that I'm really that old) and have used them ever since... Work good- - - last long time

Matt_S · Post by **Matt_S** » Mon Feb 22, 2010 10:37 am

I have been using one or the other at outside ranges. Plugs are a lot more comfortable when shooting rifles. If I ever went to an indoor range, I would really consider both.

blue68f100 · Post by **blue68f100** » Mon Feb 22, 2010 2:14 pm

I have a dB meter that I have had for years. I will dig it out and see actually how loud it is at an indoor range. It has record function if I recall so it will register the peak percussions. I think it's max is only 120dB so it may get pegged out. I will try to note on what is being shot near me and location to the side walls. It will be a couple of weeks before I will be able to make a range trip.

My ears are pretty sensitive to noise. I can shoot a 22 rifle without plugs but not a pistol. A 20ga shotgun but not a 12 ga without hearing protection. If someone is shooting a 12 ga, I have to make sure I keep my distance and to the left side if a auto.

This should give everyone a reference as to how much NNR is required to get the nose level down to <80dB.

greener · Post by **greener** » Mon Feb 22, 2010 5:49 pm

I use the highest NRR (Noise Reduction Rating) muffs I can find. These are usually 27-29 db. This means they will reduce the noise by whatever the NRR is. If you use two devices (plugs and muffs) you get 10-15 db additional combined. For example, a set of muffs with a 29 dba NRR and ear plugs at about 28 NRR will give you 40-45 dba reduction.

I'm sensitive to noise because I didn't wear more than plugs and sometimes none when I was handling misfires around real cannons. My ears ring loudly and I have about a 30% hearing loss. No fun. Plugs and muffs are the best way.

bearandoldman · Post by **bearandoldman** » Mon Feb 22, 2010 7:03 pm

greener wrote:I use the highest NRR (Noise Reduction Rating) muffs I can find. These are usually 27-29 db. This means they will reduce the noise by whatever the NRR is. If you use two devices (plugs and muffs) you get 10-15 db additional combined. For example, a set of muffs with a 29 dba NRR and ear plugs at about 28 NRR will give you 40-45 dba reduction.

I'm sensitive to noise because I didn't wear more than plugs and sometimes none when I was handling misfires around real cannons. My ears ring loudly and I have about a 30% hearing loss. No fun. Plugs and muffs are the best way.

Huuuuh!!!. what you say?????

greener · Post by **greener** » Mon Feb 22, 2010 8:21 pm

bearandoldman wrote:
greener wrote:I use the highest NRR (Noise Reduction Rating) muffs I can find. These are usually 27-29 db. This means they will reduce the noise by whatever the NRR is. If you use two devices (plugs and muffs) you get 10-15 db additional combined. For example, a set of muffs with a 29 dba NRR and ear plugs at about 28 NRR will give you 40-45 dba reduction.

I'm sensitive to noise because I didn't wear more than plugs and sometimes none when I was handling misfires around real cannons. My ears ring loudly and I have about a 30% hearing loss. No fun. Plugs and muffs are the best way.
Huuuuh!!!. what you say?????

The noise reduction isn't strictly additive.

Matt_S · Post by **Matt_S** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 9:03 am

I had better start doubling up!

blue68f100 · Post by **blue68f100** » Tue Mar 02, 2010 5:20 pm

I took my old Radio Shack dB meter to the indoor range with me this morning. Years back I checked it against a certified unit and calibrator for accuracy. It was running pretty much dead on ±0.1dB. I was getting reading of 115-117 dBA fast sampling from a guy shooting a 357mag next to me. There was a divider between us. There were only 4 shooters in this section of the range this morning. The other 2 were down on the other end. I had the meter setting on my bench next to my brass catcher. So it was shielded from direct blast shock wave noise. My Sig P229 9mm was running under 110dBA, it was the only gun that had a direct line of sight to my meter. So with those numbers in mind and OSHA says any thing over 80 is damaging to your ears it will take a 37+NNR hearing protection. The only way to get that is to double up. Looks like I need to start doubling up again.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 5:09 pm

Decibels are on a logarithmic scale where every 3dB is a doubling or halving of the perceived loudness, so the difference between 27 and 30dB is actually pretty big.

I double up, too: foam earplugs under muffs. My hearing is definitely worth more than a box or two of ammo.

ruger22 · Post by **ruger22** » Sat Mar 20, 2010 8:33 pm

Just got to use my new Leight LOF muffs (original post) last weekend. They are rated 27 dB reduction. Two guys next to me, outdoors, had several .45 pistols and an AR. The muffs were fine against that, and I could still make out conversation between rounds. Comfortable, too. Works for me........