Whats options are there for ear protection around the $50 range? Right now I have caldwell electronic muffs, and a couple different sets of cheap plugs. I shoot, bolt guns, some with brakes, AR's, pistols, and shotguns. The inlaws always spend 50 on me for christmas and I don't have much else I'm interested in. I like the plug style better than muffs due to muffs interfering with my cheek weld. Thanks in advance.
Hearing protection for $50.00?
- Thread starter bjordan
- Start date
Re: Hearing protection for $50.00?
BEST hearing protection is ear plugs. Sorry to rain on the parade. I've used nothing but ear plugs for over 40 years, been exposed to all kinds of noise, high energy stuff (mortars, artillery fire, around the side of M1 tank gunnery, as a gun bunny, with a .50 cal MG as a scout, and behind a 25 MM Bushmaster, worked where we stepped out of perfectly good airplanes and wore floppy green hats (they're all designed to crash)... been shooting civilian stuff for the past 12 plus years. Ear plugs work the best because they are a physical barrier to sound and air. Even tho they're not sexy they work every time and they stop high frequency hearing loss. Now I'm a dinosaur but for my money, I'd rather use ear plugs than anything else because, the circuits don't fail, the batteries don't need to be recharged and if you leave them on the bench and go answer nature's call or walk down range during a cease fire, I can guarantee nobody will walk away with them, even if they do, you're out about a quarter or even a whole half dollar maybe as much as five bucks. The plus side of ear plugs is that they don't interfere with your sight alignment or sight picture. That's why I still use them and of course because I'm a cheap bastard but that's another story for another time.
Electronic ear protection? Tell your out-laws to give you a gift card for the money and spend it on a good bottle of Vodka for you and your bride. The real reason I suggest to everyone that they use plugs is separation during recoil. Muffs move, plugs don't. Hearing can't be repaired or replaced very easily. Trust me on that one, seen lots of guys with bad hearing and luckily, I'm not one of them.
Again, ear plugs man. They always work as advertised or better and you don't have to recharge or replace the batteries.
BEST hearing protection is ear plugs. Sorry to rain on the parade. I've used nothing but ear plugs for over 40 years, been exposed to all kinds of noise, high energy stuff (mortars, artillery fire, around the side of M1 tank gunnery, as a gun bunny, with a .50 cal MG as a scout, and behind a 25 MM Bushmaster, worked where we stepped out of perfectly good airplanes and wore floppy green hats (they're all designed to crash)... been shooting civilian stuff for the past 12 plus years. Ear plugs work the best because they are a physical barrier to sound and air. Even tho they're not sexy they work every time and they stop high frequency hearing loss. Now I'm a dinosaur but for my money, I'd rather use ear plugs than anything else because, the circuits don't fail, the batteries don't need to be recharged and if you leave them on the bench and go answer nature's call or walk down range during a cease fire, I can guarantee nobody will walk away with them, even if they do, you're out about a quarter or even a whole half dollar maybe as much as five bucks. The plus side of ear plugs is that they don't interfere with your sight alignment or sight picture. That's why I still use them and of course because I'm a cheap bastard but that's another story for another time.
Electronic ear protection? Tell your out-laws to give you a gift card for the money and spend it on a good bottle of Vodka for you and your bride. The real reason I suggest to everyone that they use plugs is separation during recoil. Muffs move, plugs don't. Hearing can't be repaired or replaced very easily. Trust me on that one, seen lots of guys with bad hearing and luckily, I'm not one of them.
Again, ear plugs man. They always work as advertised or better and you don't have to recharge or replace the batteries.
Re: Hearing protection for $50.00?
The best electronic muffs for $50 and under, in my opinion, are the Howard Leight Impact Sport Electronic Earmuffs. They work extremely well, especially considering the price, and I believe you'll find a lot of testimonials on here and elsewhere pertaining to them.
http://www.overstock.com/Sports-Toys/How...html?cid=123620
The best electronic muffs for $50 and under, in my opinion, are the Howard Leight Impact Sport Electronic Earmuffs. They work extremely well, especially considering the price, and I believe you'll find a lot of testimonials on here and elsewhere pertaining to them.
http://www.overstock.com/Sports-Toys/How...html?cid=123620
Re: Hearing protection for $50.00?
Thanks guys, plug style is what I'm looking for, just thought there may be something better than the cheapies I use now.
Thanks guys, plug style is what I'm looking for, just thought there may be something better than the cheapies I use now.
Re: Hearing protection for $50.00?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: XxMerlinxX</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The best electronic muffs for $50 and under, in my opinion, are the Howard Leight Impact Sport Electronic Earmuffs.</div></div>
This is what I use. When shooting particularly obnoxious stuff, I wear a set of earplugs under the muffs and just turn up the volume.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: XxMerlinxX</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The best electronic muffs for $50 and under, in my opinion, are the Howard Leight Impact Sport Electronic Earmuffs.</div></div>
This is what I use. When shooting particularly obnoxious stuff, I wear a set of earplugs under the muffs and just turn up the volume.
Re: Hearing protection for $50.00?
Surefire EP3s are your best bet for earplugs. Buy a couple pair of them and call it a day. They are better than regular old plugs. If you can keep from losing them, they will last you a good while and provide great protection.
Surefire EP3s are your best bet for earplugs. Buy a couple pair of them and call it a day. They are better than regular old plugs. If you can keep from losing them, they will last you a good while and provide great protection.
Re: Hearing protection for $50.00?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: XxMerlinxX</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The best electronic muffs for $50 and under, in my opinion, are the Howard Leight Impact Sport Electronic Earmuffs. They work extremely well, especially considering the price, and I believe you'll find a lot of testimonials on here and elsewhere pertaining to them.
http://www.overstock.com/Sports-Toys/How...html?cid=123620 </div></div>
+1. Love mine and I recommend them to everyone. Given those mics, I actually hear better with them on then I do with them off!
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: XxMerlinxX</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The best electronic muffs for $50 and under, in my opinion, are the Howard Leight Impact Sport Electronic Earmuffs. They work extremely well, especially considering the price, and I believe you'll find a lot of testimonials on here and elsewhere pertaining to them.
http://www.overstock.com/Sports-Toys/How...html?cid=123620 </div></div>
+1. Love mine and I recommend them to everyone. Given those mics, I actually hear better with them on then I do with them off!
Re: Hearing protection for $50.00?
^ ditto
They don't work well for me behind a rifle prone so I go to my ear plugs but everythig else can't beat them in my opinion also!
^ ditto
They don't work well for me behind a rifle prone so I go to my ear plugs but everythig else can't beat them in my opinion also!
Re: Hearing protection for $50.00?
I use the Peltor 6S Tactical. They are effective enough that they clip the report from a .22lr, yet still allow me to hear the bullet zip downrange.
They are also cheap enough that I can afford to equip my two teen Grandkiddos with them.
I have significant hearing loss in my left ear, yet they allow me to skip the hearing aid and still coach the Grandkiddos on the line without raising my voice and disturbing other shooters unreasonably.
Greg
I use the Peltor 6S Tactical. They are effective enough that they clip the report from a .22lr, yet still allow me to hear the bullet zip downrange.
They are also cheap enough that I can afford to equip my two teen Grandkiddos with them.
I have significant hearing loss in my left ear, yet they allow me to skip the hearing aid and still coach the Grandkiddos on the line without raising my voice and disturbing other shooters unreasonably.
Greg
Re: Hearing protection for $50.00?
I use a combination. Always plugs (I could care less the brand, but the "howard Leight Max" or "Hearos Earplugs Ultimate" seem to have the higher NRR ratings (~30 dB). Over that, I use some other form of ear-muff, electronic or non, and hope that it doesn't interfere with my cheek weld. Haven't found a pair I'm perfectly happy with yet; I may need to try more. I need my hearing though for work, and I need it to function well, and I'm young, so I'm a little paranoid about it's loss. Bear in mind that most electronic ear muffs give you about a 20 dB reduction, which really isn't all that much. You start getting wear and tear at volumes greater than 85-90 dB at a duration of around 6 hours. You can get immediate damage from levels greater than 120-130. I don't have a decibel-meter on me for the range, but rough guess is that folks who like to drive their big boomers at 200 yards with a brake get up to 180. I've checked my stock Remington 700 at 167. That alone is enough to cause damage immediately. So, if all you're getting is 20 dB of reduction from a 150+ dB source, it isn't much... really, it isn't enough. If you are actually concerned, you need to start with plugs, and put something additional over it. Just my $0.02
I use a combination. Always plugs (I could care less the brand, but the "howard Leight Max" or "Hearos Earplugs Ultimate" seem to have the higher NRR ratings (~30 dB). Over that, I use some other form of ear-muff, electronic or non, and hope that it doesn't interfere with my cheek weld. Haven't found a pair I'm perfectly happy with yet; I may need to try more. I need my hearing though for work, and I need it to function well, and I'm young, so I'm a little paranoid about it's loss. Bear in mind that most electronic ear muffs give you about a 20 dB reduction, which really isn't all that much. You start getting wear and tear at volumes greater than 85-90 dB at a duration of around 6 hours. You can get immediate damage from levels greater than 120-130. I don't have a decibel-meter on me for the range, but rough guess is that folks who like to drive their big boomers at 200 yards with a brake get up to 180. I've checked my stock Remington 700 at 167. That alone is enough to cause damage immediately. So, if all you're getting is 20 dB of reduction from a 150+ dB source, it isn't much... really, it isn't enough. If you are actually concerned, you need to start with plugs, and put something additional over it. Just my $0.02
