Hearing Protection

[Strawberry Bill]

What type of hearing protection do cowboy shooters wear

[Modoc]

I'll get the ball rolling for you Bill,

You will be seeing everything out there from the disposable foam ear plugs to custom molded plugs through electronic muffs and high dollar hearing aids that cut out the loud noises (shots).

I would recomend starting out with a variety of the foam plugs and trying them to see which style and manufacturer works best for you.  Try to find the ones that are the most comfortable, because you will leave them in longer.

Which do I use?  It all depends, If my 3 yearold son has not kidnapped them, usually my custom molded plugs, but 29db foam plugs are a good fall back. I was not able to get my electronic muffs to work well with my Stetson, so they are on the cart for observers.

If you go for anything custom fit, be sure that the fitter is well versed at what they are doing.  A poor fit set of plugs is almost as bad as no plugs .

I hope that my rambelings are helpful.

[Trailrider]

WOULD YOU GUYS SPEAK UP, PLEASE???!!!  Seriously, Pard, your hearing is precious, and you need to consider what compromise you are willing to make.  The foam plugs are good; properly-fitted custom plugs are better.  You should definitely consider going to a board-certified audiologist and have your hearing tested.  Then have them fit you with a set of "solid" custom plugs.  I'd still get several sets of the mouldable foam plugs, and carry them with you in your pocket, just in case you forget the custom plugs.

Because the hearing in my left ear was severely damaged years ago using EAR VALVES (a right-handed rifle shooter gets most of the "blast" in the left ear, I wear BOTH plugs and ear MUFFS.  The muffs, of course, won't fit under a cowboy hat, so when I go to the firing line, and since I dress as a major of Ordnance, I remove my straw planter's hat and put on a kepi, over which go the muffs' band.  It may not look historically accurate, but I've only got so much hearing left, and have to protect it!

BTW, I have tried the electronic (expensive) ear muffs, and do NOT think they give me the protection the non-electronic muffs do.  That's just MHO, however.

Depending on how much shooting you do, I'd have the audiology test repeated at least every couple of years, or every year if you feel your hearing is being affected. No matter how high a rating is shown on the protectors, you must understand that there is a certain amount of conduction through your head bone, that the protectors won't filter out.

Ride easy, Pards!

[Adirondack Jack]

I've used foamies, and ear valves (noooo!) and the baffled rubber ones.

None fit well, stayed put and worked well enough so that I didn't have a headache by the end of the day.

Then I found these moldable ones that ya make yerself instead of waiting for the earplug dude to come around (cheaper too).

I like them a LOT.  they fit because ya mold em yerself, they are comfy after all day, and no more headache.

I bought a bunch and put em on the website because they worked for me.

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

I use inexpensive disposable foam plugs. I roll them up then insert them. I can hear as they expand to fill my ear cavities. They work fine for me.

[Howdy Doody]

I use the foamy ones too. I get them at work and they are rated 33db. They work fine and really inexpensive, although they are bright yellow and kind of conspicuous. I had some custom molded ones made. I used them about a year or so and started getting ringing after a shoot for at least overnight. I was concerned, but the cheap ol' foamies are doing fine.

[Texas Lawdog]

I was Mr. Macho and need any hearing protection. I carried a 45acp as a cop for years and shot it alot. Now in my 60's, I am experiencing some hearing loss. I also worked on race cars with loud exhaust and no protection. At the range for annual quals, I now use ear protection. I use the small soft earplugs for CAS shooting.

[Ransom Gaer]

I use a pair of the custom molded ones.  They are great.  At the practice range the foamies for me let too much noise through.  I got my custom molded ones at Hell On Wheels a few years ago.  Someone on the SASS wire has this same thread going and someone made the comment that he replaces his every five years minimum and I think I will put that in practice.  I have also found they work well at work.

Ransom Gaer