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What are BEST earplugs for indoor shooting?

K

KAYSPOP

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I've been wearing the large "earmuff/headphone" style ones, but see guys using earplugs....I'm looking for something that will give me full ear protection from the blasts of my 9mm, my 40, 38 etc...Not looking for cheap drugstore kind....Any advice is appreciated....Thanks
 
I've got the cheap dispossable ones, the same kind that my work gives out (OSHA). You dont want to completely eliminate ALL noise in case you need to hear somebody. They work fine. You can still tell the guns are loud, but not near loud enough to cause any hearing damage.

If it's still loud, are you sure you're wearing the ear plugs correctly?
 
most gunshows have the custom earplug booths, id say hit up the next one and go. Then theres earpro also


nothing will cancel completely. I wear both indoors and outdoors only plugs and those are mainly the cheapy dollar ones.
 
I have a set of the custom earplugs and have used just those in the range with good results. I like others, have been known to double up, at least in my right ear, as sometimes, when I'm getting a cheek weld, it moves the muff.
 
noxin said:
I have a set of the custom earplugs and have used just those in the range with good results. I like others, have been known to double up, at least in my right ear, as sometimes, when I'm getting a cheek weld, it moves the muff.
Click to expand...

that ****ing cheekweld shift

one of the reason i dont wear muffs outside or when shooting rifles
 
I generally double up when possible because that way I'm still covered if someone in an adjacent range, or lane starts shooting while the muffs are off. Unfortunately for me, too many years of heavy metal concerts, and loud machinery in various jobs has taken enough toll that I NEED to preserve what little I have left!
 
There is nothing wrong with the drug store foam plugs as long as they fit you and put them in correctly (deep enough). For disposables I use howard leight laser-lite. I've found that the max are just a little too big for my ear canal. They now appear to offer a Max small. I have a set of electronic muffs, traditional muffs, and two sets of custom molded plugs. The main advantage of the custom molded plugs is if you take them on and off constantly. If I'm shooting indoors at an action pistol match I wear the custom plugs under traditional muffs (when I'm shooting and SO/RO'ing) and just the muffs when others are shooting. When I'm outdoors I'll do something similar, but may use plugs only instead of muffs only if it is hot or muffs only if it is cold when others are shooting.
 
I've tried all kinds of plugs over the years and none of them work as well as a good set of muffs.

That said, custom plugs have been the best. My issue with them is that in warm weather they get uncomfortable after a while.

For non-custom, try these: http://www.amazon.com/Surefire-Sonic-Defender-Protection-Medium/dp/B001V2SS9G/

I find these very comfortable and use them for motorcycling and when I use power tools. Not only does the sonic plug allow some sound to pass, but it also allows air to circulate which allows me to wear them for long periods. When I double up with muffs, they do the trick.

They say that the medium fit most people. I found that the large fit me best. Order both and Karma the one that doesn't work.
 
I use both muffs and foam earplugs ever since I turned my head to hear something someone was saying behind me at an indoor range and a vuy in the nex lane touched off a .44 mag at the same time: the muff had lifted a little when I turned and I took the full sound to my right ear. It's still ringing from that, and this happened in the mid 90s.

Posted from my car phone.
 
Quiet said:
+1 for plugs under your muffs indoors. Ya never know when someone is gonna whip out his shotgun next to ya.
Click to expand...

I've never fired or seen a shotgun fired in person. Can it damage your hearing even when you've got the disposable ear plugs?
 
Use earplugs with the highest NRR you can find (that should be 33) inserted correctly and held in place while they fully expand... And wear a pair of muffs with the highet NRR you can find (should be, again, 33db) over those plugs.

Regarding shotgun blasts: IIRC, a shotgun blast can reach or exceed 150db, which is the level for instant hearing damage.
 
I always wear both plugs and muffs indoors. I was at MFS last week and a guy started shooting his shotgun and half the people in there jumped out of their skin and a couple being trained were both grabbing at their muffs.

I was just ticked that I was getting hit with rebound birdshot which isn't allowed there, but that's another story.

What I haven't ever tried are the electronic muffs with the plugs. From the one or two pair I've looked at in the packages they aren't as suppressive as regular muffs, but combines with plugs they're probably good plus I might be able to hear my wife a little bit better which would be good.

Anyone using the electronic impulse cancelling muffs? Do they work well? How do you know if the battery or batteries are getting low?

Thanks.
 
Quiet said:
What I haven't ever tried are the electronic muffs with the plugs. From the one or two pair I've looked at in the packages they aren't as suppressive as regular muffs, but combines with plugs they're probably good plus I might be able to hear my wife a little bit better which would be good.

Anyone using the electronic impulse cancelling muffs? Do they work well? How do you know if the battery or batteries are getting low?
Click to expand...

I use electronic muffs with foam plugs all the time, both indoors and outdoors. For me, it's a great combination.

When taking a class, or shooting with somebody else, I just crank-up the volume. Allows me to hear whoever's talking very well.

With electronic ear muffs, it's about (a) the design of the earmuff, and (b) the circuitry used to cut-off the impulse noise. You have to get a set of muffs that START with a good NRR (like I said in a previous post, the highest NRR rating is 33 and you can get muffs with that rating), and then the manufacturer has to spend enough money for good amplification and cut-off electronics. One difference *I* notice between using expensive and less expensive (the electronic muffs are pretty much ALL expensive) muffs is that with the less expensive flavors there's a noticeable lag after an impulse noise (gun shot) during which the audio sort of "fades" back in.

The only muffs I've found that have both maximum protection and good circuitry are the Pro Ears Pro Mag Gold muffs (the ones with the CR123A battery). They're ridiculously expensive, but not as cheap as trying to buy new hearing :)

In terms of low battery warning... hmmm... There doesn't seem to be ANY indication that the battery is low. I always carry several extra CR123's just in case.

Hope that helps, at least some.
 
PeterGV said:
I use electronic muffs with foam plugs all the time, both indoors and outdoors. For me, it's a great combination.

When taking a class, or shooting with somebody else, I just crank-up the volume. Allows me to hear whoever's talking very well.

With electronic ear muffs, it's about (a) the design of the earmuff, and (b) the circuitry used to cut-off the impulse noise. You have to get a set of muffs that START with a good NRR (like I said in a previous post, the highest NRR rating is 33 and you can get muffs with that rating), and then the manufacturer has to spend enough money for good amplification and cut-off electronics. One difference *I* notice between using expensive and less expensive (the electronic muffs are pretty much ALL expensive) muffs is that with the less expensive flavors there's a noticeable lag after an impulse noise (gun shot) during which the audio sort of "fades" back in.

The only muffs I've found that have both maximum protection and good circuitry are the Pro Ears Pro Mag Gold muffs (the ones with the CR123A battery). They're ridiculously expensive, but not as cheap as trying to buy new hearing :)

In terms of low battery warning... hmmm... There doesn't seem to be ANY indication that the battery is low. I always carry several extra CR123's just in case.

Hope that helps, at least some.
Click to expand...

Ditto.

You'll know the batteries are low when you have to turn up the volume more than usual to hear softer sounds. Eventually, unless you replace the batteries you'll have no amplification of softer sounds and you'll be wearing a set of "non-electronics" muffs.
 
I had looked in to this and it didn't actually seem like some of the more expensive plugs offered as much protection as disposable Howard Leight plugs. Even the more expensive surefire/etc ones didn't seem to be that great.

So, I bought a giant box of the disposable Howard Leight plugs and I've been very happy with them. They can be a little tricky to get in there right, but they are very effective...I've never really had an issue with them not blocking enough noise either indoors or outdoors. Its hard to shoot my AKs with muffs, so I mostly only wear these.
 
BrianK said:
Ditto.

You'll know the batteries are low when you have to turn up the volume more than usual to hear softer sounds. Eventually, unless you replace the batteries you'll have no amplification of softer sounds and you'll be wearing a set of "non-electronics" muffs.
Click to expand...

I have never ran my batteries out, but that is my assumption that they would just be regular muffs without being able to hear the amplified sound. I think some people believe that the battery is what closes the sound off, but it's actually just the opposite.
 

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