Would you lose hearing shooting indoors without hearing protection?

**darnskewered** · August 19th, 2016, 09:01 AM

How quickly would one permanently damage one's ears shooting indoors without hearing protection? Note I have absolutely no intention of "finding out" unless the absolute worst happens, in which case of course I'd rather be alive with compromised hearing than dead.

**jtwalker** · August 19th, 2016, 09:17 AM

Indoor in a 400,000 sq ft warehouse ? Or in a 150 sq ft bedroom ? And then shooting twice and never again ? Or shooting a box every week ?

Suffice it to say, it probably won't deafen you on the first two rounds but it will hurt for a few days (ringing) and likely do a small amount of damage.

**DennisH82** · August 19th, 2016, 09:46 AM

Originally Posted by darnskewered

How quickly would one permanently damage one's ears shooting indoors without hearing protection? Note I have absolutely no intention of "finding out" unless the absolute worst happens, in which case of course I'd rather be alive with compromised hearing than dead.

As someone who has lost a great deal of his hearing from shooting without hearing protection I wouldn't test the theory unless it was necessary. Shooting your weapon in self defense I don't think anyone worries about hearing protection. Any other time I would wear proper hearing protection since the final effects of hearing loss wont really be a pain until you are older and shouting what every time someone calls you to ask you a question. This is not to be confused with Married hearing or selective hearing which are survival mechanisms

**IronButt** · August 19th, 2016, 10:05 AM

Take it from an old fart with too many hours behind an M60, too many years of loud rock n roll, and too many miles on a Harley........
Always wear hearing protection. Loud noises will have a cumulative effect on your hearing & you'll never know until it's too late. It will usually affect sounds in the higher frequencies first, like bells, birds chirping, ring tones, clicks, etc.

For years my wife was tearing Miracle Ear ads from magazines & puting them on the refrigerator door with magnets. People at work would ask me, "Are you going to answer that phone?"-"I'll answer the fucking thing when it rings!"-"Well, it's ringing asshole, answer it."

I finally got bilateral hearing aids about five years ago. For a few days, the noises I heard actually made me jump or suddenly look where the noise was coming from. I was hearing sounds that people with normal hearing hear routinely, but I hadn't heard in thirty some years.

In a SD situation, you may not have a choice. Otherwise, don't take the chance.

**QuackXP** · August 19th, 2016, 10:25 AM

Hope this helps someone.

I've never had the pleasure of a typical indoor range without hearing protection. However I have on the outdoor range and it gets your attention. But I doubt an isolated incident at either would cause permanent damage. So I would not make it a worry in a SD situation.

In an SD situation you very well might not even hear the shots anyway as your mind is going to be so occupied elsewhere. Hunters have also reported not hearing the shot as well.

Personally outdoor I use usually use electronic earmuffs so that I can hear conversations and other noise around me but not the shots. Sometimes I use plugs if I need a cheek weld that muffs might get in the way of. Ill also use both on an indoor range.

**Sgt.K** · August 19th, 2016, 11:28 AM

Huh?

**wanneroo** · August 19th, 2016, 11:40 AM

I have electronic ear muffs right next to the bedside gun.

**Carnes** · August 19th, 2016, 07:11 PM

Earplugs were/are worn in combat. If you shout a command at me, I can hear it, pluggs or not.

After the first IED, my hearing was so limited that it caused me to (later) question my combat effectiveness. We got it done, but I couldn't hear shit. My TC's ears were bleeding. We reverted to training and reacted appropriately.

When your ears say nothing but, "peeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee," you gotta have a plan.

Shooting indoors is likely to cause the, "peeeeeeeeeeeeeee."

Furthermore, you have your ears for the rest of your life. Hearing damage is progressive. Take care of those shits.

**bamboomaster** · August 19th, 2016, 07:31 PM

Originally Posted by Carnes

Earplugs were/are worn in combat. If you shout a command at me, I can hear it, pluggs or not.

After the first IED, my hearing was so limited that it caused me to (later) question my combat effectiveness. We got it done, but I couldn't hear shit. My TC's ears were bleeding. We reverted to training and reacted appropriately.

When your ears say nothing but, "peeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee," you gotta have a plan.

Shooting indoors is likely to cause the, "peeeeeeeeeeeeeee."

Furthermore, you have your ears for the rest of your life. Hearing damage is progressive. Take care of those shits.

You're so right about this.

I've played the bagpipes for 35 years (135 decibels coming out of the chanter and no volume/modulation switch)...these days I practice with my foam ear-plugs so after two hours of practice, I can still carry on a normal conversation.

It's no wonder that in WWI, many of the finest pipers in the UK died leading the troops into the battle: while the folks following them couldn't hear the sound of the Maxim machine guns over the skirl of the pipes and really had nothing to fear until the rounds finally reached them, many world-class sets of bagpipes were turned into kindling in the process...

Still have one of the three Henderson's that managed to survive - a set of 1911 Henderson's in silver and ivory. A hundred and five years later, they still make great music.

And if the skirl of the pipes doesn't make the hair stand up on the back of your neck, your heart's not beating....

Just sayin....