You need ear protectors for two very good reasons. You need to talk to the people with you. Wear ear protectors and you can carry on conversation (when not shooting); but without ear protectors you will be deafened after only a few rounds. Hearing loss is cumulative. Each time you shoot without ear protectors you damage your hearing a litle more. This is a concern only if you expect to live. You can get "ear-muff" type ear prtotectors at most gun shops. They cost $10 or so. I think they are a good investment. I carry ear plugs in my pocket; and have two pair ear-muff type ear protectors around the shift level of my 4x4.

-- Vlad (Strelok60@yahoo.com), November 16, 1999

Answers

have you practiced putting them on when in a firefight? LOL ear protection is for the range (and plinking).

-- Midnightmom (myhouse@bigfoot.com), November 16, 1999.

A type of ear damage that most people don't consider is tinnitus. One loud event can negatively impact your life forever. Think about what it would be like to have a loud, high-pitched tone beamed into your head 24 hours a day for the rest of your life. It is not uncommon for tinnitus sufferers to commit suicide, since that is the only way to get the noise to stop. I've had tinnitus for about a year and a half, after stepping in front of very loud speakers for a few seconds. (A long-ago job in the punch press department of a factory had probably done some damage, and the speaker incident just pushed me over the edge.) Believe me, tinnitus is one malady you do not want! When I see young people driving cars with stereos audible for blocks, I know they have no idea what they are setting themselves up for. I've tried every tinnitus treatment there is, and the noise is still there. I am, however, learning to live with it. Protect your ears!

-- Pearlie Sweetcake (storestuff@home.now), November 16, 1999.

I've lost some hearing acuity from being around race engines being run on a water-brake dyno in an enclosed room and from being around the cars themselves. I'm protecting what I have left.

Have over the head hearing protectors but keep several sets of in-ear plugs in various places including the BOB, bottom of the mag pouch on my holster and in my rifle case. In the case of my AK it's mandatory; first time I fired it without protection my ears rang for a couple days (the AK has a muzzle break which reflects gases back toward me...makes it very controllable but LOUD).

-- Don Kulha (dkulha@vom.com), November 16, 1999.

The muff type can be purchased at Home Depot or other hardware stores. I like to use ear plugs AND ear muffs (something I learned during years of operating heavy equipment).

-- MarsBar (dflet@succeed.net), November 16, 1999.

Most hunting goods stores have "hunter's ear plugs" available. These are somewhat different from firing range earplugs and are something people should wear if they are expecting the possibility of having to deal with gunfire.

What I don't recommend are the bright orange David Clark headset- style ear protectors if you think you might get involved in a shooting match. You don't want to draw attention to you head in such circumstances.

But do use something practical to protect your hearing. You'll be surprised at how irritating that ringing sound can be if you have to "listen to it" forever.

WW - who can tell you exactly what frequencies of hearing you lose from exposure to GE-J79-17s used on F-4Es and F-4Gs.

-- Wildweasel (vtmldm@epix.net), November 16, 1999.