Electronic Hearing Protection

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Richard Pickering
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Electronic Hearing Protection

Post by Richard Pickering »

Friends I am abut to buy a set of electronic muffs. Most of us suffer hearing loss to some degree. It is naïve to shoot guns and believe otherwise. Those who already use these : What do you use and do you recommend them ? What influenced your decision ? Thanks.
I have served as assistant match director, Southern Silhouette club, 1980s. Also, the Griffin Gun Club for Silhouette during the 1990s, to about 2005. For a short period I authored the ''Cast Bullet'' section of The IHMSA News. Joined IHMSA March 1979.
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260 Striker
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Re: Electronic Hearing Protection

Post by 260 Striker »

Richard, Good topic. I have several and see some good and bad points in each of them. I first look for the highest db attenuation whether the muffs are electronic or not. Some electronic muffs have very fast cutoff points while others allow some of the loud noise to begin then cutoff. Not to a damaging level but just not as fast as others. I wish I could remember the first pair of muffs a friend of mine let me try. I could drop a nickel on the pavement and the sound would cut off but I could still hear spoken commands. He gave them to his father and they disappeared later so I could never find the brand name. I currently have Radians and two different styles of Caldwell electronic muffs. The Radians are more bulky than the Caldwells. Still can't pick a favorite between the three and actually use regular muffs during matches. Your post has me thinking about getting mine out and trying them again. Hope you get some good feedback from your topic.
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ole95
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Re: Electronic Hearing Protection

Post by ole95 »

I've used Howard Leight impact sport I think they have different models
And they feel my needs. As most people that know me I'm all but deaf
I wear hearing aides daily so amplified voices and noise is nothing knew to me. Without my muffs I can not heard the line commands. One problem is I also heard a lot of chit chat that goes on around the line as well as other people's spotter calls
Which can be distracting. I've started after the fire command I turn the volume down to filter some of this down. I also turn them to "wife mode" when Robert and Melvin start ribbing me and just stand there and grin ;)
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Dan Masson
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Re: Electronic Hearing Protection

Post by Dan Masson »

I bought the best pair of electronic muffs I could afford many years ago, when not many companies were making them. My Peltors were very expensive, if I recall, around 200 bucks. They still work fine. But I am sure that with all of the advances, cheap ones will work as well.
I was always eager to pull the muffs off, before the last shot was fired. A good excuse to buy electronic muffs then, and is still a good excuse today. I highly recommend it.
My muffs are full size, and will get pulled away from my right ear when shooting some rifles, especially the AR. I suggest getting a slim size, for this reason. Make sure the ones you buy have a microphone in each side, for stereo sound, so you can tell where "non clamped" sounds are coming from.
If you are a "hat head", Peltor (and maybe others) make a model that go behind your head, instead of over the top.
I would be more concerned with fast clamping, rather than amount of db reduced, although better ones should give you faster and quieter.
Dan

ps-They don't work well when the batteries die, so it's a good idea to have a spare set in your shooting bag.
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