Hearing protection
04-26-2016, 01:12 PM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Rapid City, South Dakota
Posts: 3,732
Hearing protection
WHEN WE WERE YOUNG, AND, had good hearing we didn't wear any. We shot rifles, revolvers, and shotguns, and never protected our hearing. Before OSHA, i worked years, and years of construction, and never protected my hearing. Nowadays, i can no longer hear, and now use hearing protection.
For a couple of years now i have been using about 3 pair a week of the pictured ear plugs. It seems my hands are always dirty, which transfers to the plugs, and necessitates replacement. New plugs are also easier to insert. Lately, it seems visiting is more and more difficult, because of my hearing loss. When out in the hills i no longer hear bird song, nor gongs when they are smacked. So....... i figured i would try and get some help.
Well, it turns out the game ear really does work as advertised. Whilst wearing it, i can hear bird talking, and when the trigger is pulled, it near instantly, shuts down. This protects what little hearing i have left. After a session of shooting my ears feel good. My ears don't ring, plus i can listen to birds, or the radio between shots.
However, a problem developed. The orange insert got dirty, from my dirty hands, and ears. Replacements are not available for purchase, unless one purchases packages at $5, or $10. with one of the orange insert in them. Five dollars each, seems a bit steep to me; ten dollars each, is much too much.
Wondering if one could make hollow ear plugs, i put a package of the standard ear plugs in the freezer, and prepared a jig on the drill press table. For drilling the plugs, a 1/8" brad point drill was used. For making the jig, a 1/2" brad point drill was used. The chilled plug drilled nicely. These days i don't bother chilling the plugs, i just drill them warm, and that works just fine.
For a couple of years now i have been using about 3 pair a week of the pictured ear plugs. It seems my hands are always dirty, which transfers to the plugs, and necessitates replacement. New plugs are also easier to insert. Lately, it seems visiting is more and more difficult, because of my hearing loss. When out in the hills i no longer hear bird song, nor gongs when they are smacked. So....... i figured i would try and get some help.
Well, it turns out the game ear really does work as advertised. Whilst wearing it, i can hear bird talking, and when the trigger is pulled, it near instantly, shuts down. This protects what little hearing i have left. After a session of shooting my ears feel good. My ears don't ring, plus i can listen to birds, or the radio between shots.
However, a problem developed. The orange insert got dirty, from my dirty hands, and ears. Replacements are not available for purchase, unless one purchases packages at $5, or $10. with one of the orange insert in them. Five dollars each, seems a bit steep to me; ten dollars each, is much too much.
Wondering if one could make hollow ear plugs, i put a package of the standard ear plugs in the freezer, and prepared a jig on the drill press table. For drilling the plugs, a 1/8" brad point drill was used. For making the jig, a 1/2" brad point drill was used. The chilled plug drilled nicely. These days i don't bother chilling the plugs, i just drill them warm, and that works just fine.
04-26-2016, 02:16 PM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Near a lake with no fish
Posts: 1,077
As a person who knows first hand about hearing loss, the very best is to wear the solid plugs, muffs or both. There's virtually no way, "0", notta, ain't gonna happen, period, that one's hearing does anything but get worse and never returns.
The Walker's Game Ear will shut off, but not quick enough in reality, however it certainly is better than nothing and does help, as you've identified. Its also a sound amplifier. Amplifiers are just amplifying the sounds louder, which means all frequencies are boosted louder. Even the frequencies that are not necessary to be boosted.
Hearing aids are expensive, but the frequencies are adjusted evenly. Ahhh the digital age. When I first started shooting, my dad ALWAYS required me to wear hearing protection and back then, very few wore any kind of protection. When he had me traveling some shooting competitive trap, that's when I noticed more shooters wearing hearing protection. So in a sense, I grew up knowing hearing protection while shooting was a requirement.
BUT..... that was my problem, shooting and not regular "noise". Then when I started in the factory, nobody wore hearing protection, so neither did I. BAD MISTAKE! Started running large presses that were 30' high and went 30' into the basement. After a couple years of that racket and the Arab oil embargo hit, I was eliminated from the press plant (preferred job) to final assembly. Of course being low on seniority, I started in the "pit". Yup, 3' wide underneath 120 autos an hour, tightening bumpers and transmission mounts, with a 25# air tool screaming at me in that hole! Never realized what it was doing until it was way to late. Now its 24/7/365 ringing and in my left ear I have tones (frequencies) that I'm completely deaf with.
As someone who knows all to well about hearing loss, I'm glad you found something that is working and helping. I'd caution though, if your hearing loss is pretty bad now, protect what you have left no matter what or how. Even if it means getting used to shooting with muffs, the trade off only benefits you.
I just picked up another new set of hearing aids. This is I believe my 5th pair. Even with my first couple pair, I couldn't hear a common cricket if I was setting over it in a chair. Then with the advancement in digital, I started hearing crickets again. Heck, it'd been over 20 years since I heard a cricket. This newest pair are Siemens MI 7, newest tech from Siemens. No matter what the tech, I'll never hear those specific frequencies I've lost.
See an Audiologist and watch (hear) your quality of life improve.
The Walker's Game Ear will shut off, but not quick enough in reality, however it certainly is better than nothing and does help, as you've identified. Its also a sound amplifier. Amplifiers are just amplifying the sounds louder, which means all frequencies are boosted louder. Even the frequencies that are not necessary to be boosted.
Hearing aids are expensive, but the frequencies are adjusted evenly. Ahhh the digital age. When I first started shooting, my dad ALWAYS required me to wear hearing protection and back then, very few wore any kind of protection. When he had me traveling some shooting competitive trap, that's when I noticed more shooters wearing hearing protection. So in a sense, I grew up knowing hearing protection while shooting was a requirement.
BUT..... that was my problem, shooting and not regular "noise". Then when I started in the factory, nobody wore hearing protection, so neither did I. BAD MISTAKE! Started running large presses that were 30' high and went 30' into the basement. After a couple years of that racket and the Arab oil embargo hit, I was eliminated from the press plant (preferred job) to final assembly. Of course being low on seniority, I started in the "pit". Yup, 3' wide underneath 120 autos an hour, tightening bumpers and transmission mounts, with a 25# air tool screaming at me in that hole! Never realized what it was doing until it was way to late. Now its 24/7/365 ringing and in my left ear I have tones (frequencies) that I'm completely deaf with.
As someone who knows all to well about hearing loss, I'm glad you found something that is working and helping. I'd caution though, if your hearing loss is pretty bad now, protect what you have left no matter what or how. Even if it means getting used to shooting with muffs, the trade off only benefits you.
I just picked up another new set of hearing aids. This is I believe my 5th pair. Even with my first couple pair, I couldn't hear a common cricket if I was setting over it in a chair. Then with the advancement in digital, I started hearing crickets again. Heck, it'd been over 20 years since I heard a cricket. This newest pair are Siemens MI 7, newest tech from Siemens. No matter what the tech, I'll never hear those specific frequencies I've lost.
See an Audiologist and watch (hear) your quality of life improve.
04-26-2016, 08:09 PM
#4
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 21,193
never tried that hearing protector you have there but GREAT IDEA!! I too am about deaf from years of shooting, and believe it or not, driving around with the window down in cars. (According to the doctor) Too many years in a squad car.
I use hard muffs most of the time when working with chain saws or power tools, but like you, they put a sale on them little plugs and they seem to do the job when shooting.
I use hard muffs most of the time when working with chain saws or power tools, but like you, they put a sale on them little plugs and they seem to do the job when shooting.
04-27-2016, 02:32 AM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: VA.
Posts: 1,415
never tried that hearing protector you have there but GREAT IDEA!! I too am about deaf from years of shooting, and believe it or not, driving around with the window down in cars. (According to the doctor) Too many years in a squad car.
I use hard muffs most of the time when working with chain saws or power tools, but like you, they put a sale on them little plugs and they seem to do the job when shooting.
I use hard muffs most of the time when working with chain saws or power tools, but like you, they put a sale on them little plugs and they seem to do the job when shooting.
Al
04-27-2016, 06:00 AM
#7
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: VA.
Posts: 1,415
It amazes me how some of these people drive around, sound system and bass blaring, windows up w/car vibrating. Other vehicles as well, from feet away. One of my first thoughts the damage that is done to their poor ears by the soundwaves. Immunity not granted!
Last edited by Game Stalker; 04-27-2016 at 06:03 AM.
04-28-2016, 10:10 AM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Michigan
Posts: 3,476
Very cool solution to your issue ronlaughlin, ...
Unfortunately I developed Meniere's disease in 2007. It is generally not understood well, but carries with it a component of hearing loss and tinnitus. It sucks, but I believe that NOT ALL of my hearing troubles are from the disease. Even though for the past 30 years I've been very careful with my hearing protection, before age 30 I did not always use the proper protection. Now it's always puffs AND muffs, unless shooting .22, then one or the other will suffice for me, but there'll be no more hearing loss on my part due to ignorance or laziness.
I like the idea of a Walker game ear or other such device for hunting. We all generally take one shot during an outing, unless duck hunting or prairie dog hunting. And if I were to engage in repetitive shooting while hunting, I'd gear up as if I was at the range.
Unfortunately I developed Meniere's disease in 2007. It is generally not understood well, but carries with it a component of hearing loss and tinnitus. It sucks, but I believe that NOT ALL of my hearing troubles are from the disease. Even though for the past 30 years I've been very careful with my hearing protection, before age 30 I did not always use the proper protection. Now it's always puffs AND muffs, unless shooting .22, then one or the other will suffice for me, but there'll be no more hearing loss on my part due to ignorance or laziness.
I like the idea of a Walker game ear or other such device for hunting. We all generally take one shot during an outing, unless duck hunting or prairie dog hunting. And if I were to engage in repetitive shooting while hunting, I'd gear up as if I was at the range.
04-28-2016, 10:52 AM
#9
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: south eastern PA
Posts: 15,436
I have electronic muffs, the brand that many swat units use, Radians, and sport ear electronic gar plugs. They both work fine, until there is wind, then you get a very distracting noise from the wind bowing over the place that sound gets in. I usually got to wearing one sonic, the kind with the metal canister on the one end and deeply ribbed rubber on the end that goes into your ears. If it looks like I am going to get a shot I put the other one in. I have tinitus, my ears hiss 24/7 except when I drink whisky or a martini, then it stops for a couple of hours. Seems to me that if imbibing alcohol stops the noise, some pharmaceutical company could develop a pill that would have the same affect.
04-28-2016, 05:47 PM
#10
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Michigan
Posts: 3,476
When they come up with the pill that tastes as good as the finest bourbon in the world I'll buy stock in it ... and get a lifelong prescription ... but I'll still wanna drink some bourbon when home for the evening!