This will be my first year hunting with a 30.06. I was at the range the other day sighting in my new m70 30.-06. One of my ear plugs fell out just before i fired. and i think i almost went deaf. I couldn't believe how loud this rifle is. I know i was in a covered area so the sound is going to be louder, but do any of you hunt with ear protection or do you just go without for the one or two shots at a deer. Does it bother any of you?

I do not hunt with ear plugs, though I have thought of this and wondered if this is unwise.

When I DO shoot while hunting, however, the report of the rifle is not nearly so loud as in an enclosed range. The report does not seem to bother my ears. I hunt with a .25-06 and a .243. These are probably not so loud as a .30-06. I also have a .30-06, but I have not fired it in the field on game -- figuring the .25-06 and .243 are good for the diminutive deer of the southern US which I have hunted in the past.

No, it doesn't bother me one bit once I'm outside. Shooting with a roof over your head definitely raises the "deafness effect". Don't get me wrong--it's pretty loud. But once you're focused in the field, you might not even notice.

If I can get away with it I put in my plugs as soon as I see something of interest. When I hunt with my boys I always find a way to get their ears protected.

I don't wear hearing protection when hunting, but always do when shooting from bench, etc. Noise above 85 decibels will eventually result in a hearing loss. Just guessing (since I don't have a chart), an 06 (with you behind the muzzle as opposed to even with or in front of) is probably in the neighborhood of 130-145. If you experienced any pain, you likely caused some damage in the cochlea. In some cases, your body will heal the damage. In others, or when you persist in exposing your hearing to repeated high decibel levels, some hearing is lost. Protect your hearing. When it's gone, it's gone!

The grand 30 06 (biscuit salutes, waves flag) really does have quite a bit of powder behind it, and one of the reasons I have never bought one is because I don't think it should be fired in anything under 24" in barrel length, and not wanting a custom piece. Fire a round at the range in the evening and observe what you have burning outside your tube! Similarly, the old .45 was a real peril to ears. Lots of different hearing protection out there. If you like music, and hearing your kids, you may consider getting some for all occasions.

As many veterans who did not always have time to put in plugs when things started to pop, I have some hearing loss. No reason for civilians to have that.

About the only way I would wear protection while hunting is a game ear. I need to be able to hear game coming where I hunt. For distance glassing and shooting it may be a different deal.

i sighted in my rifle(10rds) then shot groundhogs.....that day i went throguh almost a box.......no ear plugs......very stupid on my part.......but i did it........deer season you dont notice it half as much......if your going to shoot more then once or twice in a row id suggest you wear hearing protection......

Don't worry, when you touch that round off, you won't even hear it.

I look forward to the noise