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Noise canceling hearing protection suggestions

4K views 23 replies 15 participants last post by  joellirot 
#1 · (Edited)
Specifically to be worn while having my cheek on a shotgun stock. I'm just hoping to hear any positive or negative experiences and suggestions people have had as I'd like to start considering adding a set to my gun bag. I think it would be nice to still hear whistling wings, to hear the dog move around, or talk to a blind mate yet still have some protection while firing.

I did just order some Sportear xp3's off Amazon ($14) to use for the rest of this season, though I'm thinking at that price point they won't last long.
 
#2 · (Edited)
That's a hard one... I've always had a hard time with conventional hearing protection fitting with my cheek on a stock. I'll be deaf from not using them bird hunting.

They do make a suppressor for shotguns... Very spendy though! just sayin...
 
#5 ·
Bob- I have seen the suppressors, quite a common tool in Europe with noise ordinances.

The plugs I'm lookin for are an in the ear model/unit like so:


and it sure sounds like you need some too bud! Tinnitus is no joke and I'm just looking to avoid that.

Roper- it looks like Cabelas sells the walkers in ear models for $150-$250 depending on options, i'll look into those, thank you.

Monsieur Alex-I am like you and the muffs always interfere, hence me on the lookout for this other style. It seems like I'm firing 7-12 or so shots per trip, and I just want something that will allow me to hear/interact normally the rest of the time.
 
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#7 ·
I wear the Peltor COMTACS at work and have never had a problem with them on work guns. I have my own pair at the house and have worn them at the range and never a problem there either. A bit spendy, but they also make a version for civilians without all of the communications needs. The only thing I don't like about the muffs, is that if it is hot I get the swamp ear. Surefire makes a decent pair of in the ear plugs. The plugs that go in the ear usually end up hurting my ears and making them sore after an hour or so though.
 
#8 ·
To piggy-back on Yellowlab's post, these are reasonably-priced & have good reviews, and are slim-line -appears that folks use them without issue while using long guns, Terry. There are some concerns re: battery replacement being a chore, but these could be from folks not so adept at such tasks. I have no experience with them but am thinking about getting a pair for the range.

http://www.opticsplanet.com/peltor-tactical-hearing-protectors.html
 
#14 ·
Woops never mind that. Only my second post.

My hunting buddy ordered every type of noise canceling muff he could find last season. A bunch of us tested them all , and came to a consensus that the howard leights were the favorite. Biggest problem we had was most brands had volume on both sides, was really hard to synchronize. Howard lieghts has one volume that controls both. Way easier to use.
 
#15 ·
Thanks for the responses guys. @ $60 I'll check those Peltors out.

Rib- That's exactly why I'm searching this out now.
FYI suggest taking out the foam inside the ear muffs and cutting a small piece or saran wrap and place it between electronics and foam. When sweating a lot or just condensation can build up in ear piece and phug up electronics
 
#16 ·
Just an observation to share here. I grew up in the firearms industry. We did all kinds of shooting. I began shooting at an early age. I always knew to wear shooting safety glasses and hearing protection. Always. One day when I was in my late 20's I was out shooting with a friend. We had a factory prototype handgun and a few hundred rounds of .357 "Maximum". It was misting cool and wet. We were wearing parkas with hoods, and David Clark ear muffs. Very pricey hearing protection at the time.

I was standing directly behind my friend, and he was "on the line", cleared to fire. I felt some rain on my neck and I quickly flipped my parka hood up over my head, and in doing that I knocked my ear muffs astray. In that brief instant, my friend also squeezed off a single round. The concussion from the gun going off caused my hood to flare out with a pop, and all of the noise was captured by the hood, and into my unprotected ears. It was like two ice picks being stabbed into my eardrums. The pain was astonishing. I couldn't hear. Only an intense, deafening ringing. It was so bad that I was on my knees instantly. It took a few hours for the intense pain to subside, and to be able to hear normal speech again. It took days for the ringing to subside, but only to a degree. I have had tinnitus in both ears ever since.

Today, some forty years later, it's growing more intrusive, "louder", and difficult to live with. And I am told that I can expect this to continue to get worse over time. Some people go deaf from this.

I have been around indoor and outdoor ranges, test holes, trap and skeet shoots, practical and competition shooting, just about every kind of hunting and shooting you can imagine for most of my life. And I have always covered up my ears. Always. We'll, almost always. Except for that one day, and that moment, when that one round went off when I wasn't protected.
 
#17 ·
Interesting thread. I'm in my mid-fifties and addressed the problem with these: Body jewelry Jewellery Bracelet Personal protective equipment Font

They seem to work pretty well. By getting custom ear pieces made at the Costco hearing center they are very comfortable. I wear them everyday for a full week of upland bird hunting or big game hunting and forget they're there. The sound "enhancement" for deer and elk hunting is probably a positive thing. For pheasant hunting it's good until the wind is howling and then the sound is distracting but then hearing a bird flush is problematic under those conditions anyway. The sound suppression is OK. Although not good enough IMHO for the range or if you're going to be shooting a lot.
Expensive? yes but hopefully it might keep you from getting tinnitus which sucks, believe me.
 
#18 · (Edited)
Hey Terry

I just picked up a set of Howard light impact sport ear pro. I'm going to be using them in precision rifle leage match's.

They seem to fit Fairly well. I have a small ass head, so this type of ear pro usually interfere with a good cheek weld on the stock. These don't.

They use two double a batteries, and are noise cancelling, so you can hear talking when shooting. They run about $50.

It might be worth a look. I like mine so far.

 
#19 ·
Resurrecting this post!

x2 on the howard leight muffs. I wear them all the time duck hunting and they are great in the blind. The even help hearing the whistle of wings flapping from a distance. They also don't bother me when the gun is on my cheek.

For upland hunting, I usually just keep the disposable plugs with a string on them around my neck and keep them halfway in my ears. It makes it tough to hear faint noises or far out flushes. But with pheasant, its just fine. Etymotic is another brand that does custom hearing-aid style noise canceling, but they are $$$$.
 
#20 ·
I have the custom EPS system. If you do a lot of shooting in the field they are worth it.

If you turn the volume all the way up it magnifies background noiese to the point where you can hear pheasant running through grass on a calm day. By contrast, they are super distracting on a windy day when everything is moving - too much sensory overload. The volume goes down on those days.
 
#21 ·
I have these and like them much better than the Pelters.

1: easier access to the batteries

2: Single sensitivity knob

3: Cheaper!!!!

I us mine with multiple rifle platforms and have never had an issue with them getting in the way.

Hey Terry

I just picked up a set of Howard light impact sport ear pro. I'm going to be using them in precision rifle leage match's.

They seem to fit Fairly well. I have a small ass head, so this type of ear pro usually interfere with a good cheek weld on the stock. These don't.

They use two double a batteries, and are noise cancelling, so you can hear talking when shooting. They run about $50.

It might be worth a look. I like mine so far.

 
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