So now that I have my first Sig pistol I am headed off to the range at the end of next week. I have researched the heck out of hearing protection and I am still in the dark on hearing protection indoors. Every review I have read or watched seems to indicate that there is not a set no matter the price that is good enough to protect our hearing indoors without wearing in-ear protection as well. I was in the Military 40 years ago and we had virtually nothing then. I want to protect what hearing I have left and really need your advice. The MSA's Sordin Supreme, the Peltor Comm III's are high end but don't seem to have the NRR that covers indoors. Pro Ears has some that are 30 NRR but reviews are so so. I have gone through the search function here but didn't find my answer. I have a set of Bose NC's that were 300.00 and love them but they are for flying and not the gun range. So what do you guys do indoors for hearing protection that works? Thanks very much in advance ladies and gents.

I have no advice about specific brand recommendations, but I can tell you that I don't step onto a gun range without wearing muffs over ear plugs. The additional sound suppression afforded by the ear plugs under muffs is quite noticeable.

I wear plugs as they provide a better NRR than muffs.

Use foam plugs and muffs. If you use electronic muffs that compress sound, you’ll get the benefit of being able to hear through your foam plugs better while still offering the added protection of muffs. I’d look into the Peltor Tac 300’s or 500’s. Inexpensive and work great.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
I have no advice about specific brand recommendations, but I can tell you that I don't step onto a gun range without wearing muffs over ear plugs. The additional sound suppression afforded by the ear plugs under muffs is quite noticeable.

This....you'll thank us later

As an indoor range RSO, I was using electronic muffs and custom earplugs. I ended up going back to higher NRR non-electronic muffs with the custom plugs; worked better.

Outdoors I am fine with just electronic muffs.

After doing a lot of research, I had thought that shooting indoors which I have never done, would require two sets of hearing protection and the responses seem to confirm that. I don;t mind spending money on the right gear but like everyone, I don't want to waste my hard earned money as well.

Electronic monkey ears over foamies. It's the only way.

H&K-Guy

quote:

I don't step onto a gun range without wearing muffs over ear plugs

Very good advice. Recommended at any IR at the Academy. They provide plugs for all.

Muffs over plugs...

You'd be surprised at the number of people who don't know how to use foam plugs correctly. I worked w/ loud equipment for 14 yrs. and luckily someone showed me early on the proper way to insert foam plugs.

Both, almost always.

51 years of gunfire, my hearing is about the only thing that still works.

Muffs over plugs, yes, that's what I do, also. Even that is no match for the 5.56 blasting next to you indoor. When that happens, I just have to move as far away as possible.

Electronic muffs over ear plugs for me.

Whenever I go to either an indoor or outdoor range for personal shooting time, I've always just used electronic ear muffs, ( Howard Leight ) but when I worked indoor ranges professionally, I normally doubled up, ( triple flange type ear plugs with neck cord + the Howard Leight electronic ear muffs. )

The number you want to look for is the NRR (Noise Reduction Rating). Get muffs with as high a NRR as you can find. I haven't looked for years, but when I did, electronic muffs couldn't match the NRR of the best conventional ones.

I agree with everyone saying muffs plus plugs. That's what I do.

I went to my indoor range this week, it had been months and I wasn't thinking and only put on muffs. Someone two spots over was hammering away with an AR or AK, after a dozen rounds I had to step out and do muffs over plugs. Huge difference and I remembered I always did that out of an overabundance of caution, just forgot. I have some electronic muffs I tried with my wife, but had the same problem and couldn't stand it, come to think of it, I hadn't used muffs over plugs then... We thought something was wrong with the muffs.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
Muffs over plugs, yes, that's what I do, also. Even that is no match for the 5.56 blasting next to you indoor. When that happens, I just have to move as far away as possible.

You'd hate my .50AE pistol.

flashguy

quote:

Originally posted by cas:
51 years of gunfire, my hearing is about the only thing that still works.

Huh? What?