Electronic Earmuffs

[basinman]

I have used the Howard Leigh and the Walkers. They both work well but the Walkers is more comfortable.

 

[jeb405]

Has anyone tried the Noisefighters.com gel ear pads? I'm not just looking for gel over old foam but I'm interested in the way they relieve the top of the pad to allow for the temples of shooting glasses to go over the pad instead of under. For $50 I would prefer to get some intel on them before just running the cc.

Thanks,
JB

 

[Old Rooster]

jeb405 I just got my Howard Leight Sport Bolt hearing muffs and they are real comfortable but like you I have been checking on Gel Pads and ordered a set today.
I'll let you know how they are soon.
Not noisefighters but these were recommended by friends that shoot a lot 3 gun matches as well as cowboy matches.
They all said the Gel Pads seal up way better and it add's to the decibel numbers protection from 22 to some said about 24 and someone else said maybe a little higher than that.
They should be in next week.
Old Rooster

 

[Dr. Richard Gray]

I used to be a welder and for a year or so I worked inside pressure vessels where most folks did not want to work. There were always five to ten welders using air-powered chipping hammers--as well as my own chipping hammer. Talk about being inside the bell tower. That was also the time my girlfriend broke up with me and broke my heart. I had a new S&W mod 29 .44 mag w/61/2 inch bbl. I would take my heartbroken self and load up anywhere from 1,000 to 1,500 rounds of full-house loads a week for about 18 months and shoot carp in the rice field ditches where I lived. Now, I have constant ringing in my ears, can barely hear bells of any type including the bells on electronic devices, including microwaves and fire alarms. Just got my first pair of Walker Razor Slim Profile Electronic Muffs. I will be trying them out with my new .340 Weatherby Mag with an Acubrake. I will let you know what I think. In the meantime, don't let the young ones shoot without ear protection, And--skipglo, put a muzzle brake on your loudmouth. I can hear you from here.

What you described just reminded me of when we were in dry dock and they ran those stupid chippers day and night. We either stayed at the office on the pier or off base completely. Those chippers were unbearable. I too have had the constant ringing for over 40 years. You sound just like me, .44 Mag, .340 WBY mag, I like big guns. My sisters asked "what are you going to shoot with those things" and I quoted "anything I want to".

 

[Old Rooster]

jeb405 I have been using the gel pads I bought enough to know they are good ear pads.It claims to raise the decibel level numbers of protection and I think it does exactly that.
Easy to install and I can hear the tv even on low.
I have not shot any rifle or handgun since I installed them but will soon as I am Running out of primers srp so I'll shoot the 45-70 or 300 weatherby mag just to see.
I ran an air grinder that always gave me a headache when I used it but no contest as I barely heard it.

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Recommended by people I know that shoot more than I do.
With the gel pads they are comfortable and easy to wear for hours without even remembering I have them on.
Old Rooster

 

[jeb405]

Thanks for the info. I got impatient and bought a pair of gel pads from Noisefighters and put them on an old pair of Peltor Tactical 6S hearing protectors. For sure not cheap if your hearing protectors themselves were around $50-100, but I wish I knew about these years ago. If you wear hearing protection much you owe it to yourself to try some. First, on these thin hearing protectors when I wore them for more than a couple of hours my ears hurt as there was not enough room in the small cup. The new pads add thickness which adds space and no more pressure. Second they make SUCH a better seal to my head than the foam they are obviously much quieter. And thirdly there is the relief area that allows your safety glasses to go over the top of the pad instead of making an opening that both creates unpleasant pressure on your head as well creates a opening to degrade db protection. So yeah, I highly recommend. I was ready to buy a new pair of hearing protectors but bringing this old pair back to life with new pads cost me about the same and I think is better than new hearing protectors with cheap ear pads.

JB

 

[Treeslug]

What you described just reminded me of when we were in dry dock and they ran those stupid chippers day and night. We either stayed at the office on the pier or off base completely. Those chippers were unbearable. I too have had the constant ringing for over 40 years. You sound just like me, .44 Mag, .340 WBY mag, I like big guns. My sisters asked "what are you going to shoot with those things" and I quoted "anything I want to".

I could have gotten a doctorate degree in shooting loud guns, but I couldn't hear the professors. You must have gotten yours while you could still hear. Silly me, I have sold my .44 S&W and bought a 460 and a 500 S&W. You almost need two pairs of hearing protectors. Kinda like wearing two masks, I guess. Love my Weatherby 340 with the accuchoke. I haven't shot it yet due to the bride's broken foot, but maybe this coming up weekend. Did you hear all that? Need me to speak up?

 

[jeb405]

In 1984 I had my first job physical, just graduated college. Yes, I am on the later side of 50. One of the processes was a hearing test. They told me when I was done that there was deterioration in my high frequencies. They asked me the last time I was exposed to very loud environments. I did not have the heart to tell them it was while driving there. At that age my car was my priority and it had to have a kick *** stereo. My amp pushed enough wattage to drive a set of Bose 901's when we used it for a college event and slaved them into my trunk. Not like today's muted subwoofer bass, but punch you in the face bass. Genesis "In the Air Tonight" opening drum solo made the read view mirror unusable.

I have a couple boomers too, 300 RUM with a Fat Bastard comes to mind. But the brake is crazy good at mitigating recoil. A few years ago I got clued in to cans and they are a priority for me for many guns, including the RUM. They just make something I already love to do that much more enjoyable.

JB

 

[338 dude]

All my life I have used foam earplugs or a good set of earmuffs. On occasions when shooting I have removed my earmuffs/plugs to either here a conversation or tinker with scope adjustments, and forget to put them back on. If you have ever done this with .338 Mag or larger caliber then you know about the harm it can do to your ears, it is excruciating with no protection.

I have been considering Electronic earmuffs or earbuds for some time now, but some reviews especially the 1 star imply that with the big bore magnums they don't help a lot, or at least not enough, and they have to wear earplugs under the earmuffs. I would like to know from shooters I can trust if the reviews are good, bad, or indifferent before spending $100 or more.

I use walkers game ears they work well for hunting and at the range although when I shoot my 338 Lapua magnum I double up and still use the foam plugs also

 

[Hugnot]

I have a Peltor over the head set that uses 2 AAA batteries. Works good after 18 months with same batteries. Auto power shut down after 4 hours. Happy little sounds upon turning on power. I also have a set of Peltor back of head muffs & I keep them next to my power lawn tools - not nearly as good as the over head ones, don't seal as well, & use 2 sets of AAA batteries, 1 set per side, need to pry off foam cups to change batteries - no go for these.

I also at times wear lady type foam plugs in addition to the muffs as I have small ear canals. My health pro thinks I should go to the VA because of exposure to lots of service connected noise like diesel engines and ordinance use. I am real olde and suffer from hi freq damage.

 

[Old Rooster]

jeb405 my teenage years were the early 60's,come on Johnny Rivers!
338 dude a friend had me work up a load for his 300 ultra mag as he felt like I should be ok as I shoot a 300 weatherby mag often.
Man I hate brakes as that's one of the reasons I am almost deaf but it was a welcome relief to see a fat bastard on the front of that rifle.
The walkers I tried didn't work well for me and they may have fixed that but I could not tell where the noise was coming from.
When my wife asked me something I could not tell which direction to look.
I bet they fixed that as I gave mine away to a youngster shooting a 30-06 with NO hearing protection!
Now it's required like shooting glasses just to get a seat.
Old Rooster

 

[Old Rooster]

Hugnot that is one of the reasons I got the ones I got as it turns off after 4 hours too.
Getting older is a bummer and everyday we meet different challenges but hang in there champ as I have friends in their 90's.
Old Rooster

 

[wyorich]

Hard to beat the MSA's. I've been running a pair hard for about 7 years now. Zero issues. The gel inserts are a must. So dang comfortable.

 

[Les in Wyoming]

I use Howard Leights and cheap Walker Razors. I like them both. Been using the Walker Razors mostly lately because they are new. I shoot 300 WM with muzzle brake. They work great. They muzzle the blast as much as any good pair of muffs but they amplify sound otherwise. I use them for hunting and forget I am wearing them. I paid something like $35 for the Walker Razors. I don't know what there is not to like.