To brake or not to brake...

[Pdvdh]

I've had Peltors for many years now. They say "Tactical 7 Classic".
Never a problem. Good amplification. For shotguns the noise protection is good enough as it. For pistols and rifles, I insert foam plugs into my ear canal, before the Peltors, IF I need to hear my surroundings.
When I don't need to hear my surroundings and I'm shooting rifles/pistols, it's the foam plugs and then the 3M muffs made by Peltor. They have "X5A" stamped on them. Think 3M advertises them at ~31db noise reduction. They're a bit bulky, but very effective. High quality foam inside of them.

 

[Hand Skills]

-31dB is really good.

For anyone unfamiliar with the decibel (dB) system, it's logarithmic. What it means is;

A muff offering -31dB of reduction is twice as effective as one offering -24dB. Counter-intuitive, yes, but that's how it works.

To me a difference of 3dB is significant.

Something to keep in mind when comparing options.

Bottom line, doubling up is a good idea for anyone shooting indoors or around a brake.

 

[WildRose]

+1 for the Howard Leight Impact Sport.

At -24dB they don't offer as much attenuation as some others, but the electronics are really good. Sound localization is as good as it gets for a muff - truly.

Battery life is suprisingly good, and the 1/8" audio jack is just a bonus - I pipe in some tunes from time to time, it's pleasant.

All of this combined with the low form factor and portability makes a great product.

I'm a total audio nerd, and have been through several in-ears, custom plugs, and more muffs than I can count (no soundtear yet though!)

In a past life I worked as a professional audio engineer, and learned to take my ears very seriously. Impact Sports travel pretty much everywhere with me, love 'em.

They are a bit light for crowded indoor ranges but they definitely seem to do the job well for me outdoors. A couple of the ranges where we take students are so loud you pretty well have to wear double hearing protection anyway since you may be next to someone shooting a .480 or rifles up to .30 Cal.

 

[Majopikeras]

I shoot a 06 with 215 bergers @2850 FPS and do not use a brake. Recoil is fine.

What a nice 06! I think you should check your chrono or your load...

 

[flyfishn]

I use brakes on most of my rifles, not only does it reduce recoil and I can see the bullet impact. I especially like it for groundhogs or PD.

 

[JanP]

Just talk to an African PH about brakes! He will sue you, why not use a suppressor.

 

[Pdvdh]

Just talk to an African PH about brakes!

What about shooters that don't hire an African PH...? Do they care what the African PH thinks about brakes? What makes the African PH the standard of measure?
Their meaningless opinion on this subject has zero influence on my decision to use a muzzle brake.

 

[Hand Skills]

Lol, if anything, brakes are quieter in Africa due to the heat.

 

[JanP]

If you can not control your rifle without a brake, use a rifle you can control without a brake and stop bothering the shooters around, period!
That is why the brake on the muzzle of the rifle in my avatar got exchanged by a suppressor.

 

[Pdvdh]

Now you're telling us we must do it your way, period.
You're so full of yourself, it's almost funny.
Wear some ear plugs like the majority of the rest of us do. OR..., don't hang around others that make loud, legal, sounds. You come off like the neighbor from... yell.

 

[JanP]

Yep, I knew you would answer like this! Enjoy yourself harrassing other people like your Seragull master does!

 

[Pdvdh]

You make it all worth the effort.

Next you'll need blinders, cuz my posts will be overly irritating, just like the irritation from muzzle blast.

Deaf, next blind, then with any luck, mute.

 

[JanP]

Enjoy f.. yourself, please get the hell out of this space. Hope to meet you in a competition, you will lose 100%,seagull!

 

[Pdvdh]

Poor, poor soul. I've already won round #1, and you haven't even realized it.
Go find a hanky and comfort yourself. Along with the ear plugs and blinders. It'll all get better...