Hearing Protection and Recommendations for 10M

[LOSVCE]

Now that I'm shooting my LP2 regularly, I'm wondering about hearing protection for indoor 10m shooting in my basement.

I have a few questions:

1. Is hearing protection a given, and do most ISSF shooters wear it?

2. Are Apple Airpod Pro (in-ear) or Airpod Max (over ear) sufficient? I know that their nose cancelling feature is meaningless for impact decibles, but I'm more asking if the natural noise cancelling given by their construction is sufficient given the lower DBs on an air pistol.

3. Are foam ear plugs good enough if Airpods are not?

4. Regardless of whether they are required (given they are the strongest barrier), any opinions on Walkers vs Howard Leight vs Peltor? I'm looking at bluetooth options, even though I likely won't use them, as I prefer to buy a feature and then never have to buy something again. Peltor seem to be the highest price point, but no idea if that is for any meaningful difference.

Thanks!

[PirateJohn]

I just use foam ear plugs. You don't need a lot of protection because it's not very loud, although the echos if you're shooting an a basement like I am can amplify the noise. However, some protection is a good idea if you practice a lot because over time it can cause damage.

Ear buds are basically useless. Stick with actual ear plugs designed to block sound.

[dubbyah]

Sordin makes the top tier electronic muffs, you can find them on Amazon. Foam plugs are hard to beat for attenuation when correctly inserted, they outperform most muffs.

[Gwhite]

<snip>4. Regardless of whether they are required (given they are the strongest barrier), any opinions on Walkers vs Howard Leight vs Peltor? I'm looking at bluetooth options, even though I likely won't use them, as I prefer to buy a feature and then never have to buy something again. Peltor seem to be the highest price point, but no idea if that is for any meaningful difference.

Thanks!

I've always found the Peltors to be the most comfortable for extended wear. I have a pair of Walkers, and even with after-market cushions, I find them painful.

[rmca]

I have a few questions:

1. Is hearing protection a given, and do most ISSF shooters wear it?

Yes, it's hard to find a top athlete that doesn't use them. For ISSF, no electronic hearing protection is allowed, just passive.

2. Are Apple Airpod Pro (in-ear) or Airpod Max (over ear) sufficient? I know that their nose cancelling feature is meaningless for impact decibles, but I'm more asking if the natural noise cancelling given by their construction is sufficient given the lower DBs on an air pistol.

No. Get proper ear protection.

3. Are foam ear plugs good enough if Airpods are not?

For air pistol, yes.

4. Regardless of whether they are required (given they are the strongest barrier), any opinions on Walkers vs Howard Leight vs Peltor? I'm looking at bluetooth options, even though I likely won't use them, as I prefer to buy a feature and then never have to buy something again. Peltor seem to be the highest price point, but no idea if that is for any meaningful difference.

Get a decent pair of Peltor and you are set. They have replacement parts as well.

[Ramon OP]

You don't need ear protection for air pistol. You can use it for concentration and to isolate you a bit from the music in competitions and from other shooters and the public , but you will still hear them.

[kqrxbn]

When it comes to your health, spare no expense. Use the best protection you can.

[Rover]

You don't need ear protection for air pistol. You can use it for concentration and to isolate you a bit from the music in competitions and from other shooters and the public , but you will still hear them.

I'm with Ramon on this. Ear protection is just one more annoying distraction. BUT, it does give some protection from the occasional distracting loudmouth asshole next to you. Of course, you may wish to be that DLA.

[atomicgale]

I just use foam ear plugs . . . Stick with actual ear plugs designed to block sound.

Surefire Defenders. Have "filters" blocks the pop, but you can still hear instructions during Final. Made of medical-grade polymer = better fit & function than foam.

Amazon LINK: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001V ... UTF8&psc=1

[Gwhite]

We mostly have the students I coach wear ear protection for air pistol to cut out distractions. They also occasionally have to practice next to teammates shooting .22.

I tested a bunch of "passive" plugs like the Defenders a few years ago. I discovered that my ear canal is far from round, and it's hard to get most brands to go in or be comfortable. I can't find my testing notes right now, but Amazon has a record of my buying the "EP3" Version, not the "EP4."

This type typically uses the shock wave to close off some sort of internal passage. They are primarily designed for centerfire shooting, and I found that a .22 often isn't loud enough to get the internal filter/valve to operate properly. I suspect they would work even less well for air guns.

The SureFire "EP4" version could be better. How well do they work for .22? How about air guns? It sounds like you used them in matches of some sort, so that's a good sign.

At my range, I often have to practice .22 next to people with hot 9 mm loads. Even top level Peltor muffs aren't good enough to deal with that unless I double up with foam plugs. Even then, if they are in an adjacent lane, the shock wave makes my fillings hurt...

[nick marshall]

I wear custom earplugs when the range is busy. Or when shooting in a competition.
I find ear muffs a bit awkward with the Champion shooting glasses.

[KZMNT]

Regular noise cancelling is genuinely awful for air pistol. Just for kicks, I once tried my Sony headset on while shooting and not only will you hear the shot normally because it's too loud, you will also feel the pressure sensation from the noise compensation kick in with a slight delay. These types of headsets are not just bad at it, they will actively add additional distractions for precision shooting.

For air pistol you can pick up some 3M Peltors for like 20 bucks, they're great. Don't overspend on something electronic or with bluetooth, it's not allowed for AP anyway.

An air pistol wont cause a lot of stress on your ears, but its more than zero and that's what counts. Additionally and much more importantly, they're great for focus. I know some shooters have great discipline and concentration regardless of what is happening around them, I am not one of them, wearing hearing protection immediately increased my score because I could isolate into my own headspace easier, and it makes the shot release more mundane.

Lastly, when you're at a range, just like Gwhite said... sometimes you can hear the outdoor range because of the layout, and someone really, really hates their paper target and dumps their entire .45 stockpile on it in the middle of your shot. You'd think they get paid by the bullet.

[mus]

I'll echo the advice above: do get some kind of hearing protection (I find even a shot from an AP uncomfortably loud) because with your hearing, once it's gone, it's lost forever.

My 3 flange silicone earplugs from the DIY store work great.
FYI: https://bigshopper.nl/product/3m-e-a-r- ... 162398.htm