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Hot Topic (More than 10 Replies) Ear Muffs. (Read 970 times)
Nero
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Ear Muffs.
Apr 17th, 2025 at 11:09pm
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Some time ago there was a discussion here about not buying electronic ear muffs because they didn't shut down quick enough.
Now thinking of going against this advice and going down this road due to my not hearing the cease fire call or hearing what people say in conversation and having to lift an ear muff and then the guy next to me fires off his super duper loud magnum but so many different types and prices. 
Regardds.
  
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ssdave
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Re: Ear Muffs.
Reply #1 - Apr 18th, 2025 at 12:20am
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Not shutting down isn't a problem; the sound transmitted electronically through the speakers is limited to the volume you set, so it won't be excessively loud due to "not shutting down quick enough".  It will be whatever level you set.   

The sound reduction ratio of the electronic muffs isn't as good as some of the non-electronic, though.  So, loud noises aren't muffled enough sometimes.  It's all relative; most muffs are rated at about 22 db, which actually reduces the peak db level of the sound by about 7.  So, a rifle at 140 db gets reduced to 133.  Most plugs are around 30 db rating; for a peak reduction of 12.  Adding muffs drops it only another 5, because the physics of sound reduction aren't linear, so the rifle peak level would drop from 140 to 123.  This is above the generally accepted 110 to 120 considered to be damaging at short intervals, but still a lot better than 140.   

I like them, and am satisfied with them.  My wife absolutely doesn't like them, but thinks they're about right with earplugs in under them.  Not just me being old man deaf, my hearing is as good or better than hers and I have very little loss.

I have Peltor, pretty old ones, and similar 3m newer ones.  The newer earbud ones that are supposed to be even better, but the price was around $350 last I checked, so I thought I would keep using the current ones I'm happy with.  You also don't have the option of doubling up plugs and muffs if you're uising in ear electronics.  If you're shooting near very loud rifles, or indoors, the electronic muffs are great, over good in ear plugs.
  
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Ranch13
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Re: Ear Muffs.
Reply #2 - Apr 18th, 2025 at 9:53am
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I’ve used the walker ear buds for several years and they work just fine. A couple of years ago I got a set of the Axil ear buds and now have 3 sets. Battery life is much better than the walkers and they are more comfortable for all day use in competition. The added benefit of the earbuds is they don’t numb against the gunstock like muffs do
  
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JHand
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Re: Ear Muffs.
Reply #3 - Apr 18th, 2025 at 11:00am
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Personally I fine ear plugs work great (electronic or not) for black powder shoots, but don't gut enough sound for smokeless shoots (like schutzen). I think it may because of the sound waves picked up by the bone surrounding your ear?

I have used both Walker and Caldwell muffs, and the only recommendation I have is to get low profile ones. I recently upgraded the ear cups on mine to the gel pads, and it makes one heck of a comfort difference when wearing glasses
  
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marlinguy
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Re: Ear Muffs.
Reply #4 - Apr 18th, 2025 at 11:51am
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I've used the Caldwell electronic ear muffs for many years, and love them. Only issue I have is talking to someone with ear plugs or non electronic muffs and having them talk extremely loud when they talk and I have to turn mine down to handle the loud voices from others.
  

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Smoke
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Re: Ear Muffs.
Reply #5 - Apr 18th, 2025 at 2:06pm
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The effectiveness of ear plugs vs muffs is in part bone conduction.  Your skull transmits sound, particularly waves that hit close to your ears.  Plugs don't muffle this.  Ear muffs do.
  

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gnoahhh
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Re: Ear Muffs.
Reply #6 - Apr 18th, 2025 at 4:00pm
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Huh? Can you repeat that? Roll Eyes
  
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calledflyer
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Re: Ear Muffs.
Reply #7 - Apr 18th, 2025 at 7:35pm
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Smoke wrote on Apr 18th, 2025 at 2:06pm:
The effectiveness of ear plugs vs muffs is in part bone conduction.  Your skull transmits sound, particularly waves that hit close to your ears.  Plugs don't muffle this.  Ear muffs do.


I must be different than that. I just tapped my noggin near my ear. Dull sound in my ear. Then I tapped the top of my skull about the same with the same finger. Big noise. So in my test: near ear, nada. further from ear, boing. 
  
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Smoke
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Re: Ear Muffs.
Reply #8 - Apr 20th, 2025 at 11:34am
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Here's a bit from an AI search that says it better than I could:

Bone conduction and hearing loss

Sound vibrations can also pass directly through the skull and into the cochlea, bypassing the eardrum and middle ear.   

In loud environments like near jet engines [and gunfire], the high sound pressure can overwhelm the cochlea, leading to mechanical damage, reduced blood flow, and inflammation. 

While bone conduction is typically weaker than air conduction for hearing, in extreme noise, the sound vibrations transmitted through bone can contribute to cochlear damage, 
especially in cases where air conduction is also impaired.

(Emphasis mine)
  

Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amatuers built the Ark, professionals built the Titanic.
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calledflyer
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Re: Ear Muffs.
Reply #9 - Apr 20th, 2025 at 1:26pm
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Shucks. And here I was thinking that I was 'unique'. Happy Easter you all. Smiley
  
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ssdave
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Re: Ear Muffs.
Reply #10 - Apr 20th, 2025 at 1:51pm
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Wore my electronic muffs yesterday, in an environment I almost never operate in.   

An indoor handgun range, with 8 people simultaneously firing 100 rounds as fast as they could reload.

I wore muffs over earplugs, was quite adequate, and could still hear conversations when the gunfire stopped.

Interesting to me, guess I'm out of touch with the rest of the world, all the others used 9mm.  No 40's.  I was the lone .45.  This was for a CCW certification class.  I expected about 50/50 9mm and .40's.
  
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yort
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Re: Ear Muffs.
Reply #11 - Apr 22nd, 2025 at 10:30am
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Just my two cents, 

Cold weather I wear over the ear electronic muffs. Savior Brand
Warmer weather I wear in the ear. Axil Brand

Now the nerdy part. 

Savior uses clip technology, which most do. When the thresh hold of sound volume is hit it shuts off all sound. For those of us with hearing loss it makes it hard to follow conversations. 

Axil uses compression technology, when that same thresh hold is hit it compresses the loud sounds down to safe levels and leave the conversation sounds at their current level. 

If I were to choose, it would be the Axils. When I'm alone on the line a little music is pretty nice.
  
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JägerWilhelm
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Re: Ear Muffs.
Reply #12 - Apr 22nd, 2025 at 12:41pm
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I wear both plugs and electronic muffs when indoors, and outdoors with most center fire firearms.
  

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Nero
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Re: Ear Muffs.
Reply #13 - Apr 23rd, 2025 at 5:49pm
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Received my Walker razor ear muffs today.
They appear to be good quality and the sound is excellent.
If it's not raining this coming Sunday will be trying them out on the range.
  
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blkpowderbuff
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Re: Ear Muffs.
Reply #14 - Apr 25th, 2025 at 4:43pm
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The Walker brand electronic ear buds worked well for me at the shoots where I wore them. I was able to hear shooting instructions and information from my spotter well, and did not experience any noise from the shooting line even with some smokeless rifles.
  
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