Hearing Protection

Good morning all,

I am in the process of introducing my grandson to deer stalking and am looking for advice on decent hearing protection. Your views/experience of them would be much appreciated as I do not want him ending up like me with gun related deafness later in his life.

Regards
Frank
 
you don't say much about your grandson - I guess we're kind of assuming a child (above 14 or whatever to actually shoot, I think), but could be 14-24. Are you teaching him to shoot, or does he shoot already, and you're bringing him into the stalking side of things?

I ask because it makes a difference to what I'd suggest. I've been a CCF officer, and with children and guns you need something on them that you can see easily - so I would say over-ear muffs amplivox type ear defence is the minimum. Electronic noise cancelling if you can afford it.

On the other hand, if he is a bit older, and you aren't teaching shooting from the ground up - or you just feel that you can trust he will use them properly, in-ear plugs can be very effective. So long as you get ones with a proper CE marking showing that they can be formally issued as industrial PPE, you can be fairly confident that they will offer good protection if used as instructed.

I use Moldex "Sparkplugs" from Lucy Dell as for £25 you can get 200 pairs, enough to last for years, and I use for motorcycling and shooting, always have a handfull of packs in my shooting bag, first aid kit and motorbike luggage, and really no drama if you lose or destroy them.

If I did any serious range time though, I would buy some over-ear defence, and insist that anyone I was responsible for used the same.

HTH,
Guy
 
Must be 17 anywhere other than approved range unless they hold a FAC, which they can apply for once they are 14.
 
I tried in ear protectors and found them irritating, large over ear muffs get snagged in the woods - then I found Napier Pro 9's - happy days for all my shooting
 
The honest answer is the best he can afford. If he is still growing then made to measure in the ear defenders will not be a good idea in that case soft ear plugs with defenders over the top. Soft ear plugs alone will not be good enough.
It is all down to Decibel reduction, damage to the ear occurs over roughly 90dB but this has to be constant for 6 hrs. As the sound intensity gets bigger the length of exposure gets shorter. Certain damage to the hearing organ occurs over 105dB with instantaneous damage above 120dB. The report on a rifle is between 120-140dB.
Plugs will reduce by 10-15dB at best and ear defenders by about 25dB slightly more if well fitting.
He is young so his lifetime exposure is important. Now is the time to instil into him how important protecting your hearing is. Start him shooting with defenders and it will be second nature.
My recommendation for what it is worth is:
For range work or clays soft plugs plus ear defenders. For hunting ear defenders (ideally those that are electronic do you can hear voices but cut off above that) and when he stops growing invest in a good pair of well made properly fitting in the ear defenders for hunting but plugs and defenders always at the range or clays.
As a tinnitus sufferer myself and someone who deals with people with tinnitus or hearing loss you cannot cut corners with protection.
Give me a pm if you want any more advice.

BE
 
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