Why is it important to use hearing protection when shooting?
As a gun owner and an amateur competitive shooter for over 20 years, I know how important it is to protect my hearing. But that wasn’t always the case and its something you should take seriously early on in your journey as I was to later found out just a few shots can have long-term consequences.
Responsible gun owners know it is important to practice safe gun operation, and with that should come a reasonable amount of time at the range whether for enjoyment or to stay sharp.
Practice for competition or defense means using a fair amount of ammunition to become and remain proficient. A side effect of this for me is that my eardrums are frequently exposed to percussive blasts from both my weapon and the weapons of the people around me at the range. As someone who runs a website dedicated to audio products listening and my ability to hear properly is a pretty vital part of my life.
It doesn’t just stop when i’m shooting. Hearing protection for me should be worn when you are the shooter and when people around you are firing weapons. Different caliber and barrel guns have produced different shock waves, explosions, and decibel levels that can easily damage hearing. Big guns can be quiet; small guns can be loud, so you need to be prepared. Just like a small fast round will defeat armor a big heavy loud round might actually do less damage to your ears, you just don’t know which bang is going to set you off for a lifetime of regret.
The reason youou need to take this seriously is because gunshots fall into a category of sounds known as concussive blasts. Imagine hitting a gong or crashing two cymbals together. That violent impact causes high-frequency reverberation within the eardrum. It can cause tears, damage the cochlea, and create conditions perfect for hearing loss or long-term tinnitus from just a single bullet being fired.
Again to use a bullet analogy something like a 50 BMG does a tonne of damage from the impact, however the shockwave is really what shreds things up. Just because it isn’t visible to the eye doesn’t mean its not extremely dangerous.
If you want me to simplify, hearing damage can occur at 85db (decibels). The sound produced by the average 9mm handgun is 160db, and even suppressed firearms can operate at around 140db. Keep your ears safe; you’re probably stuck with them for the rest of your life.
