04-27-2021, 02:13 AM
okiecat Wrote:Will a ultra 5 be hearing safe on a 12 1/2 grendel? I have a 7 and its fine to me, I cant hear it thunder tho. Found a 5 in stock at lgs. 6.5 specific.
Okie,
No suppressed high-power centrefire is 'hearing safe'.
This comes up from time to time on the Forum. The temptation after investing so much money and paperwork is to think suppressors do more than they can (pun intended
). High-power centrefires are in the order of 170db and suppressors can shave up to about 30db off the top, leaving 140db at the firing point. Suppressors cannot influence the supersonic crack of the bullet as it heads down range so there is that to consider also.Bottom line, occupational, health and safety 'hearing safe' in workplaces is around 80-85db, above which you need protection. Ultra 5 or 7 will not make a difference to hearing safe, and no high-power/centrefire suppressor will. What's left of your hearing will be compromised if you use either without muffs.
In the military we used 'double ears' with suppressors. Plugs and muffs - religiously, both indoors and outside. Helmets also help with sound able to transfer through the bones of the skull to the inner ear.