Going Deaf -> Say what??

[Double Naught Spy]

Just a word of warning, rifle suppressors help slow hearing loss, but do not stop hearing loss on most centerfire supersonic ammo. They make shooting much more tolerable and the damage is less, but there is still apt to be damage. From what I have seen, most suppressors will get the report down to about 135 db, which is well above the point at which damage may start to occur (120 db). https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/wh...%20hearing.

[RSTX]

Just a word of warning, rifle suppressors help slow hearing loss, but do not stop hearing loss on most centerfire supersonic ammo. They make shooting much more tolerable and the damage is less, but there is still apt to be damage. From what I have seen, most suppressors will get the report down to about 135 db, which is well above the point at which damage may start to occur (120 db). https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/wh...%20hearing.

Good point. The only time I shoot without ear protection (even with a suppressor) is when shooting 300BO subsonics. The mechanical noise of the action is louder than the shot. I just traded for a Rem 700 bolt action in 300BO. Can't wait to see how quiet it is.

[lazyengineer]

Good article. And some good points in the replays. Particularly from DNS about suppressors themselves not being the end-all be-all alone. The worst ear-ringing I've expereinced in the last 2 years was from First-Shot-Pop of a suppressed sub-sonic .300 BO. Frankly, that experience was so bad, I concluded that suppressors aren't for me - expensive and lots of paperwork, Still have to wear hearing protection, and every supressed hunting video I see, shows all the animals running like Hell as soon as the gun goes off anyway.

But as to brakes, and the original premise of the article, the author notes that even with hearing protection, he suffered hearing damage from shooting guns with muzzle brakes. It's a good cautionary tale. Which I can see, the first time I shot a 10.5"AR pistol with a brake on it, I thought the gun exploded in my hands. I'm not kidding, I immediately plopped the gun down on the bench and started inspecting for damage on it and me! It comes down to pressure, and 5.56 at 10.5" is ejecting a lot of pressure. PRS guys run really high pressure too. And they also run really effecient brakes, so they can stay on target and see their splash. And do so in concrete pipes where all of it comes back on you. I experience this in my Creedmoor, where if I'm running mild loads with a fast powder, that long barrel brake doesn't do much. But if I run a hot load with a slow powder, at high pressure - yikes, that blast and noise is another world.

Some good news though,
-Grendel is lower pressure - lower pressuree makes all the difference in the blast from a brake
-Run an inefficient brake. This is one reason why I have a bias for really small muzzle brakes. The weight and mass savings, but really, the less efficient braking means less noise and blast. My current favorite is the BCMGUNFIGHTER, which is a purposely inefficient brake that looks mostly like an A2 flashhider But has some impingement surface for the gas to whack against and redirect. But that impingement surface is angled to deflect out, more then back, and there's not a lot of it. Result is slightly less breaking, but a lot less noise and blast. On my Grendel, I purposely run a .30 cal brake, which is less efficient, for the same reason.

Also, whenever I hunt, I always wear electronic muffs now.

[Klem]

Here's a study by the Journal of Audiology into the practical effects of using suppressors. They concluded that if you want to keep your hearing you should still wear hearing protection when using suppressors. They are not the silver bullet some guys think they are.
Also, that suppressed subsonic is more efficient noise reduction than suppressed supersonic. Shooters already know this of course but they prove it with science. With subsonic there's no downrange supersonic crack to confound the effects of a suppressor.

https://www.docdroid.net/OFYtQ6G/murphy-...pdf#page=2

RSTX,
Let's be honest, the action is definitely not the loudest sound in a suppressed subsonic Blackout. If you are not using hearing protection with a suppressed Blackout you will be losing your hearing.

Even when loading the lightest 30cal that won't cycle a Blackout action it's still loud enough to need hearing protection. This is equivalent to a suppressed 9mm and when in the military we wore hearing protection using HK MP5-SD's religiously. Regardless, Blackout and 9mm suppressed will never be as quiet as a suppressed subsonic .22, which is louder still than a 22 using the reduced velocity .22 Z shorts, or CCI CB's ammunition.

Lazy,
I couldn't agree more. Especially the bit where animals spook when one gets hit nearby. They know danger when they hear and see it. Even a subsonic round makes noise as it displaces air downrange. Like the sound of the Headmaster's rod swishing through the air. I find however that animals spook less if there's a lower muzzle report. So it does work to a degree. They run for less before stopping, maybe walk fast instead. Rabbits disappear underground for 15min instead of 1hr etc.

[RSTX]

Here's a study by the Journal of Audiology into the practical effects of using suppressors. They concluded that if you want to keep your hearing you should still wear hearing protection when using suppressors. They are not the silver bullet some guys think they are.
Also, that suppressed subsonic is more efficient noise reduction than suppressed supersonic. Shooters already know this of course but they prove it with science. With subsonic there's no downrange supersonic crack to confound the effects of a suppressor.

https://www.docdroid.net/OFYtQ6G/murphy-...pdf#page=2

RSTX,
Let's be honest, the action is definitely not the loudest sound in a suppressed subsonic Blackout. If you are not using hearing protection with a suppressed Blackout you will be losing your hearing.

Even when loading the lightest 30cal that won't cycle a Blackout action it's still loud enough to need hearing protection. This is equivalent to a suppressed 9mm and when in the military we wore hearing protection using HK MP5-SD's religiously. Regardless, Blackout and 9mm suppressed will never be as quiet as a suppressed subsonic .22, which is louder still than a 22 using the reduced velocity .22 Z shorts, or CCI CB's ammunition.

Lazy,
I couldn't agree more. Especially the bit where animals spook when one gets hit nearby. They know danger when they hear and see it. Even a subsonic round makes noise as it displaces air downrange. Like the sound of the Headmaster's rod swishing through the air. I find however that animals spook less if there's a lower muzzle report. So it does work to a degree. They run for less before stopping, maybe walk fast instead. Rabbits disappear underground for 15min instead of 1hr etc.

I already have the eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee 24/7/365. Maybe that's why I cant hear the subs?

[Bobjones]

Been considering a suppressor. My hearing loss cane from vicodin prescribed for hernia surgery 10 years ago. Caused tinnitus in one day and never left. Now any NSAID makes my hearing worse and hearing aids are of little help. I don't like the muffs for rifle. Seem to interfere with the cheek weld. I guess I'm screwed ????*??????

[Klem]

Been considering a suppressor. My hearing loss cane from vicodin prescribed for hernia surgery 10 years ago. Caused tinnitus in one day and never left. Now any NSAID makes my hearing worse and hearing aids are of little help. I don't like the muffs for rifle. Seem to interfere with the cheek weld. I guess I'm screwed ????*??????

You're fighting it.

Don't rely on others to lead you - no-one really cares. Get a thinner set of muffs and use ear plugs at the same time; or you can go deaf in old age.

[Double Naught Spy]

You're fighting it.

Don't rely on others to lead you - no-one really cares. Get a thinner set of muffs and use ear plugs at the same time; or you can go deaf in old age.

Right. And if you can't stand the muffs at all, spring for getting custom made ear plugs that will offer you the most protection possible (mostly by providing proper and sure fit EVERY time).

[PNWTargets]

Hearing protection is vital. Electronic hearing protection is a good balance. I have it ready in the house and when I do work. Cans help a lot to.

[grayfox]

Right. There are 2 blast components in a supersonic bullet shot, the powder/gas blast and the bullet blast (maybe this is in those videos but I haven't walked thru them). A suppressor can dampen the gas blast but not the bullet's.

In the Nav running our EDG's was about 135+ db in the engine room just for them and double hearing protection was mandatory on station. My troubles started however from nobody pointing out the steam noises/whistle/pipe noise (a high-freq ~6000-10000 hz) that you are constantly exposed to when in the engineering spaces. Once I got to the boat only time I didn't wear at least foam plugs was when in port and everything shutdown.
The eeeeeeeeee is, IIRC, the result of that high-frequency ear damage, and it is uncorrectable.
Even a 45 cal or 9 mm <1114 ft/s makes a loud enough sound, far as I'm concerned, large enough.....

And roger that to the shorter pistol-length barrels! The closeness of the blast (even with double hearing pro) was enough to tell me I'll handle those duties w/ another solution. Didn't care for it.

Losing some hearing is kind of like "yesterday" -- you never get it back.

[sqeezeatrigger]

I too "grew up" when hearing protection was not thought of- got out of the Navy with hearing loss then spent a few years on rock crushers. My old boss was WW2 Seabee( I was Seabee too) saw me loading up on ear plugs for the work truck and said you Young guys are sure tender! By then the damage to my hearing was pretty extensive. Wear your hearing protection!! About all I hear anymore is Loud ringing and that sucks.

[ritepath]

I still wear ear protection with my suppressor....just like when running the mower or any other small engine device.