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Post by wranglerkenny on Jan 10, 2019 20:49:26 GMT
I am new to this club, but not new to shooting. I am researching electronic hearing protection for use with rifles and pistols. Considering I have subjected my ears to 60's and 70's rock music, open farm tractors with no mufflers, a career as a machinist, duck blinds with shotguns blasting three feet away, a screaming wife and kids, and just general noise, it seems funny I would now consider buying the correct system! But, here we are! Right now, for my private home range, I use cheap ear muffs, but they are not good for rifles. What models do people recommend? What should I steer clear of? I can't say that price is of no concern, but I know I can't get something good for $10.
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Post by Voss on Jan 26, 2019 23:28:31 GMT
Wrangler,
I cannot recommend electronic ear pro highly enough as a non-shooting accessory. If you have experienced hearing loss, electronic protection will enhance your safety on the range as well as your enjoyment because you will hear things that you will normally miss using regular blocking ear pro. If you are a firearms instructor, they are almost a necessity.
I have had good experience with the Pro Ears brand. I have had two sets over the years. One set was a Pro Tac Slim Gold Series. The other was a more compact Pro Tac Plus Series. Both provided extremely good sound suppression and clarity of audio not above 85 db. The larger muffs were more comfortable and quieter than the more compact set, but their electronics were essentially the same and excellent. The both allowed for individual ear volume control and were powered by four N batteries per set.
The N batteries are very compact but harder to find than AA or AAA and more expensive. Changing them was easy, when required. They did last a long time unless you left the units turned on, or they came on accidentally in my range pack. Pro Ears can be refurbished with reconditioning kits that include ear cups, internal foam and microphone foam. The electronics can be refurbished by Pro Ears as well. I had to have one set serviced by Pro Ears, to include the electronics. Pro Ears did it quickly and under warranty. I was very pleased with their service.
Pro Ears is more expensive than some other lesser brands, but I think they are worth the money if you spend time on a range more than casually one or twice a year. They have three levels of price/product: Gold, Pro and Silver/ReVO. My only complaints with Pro Ears is that the on/off/volume knobs are not as protected as I'd like and they sometimes come on accidentally in my pack or range bag. They are also a bit bulkier than others so they may not fit well sometimes when shouldering a rifle or shotgun. But the pay-off there is better seal and mechanical sound suppression so that the most of the sound going to your ears is through the electronics.
I hope this helps.
Voss
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Post by wranglerkenny on Mar 11, 2019 2:01:03 GMT
I ended up buying the Axil Ghoststryke Essential hearing protectors. The biggest reason I got the in the ear style is for the lack of bulk making rifle shooting easier. They definitely improve normal conversation and reduce the sound of a gun. I guess I'll just have to see how they work in the long run.
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