Hunting with a muzzle brake, ear protection

[MAF47]

Some ago I read that men spend half of their life to ruin their health, and the other half to treat the damages done.
It happened to me for my ears: since a child I started shooting without any hearing protection and after years the bill arrived...
Well, it's not a drama because there are solutions to this problem: in my case I wear Peltor Tactical Electronic Muffs when shooting at the range and Walker Game Ear when hunting. I use them since years and I'm very satisfied of their effectiveness, not only with the PPC, but mainly with the sound of my 300WSM with a TRG-style muzzlebrake!
Good shooting to everybody, with hear protections!
MAF

 

[The Duke007]

As anyone come up with a brake that was brought up earlier? (dpms brake) If I use it for a 7wsm it should help it. I just dont know if anyone makes one for it.

 

[longrangebo]

I use the walkers also for longrange hunting, However when I am spotting and calling the shots, I just put my fingers in my ears. That way when you call the hit the shooter can hear you. believe it or not , it also helps to open your mouth? The 338-378 and the 7mm 416 realy make noise!

 

[muleman1953]

For you younger shooters if you don't ware ear protection, you should set up a separate account from your retirement, for hearing aids. By the time you retire, probably much sooner, you'll be looking at hearing aids if you want to here your grand kids or anything else for that matter. I've spent $10,000.00 already, and I'm a stupid 57 yrs old. In 20-25 years you'll be be spending $20,000.00 PLUS, or you'll be saying HUH to anyone that will to try and communicate with you. DON'T LAUGH!!!

 

[MAF47]

Muleman, I fully subscribe to your post.
I am an over-sixty, shooting since the tender age of 5: I started hunting with my grandpa when things were easier for hunters and the hunting season were long. At 40, my first earing-aid device, and then various others, spending many precious bucks!
I think clever people should take into the right consideration all that...
Good shooting (with protected ears)!
MAF47

 

[dig]

I suffered perminate hearing loss in my right ear at less than 30 years of age thanks to someome touching off a .300 Jarret 4 ft from my ear. Why in the world does anyone need a muzzle break on a hunting rifle? The bench, Varmit rifles where you want to see the shot ok, but a hunting rife? Try wearing hearing protection in hot weather. I try to put in before any type of firing but its not always pratical.

If you cant stand the heat get out of the kitchen.

If you cant handle the recoil by a mouse gun.

 

[Splatter]

I suffered perminate hearing loss in my right ear at less than 30 years of age thanks to someome touching off a .300 Jarret 4 ft from my ear.

I'm thinking that even without a brake on that .300, you'd have suffered perminent damage.

Why in the world does anyone need a muzzle break on a hunting rifle?

Need? NEED?!? Dude, do you really want me to go through your life removing everything you don't need? If someone wants a brake, and after considering the trade-offs still wants it... more power to them.

Try wearing hearing protection in hot weather.

If you cant stand the heat get out of the kitchen.

I do wear ear protection in hot weather, all the time, plowing/cultivating and baling means wearing ear-defenders 12-to-14 hours a day for days at a time, during some parts of the summer.
It seems that there is only one of us here that is having problems with the heat.

 

[rdsii64]

I suffered perminate hearing loss in my right ear at less than 30 years of age thanks to someome touching off a .300 Jarret 4 ft from my ear. Why in the world does anyone need a muzzle break on a hunting rifle? The bench, Varmit rifles where you want to see the shot ok, but a hunting rife? Try wearing hearing protection in hot weather. I try to put in before any type of firing but its not always pratical.

If you cant stand the heat get out of the kitchen.

If you cant handle the recoil by a mouse gun.

I wear hearing protection no matter what I shoot and no matter the weather. If the weather won't let me be comfortable with hearing protection, I'm not shooting that day.
It doesn't matter if I'm shooting my wife's .22LR or one of my braked long guns. I have decent hearing and I plan on keeping that way. I even wear ear protection when I hunt.
NO EAR PRO, NO GUN FUN.

 

[Malach]

I have a pair of Howard Leight earmuffs.

Low profile, battery operated.... heck, I hear better wearing them while hunting and they shut down when you shoot.

You can still have a great check weld, hear great, lightweight, well priced....

just my $ .02

link here...

Cabela's -- Howard Leight Impact™ Sport Earmuff

Agreed!

 

[Malach]

I wear hearing protection no matter what I shoot and no matter the weather. If the weather won't let me be comfortable with hearing protection, I'm not shooting that day.
It doesn't matter if I'm shooting my wife's .22LR or one of my braked long guns. I have decent hearing and I plan on keeping that way. I even wear ear protection when I hunt.
NO EAR PRO, NO GUN FUN.

Point well said!

 

[FEENIX]

Nice dig!

 

[fremont]

I lost 30%-40% of hearing in my left ear from one shot out of my 7-08. It happens. Talked to 3 ENT docs and they were surprised but said "Yeah, it happens." Permanent Threshold Shift.

I use ear molds made by a real, card-carrying audiologist. I've ****ed guides off when I have them in, but I don't care.

 

[rammac]

Personally I don't understand why you guys feel that a brake makes the muzzle blast worse for the shooter. I can't tell if it does since I'm not foolish enough to shoot anything without hearing protection. Besides, the blast isn't directed at the shooter so how do you figure it's noisier for the trigger puller.

 

[TexSavage]

As a word of caution, when you head to buy the ear protection, see if you can try the protection on and then shoulder a rifle and make sure the plugs or muffs don't break the seal or come off or up when you place the cheek on the stock for a good weld. I have had to learn the hard way that muffs don't work for me because they get pushed up and some plugs break seal when I get my cheek weld. My best resolve to date is an old, old pair of Silenco gel ear plugs and a new set of the Walker Game electronic ear plugs. Gave about $20 for the Silenco years ago and just got the Walker's with Bluetooth for about $60 at Midway 6 months ago. I have a pair of custom molded plugs, but the right ear breaks seal when I put my cheek on the stock. Too bad cause they really seal out.