Ear Plugs vs Ear Muffs for Shooting
What You Need To Know About Ear Plugs and Shooting Muffs What is Ear Protection in PPE? Anyone in the vicinity of gunfire needs hearing protection, so ear plugs and/or ear muffs are some of the most essential pieces of safety gear that you can have when you’re going shooting. Shooting ear protection (often called “ear pro”) is necessary for everyone on the range, including shooters and bystanders. This is also true for hunters in the field. Today, many types of hearing protection devices are available on the market that won’t hamper hearing game and maintaining situational awareness. Any noise over 85 decibels (dB) can cause permanent hearing loss, which can be compounded by other factors like shooting indoors. Guess what? A .22 Long Rifle, one of the smallest calibers used for hunting and recreational shooting, produces at least 140 dB using standard loads. Hearing damage can occur in as little as one shot, and the effects are cumulative over time with repeated noise exposure. Sou