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Electronic ear protectors
asop
Member Posts: 9,031 ✭✭✭✭
I have an old pair of Dillon, but want to buy a few for the grandkids this Xmas. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks
Comments
I have a couple pair of Caldwells. I think the were ~$30. They’re ok for rimfire shooting but I don’t use the for any centerfire. I bought them mainly for use with chainsaw, etc.
I use a pelitor behind the head set because I wear a hat most of the time.
https://shop.opticsplanet.com/peltor-tactical-hearing-protectors.html?_iv_code=PL-HP-FAADDE-97043-00000&gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=Cj0KCQiAw_H-BRD-ARIsALQE_2NwbdsHcGj9FJchtMsDhKWIX_FdAa1WVcFACAatHsLUHTNMezu3IR8aAjWCEALw_wcB
There are two kinds of circuits. One is designed for impulse noise like gunfire and is little to no use for things like chainsaws. The other uses noise cancelling which is designed for continuous noise like chainsaws but is next to useless for gunfire.
Of the impulse sort, there are again two kinds. Clipping circuits turn the sound completely off for as long as it is above a volume threshold. They are cheaper and can be disorienting. Compression circuits reduce the peak volume to a set level but you continue to receive other sounds. The latter is far more natural-sounding. All of them today are digital - or at least the decent ones.
Muff style protectors are only one style. There are also in the canal, in the ear, and behind the ear styles. Canal and in-ear models can use "generic" or molded plugs to seal the canal. Molded ones are much better.
Got a couple pairs of these and am happy with em.
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/883374839
If you are shooting indoors or anything very loud 22 db of attenuation is not enough, especially with kids. I used to get young kids to wear both plugs and muffs at our indoor range. Our range muffs were rated at 30 db which was as good as I could buy. Remember sound is rated on a logarithmic scale.
"Decibels are different from other familiar scales of measurement. While many standard measuring devices, such as rulers, are linear, the decibel scale is logarithmic. This kind of scale better represents how changes in sound intensity actually feel to our ears. To understand this, think of a building that is 80 feet tall. If we build up another 10 feet, the building will be 12.5 percent taller, which would seem just slightly taller to us; this is a linear measurement. Using the logarithmic decibel scale, if a sound is 80 decibels, and we add another 10 decibels, the sound will be ten times more intense, and will seem about twice as loud to our ears."
How is Sound Measured? | Noisy Planet (nih.gov)
Since I'm about half-deaf I need not only amplified headphones for hunting (and range commands) but I also need shot compression.
These also have a jack so I can pipe in audio (weather report, NASCAR scanner, phone, music, etc).
They also keep my ears warm during the late muzzle loader season.
A little spendy for gifts to kids.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007ZBY0YO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I have a old set of Walkers that I really like. I bought new set they're not as near as good as the old ones but cost quite a bit more. Naturally the old ones I really liked is discontinued
Pelitor
For muffs, I use Howard Leight, not expensive and they work well. For hunting I use Tetra, definitly too spendy for the kids, but a very good choice for in the ear digital.
I have a Peltor Tactical 6-S. Great muffs. I pulled them out to use them a few months ago, and the batteries were dead. I opened up the chambers and the Copper Top batteries were covered in corrosion. I took the circuit board out and cleaned it up along with the battery contacts and chambers, but it didn't work. Apperently the corrosion traveled inside some of the components and fried the circuitry. I was really p****d.
This was a great muff with adjustable volume control that you could hear a gnat fart, but would cancel out a 308 easily.
Joe
I think Dillon contracts out their electronic muffs. Plastic parts broke off, no warranty on these. I will only buy reloading equipment from them, from now on.
Neal
We had PELTOR head phones in the my unit, they worked well.
When I shoot I use Headphones and earplugs my hearing is shot.
Chaining the stable post equine departure, eh?
I have two sets of these, and like them for the price, but search around and you can get them at a decent price. The only thing that I don't like about the electronic muffs is that they amplify the wind, which is annoying some times. I thought that I read about some that cancelled the wind, but can't remember which ones they were.