Cool looking earplugs

[freakazoid]

So I was just watching this how on the History channel called Lock N' Load hosted by R. Lee Ermey which is about the history of rifles, and in one scene when he was shooting a rifle I noticed that he had these earplugs that looked like rifle casings. I was like that is awesome. Does anybody know where you can get some like that?

[Azrael256]

Um...  Those are rifle casings.  And they don't work well.

[RaspberrySurprise]

Um...  Those are rifle casings.  And they don't work well.

WHAT? I CAN'T HEAR YOU.

[Azrael256]

Yeah, you sound like my dad.  Deaf as a post.  He qualified with his 29-2 back when that was the awesome gun for a cop to carry with a couple of casings jammed in his ears.

[freakazoid]

Um...  Those are rifle casings.  And they don't work well.

You cereal? If so, wouldn't that make it louder?

[Azrael256]

Super-cereal.

It doesn't make it louder.  The trick to deadening sound isn't so much the conductivity of the material (although it's important), but the number of boundaries between the material and the air.  Think of what foam earplugs are really made of, and you'll get it.

Just by blocking the ear canal somewhat, it cuts down on the sharpness of the sound.  In terms of dB hitting the eardrum, I doubt if it knocks off five.

Thing is, hearing damage is one of those cumulative things.  So, you might jam a couple of .223 shells in your ears and it will stop them from ringing when you shoot... but you're still getting over 85dB at your eardrum (IIRC, 85 is about where damage starts), so each shot still knocks off a tiny bit, just a smaller bit than it would without protection.

Actually, if you know a bit about hearing and how loud guns are, you'll wind up double-covering and only shooting outdoors.

[roo_ster]

Actually, if you know a bit about hearing and how loud guns are, you'll wind up double-covering and only shooting outdoors.

I can not always manage to shoot outdoors, but I double up most times.  About the only time I don't is when ear muffs prevent a good cheek weld.

[French G.]

Why didn't you guys tell me to let the casings cool down before I used them!  :rolleyes:

[mtnbkr]

I can not always manage to shoot outdoors, but I double up most times.  About the only time I don't is when ear muffs prevent a good cheek weld.

I always double up unless I'm shooting something like a 22lr outdoors alone (or at least no other guns going off nearby).  They make lower profile muffs that won't get in the way of a good cheek weld.  They don't block as much sound, but they're much better than plugs alone.

Chris