hankdiesel Posted September 19, 2015 Share Posted September 19, 2015 My biggest match screw up to date was at the Area 1 championship this year...Shooting a very loud open gun... It was my stage to shoot first and I was ready to go, had my stage plan dialed in and was confident...the RO started the commands and realized the timer had an issue and stopped me before the buzzer, my last chance to realize I didn't have a plug in my left ear...for some reason it didnt hit me until I took my first shot that I forgot to put my left plug in... Now I knew the rules that if an RO realized your hearing protection fell off he was to stop the shooter and give a re-shoot, but I didn't know I could stop myself and qualify for a re-shoot...A local club match I would have stopped myself anyway and taken the zero'd stage, but I was shooting a great match and didn't want to ruin it. All 32 rounds the only thing I could think about and concentrate on was my lack of hearing protection...and the ringing! Needless to say it was my worst stage of the match and my ears rang for days! Hoping to pass on the knowledge to any shooter that forgets ear-pro and doesn't know they can stop themselves! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hi-Power Jack Posted September 19, 2015 Share Posted September 19, 2015 (edited) I stopped myself - the buzzer went off, I went for my gun (fortunately I'm old and slow), so in the 10 seconds it took for me to get my first shot off, I realized my muffs were on top of my head, but NOT on my ears. Thought the RO should have stopped me, but he didn't, so I did. Not about to fire 25 - 32 shots of 9mm major without muffs - I'd take a zero if necessary. This is Just a Game, right? Anyway, he did allow me to start again, with my muffs on my ears. Edited September 19, 2015 by Hi-Power Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritinUSA Posted September 19, 2015 Share Posted September 19, 2015 5.4.2 If a Range Officer deems that a competitor about to make an attempt at a course of fire is wearing inadequate eye or hearing protection, the Range Officer may order the competitor to rectify the situation before allowing the competitor to continue. The Range Master is the final authority on this matter. 5.4.3 If a Range Official notices that a competitor has lost or displaced their eye or hearing protection during a course of fire, or has commenced a course of fire without either one, the Range Official must immediately stop the competitor who will be required to reshoot the course of fire after the protective devices have been restored. 5.4.4 A competitor who inadvertently loses eye or hearing protection during a course of fire, or commences a course of fire without either one, is entitled to stop, point their handgun in a safe direction and indicate the problem to the Range Official, in which case the provisions of the previous rule will apply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hi-Power Jack Posted September 19, 2015 Share Posted September 19, 2015 Thanks, Britin, nice to have someone who actually knows the rules. But, even not knowing the rules, there was NO WAY I was going to fire 30 shots of 9mm major without muffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UFO Posted September 19, 2015 Share Posted September 19, 2015 My biggest match screw up to date was at the Area 1 championship this year...Shooting a very loud open gun... It was my stage to shoot first and I was ready to go, had my stage plan dialed in and was confident...the RO started the commands and realized the timer had an issue and stopped me before the buzzer, my last chance to realize I didn't have a plug in my left ear...for some reason it didnt hit me until I took my first shot that I forgot to put my left plug in... Now I knew the rules that if an RO realized your hearing protection fell off he was to stop the shooter and give a re-shoot, but I didn't know I could stop myself and qualify for a re-shoot...A local club match I would have stopped myself anyway and taken the zero'd stage, but I was shooting a great match and didn't want to ruin it. All 32 rounds the only thing I could think about and concentrate on was my lack of hearing protection...and the ringing! Needless to say it was my worst stage of the match and my ears rang for days! Hoping to pass on the knowledge to any shooter that forgets ear-pro and doesn't know they can stop themselves! I was in your squad, Revolver Shooter, hope everything is back to normal. I can tell you, you looked to be in severe pain. We all learned a lesson that day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewColonial Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 "A local club match I would have stopped myself anyway and taken the zero'd stage, but I was shooting a great match and didn't want to ruin it." When a game is more important than a lifetime of permanent hearing damage. There's a lesson here kids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bret Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 Permanent hearing loss is not worth winning a match. The rule to allow a competitor to stop if there is a problem with their safety equipment is there for a reason, so a shooter doesn't feel obligated to shoot a stage missing ppe. Your health and well being should be more important than any stage win or match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hankdiesel Posted September 21, 2015 Author Share Posted September 21, 2015 My biggest match screw up to date was at the Area 1 championship this year...Shooting a very loud open gun... It was my stage to shoot first and I was ready to go, had my stage plan dialed in and was confident...the RO started the commands and realized the timer had an issue and stopped me before the buzzer, my last chance to realize I didn't have a plug in my left ear...for some reason it didnt hit me until I took my first shot that I forgot to put my left plug in... Now I knew the rules that if an RO realized your hearing protection fell off he was to stop the shooter and give a re-shoot, but I didn't know I could stop myself and qualify for a re-shoot...A local club match I would have stopped myself anyway and taken the zero'd stage, but I was shooting a great match and didn't want to ruin it. All 32 rounds the only thing I could think about and concentrate on was my lack of hearing protection...and the ringing! Needless to say it was my worst stage of the match and my ears rang for days! Hoping to pass on the knowledge to any shooter that forgets ear-pro and doesn't know they can stop themselves! I was in your squad, Revolver Shooter, hope everything is back to normal. I can tell you, you looked to be in severe pain. We all learned a lesson that day. Yea everything is back to normal...I don't think I have any permanent damage... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poppa Bear Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 You have not noticed it yet but you do have permanent damage. If you were tested prior to the match and then tested a couple of weeks after the match you would see a definite decrease in some of your frequencies. It may not be a lot but I would bet at least a 10 to 20% loss in some of the higher frequencies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tewatson Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 Been there... Circa 1990 we were shooting an IPSC event at Wes Thompson's (the range where the Steel Challenge used to be held). One stage required all rounds to be fired from within a vehicle while seated and the prop was an old gutted 1950s truck cab with nothing in it but a bench seat. While making ready it did not strike me why I could hear the RO so perfectly, and as the start buzzer went off, realized my ear plugs were not in place. For some reason, completed the stage anyways...about a dozen rounds of .38 Super major fired inside that giant kettle drum. Ouch. You only tend to make that mistake once. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoflungdo Posted October 18, 2015 Share Posted October 18, 2015 Any safety issue--stop..I rolled my ankle at a local match. Stopped. Holstered and resot later when I could walk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BryanHoover Posted November 3, 2015 Share Posted November 3, 2015 Ran an entire 3 gun stage without ear protection prior to knowing the rules and not realizing how bad it would be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPatton Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 A friend of mine shot a 30+ round rifle stage at a 3gun match in MO without hearing protection. It was a long ride back from MO to NC and he talked really loud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeerBaron Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 I've never done it but I came close. Running my open gun. Hybrid with 12 small ports and a comp. very loud with 11gn of n105!! Stepped to the line and when I racked the slide I thought "that sounded funny". Then it hit me. No muffs on! That would have been painful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imeyers78 Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 Forgot my ears ONCE while in a support by fire position while active in the Army and learned a very valuable life lesson. That lesson carried over to my civilian shooting days, as you learn to appreciate your hearing as you get older! I find now that instead of forgetting hearing pro, I forget to change my batteries and always seem to get that audible and irritating "beeping" at the most inopportune times, usually when I'm trying to really focus on a shot or multiple shots! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbopower18 Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 I dont this once at a multi gun match. 1 crack of the AR and i stopped immediately. I would have stopped immediately. a stage or match isnt worth permanent hearing damage especially with some of those open gun because they hurt with earpro on!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocrrhbow Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 you really know you have done damage when it stops hurting. With the electronic hearing protection that is available today there is really no reason to be without it. I know the really small, digital stuff is expensive but it is well worth the investment to save the ears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noexcuses Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 Shot a stage couple weekends ago (open gun) with out double hearing protection and thought it was loud, cannot imagine no hearing protection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaJim Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 My biggest match screw up to date was at the Area 1 championship this year...Shooting a very loud open gun... It was my stage to shoot first and I was ready to go, had my stage plan dialed in and was confident...the RO started the commands and realized the timer had an issue and stopped me before the buzzer, my last chance to realize I didn't have a plug in my left ear...for some reason it didnt hit me until I took my first shot that I forgot to put my left plug in... Now I knew the rules that if an RO realized your hearing protection fell off he was to stop the shooter and give a re-shoot, but I didn't know I could stop myself and qualify for a re-shoot...A local club match I would have stopped myself anyway and taken the zero'd stage, but I was shooting a great match and didn't want to ruin it. All 32 rounds the only thing I could think about and concentrate on was my lack of hearing protection...and the ringing! Needless to say it was my worst stage of the match and my ears rang for days! Hoping to pass on the knowledge to any shooter that forgets ear-pro and doesn't know they can stop themselves! I was in your squad, Revolver Shooter, hope everything is back to normal. I can tell you, you looked to be in severe pain. We all learned a lesson that day. Yea everything is back to normal...I don't think I have any permanent damage... Well, there are those that would say that the act of shooting a match is a sign of brain damage......and your 'normal' is questionable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racerba Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 Did that in my second major quite a few years back...only been shooting for about two years...did not know the rules then either...shot the 32 round stage with about 10 shots inside a "house" at the end...now I know the rules... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MHitchcock Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 Yikes, the thought of that makes me cringe. I doubt I could have made it through the stage even if I knew it was an instant 0. Good to know the rules on this one though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJH Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 Whoflungdo, Rolling your ankle is not considered a safety hazard, your stage should have been scored as shot. I just don't want you to find this out at a major. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 Started a stage once with one ear plug rotated out a bit. Timer went off and I thought "Wow, that was louder than normal". Luckily the stage had about a 10 foot run before I started shooting so i was able to crank the ear plug in on the run, then draw. Probably slowed me down a little bit, but I thought it went rather smooth, lol. I have video somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnbu Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 (edited) "A local club match I would have stopped myself anyway and taken the zero'd stage, but I was shooting a great match and didn't want to ruin it." When a game is more important than a lifetime of permanent hearing damage. There's a lesson here kids. I'm old. My ears ring A lot...ears ringing...loud All the time Day and night Rnging. Ringing. Ringing They ring SO LOUD, it distorts speech so I say "huh", "what" and "can you talk louder" Sorry, but the OP's ear is officially fubar. he should go get a hearing test to see how much is lost. Oh, once weakened, the cilia are damaged easier and easier (think bending a paperclip, first bend is hard, subsequent bends get easier until it snaps) I really thing all open ported shooters should plug and muff...or buy stock in a hearing aide company. Same with ROs when open shooters come to the line. Edited May 9, 2016 by johnbu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audioman Posted May 16, 2016 Share Posted May 16, 2016 Thank for info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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