Tinitus Problem

[Luiz Francisco Ramos]

I need some suggestions on this:

The problem:

I don't deal very well with iron sights, mainly because of my presbiophy, that makes the sigths to look blurred, and therefore diffcult to square in the sight alignment, and the same with the sight picture.

I do little better with the red dot (from Opens), since i have no trouble for viewing in the middle and long distance ranges. That way, focusing on the target makes it easy for me to mount my sight picture.

However, I've got this injury in my ear, I don't know exactly where did I get it from, may be from shooting practice. It's called TINITUS, it's like a constant buzzing that never stops. We get used to it, but exposition to loud and intense noise is not recommended.

The solution:

My gun must be an Open, so with Dot Sights, but with a Top End Limited, to limit the noise level.

Then I would like to know which would be the best caliber so that, shooting from a lower factor, results in a rebound weak enough, so that I can keep a stable red dot.

Thanks

[lynn jones]

hi louis,

stick with the 38 super. i would double plug (headphones and molded earplugs)and shoot major.

compensators with side ports are louder than without.

good luck,

lynn jones

[bountyhunter]

Echo the recommendation to get molded inner plugs as well as the best muffs you can get ( at least 30 dB NRR). By my measurements, adding the inner plugs increases the protection about 10 - 12 dB above the muffs alone. So 30 dB muffs and plugs would give you over 40 dB of reduction in the sound levels reaching your ears.

FWIW, a caution on a popular lie told by the makers of "electronic muffs":

They claim to "limit sound to 85 dB". That actually means the internal speakers that produce the sound for your ears from the outside microphones limit at 85 dB. What they don't point out is that the muffs have a noise reduction rating (NRR) of usually about 22 - 25 dB. That means when a gun goes off and the muzzle wave hits the muffs, your ear gets hit with that dB level minus 22 dB. FYI: a 9mm will produce around 145 dBA level and a .44 magnum is about 170 dB. Depending on caliber, using electronic muffs means that your ears will get hit with 122dB to 148 dB. Dangerous?

Well....

110 - 115 dB is rock concert level and causes large temporary hearing changes.

130 dB can cause damage even for brief exposures.

Above that, you get actual pain when the sounds hit. Damage is certain.

If you want to stay out of the "HUH?" club, use both plugs and muffs and RUN out of any indoor range if a .357 mag or .44 mag is being fired as they put out enough dB's to damage your hearing even through 40 dB of reduction. And for God's sake don't use the electronic muffs.

[Ross Carter]

Luiz, I've stuggled with the same problem for some time myself. I developed Tinitus way back when we didn't have enough sense to wear hearing protection at all. As I'm sure you've learned it is cumlative so it's vital not to expose yourself to any sound that is in the harmful range. At this point the best you can do is to keep it from getting worse. Maybe someday they'll be a cure but there isn't now.

I used 135 and 150 grain bullets at lower velocity in my super just because it is so much quieter, you do have to live with less comp action if you go that way though. When WAP powder came along I could run 124's because it was much quieter, then of course they discontinued it. Try different powders and loads and you may find a load that's easier to live with. Hybrids and TJ type holes you should avoid. I've found that good earplugs with good quality electronic muffs over them works pretty well. The plugs are a good extra layer because even the best electronics let a little sound leak past before shutting off, and just in case you lose the seal between you and the muffs. With both you can hear range commands while protecting your hearing a little better.

Don't give up on the iron sights, you'll be surprised how well you can shoot with blurred sights if you have good trigger control!