Thinking About Electronic Muffs

[alamogunr]

I'm thinking seriously about including electronic shooting muffs in my next order to Grafs. They have a special on Peltor Tactical 100 muffs. Since I don't know anything about electronic muffs and the price is in the price range for me, I'm hoping to get some comments from those who know more than I. How about it?

[Omega]

I'm thinking seriously about including electronic shooting muffs in my next order to Grafs. They have a special on Peltor Tactical 100 muffs. Since I don't know anything about electronic muffs and the price is in the price range for me, I'm hoping to get some comments from those who know more than I. How about it?I think they are great, I have the Howard Leights, but tried the peltors as well. I got both one Christmas but kept the Howard Leights because they amplified better, but the Peltors reacted to high sounds better. I use mine more for hunting not the range so that was why I made that decision. Home Depot actually carried the Peltors then, on sale for about $50.

[noisewaterphd]

I have the Howard Leight electronic muffs, and I really like them. It is even better when the folks you shoot with buy them as well. No more yelling to have conversations.

They do not have enough attenuation for me though. It is easily remedied by wearing foam plugs underneath, and then I crank up the volume enough on the muffs to easily hear conversation through the foam plugs. Muff and foam plugs together are enough to make a 338 with a brake comfortable to shoot indoors.

[SOFMatchstaff]

They are good for when you need to hear every thing but the gunfire, running matches, teaching on the range, tactical situations ,,ect. I only use them when needed and save on batteries, I use the old Dillon/Peltor tacticals that I got Years ago and they still do the job. I double up with foam and std muffs when I'm alone.

[Omega]

I have the Howard Leight electronic muffs, and I really like them. It is even better when the folks you shoot with buy them as well. No more yelling to have conversations.

They do not have enough attenuation for me though. It is easily remedied by wearing foam plugs underneath, and then I crank up the volume enough on the muffs to easily hear conversation through the foam plugs. Muff and foam plugs together are enough to make a 338 with a brake comfortable to shoot indoors.
Mine seal great when I am hunting, since I don't wear eye pro. I find that with shooting glasses, mine lose the seal and I need the foam plugs as well. But if I use a cable to pipe in music, I don't need the foam plugs.

[noisewaterphd]

I forgot to mention, whatever brand you purchase, make sure they have an "auto-off" feature. My Howard Leights are still on the original batteries thanks to this feature.

If they didn't shut themselves off I would have had to replace batteries about a thousand time by now. I always forget to turn them off.

[Artful]

I have Dillons (Peltor), my buddy has Howard Leights, and the other day I was in walmart and they have a good pair for under $30 (I say good because I couldn't resist).
I will say make sure what ever you buy make sure it takes a common AA or AAA battery!

[Beagle333]

I haven't sampled a lot of them, but me and my family all like the Howard Leights.

[jcwit]

Howard Leight user here also, it's my understanding the Army uses them as well.

[Plate plinker]

Go for it. Beats jamming stuff in the ear, only negative for me is summer time they get sweaty.

[Menner]

I have Howard Leight and Peltor like them both but the Howard Leight have the auto shut off I like that feature you know for the senior moments when they get put in the bag still on I still use foam plugs on the bench headset not comfortable to me I use the headset when shooting pistol or instructing etc........
Tony

[Riverpigusmc]

One thing to consider is shooting at an indoor range, some do not "reset" quickly enough after the shot, and the echo off the concrete wall can get ya

[jmort]

"One thing to consider is shooting at an indoor range, some do not "reset" quickly enough after the shot, and the echo off the concrete wall can get ya"

I just don't trust them, just like the self-darkening welding helmets, neither can stop sound or light fast enough for me. I will take a mechanical or fixed approach, except the electronic muffs are good for by the bedside/in the house for problems that may arise.

[nagantguy]

Love my Caldwells and my dillions, don't know how I got along without them, especially for teaching pistol classes and running idpa matches. Get some you'll love em. And for hunting turn them up to max, still shut out harmful decibels but amplifies other sounds, love that, time in the Corps did my ears no favors........

[M-Tecs]

I have been using Peltor 6s & 7s for the past 15 years for both indoor and outdoor competition. I would not be without them. No issues other than forgetting to turn them off.

[David2011]

I have some old ones that have a very slow recovery time and while they suppress sound quickly, I found that I missed out on words, range commands, etc. due to the slow recovery time. I bought 2 sets of Howard Leights after trying them. I have never heard a loud report through them just like my auto-darkening welding hood has never flashed me. There is a point where gunshots off in the distance are not suppressed and can be a little loud but still probably less loud than without the hearing protection on. I also like the auto-off but at long matches I have to turn them off and back on when they shut off. Not a big deal. Battery life is very good.

I love them when hunting with someone else. We can whisper back and forth and hear each other easily without alerting the game.

Ten years ago good electronic protection was $300. Today $40 will get you good stuff.

David

[wv109323]

I have the Howard Leights. I did my research and the biggest complaint was they moved on your head and broke the seal around your ear. I thought the complaint was kinda silly. I ordered them and guess what? Mine move around and need to be adjusted every five minutes. The electronics is fine but the physical fit is terrible. I use other muffs Browning, Peltor and EAR with no problems.

[ole 5 hole group]

Hearing protection is somewhat like optics - you usually get what you pay for - so it basically comes down to how much shooting you actually do (indoor/outdoor) that usually guides your decision.

Those EAR molded plugs reside in my vehicle at all times for those targets of opportunity. They work fairly well, most of the time.;-)

[oldred]

I just don't trust them, just like the self-darkening welding helmets, neither can stop sound or light fast enough for me.[/COLOR]


Going to get off topic a bit here but that's an age old myth about those welding helmets, they have been around now for over a quarter of a century but that old misconception about how they work still refuses to die! The time it takes for that lens to go dark or even if it fails to go dark at all HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH SAFETY and you will not burn your eyes!!!!! 100% of the harmful rays are stopped before they even reach the electronic layer of that lens, you WILL NOT burn your eyes even if the lens fails to darken, which it often does due to sensor blockage. Millions of these things in use now for over thirty years and if there had been safety issues with them then product liability lawyers would have sued them off the market years ago!


I started using them back when they first hit the market and since there was little known about them people were naturally afraid of them so the company that sold them to us had a Jackson rep come in and explain how they worked, any of the major manufacturer's websites have the same info. They are actually safer than the old conventional fixed lens in real everyday use but even after all this time it's hard to make some folks (understandably so) understand how they work and to realize that the darkening function is a comfort feature only and has nothing to do with blocking the harmful rays, that part is ALWAYS there and 100% functional 100% of the time whether the electronic portion of the lens is on or off or even working properly!

The UV/IR protection is exactly the same whether the lens is light or dark and while an arc may be uncomfortable to look at in the lightened mode it does not allow dangerous rays to enter and burn your eyes, that old myth (and it is a myth!) that you will receive a tiny bit of harmful UV/IR radiation during the time it takes for that lens to switch is simply not true!



Also what's not to trust about the electronic ear muffs ????????


The muffling effect is not dependent on the electronics and if the things are left off or fail to work they still suppress the sound, the electronics don't have to stop the sound at any rate since the purpose of the electrics is to AMPLIFY the sound and has nothing to do with blocking out loud noises, if they fail to work the wearer is exposed to muffled sound so what's the problem????

[nannyhammer]

I'm on my second set of Pro Ears Gold and love them....only reason I'm on my second pair is because I dropped my first set out of a tree stand.

[Artful]

One thing to consider is shooting at an indoor range, some do not "reset" quickly enough after the shot, and the echo off the concrete wall can get ya

Best approach for that is plugs in and electronic's over them and turn up the volume!

[M-Tecs]

http://site.earplugstore.com/popshootersmuffs.htm

http://www.guns.com/review/2013/08/22/best-electronic-muffs/

[country gent]

I have used the electronic muffs now for several years probably 5 or more. I have spent a lot of years on open tractors ( both gas and diesel) farming. Factories ( press rooms and other heavy equipment running) and hearing is in poor shape with regular muffs or plugs on I cant hear range commands during a match or other shooters questions requests on an open line. With the electronics I can hear whats going on around me and others when talking to me. Pluses are most you can adjust to magnify voices and other normal sounds. If its windy they can also magnify that. I truly like mine and use them alot. I have several sets. One thing to consider is to purchase a spare set of the ear cups also. If one gets torn its handy to have the replacement on hand rather than waiting for it in the mail.

[375supermag]

I have been using e-muffs for several years and am well pleased with them.
Worthwhile upgrade from standard muffs.

They allow me to hear what everybody else on the firing line is doing and saying.

[Ambrose]

I have the Howard Leights and like them a lot.

[David2011]

I have the Howard Leights. I did my research and the biggest complaint was they moved on your head and broke the seal around your ear. I thought the complaint was kinda silly. I ordered them and guess what? Mine move around and need to be adjusted every five minutes. The electronics is fine but the physical fit is terrible. I use other muffs Browning, Peltor and EAR with no problems.

I've seen that complaint as well. The ear pieces have to be pulled down on the parallel rods to make them go down over the head properly. I can see how they might not seal if that isn't done but I've been using mine for four years with zero problems.

David

[Doc Highwall]

I have been looking at the Pro Ear Gold ear muffs and they have a 1.5 millisecond response time for sound compression.

[Mal Paso]

I'm on my second set of Pro Ears Gold and love them....only reason I'm on my second pair is because I dropped my first set out of a tree stand.

Pro Ears Gold are the best. You hear every little sound in the woods and ricochets and gunfire sounds like it should only quieter. I shoot 44 Mag and bigger and never have to double plug. My first pair had 4 3/4 years on a 5 year warranty when a board failed. I bought a second pair so I wouldn't be without and sent the first in for repair. Pro Ears replaced both boards along with the by now warn ear pads and sent them back free of charge.

If you want to hear as well or better when you are shooting these are the ones.

Oh, get ones with input jacks for IPhone, Tactical Radio....

[jcwit]

For $300.00 they sure better be pretty dern good.

I'll stick with my $50.00 H/L's.

On a side note, the VA today supplied me with new aids, MSR $3000.00

[ole 5 hole group]

You can sometimes get the Pro Ears Gold on sale - but you do get what you pay for. For some folks your hearing may not notice much of a difference, but I'm thinking your inner ear probably does. I don't know about the phone jacks, unless you just feel the need to be "connected".

I think the Pro Gold's would have proved to be about as good as the $3K pair of hearing aids.:wink:

[jcwit]

You can sometimes get the Pro Ears Gold on sale - but you do get what you pay for. For some folks your hearing may not notice much of a difference, but I'm thinking your inner ear probably does. I don't know about the phone jacks, unless you just feel the need to be "connected".

I think the Pro Gold's would have proved to be about as good as the $3K pair of hearing aids.:wink:

And then there are times one gets extra value for money spent!


but you do get what you pay for.

I hear this over and over. So how bout one of these brand new in the box from the dealer for $300.00?


http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/21_24/products_id/32593/Springfield+PB9151LP+1911+Mil-Spec+7%2B1+45ACP+5%22+Package

Yes, I was the guy that sent in the warranty papers.

So just what do you get when you pay for it?

[country gent]

A friend has a set up with range commands for Slow fire, Timed sitting timed prone and slow prone he runs thru his electronic muffs when hes practicing.

[ole 5 hole group]

And then there are times one gets extra value for money spent!



I hear this over and over. So how bout one of these brand new in the box from the dealer for $300.00?


http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/21_24/products_id/32593/Springfield+PB9151LP+1911+Mil-Spec+7%2B1+45ACP+5%22+Package

Yes, I was the guy that sent in the warranty papers.

So just what do you get when you pay for it?



That's nothing other that an opinion and a foolish one at that.

The hearing problem is service related. That's why they are covered as they are.

I'm well aware of what the VA covers. That was not my opinion, it was experience talking. I have a $4K pair of hearing aids - they can be had on the internet for $1,900, so there is somewhat of a markup. I take my hearing aids out when I put the Gold Pro's on and I can hear just as good when I turn up the volume maybe half-way - I choose to wear hearing aids as opposed to walking around all day with Gold Pro's.:D I know a couple other folks who say the same, but they too choose to wear the aids instead of the E-muffs. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.:wink:

[jcwit]

I'm well aware of what the VA covers. That was not my opinion, it was experience talking. I have a $4K pair of hearing aids - they can be had on the internet for $1,900, so there is somewhat of a markup. I take my hearing aids out when I put the Gold Pro's on and I can hear just as good when I turn up the volume maybe half-way - I choose to wear hearing aids as opposed to walking around all day with Gold Pro's.:D I know a couple other folks who say the same, but they too choose to wear the aids instead of the E-muffs. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.:wink:

It really looks as if I took you other post all in the wrong way. I now see what you ment by saying the Pro's would work the same as the aids.

Sorry for my mis-understanding.

Carry On.

[27judge]

I have a pair of the older GAME EARS. When im at the range I hear every word from 25 ft away and still have great ear protection, In the woods they are great to my hearing everything that moves tks KEN

[Beef15]

I do not like the Peltor Tac 100s. The seals are soft, and the band has a decent amount of adjustment, that's the only good I can think of. The ear cups are small and shallow which leaves my ears pressed into the foam. They do not amplify very well, they compress everything when a "loud" sound occurs, they take an excess amount of time to recover, loud sounds include slide racking, closing a car door, bumping something hard on a table/bench. Auto shut-off occurs without regard for last loud sound and is preceeded by a very loud, can be heard by bystanders beeping. First pair did not work out of the box.

HL Tac sports, amplify sound very well, seamlessly handle loud sounds. Headband has limited adjustment, ear cups are hard, get very uncomfortable long term. Warantied a pair for faulty switch.

Both pick up significant interference HLs worse. Both have fairly pathetic NRRs. Both have a return to vendor 1yr warranty. Prefer the HLs slightly, sound management and pricing is better. Will not buy either again.