The real enemy

Psalm 144:1 · January 7, 2005, 09:56 PM

: The manufacturing company I am employed by monitors the baseline hearing ability of its employees through yearly hearing tests administered in the company medical center. Took my annual test today and was informed that not only was my higher register hearing almost completely shot, there was beginning to be degradation of my mid range hearing at the normal conversational level. I work in a noisy industrial environment, and hearing protection is mandatory, so hopefully I can conserve what I`ve got left. But I can`t help but remember the good old days when I was new to shooting and would burn up boxes of ammunition with only a pair of 9mm FMJ rounds inserted loosely into my ears as hearing protection,if I bothered with any at all. Real men didn`t mind the sound of gunfire,dontcha know. The time is rapidly approaching when this real man will probably need a hearing aid, so let me be an example to you,especially if you are a new shooting enthusiast. Wear the muffs, insert the plugs, but save your hearing! After all, if you don`t hear the breaking glass, the barking dog, or the screaming significant other, how do you expect to engage the hypothetical ubiquitous home invader(s) when you go on your ill-advised solo houseclearing misson trying to simultaneously juggle a pump shotgun and a four cell mag lite while pulling up your boxer shorts and inserting your dentures in a tactically silent manner.

DarkKnight01 · January 7, 2005, 11:22 PM

thats some good advice... i suffered a small amount of hearing loss myself due to loud music... when i was in HS i was in the crowd with the loud stereos and booming base that you could hear from blocks away... altho my hearing is still quite good... i think before the loud music it was well above average... as i can still hear my children talking downstairs on the other side of the house over the television... ive always had "rabbit ears" and it freaks them out when i say i hear every word in this house... they dont like that hehe but i know i damaged my hearing some... but i think its more like u explained im impaired for certain tones rather than a full range of damage... but nonetheless my hearing has been damaged as well... now when i listen to music i try to keep it at a reasonable volume... but theres just something about a nice internal back massage from a set of 12 inch sub woofers that i find appealing =) i refrain from it now tho... and when i shoot i use protection... and ive also spent alot of time working with machinery in metal shops and doing mechanic work... i try to protect my hearing the best i can.

Handy · January 8, 2005, 02:38 AM

Hearing protection works. 9 years of flying helicopters and being around them and my hearing is identical to when I came into the Navy.

I don't crank the music, either.

Samuel2001 · January 8, 2005, 03:52 AM

Can you guys speak up a bit! I didn't catch that!!!

Yup, I know what you guys mean!

And I'm only in my early thirties, should'a used that damned hearing protection more often!

paratrooper · January 8, 2005, 04:46 PM

As a truck driver I must have a physical every 2 years to maintain my Class "A" . My Dr. mentioned , just in passing that my low level hearing has suffered a bit . Nothing horrendous since it happens a lot to us that didn't have AC in the old days so we drove with the window open . The roar of the engine took it's toll . I'm sure the M-60 added to it . I also need to protect that which I still have . "We learn too much too late".

January 7, 2005, 09:56 PM	#1
Psalm 144:1 Member Join Date: January 2, 2005 Posts: 51	The real enemy : The manufacturing company I am employed by monitors the baseline hearing ability of its employees through yearly hearing tests administered in the company medical center. Took my annual test today and was informed that not only was my higher register hearing almost completely shot, there was beginning to be degradation of my mid range hearing at the normal conversational level. I work in a noisy industrial environment, and hearing protection is mandatory, so hopefully I can conserve what I`ve got left. But I can`t help but remember the good old days when I was new to shooting and would burn up boxes of ammunition with only a pair of 9mm FMJ rounds inserted loosely into my ears as hearing protection,if I bothered with any at all. Real men didn`t mind the sound of gunfire,dontcha know. The time is rapidly approaching when this real man will probably need a hearing aid, so let me be an example to you,especially if you are a new shooting enthusiast. Wear the muffs, insert the plugs, but save your hearing! After all, if you don`t hear the breaking glass, the barking dog, or the screaming significant other, how do you expect to engage the hypothetical ubiquitous home invader(s) when you go on your ill-advised solo houseclearing misson trying to simultaneously juggle a pump shotgun and a four cell mag lite while pulling up your boxer shorts and inserting your dentures in a tactically silent manner.

January 7, 2005, 11:22 PM	#2
DarkKnight01 Senior Member Join Date: December 3, 2004 Posts: 173	thats some good advice... i suffered a small amount of hearing loss myself due to loud music... when i was in HS i was in the crowd with the loud stereos and booming base that you could hear from blocks away... altho my hearing is still quite good... i think before the loud music it was well above average... as i can still hear my children talking downstairs on the other side of the house over the television... ive always had "rabbit ears" and it freaks them out when i say i hear every word in this house... they dont like that hehe but i know i damaged my hearing some... but i think its more like u explained im impaired for certain tones rather than a full range of damage... but nonetheless my hearing has been damaged as well... now when i listen to music i try to keep it at a reasonable volume... but theres just something about a nice internal back massage from a set of 12 inch sub woofers that i find appealing =) i refrain from it now tho... and when i shoot i use protection... and ive also spent alot of time working with machinery in metal shops and doing mechanic work... i try to protect my hearing the best i can. __________________ MOLON LABE!!

January 8, 2005, 03:52 AM	#4
Samuel2001 Senior Member Join Date: August 17, 2001 Posts: 836	Can you guys speak up a bit! I didn't catch that!!! Yup, I know what you guys mean! And I'm only in my early thirties, should'a used that damned hearing protection more often! __________________ .45 ACP Because no matter how you try to rationalize it, 9mm is still for women and pansies. Build a bridge, and...GET OVER IT!

January 8, 2005, 04:46 PM	#5
paratrooper Senior Member Join Date: March 31, 2000 Location: Kingman AZ Posts: 1,295	As a truck driver I must have a physical every 2 years to maintain my Class "A" . My Dr. mentioned , just in passing that my low level hearing has suffered a bit . Nothing horrendous since it happens a lot to us that didn't have AC in the old days so we drove with the window open . The roar of the engine took it's toll . I'm sure the M-60 added to it . I also need to protect that which I still have . "We learn too much too late". __________________ TOM NRA LDMA AMERICAN LEGION U.S. PARATROOPER

January 8, 2005, 02:38 AM	#3
Handy Senior Member Join Date: August 31, 2001 Posts: 8,793	Hearing protection works. 9 years of flying helicopters and being around them and my hearing is identical to when I came into the Navy. I don't crank the music, either.