Why ear protection w/ 22?

[thatTexasLady]

Two reasons my children and I always wear hearing protection even when just shooting a 22:

1) Forming a strong habit of always wearing hearing protection when shooting. It should be habit, when they go to shoot (practice of course, you wouldn't be worried about it for self-defense - "Oh wait Mr. Badguy, while I put my squishies in) to always wear ear protection, no matter what.

2) We practice at the range and we may be the only ones there when we get there, but what if someone else pulls up in the lane next to us and is not shooting a 22??

You only get one set of ears in this life.

[Mr.ViperBoa]

I spent 6 years on an M1A1 Abrams (whadya say?? ), so after that I wear hearing protection anytime I think I may be sustaining hearing damage. Senses are precious, why take the risk of loosing them?

i was in an artillery unit for 6 years so I completely understand where you are coming from.

[puma guy]

Because the .22 round makes 126db of sound and anything over 120db can damage hearing. Also you seem to be sarcastic quite a bit and to be honest it comes across as a tad rude and condescending. If you want to risk damaging you or peoples around you hearing be my guest but I think it is important to take ALL necessary safety steps.

I seem to recall anything over 85db to be damaging. That's the level where protection was required in our facility. Also important to remember is the time factor since long time exposure even at lower levels can damage hearing. The cilia fatigued or damaged with recurring or longtime exposure can't recover. We never wore protection when I was a teenage and my left ear being more exposed as a right hand shooter was damaged over time and I shot a .22 rifle almost exclusively. The right ear suffered as well just not as bad at least that's what they said in my hearing tests in my early 20's when we set a baseline.

[KaiserB]

KaiserB, this has been troubling me for some time.

So I gotta ask...

Why is your avatar a ’70s FBI sketch of D.B. Cooper?

If you have a million or so available (compound interest is a wonderful thing), I would suggest you give it to
G.C. Montgomery and me so we can build a new range in Sugar Land.

I'm just sayin'.

Just sayin'.

First I would like to congratulate you as many people look at the picture and ask if it is a drawing of me, or where I got the drawing rather than recognize it is an FBI sketch. You are either over 40 or recognize the sketch from the recent news article regarding a break in the case.

The story of choosing the avatar: once long ago when I had to pick an avatar, I thought, what could I pick that is unique and not generic. This coupled with the fact that I think the entire Dan Cooper incident and bungled investigations were comical led to the avatar choice.

I first used the picture about 10 years ago when I had a variation of the sketch on an online dating sight, it worked quite well to force people not concentrate on how good I looked but rather read the content of my profile.

[Divided Attention]

http://www.dangerousdecibels.org/educat ... uidelines/

For every 3 dBAs over 85dBA, the permissible exposure time before possible damage can occur is cut in half.

As a Mom and health care professional, the above links/quotes are why my family and I wear hearing protection and insist anyone shooting with us does as well. Besides I have discovered that my Howard Leights can play my mp3 while I mow and makes the time pass faster

I may have to include the chart in the link in my range bag for just such a comment as those mentioned previously.

[paulhailes]

You could always pull out your AR and shoot it, then tell them its only a 22.... ish

[ctb5]

You only get one set of ears in this life.

This. No other reason is necessary.

[strider67]

I have recently introduced my 6-year-old daughter to shooting my .22 rifle, as I want to teach her to appreciate and respect firearms, as my Father taught me. I mean, it's only another 15 years that she will be a responsible, respectful, CHL carrier herself! Part of this learning is that hearing protection is a must. Always.

Santa Claus may even bring her her own .22 this Christmas. (Pink, of course!)