The wussification continues...

[cbunt1]

Hmnm.

I've had a balloon pop close to my ear. It didn't leave me with any hearing damage.

I've touched off a .357 without hearing protection. That was in 1991. My right ear is still ringing.

Sounds legit to me.

[Abraham]

I chewed an animal cracker into the shape of a Squad Automatic Weapon.

I got a standing ovation that hurt my ears!

[Bitter Clinger]

Noise Level Chart

A noise level chart showing examples of sounds with dB levels ranging from 0 to 180 decibels. Remember it a logarithmic scale

dBA
60 conversational speech
100 motorcycle (riding)
110 rock band
115 emergency vehicle siren
125 balloon popping
140 jet engine at takeoff
160 shotgun
165 .357 magnum revolver
170 safety airbag
175 howitzer cannon
180 rocket launch
194 sound waves become shock waves

[Skiprr]

dBA
60 conversational speech
100 motorcycle (riding)
110 rock band
115 emergency vehicle siren
125 balloon popping
140 jet engine at takeoff
145 My ex-mother-in-law when she got really wound up
160 shotgun
165 .357 magnum revolver
170 safety airbag
175 howitzer cannon
180 rocket launch
194 sound waves become shock waves

Fixed it for ya.

[Soccerdad1995]

Noise Level Chart

A noise level chart showing examples of sounds with dB levels ranging from 0 to 180 decibels. Remember it a logarithmic scale

dBA
60 conversational speech
100 motorcycle (riding)
110 rock band
115 emergency vehicle siren
125 balloon popping
140 jet engine at takeoff
160 shotgun
165 .357 magnum revolver
170 safety airbag
175 howitzer cannon
180 rocket launch
194 sound waves become shock waves

I can vouch for the howitzer. When I was in the Army, I was in the Fire Direction Center (we sat behind the gun crews and told them which way to point the long cylindrical looking thingy). My Sergeant told me to get something from one of the crews and since they were getting ready to fire, I stood off to the side. The next thing I know, I was on my butt and my ears were ringing. I made that mistake exactly once.