Since Hobie mentioned about the search function, I did a search with "Hearing protection" as it's topic and limited to "General Discussion" as the two parameters. It brought up 4 threads, none of which was in the form of a poll. None of them went beyond a page of comments. That makes me wonder... do we care so little about our hearing? {Rhetorical question, no comment necessary, but it's ok if you do}! The four threads, with author, in no particular order:
1. Hearing Protection Study, 86er (BTW, any further developments in your study?)
2. Got hearing protection?, getitdone1
3. Hearing protection question, JMiller
4. Hearing Protection - Active Duty Guys Particularly, Hobie
For myself, I generally only use molded plugs. Since most of my shooting is done at cowboy action matches, wearing a cowboy hat, muffs are impractical... and the behind the neck types are uncomfortable, and generally hold my hat too high... spending time chasing your hat is counter-productive!
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)
I got my first set in CA in 1986 at the annual End of Trail match. Still have them. The second set I got at the first annual match I put on in TX, 1991. I had an audiologist that specialized in shooting plugs come out and offer the service to our shooters... I think she sold some 35-40 sets on the 1 day she was there. The 3rd set I purchased at a gun show at the Cow Palace in San Francisco when I met a fellow Levergunner there.
Why 3 sets you ask? Well, one stays in my "big truck" so that I have MY protection in case I get to visit a cowboy match while on the road. One stays in my gun cart for match use, and the other is usually in my p/u, just in case my gun cart isn't with me when going to a range... as when I went out to RKrodle's last week.
In addition, I keep a "baggie" with several sets of foam plugs in my gun cleaning box for those that forgot.