something small my GHB was missing....

[Tevin]

Originally Posted by Robb

I thought I'd figured out what my GHB should have in it until today. I've just bought a pistol grip shotgun to go in it and decided to go to the range and get used to firing this thing, when I got there I unloaded everything out and realized, no EAR PLUGS, Monday I'm going to grab a handful from work.

1. For this part of your plan to work (hearing protection in a GHB), you would either have to wear the ear plugs for the entire trip home, or wait for a confrontation and stop to put them on before firing your weapon. I can't possibly see how either option would be practical or realistic.

2. Those who have a problem with pistol-grip shotguns, or any other firearm for that matter, are best advised to use something else...and start their own topics. Many folks can't resist the chance to run their fat mouths just for the sake of saying something.

[charliemeyer007]

I like my combat 870, it's 31 inches long total. It has a 20 in. bbl with a screw in choke (skeet #2 is my fav) a mid bead in the rib and an extended mag tube. The sling holds 10 extra rounds. I load my own 2 3/4 inch shells to be 3 3/4 dram equivelent with a payload of: 1 1/4 oz. of # 6's, #4 buck (41 pellets), 00 buck (12 p) or a cast Lyman sabot slug. I have run several hundred rounds in a few hours many times with no ill effects to my arms, wrists or hands. I do try an keep the mag full to help absorb the recoil. At the trap/skeet/clays range I put dummy rounds on top of the spring so it looks empty but has the weight otherwise it will beat me up very quickly. The loaded sling can be a PIA when shooting doubles on the wing, doesn't seem to be in the way when hip shooting ground targets. I think hand helds require at least 5 times as much practice as a regular shotgun, maybe even 10 times as much. I wear hearing protection at the range/training but not hunting in the field.

[ULTRAMAGNUM]

I keep pairs of foam style ear plugs safety pinned to most of my backpacks, gear bags, gun sleeves and even my hunting cap. Good to have around for when you feel the desire to pop off a round at camp to check your zero. I used to use tissue or a chunk of paper towel for forgotten hearing protection. Didn't work so good, hence the foamys attached to things...

For my range bag I bought quality electric Db cancelling ear muffs for all four of my family members. Nothing is better than being able to speak to each other at the range, yet the sharp report of gunfire is electronically blocked. Well worth the investment. Gotta protect my kids hearing.....

[Moni1124]

I keep ear plugs in all my bags and yes if SHTF I would be wearing at least my firing side earplug. Until you have tinnitus you don't know how bad it can be. I was in the Army for 8.5 years and have lost 20% of my hearing and have tinnitus, so now I do my best to protect the rest of my hearing I have left.

[merlinfire]

Originally Posted by Tevin

1. For this part of your plan to work (hearing protection in a GHB), you would either have to wear the ear plugs for the entire trip home, or wait for a confrontation and stop to put them on before firing your weapon. I can't possibly see how either option would be practical or realistic.

This. Hearing protection is not a realistically solvable issue in a self-defense scenario. You simply won't have time, it would take at least 10 seconds to rifle through your bag, and find the plugs, if using both hands. But if you have a bad guy coming at you, at least one hand (2 if its a long gun) is gonna be on the gun, leaving you with one or none hands. A waste of space unless the GHB doubles as a range bag.

[luke_a]

A lot of assumptions in this thread.

I don't think he was saying that he needed hearing protection in his GHB for defensive shooting purposes, I think he was saying he didn't get to fire his new toy at the range because he didn't have hearing protection.

No two people are built the same, just because "you" can't handle a pistol grip shotgun, doesn't mean that he can't. I can't stand them, it hurts my hand and wrist, but my buddy can fire hundreds of rounds through his with no issue. On the other hand I can fire a hundred rounds through my Ruger LCP with no issue and a lot of people complain about the recoil of that little pistol.

Lots of employers encourage taking personal protective equipment home, my employer allows us to take hearing protection and safety glasses.

I do keep hearing protection in my GHB, for the simple fact that you never know what you will encounter.

yes, not only does you b-hole pucker, but your ears close up during a tense live fire exercise

This is not true, your brain doesn't register the sound for various reasons, but your ear's are being damaged. There are thousands of soldiers that can attest to that.

This. Hearing protection is not a realistically solvable issue in a self-defense scenario. You simply won't have time, it would take at least 10 seconds to rifle through your bag, and find the plugs, if using both hands. But if you have a bad guy coming at you, at least one hand (2 if its a long gun) is gonna be on the gun, leaving you with one or none hands. A waste of space unless the GHB doubles as a range bag.

Also not accurate, there are a few electronic hearing protection devices on the market, including the Surefire model already mentioned. They allow normal sounds to pass through, but block the louder sounds that could damage your hearing.

[alone]

Buy a pair of these headphones. They make ambient noise easier to hear then with your own hearing, and they attenuate loud sounds to protect yourself from hearing loss. These are just one of the pairs I have, but they sell some that are nicer. These have worked for me at the range, and I wouldn't hesitate to use them in a SHTF situation.

http://www.botachtactical.com/pesotr.html

[kemosabe]

Originally Posted by BUSHER

first mistake was a pistol grip - kiss your wrist goodbye

I like the pistol grip it helps absorb some of the kick on my worn out shoulder.