Low light, no hearing protection

2557 Views 31 Replies 23 Participants Last post by centurion2507, Jun 29, 2004

SandersB

Discussion Starter · Aug 5, 2001

When was the last time, if ever, you shot your home defense weapon in a low light, close quarters (like a hallway or bedroom) situation with no hearing protection?

Do you know how the noise and muzzle flash will affect your subsequent movement ability? Or how it will affect your ability to detect what's going on around you after the shooting stops?

Ringing ears and spots before the eyes make quite a change to your environment.

While I am an advocate of hearing protection, if you can set up such a situation, shooting a magazine full while unprotected will help take the shock off those first shots under duress.

Believe it or not, I know people who have never shot without hearing protection and don't really know just how loud (or quiet in some situations) their primary self defense weapon is.

Some will argue muzzle flash can be reduced to the point of being a non-issue through special low-flash powders, but not everyone uses those powders.

Just something else to ponder in your self/home defense preparations.

1 - 20 of 32 Posts

bucksnuffer

· #2 · Aug 5, 2001

I don't think my wife would like me practicing in our house, she doesn't like bullet holes in the wall. As for hearing protection, don't know if the BG will let me put my ear plugs in before I send him to the afterlife

I will ask though

See less See more

2

SteveW

· #3 · Aug 5, 2001

SandersB,
According to most folks that I have talked to in the "know", the muzzle flash and blast from your weapon are the last things you notice in a life or death situation. You are focused on your adversary(s), and on staying alive.
When your adrenelin goes into overdrive, you get tunnel vision, loss of fine motor skills, and you tend to blank out most sounds.
Basically, damaging your hearing isn't worth it. As you and I will probally never have to draw our weapons in a situation like that (let us both fervently hope!), the Minimal effect that the disharge of a firearm has on your ability to act accordingly is, once again, not worth the long term damage.
If you still disagree with me, you could always turn the lights on.

Respectfully,
Steve

------------------
"Not having thought what should have been thought, not having said what should have been said, not doing what should have been done, I beg thee forgive me, O Father." paraphrase from the 13th Warrior

See less See more

Double Naught Spy

· #4 · Aug 5, 2001

My wife won't let me shoot in the house either. Just like a lot of other experiences that I have never experienced, shooting a gun in a confined space under circumstances that are not life threatening would be irresponsible and stupid, especially repeating the process by shooting a full magazine. There is no reason that you should exposure yourself to that noise level and over pressure that will be magnified by sound and pressure waves as they bounce off the walls and strike you multiple times. This has the gross effect that the single and very short terms aural impact becomes mutliple impacts over a longer period of time.

If you have never experienced the effect, do NOT try to without hearing protection. Do find an indoor range and try to get a shooting stall next to the wall and compare the feeling of the reflective over pressure wave against shooting from a position away from the wall.

We shoot at an indoor range and get to practice low light and flashlight shooting on a regular basis. We keep our hearing protection on.

See less See more

gyp_c

· #5 · Aug 5, 2001

It's a real concern...Don't damage your hearing practicing though...Might be a situation come up that requires lots of stealth after the first rounds have been fired...You never know and that's a guarantee...The concussion of a magnum or shotgun or heavy rifle up close can be fairly awesome...Extremely disorienting...Being very aware of everything is difficult at best in much less dangerous situations than I can imagine...It's an interesting addition to the myriad slants that can atke place and somethin' else to consider...I'm just not sure there's anything you can do to prepare for it...

One thing's for sure...Sanders is thinkin' about his scenarios!!!

------------------
>>>>>>>>>>g2<<<<<<<<<<

I Like The Shade Too!

See less See more

2

lawdog1834

· #6 · Aug 5, 2001

I recall the time years ago I had an AD in my garage / workshop while cleaning an unloaded pistol. It was loud, my wife talked about my IQ level and well you get the picture. I have always been told in the military and law enforcement that you will play like you practice. I know a gun is loud and I think clubs should hold late night low light matches. When it comes down to though practice what you can using sceanios that are realistic

Bronco

· #7 · Aug 5, 2001

I am sorry lawdog...but that sounds like a ND to me...

A gun is always loaded.

Oddjob

· #8 · Aug 5, 2001

I was involved in a fatal shooting of a suspect in a narrow hallway. I fired 5 rds from a full-auto HK 53(.223) and barely heard the noise. I had a light attachment (surefire) and could clearly see the suspect's weapon. The suspect weapon sounded like a hand clap. My partner who was shot fired a 12 rd burst from his .223 M-4 (his gun hand was shot and the muscle reaction pulled the trigger as he was turning onto the suspect) and I didn't hear single round from his weapon (he was standing next to me). My ears were not ringing afterwards. Hearing protection is probably not needed if you hear strange noises in the night, however, electronic hearing protection that increases other noises are probably a good thing.

Last thought is this....You may want to have a dedicated light on your weapon of choice. The homicide detectives asked me how I knew the suspect had a weapon in dim light conditions. I mentioned the Sure Fire and no other questions were asked. We never got sued either. I believe people underestimate how important that light can be in a stressfull situation. Be safe......

See less See more

Double Naught Spy

· #9 · Aug 6, 2001

If you get a chance to see the footage on the North Hollywood Bank of America robbery with the two armor clad robbers, watch closer to the officers in the background of several shots. Those officers that were called to the scene after the battle had been going on for a while, well many of them did think to bring along and wear hearing protection. As I recall, at least one guy was wearing blue muffs and was dressed in plain clothes.

jpwright

· #10 · Aug 8, 2001

I've never, fortunately, been involved in a life-or-death shooting, but I once had to unlimber and open fire very quickly or lose the moose I was after. I had no ear protection. I can recall hearing my .44 Magnum Blackhawk, but the sound was just an artifact. It had no bearing and didn't disrupt my concentration.

------------------
If God didn't want us to own guns, why did He make the 1911?

Ken Neal

· #11 · Aug 9, 2001

Oddjob's got this one correct. Having been in a "situation" I can asssure you that you will not hear your gunshot or feel the weapon recoil or see the flash. Tunnel vision takes over, and your auditory system shuts down.

Dont practice indoors or outdoors without hearing protection, and use muffs that cover the ear for real protection.

Do practice in low light with a flashlight, you will be humbled.

------------------
No man is above the law and no man is below it. Nor do we ask any mans permission when we require him to obey it.

SteveW

· #12 · Aug 9, 2001

I have to agree with Ken on the low light shooting. A couple of us did a couple of scenarios before tonight's local IDPA match. I was amazed at the difference in gun handling, and flashlight handling required. Looks like I get to practice on a new set of basics.

Steve

------------------
"Not having thought what should have been thought, not having said what should have been said, not doing what should have been done, I beg thee forgive me, O Father." paraphrase from the 13th Warrior

another okie

· #13 · Aug 9, 2001

I keep my electronic hearing protection in the closet in my bedroom. Whether I would use them if I needed to defend the home I don't know, but they're the kind that amplify smaller noises and repress louder ones, so they might be helpful in a short gun fight.

eljay45

· #14 · Aug 9, 2001

I practice low light and night shooting regularly, but I will wear my hearing protection. As stated previously the noise in a combat situation is unimportant

silvercorvette

· #15 · May 29, 2004

It is less than smart to ruin your hearing so that you can practice hearing loud noise. If you "pratice" destroying your hearing by exposing yourself to loud noises enough you will be so deaf that you will never hear the guy breaking into your house.

BDHershey

· #16 · May 30, 2004 (Edited)

I have to agree with the others here. I have never had to fire a weapon in a life or death situation and hope that I never do... But I have shot many deer, turkey, etc. while hunting. I have been aware of the sound, but it doesn't ring the ears, I have been aware of the recoil but the sights don't jump off target like on the range, I have been aware of the flash but no tlost my sight. When you are in that situation and your heart pumps harder and the adrenaline flows your senses are crisp, time slows, and these effects are dulled. I believe it is due to the extreme focus on the task at hand. I could only imagine that a life or death situation would mutiply this effect numerous times.

However if your are concerned, and that's OK. Get a suppressor! Less noise and flash!!

-Hershey

See less See more

G

· #17 · May 30, 2004

SandersB said:
When was the last time, if ever, you shot your home defense weapon in a low light, close quarters (like a hallway or bedroom) situation with no hearing protection?

Do you know how the noise and muzzle flash will affect your subsequent movement ability? Or how it will affect your ability to detect what's going on around you after the shooting stops?

Ringing ears and spots before the eyes make quite a change to your environment.

While I am an advocate of hearing protection, if you can set up such a situation, shooting a magazine full while unprotected will help take the shock off those first shots under duress.

Believe it or not, I know people who have never shot without hearing protection and don't really know just how loud (or quiet in some situations) their primary self defense weapon is.

Some will argue muzzle flash can be reduced to the point of being a non-issue through special low-flash powders, but not everyone uses those powders.

Just something else to ponder in your self/home defense preparations.

I hate to be blunt, but this is a stupid suggestion. :scratch:

Under duress you probably will not hear or feel the weapon go off. Many hunters here myself included can attest to that.

Mus

· #18 · May 30, 2004

Wow a 3 year thread resurrection Silvercorvette?!?! Folks we have a new World Record!!!

:biglaugh:

silvercorvette

· #19 · May 30, 2004

Mus said:
Wow a 3 year thread resurrection Silvercorvette?!?! Folks we have a new World Record!!!

:biglaugh:

OPPS My mistake. I must have been reading a diffrent thread and saw the listing of similar threads below. I should have looked at the date before I posted. I have stumbled on old threads before but checked out the date before posting. Checking the similar threads can get a person if he isn't paying attention.

KIMBER45TLE

· #20 · May 31, 2004

Close Quarters Discharge

I worked undercover for a few years and from my experience discharging a fire arm in close quarters high stress situations you probably won't even here or feel the weapon go off. Too many other things going on at the time. One shooting incendent I was in where I discharged my weapon inside a house, it sounded more like a moderate pop as I remember and I was using a 44 special.

However: Once when sitting in a car with three other officers, one of which was a total idiot, he discharged a 38 snubbie in the back seat. That one hurt my ears for days. The captain counseled him in "career redirection" and never saw him again.

Another time while TAD aboard a Coast Guard Cutter we had completed a boarding and eight of us were standing in the armory, which is about the size of a large bathroom, when a member of the boarding party racked the slide, dropped the mag, then pulled the trigger. It was three days before I could hear properly. The Lt. JG was most properly "float tested" a short time later.

See less See more

1 - 20 of 32 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.