Shooters Are Skipping Basic Hearing Protection Steps, Experts Warn

Every round you send downrange is loud enough to cause permanent, instant hearing damage — and it doesn't take years of range trips to do it. A single gunshot can exceed 140 decibels, well past the threshold where hearing damage happens immediately, not gradually. October is National Protect Your Hearing Month, which makes it a good time for every shooter, from first-timers to lifelong range regulars, to take a hard look at their hearing protection routine. As Athlon Outdoors recently pointed out, the habits that protect your hearing are simple, cheap, and easy to ignore — right up until the damage is done and can't be undone.

At AmmoWinner, we spend our time helping you find the best deals on ammo so you can spend more time at the range, not less. But none of that matters if you're not protecting the gear you can't replace: your ears. Hearing loss and tinnitus from range exposure are cumulative and permanent. Unlike a worn-out barrel or a magazine spring, there's no aftermarket part for damaged hearing. So let's talk about how to actually protect it, using guidance pulled from hearing health experts and applied to real range days.

Double Up, Every Time

If you're only wearing earmuffs or only wearing earplugs, you're leaving protection on the table. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) recommends doubling up — foam or silicone plugs underneath earmuffs — especially on indoor ranges or anytime you're shooting rifles or anything with a muzzle brake. This isn't about being overly cautious; it's about matching your protection to the actual noise level you're standing in.

Keep both layers on even when you're not the one shooting. The guy two lanes over doesn't care that your gun is holstered — his muzzle blast is still hitting your ears at full volume. And always throw a spare set of plugs in your range bag. A lost earplug or a pair that's lost its shape from being crammed in a pocket all season shouldn't be the reason you skip protection for a string of fire.

Foam Plugs Only Work If You Fit Them Right

Foam earplugs are cheap, effective, and criminally easy to use wrong. If you're not getting a proper seal, you're not getting the noise reduction rating printed on the package — you're getting a fraction of it. Here's the correct technique:

• Start with clean hands, then roll the plug into a thin, smooth cylinder.
• Reach over your head with the opposite hand and gently pull your ear up and back to straighten the ear canal.
• Insert the compressed plug and hold it in place for 20–30 seconds while it expands to fill the canal.
• Never force a plug in. If it's uncomfortable or won't seat properly, try a different size or style — plugs aren't one-size-fits-all.

It's worth practicing this at home, in a quiet room, before you're standing at the firing line trying to get it right between strings. A properly seated plug should feel snug and should noticeably dampen ambient sound — if it doesn't, it's not doing its job.

Check the Seal on Your Earmuffs

Earmuffs are only as good as their seal against your skull. Glasses, long hair, hats, and even a slightly crooked headband can break that seal and let noise leak straight through. Since safety glasses are non-negotiable at any range, make sure your earmuffs are adjusted to seat properly around them — thinner-profile glasses arms can help here if you're constantly fighting gaps.

Before you start shooting, get into your actual shooting stance and check whether your cheek weld or stock position lifts a cup away from your ear. This is a common issue for rifle shooters who don't test their setup until they're mid-string. If your position breaks the seal, adjust your gear or swap to a lower-profile muff before you touch off a single round. Re-check the seal any time your gear shifts — slings, hats, and hoods all have a way of nudging things out of place.

Consider Electronic Hearing Protection

Electronic earmuffs have come a long way, and for a lot of shooters they're worth the extra cost. They amplify ambient sound — range commands, conversation, footsteps — while automatically clamping down on impulse noise like gunshots. That means you're not pulling a cup off your ear just to hear the range officer, which is one of the most common ways shooters end up with unprotected exposure.

A couple of things to watch for: make sure whatever electronic protection you buy is actually rated and labeled for hearing protection, with a listed Noise Reduction Rating (NRR). Regular earbuds or consumer noise-canceling headphones are not a substitute, no matter how good they are at blocking out noise in everyday life. And remember that the NRR on the box is a best-case number — actual protection depends heavily on fit and consistent use, same as any other hearing protection.

Put It On and Leave It On

This is the habit that trips up even experienced shooters. It's tempting to pull a muff off for a two-second conversation, or pop a plug out because your ear itches. Don't. Even brief unprotected exposure to gunfire can cause damage, and it doesn't take a full range session to do it — just one shot at close range without protection is enough.

Build hearing protection into your pre-shooting routine the same way you check your target, clear your lane, and confirm your firearm is safe: eye protection, earplugs, earmuffs, then step up to the line. If you need to adjust something or have a conversation, step back into a designated quiet area first. Treat hearing protection as a constant, not something you toggle on and off between shots.

Take Breaks — and Use Them Wisely

Range sessions can run long, especially if you're testing loads, breaking in a new barrel, or working through a case of ammo you scored on a deal. Plan breaks in a genuinely quiet area away from active lanes — standing behind another shooter or pausing between your own strings doesn't remove your exposure to everyone else's gunfire.

Use these breaks for more than just resting your ears. Check your earmuff cushions for wear or debris that could be breaking the seal. Confirm your plugs are still seated correctly. A few seconds of gear inspection mid-session can catch a problem before it costs you hours of unprotected exposure.

Know the Warning Signs

Ringing in your ears, muffled hearing, or trouble following conversation after a range trip are not normal, and they're not something to shrug off as "part of shooting." These are signs that your hearing protection either failed or wasn't adequate for the exposure you just had. If symptoms persist, stop further noise exposure and talk to a doctor. If you experience a sudden, significant loss of hearing, treat it as a medical emergency and seek care immediately — early treatment can make a real difference in outcomes.

Make It as Routine as Checking Your Ammo

We talk a lot at AmmoWinner about stocking up, finding the best price per round, and making sure you've got what you need before range day. Hearing protection deserves the same level of attention. It's cheap, it's simple, and it's one of the few pieces of range gear that directly determines whether you'll still have full hearing in twenty years.

So before your next trip to the range, do a quick gear check: plugs that still fit, muffs that still seal, batteries charged if you're running electronic protection, and a spare set tucked in your bag just in case. It takes less time than loading a single magazine, and it protects something ammo deals and gear upgrades can never replace.

For more on the original reporting behind this guidance, check out the full piece from Athlon Outdoors.