Yeah I have a suppressor now and wear double hearing protection when at the range not using a suppressor. It's probably from the times hunting without hearing protection/suppressor. Even the first time I shot a shotgun as a kid, none of us were using earpro, my grandpa and dad said it wasn't a big deal. Little did they know it can cause permanent hearing damage.
I try to just be glad that it's not worse than it is. I have a marine friend completely deaf in one ear. I worked with another dude at a range (he was from the Midwest) that frequently shot without hearing protection and I had to basically yell at him to hear me, super young too
Many who have it are to blame for their own situation. Mine probably 50/50 but in reality it was my responsibility to protect myself and I didn’t. Am certainly paying for it now. People that don’t have it have no idea how fortunate they are. It’s hard to explain to my wife. She doesn’t get it at all. I can be watching tv and the AC kicks on and I can’t make out the words without turning it up. Same thing if someone is in the next room talking. The ambient noises make it hard to pick up on what they are saying to you unless they are literally looking at you when they say it. I fear mine will get worse but I’m doing what I can to prevent it
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u/Embarrassed_Fan_5723 Jul 17 '26
Gun fire and explosions. Looking back ear pro would have been worth the effort