Plugs or Muffs?

[SinisterS]

Which is preferable?  Earmuffs are cumbersome but the plugs are uncomfortable.  Which do you prefer?

[MLC]

Honestly, I use both.  If you only want to use one or the other, give a couple different styles of earplugs a shot.  Surefire makes some really nice ones in different sizes.  Maybe you'll find a good fit there.

[Walter45Auto]

Muffs. In my experience plugs don't work when the guy next to you fires off his .50 cal. Desert Eagle. (My one and only time using plugs. Of course they weren't the custom molded kind, so I dunno about those.) Muffs work better, and I don't want my hearing to get any worse than it has to.

[tekoken]

Muffs all day!

[red364]

I use plugs on good hair days and muffs on bad ones   
Nah, really, I use muffs most of the time, they just seem to work better.

[Sponsor]

[Timothy]

I use both sometimes but more importantly, use a device with a minimum of NRR 29, prefereably higher.  I use NRR 33 plugs or NRR 33 muffs.

Gunshots register about 164 decibles (more indoors).  The higher the NRR rating the less damaging wave enters the ear canal.

NIOSH recommends using subject fit data based on ANSI S12.6-1997 [or most current edition] to estimate hearing protector noise attenuation.

If subject fit data are not available, NIOSH recommends derating hearing protectors by a factor that corresponds to the available real-world data. Specifically, NIOSH recommends that the labeled NRRs be derated as follows:

Earmuffs - Subtract 25% from the manufacturer's labeled NRR
Formable earplugs - Subtract 50% from the manufacturer's labeled NRR
All other earplugs - Subtract 70% from the manufacturers labeled NRR
1. When the noise exposure level in dBC is known, the effective A-weighted noise level (ENL) is:

ENL [dB(A)] = Workplace noise level in dBC - derated NRR
2. When the noise exposure level in dB(A ) is known, the effective A-weighted noise level is:

ENL = Workplace noise level in dB(A) - (derated NRR -7)
There are other single number ratings available. For details refer to the Canadian Standard CSA Z94.2. Another single number rating is based on (Subject Fit) Real Ear Attenuation measurements, known as Single Number Rating (Subject Fit 84th percentile) and abbreviated as SNR (SF 84) (for details see ANSI Standard S12.6). "SF 84" indicates that 84% of the users in a well run hearing conservation program are expected to receive at least that much protection.

[Hazcat]

Plugs when hunting or shooting rifle.   Muffs otherwise.

[ellis4538]

I use electronic muffs which amplify speech and other normal sound but cut out the sound from gunfire.  I am hard of hearing and these help me hear the sound of the buzzer going off when I shoot comp.  I would also suggest trying to find someone who will mould custom earplugs...possibly an eardoctor.  These are a lot more comfortable.  Make sure you get a chord to hold them together so that you can take one or both and hang them around your neck.

JMHO

Richard

[TAB]

both

[CDR]

I prefer electronic muffs by far.  I have a pair of Peltor Comtacs as well as Sordin MSA Supreme 3 Pro +.  The Sordins are my favorites but the Comtacs are a close second.  I actually shoot better with the electronic muffs as the overall sound wave seems greatly reduced and allows me to focus in on the front site better as I don't blink when shooting.  It's also wonderful to be able to hear everything that is going on around you, including ejected brass hitting the floor and people who sneak up behind you.