(Too) Loud Shots

[Tsukiten]

Just a while ago I was experimenting with burst-discs on a pretty small spudgun (chamber diameter probably one inch) and fired it while having those earmuffs (?) on. The shot didn't seem very loud at all and I thought it would be bearable without earmuffs.
Wrong!
I shot it and it was...just loud. Got my ears ringing for a couple of minutes.
So this made me wonder, how many and who of you have experienced too loud shots causing, for example, the ringing in the ears (Tinnitus, perm. or temp.), hearing loss, etc.
And do you have some (safety-)tips and such? (Here's mine; Don't shoot your new (burst-disk) cannon without earmuffs/in a 10 foot radius.)

Would like to hear your stories!

[POLAND_SPUD]

first of all don't shoot indoors...
make sure that when you pilot the gun the air is not exhasted in your direction... that's the most basic stuff


of course you can build various kinds of muzzle attachments that reduce the noise but remember that longer barrels don't hurt and they do two things:

+air is exhausted further from you (and your ears)
+exhausted air has lower pressure

[SpudFarm]

what about a 7x blank shot without barrel on a pretty decent sized hybrid?

blew the grass away from the ground and the dart that was in tha barrel a few feet away got blown through the barrel

[Tsukiten]

what about a 7x blank shot without barrel on a pretty decent sized hybrid?

blew the grass away from the ground and the dart that was in tha barrel a few feet away got blown through the barrel

Sick!
Did it do something to your hearing?

[SpudFarm]

hmm, not really i was inside a house when it went off

[jonnyboy]

I was testing my piston cannon that has a 5 foot 3 inch chamber filled to 90 psi.The piston was too short so there was 90 psi going out of a 3/4 ballvalve right next to my ear.Didn't do too any damage though.

[DYI]

I've never done a shot loud enough to have any noticeable effect on my hearing. Only time I've ever done that with a spudgun was more than a year ago when I was testing an Oxy/MAPP hybrid made of 4" DWV ABS pipe while sitting right beside it, and the cleanout blew out (strange, eh? ). I was able to hear again about 20 seconds later though, and the ringing went away in a few minutes.

[Sticky_Tape]

I too have made one of those little combustion noisemakers the first shot I did with it was with 6 layer burst disk and about a 1'' wide port. I was in my bathroom as to not scare neighbours I scared myself it made my ears ring.

[SpudFarm]

hmm, if it counts i shot a .50 sniper without hearing protection a while ago. however that was the sickest thing i have done. blocks fall of the montains from 700 yards!

i think everyone that has shot one know what i am talking about

[starman]

I can't begin to imagine shooting one of my thunder cannons inside. The experience outside is violent enough. Some early shots I did without earplugs made my ears go muffled for a few seconds and then a followup shot caused immediate ringing which went away after a minute or two. Back to back shots with ear protection at July 4 celebration was causing my sinuses to respond and brain to slosh around a bit... Made me feel like I was coming down with the flu for a few minutes, cold sweats and weird headache...

[DYI]

Back to back shots with ear protection at July 4 celebration was causing my sinuses to respond and brain to slosh around a bit... Made me feel like I was coming down with the flu for a few minutes, cold sweats and weird headache...

Sure you aren't exagerating just a wee bit there starman?

[blind909]

Whenever I fire my Burst disk cartrige, You can here it for over a 1/4 mile away, It is the loudest cannon I own.

[Killjoy]

List of major hearing damage incidents:
-Multiple 3" piston cannon tests at 100psi in my garage left my ear's ringing with no hearing protection.

-Hybrid with 4x mix in garage also resulted in ringing with cotton in ears.

-Wire explosion tests in my garage also left longterm ringing in my ears.

-Fear burst disk testing at 140psi in my garage resulted in major temporary deafness and serious ringing.

-Fear with a 10x mix left major ringing (for several minutes) in my ears even with hearing protection designed to reduce noise levels by 30db...and also left me a little stunned and confused. Worst by far.

-Also there's the odd ringing and temporary deafness caused by miscellaneous explosions, much use of rifles and shotguns, and the occasional firearm being discharged extremely close to my ear (been shooting guns since I was 7 years old).

I can tell you I have seriously screwed my hearing up from all this. I didn't really think of it until I started having serious trouble hearing conversations. And if there's any relatively loud background noise (like at parties, social outings, restaurants, etc) or even just other people talking, I have to have the person speak directly into my ear so I can hear them and I tend to yell because I can't hear myself talk.

My suggestion is to never test indoors and always wearing hearing protection. And if it's something really loud (like a hybrid or a burst disk cannon), first put in those earbud type hearing protectors and then wear earmuffs over that. Don't make the same mistake I made and don't be lazy either like I was.

[starman]

Sure you aren't exagerating just a wee bit there starman?

Oh quite sure ...why would I exaggerate? After a dozen shots within a couple of minutes from the 3" models, your soft tissues are rebelling in a big way. There is a serious shockwave pulse that pops out of these things. Being the holder of the gun is the problem...being 10 or more feet away greatly lessens the effect.

Fear with a 10x mix left major ringing (for several minutes) in my ears even with hearing protection designed to reduce noise levels by 30db...and also left me a little stunned and confused. Worst by far.

Looks like Killjoy has had a similar experience.

[Necrosis]

I got a bit deaf after detonating that nuclear bomb I made.






Anyway, seriously. I got a bit deaf from all the grinding and noise at work.
You can't really wear ear protection because there's trucks driving around and forklfts.. so if you don't hear those comming they might squish you and stuff.