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Gun Range Ear and Eye Protection 101

Oct 26, 2022 | Uncategorized

GUN RANGE EAR AND EYE PROTECTION 101

When it comes to firearms, safety comes first

When it comes to firearms, safety comes first, and that includes gun range eye and ear protection. Ear and eye protection are not all made equal. Putting on any old set of sunglasses or earplugs will not ensure that you are protected. Here’s how to figure out what gun range ear and eye protection are best for you.

Why Do I Need Eye Protection At A Gun Range?

Eye protection from ricochets and other debris is provided by wearing safety glasses. Incidents do happen, even if they are uncommon. If your ordinary eyeglasses or sunglasses aren’t providing enough protection, seek ANSI-rated glasses or ask your eye doctor for a prescription set of safety glasses.

Shooting a firearm not only sends the projectiles downrange, but it also sends microscopic particles, burning gas, and other residues downrange. It’s also possible that a shell can explode or that your rifle will malfunction.

Eye protection is simple and comes in two varieties, something which looks like regular glasses or a goggle-type form. Most people prefer glasses, but goggles are helpful for tactical training since they may be used in scenarios involving smoke, tear gas, and other chemicals.

  • When shooting, always put on appropriate eye protection, such as shooting glasses with high-impact lenses.

  • When disassembling or cleaning a firearm, wear eye protection as well.

 

Why Do I Need Ear Protection At A Gun Range?

Ear protection is equally as critical, if not more so. Hearing loss is caused by a combination of sound intensity and exposure time. Pay attention to the Noise Reduction Rating, regardless of the type of hearing protection you choose (NRR). When worn, the NRR represents the maximum number of decibels (dB) by which the hearing protector reduces the sound level.

When your ears are subjected to at least 140 dB, permanent hearing impairment can occur. Rifles may produce noise levels of 160-170 decibels. Without hearing protection, every shot you shoot will harm your ears unless you have a very particular build (e.g., a subsonic.300 BLK with suppressor).

Muffs and plugs are the two most common types of ear protection. Plugs slide into the ear canal while muffs cover the entire ear. Here, the most critical factor is fit. Earmuffs or plugs that are not properly fitted will not operate, regardless of their noise reduction rating. A single shot can result in permanent hearing loss. Even if you already have hearing loss, continuing to be exposed to loud noises can exacerbate the problem.

Universal plugs don’t always work for everyone, especially when they’re used incorrectly. Wearing both plugs and muffs at the same time is also an option that provides maximum protection. Wearing both muffs and plugs increases the noise reduction rating to about 5-10 dB higher than the muffs or plugs’ greatest NRR rating.

Best Gun Range Ear and Eye Protection

It’s not just a matter of following a range rule when it comes to wearing gun range ear and eye protection. Despite the fact that most facilities require both, you should opt to protect yourself when it comes to your eyesight and hearing.

Best Ear Protection: Earplugs

  • Walker’s Corded Foam Plugs

  • Titan Tactical Reusable Ear Plugs with heavy duty case

  • 3M Peltor Sporting Good Banded Hearing Protector

  • Decibullz Custom Molded Earplugs

  • Etymotic GunsportPRO Electronic Hearing Protection

  • SureFire EP4 Sonic Defenders

Best Ear Protection: Earmuffs

  • Walker’s Razor Slim Earmuff

  • 3M Peltor X5A

  • Howard Leight Leightning Ultraslim Shooting Earmuff

  • Caldwell Adjustable Earmuffs

  • Champion Traps and Targets Slim Earmuffs

Best Eye Protection: Glasses

  • Wiley X Saber Advanced

  • Smith Optics Elite Aegis Arc

  • Howard Leight Uvex Hypershock Shooting Glasses

  • Oakley Standard Issue

  • Pilla

  • Revision Military Sawfly

  • Walker’s Sport Glasses

Best Eye Protection: Goggles

  • Oakley Standard Issue Ballistic HALO

  • Rothco OTG Ballistic Goggles

  • Revision Military Goggle System

 

Visit Us At Blackstone Shooting Sports!

We have the largest indoor shooting range in the Carolinas here at Blackstone Shooting Sports. For us, safety is of the utmost concern. We have Action Target’s steel Total Containment Trap, baffling system, and clear-view bulletproof glass installed in each shooting stall. Most shooting ranges require ear and eye protection, so why not have the best ear and eye protection available? Hundreds of firearms from today’s leading manufacturers, as well as a large range of ammo and firearm accessories, including ear and eye protection, are available at our retail store. Visit our retail store to find the right protection for you and then spend a day at the shooting range today! Speak with our knowledgeable sales staff to get recommendations on the best gun range ear and eye protection to bring to the shooting range

Terms & Conditions

Thank you for choosing Blackstone Shooting Sports! If you have any questions regarding a recent purchase, or product, please feel free to reach out to our knowledgeable Guest Support Team; chat with a team member 7-days a week from 10am until 9pm.

hello@blackstoneshooting.com 
704.414.6020
“Live Chat” available on our website Blackstoneshooting.com

Visa / MasterCard / Discover / American Express Accepted

Buyer Responsibility & Legal Ownership Limitations

It is the buyer’s responsibility to ensure that the item being purchased is legal to own in your city / state. Verify with your receiving dealer if you are not 100% sure that it is legal. – Magazines that violate capacity restrictions will not be shipped or substituted.

You must be 18 or older to purchase a rifle or shotgun and 21 or older to purchase a handgun.
You are responsible for compliance to your local and state laws.
Be aware of restrictions on extended magazines and certain types of AR-15 style rifles.

Not for sale where prohibited.
Firearms:
Blackstone will not sell or transfer a firearm to any of the following states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Washington, Guam, Puerto Rico, Samoa, Virgin Islands. In addition, we do not conduct any international sales. **Last updated 01/01/2023 (subject to change)

Automatic Knives (OTF & OTS):
Blackstone will not sell or transfer any automatic knives to any of the following states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Washington, Guam, Puerto Rico, Samoa, Virgin Islands, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Virginia. **Last updated 01/01/2023 (subject to change)

During checkout you specify a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) near you who transfers the firearm to you, after successful background check if needed.
FFL can be your local Gun Shop, Gun Range or Pawn Shop willing to perform the transfer.

“Local Store Pick Up” in Charlotte, NC. *Sales tax may apply.
Blackstone Shooting Sports
2001 Wilkinson Blvd.
Charlotte, NC, 28208

The buyer is responsible for all FFL’s transfer fee/s upon pickup which is generally $15-30. “Local pickup” at our Charlotte location is free of charge.
For all FFL transfers, the firearm dealer (that we are sending the item/s to) must send us their valid license (FFL) by emailing (FFL@blackstoneshooting.com). Blackstone is not responsible for any lost items shipped via USPS, FedEx, and UPS.

Ammunition Sales

All ammunition will be shipped FedEx or UPS ground; no air freight allowed.
Ammunition and firearms must be shipped separately.
Always make sure you order the correct ammunition for your specific firearm.

Federal law requires that you must be at least 18 years old to purchase shotgun and rifle ammunition and 21 years or older to purchase handgun ammo.

Check your state and local laws for any other restrictions before ordering.
Ammo Shipping Restrictions: Blackstone does not ship ammo to CA, IL, NY, NJ, MA, DC, CT, or P.O. Boxes

Return Policy & Warranty

We fundamentally believe you will be thrilled with the products you purchase from Blackstone Shooting Sports. That’s because we go out of our way to ensure we get you the exact products you need from the best brands in the industry. We understand, however, that sometimes a product may not be what you expected it to be. In that unlikely event, we invite you to review the following terms related to returning a product.

If you need to return an item or cancel an order, simply contact our Guest Support Team at 704-414-6020 or by emailing returns@blackstoneshooting.com (be sure to include your order #). Feel free to use the live chat function on our website for the fastest support. All inquires received during business hours are answered same day!

*All canceled and returned items are subject to a 10% restocking fee.

Please allow 1-5 business days to credit back to your original form of payment.

Damaged/Used Product: Unless there is a verifiable manufacturer’s defect with the merchandise, no returns will be accepted on damaged or used products. This includes firearm parts that have been previously installed.

GENERAL PARTS & ACCESSORIES
Returns Within 30 Days: The original method of payment will be refunded in full. Merchandise must be in new condition with all original packaging, documentation, accompanying accessories, and a receipt.

OPTICS
Returns Within 10 days: The original method of payment will be refunded in full. Merchandise must be in new condition with all original packaging, documentation, and a receipt. Non-cash transactions:

Restricted Items

AMMUNITION
Due to safety and liability concerns, Blackstone does not accept any returns on ammunition that have exited the facility. All online ammunition sales are final.

NEW & USED FIREARMS
Blackstone does not accept any returns on firearms. We will assist with all recalls, warranty claims, or manufacturer defects with firearms previously purchased from Blackstone.

KNIVES
Blackstone does not accept any returns on knives. This is to ensure every knife purchase from Blackstone is 100% factory sharp, blemish free, and warrantied by the manufacturer. We will assist with all recalls, warranty claims, or manufacturer defects with knives previously purchased from Blackstone.

Tax Information

North Carolina residents will be charged a 7.25% sales tax.

Questions / Contact Us

Operating Hours:
Monday – Sunday: 10am – 9pm

Contact Information:
Please contact us with any questions or concerns 
We respond to inquiries same-day during business hours

For fast service please reach out to our Guest Support Team:
hello@blackstoneshooting.com
 704.414.6020 

Blackstone Shooting Sports | 2001 Wilkinson Blvd. Charlotte, NC 28208 | 704-414-6020