www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/reports/pdfs/2011-0069-3140.pdf “The only potentially effective noise control method to reduce students’ or instructors’ noise exposure from gunfire is through the use of noise suppressors that can be attached to the end of the gun barrel. However, some states do not permit civilians to use suppressors on firearms.”
www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6028a4.htm “Among military veterans, the most common service-connected disabilities are hearing impairments.”
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21493334 Comparison of muzzle suppression and ear-level hearing protection in firearm use.
RESULTS: All suppressors offered significantly greater noise reduction than ear-level protection, usually greater than 50% better. Noise reduction of all ear-level protectors is unable to reduce the impulse pressure below 140 dB for certain common firearms, an international standard for prevention of sensorineural hearing loss.
CONCLUSION: Modern muzzle-level suppression is vastly superior to ear-level protection and the only available form of suppression capable of making certain sporting arms safe for hearing. The inadequacy of standard hearing protectors with certain common firearms is not recognized by most hearing professionals or their patients and should affect the way hearing professionals counsel patients and the public.
www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/wp-solutions/2013-104/pdfs/2013-104.pdf “If state law permits, consider providing noise suppressors for gun barrels [NIOSH 2011].”
www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/reports/pdfs/2013-0124-3208.pdf “What the Employer Can Do… Use noise suppressors on firearms, if feasible.” “We recommended using dual hearing protection during all live fire training exercises and installing additional noise controls.”
Archives of Family Medicine: Recreational Firearm Use and Hearing Loss
Study finds hunting and target shooting causes hearing loss in men.
www.asha.org/public/hearing/Recreational-Firearm-Noise-Exposure Rifles can go over 175db, indoors increases hearing loss, severe hearing loss with as little as one shot, muzzle brakes increase noise. Dustin’s note: Suppressors do the same job as muzzle brakes of reducing recoil but without the added noise.
www.audiologyonline.com Increased effects of doubling up on hearing protection are modest. “However, Witt cautions, there are also risks associated with dual protection. “Using earplugs and earmuffs concurrently seriously isolates the wearer,” he writes…”
www.osha.gov/dts/osta/otm/noise/hcp/attenuation_estimation.html
Useful for estimating noise reduction, and for using dual protection.
www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA468459.pdf
Covers sound pressure and bone conduction.
www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA454471.pdf
NIHL (Noise Induced Hearing Loss), read section 15-2.
www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA501586.pdf
The limits of plugs and doubled hearing protection. Limit caused by bone conduction of sound. Noise helmets.
www.msstate.edu/hunting and hearing MSU studies gun noise effect in dogs
“Practically all of the hunting dogs have some hearing loss and practically all of the non-hunting dogs have great hearing.”
www.gunfacts.info/infographics Several useful charts and graphs. The rest of the website is also pretty good.
www.nraila.org/articles/20170317/are-ear-plugs-better-than-a-suppressor and…
www.nraila.org/articles/20170922/gun-control-lobby-seeks-to-thwart-share-act-with-hysteria-fear-mongering
For those wondering what the NRA has to say on the topic.
www3.nssf.org/share/factsheets/PDF/HearingProtectionAct.pdf
National Shooting Sports Foundation information about suppressors.
NSSF educational video about suppressors
bulletin.accurateshooter.com/tag/silencer
This website has many good articles about suppressors and legislation.