Hearing protection foam

[Kira]

I unearthed a pair of American Optical shooting ear muffs. They're the characteristic hard, beige plastic. They were filled with a black foam which turned to dust.
Can anyone suggest a type of foam to refill the exterior cups?
I thought of using a bit of "Great Stuff". Setting up a form would be easy enough but I do know the stuff is sticky.
I don't know how good it is at attenuation.

Perhaps carving something out of a thick piece of ....what?

 

[spasm3]

I would really try a pair of electronic ear muffs. I won't go back to non amplified. A set of $50 muffs and i wear foam earplugs under.

You can shoot and immediately have a conversation with your wife or shooting partner, without removing them.

I double up as i wear eyeglasses and no earmuff seals perfectly due to the ear piece of the glasses.

 

[Kira]

Ahh yes, noise cancellation ear muffs......again I'm thrust into the 21st Century.
Do you have any brand recommendations?

 

[spasm3]

Ahh yes, noise cancellation ear muffs......again I'm thrust into the 21st Century.
Do you have any brand recommendations?

I have the Walker Razor. Only $50. I double up , and shoot pistol, AR , and mosin.

Amazon.com

 

[JWC86]

If your going to be using these for shooting I wouldn’t try to DIY a repair, your hearing is surely worth a new pair of muffs?

Edit to add: this is coming from a guy that tries to fix everything rather than buy new.

 

[dubber09]

Imho, good seal around ear is gonna make more difference.
They sell gel pads for the Walkers, makes them tolerable.
For foam, I'd think denser 'heavy' foam works better. Sound rooms have that kinda foam added to walls.

 

[ecotourist]

I saw a study of workers having bad noise induced hearing loss in Ontario. Many of them had modified their hearing protection in some way, some by drilling holes in their earmuffs "so they could hear better", or carving their custom ear plugs so they'd fit more comfortably, or something like that.

So if you actually want to protect your hearing you won't try to modify an old set of hearing protectors.

 

[Cropduster172]

There are dozens of quality ear protection just on Amazon that are not much more expensive than a can of Great Stuff.
Hearing Protection Earmuffs Llermuss SNR 37dB Noise Reduction Headphones 2-in-1 Headback Shooting Range Ear Protection Safety Soundproof Ear muffs for Mowing Concert Construction Hunting Airplane Grey https://a.co/d/gsnIMPK

 

[Kira]

I saw a study of workers having bad noise induced hearing loss in Ontario. Many of them had modified their hearing protection in some way, some by drilling holes in their earmuffs "so they could hear better", or carving their custom ear plugs so they'd fit more comfortably, or something like that.

I'm with you on this. I was wearing hearing protection when the old geezers would make fun of such things.
So glad they get to vote too (sarcasm).

 

[Astro14]

You can get a good set of new ear muffs for about $15, and at that price point, I would just get new.

That said, I am all in on the electronic ones. Being able to hear, talk, and interact at the range is great. I often take new folks shooting, and I loan them a set of my electronic muffs so that we can converse.

And the electronic still blocks the loud sounds, like the clowns with the unsuppressed SBRs in the lane next to us…

 

[Inked]

+1 for the Walker Razor.

 

[mr_boring]

+1 for simple cheap 'disposable'

I had a pair of stick in the ear gel ones I got at a local store free (range trip) because I forgot mine. I had bought a bunch of ammo and targets just minutes before and realized I left mine at home, and I was cussing up a storm, and they said "here, have a pair on us, see if you like them"

I was a bit hesitant as I'd never stuck a gummy bear in my ear hole. I doubted they would work. I don't think I would have heard Godzilla coming with them in my ears. They were all the new rage at the time. Cost like 4.99 there, so probably 2.99 somewhere else lol.

I haven't gone with a pair of muffs since. I have 2-3 pair in my truck. I quit going to the range. I go out in the woods now. That range was run by (insert bad word here) after the original owners sold. Some jackwagon told me I had to wait 3 seconds in between shots. No. I practice because I want to hit Mr Malignant with 3 rounds in 3 seconds.

But 15 buck muffs are just fine.