Diamond Jim wrote:[quoteI rarely use hearing protection unless I'm shooting a lot of centrefire, or just a few very high intensity cartridges. 25rds of .303 does not leave my ears ringing like one .204 or .243 shot does.[/quote
Your ears, your call but I won't allow myself or my family to shoot any cartridge firearm without hearing protection. For me and mine, it's just not worth it. Mind you I also wear ear protection using power tools, mowing the lawn, driving tractors nowadays. It wasn't always the case and I regret that now.
YMMV.
Agreed, I would always recommend hearing protection, I just have never preferred it myself. Rose is a big fan of hearing protection, there wouldn't be many days that she doesn't use it for some reason or other, although she never wore ear plugs under her motorcycle helmets. If she preferred not to though, I would respect her choice as an adult. I would try to ensure she is fully informed though of the potential consequences.
I really don't have any regrets about the hearing damage I do have as it is all within areas that don't have much impact on my ability to hear what people are saying in normal conversation. The price of that damage was decades of greater physical comfort, so I'm not complaining. The main problem is tinnitus when I'm trying to get to sleep. I have rare and short episodes where it completely disappears, perhaps for as long as a minute, and the silence is blissful.