Slims

Ok, here's why I don't recommend firing a weapon without hearing protection.

First, I don't think there is any appreciable benefit to be derived. New shooters develop bad habits frighteningly quickly. To explain, consider two people who are sparring. If one accidentally hauls of and hits his partner in the nuts, that partner is likely to instinctively flinch and protect his jewls in future encounters, even if the blows being delivered are light and appropriately placed for a friendly bout. The 'unpleasantness' only needs to happen once for you to develop an instinctive (and in the case of firearms, negative) reaction. The fact that he is a new shooter and won't have established good habits to help compensate only makes the matter worse.

Also, there are many accounts by police officer following shootings where they mention not even noticing the noise of their firearms being discharged.

When your body is flooded with adrenaline, you won't be botherd by the gunshots, but you will be when you are relaxed and just learning how to shoot.

Edit: "Blast Pressure" in your house won't rupture your eardrums. Not unless you decide to hold the muzzle right next to your ear. I have shot rifles, pistols, and shotguns in rooms after having neglected to put my hearing pro in and I didn't blow any eardrums, nor was the sound debilitating. Flashbangs are far louder, and I have had a couple of those go off after forgetting to put my earplugs back in, and still no ruptured eardrums.

You don't need to do anything fancy, or worry about becoming some sort of gun wielding ninja in order to effectively use a firearm for home defense. As I mentioned earlier, everything but a simple firearm is extra. My main defense weapon is a pistol because I can get to it very quickly and because I am a big KISS fan. It doesn't have a flashlight, nor any extra frills. But I also leave a nightlight on at the end of my hallway so I can see well enough not to need one. I have a rifle with a flashlight, but I dont' plan on needing it as I don't plan on clearing my house everytime I hear a bump.

There are thousands of different ideas on what is *best* for home defense, what techniques should be employed, etc. However, most experts agree that the average person should focus on simplicity: Use any gun of reasonable caliber and reliability which you can comfortably shoot, and don't go clearing your house unless you absolutely have to; far better to lock down the room you are in and call police. If the bad guy is really intent on hurting you, he will have to come through your bedroom door, which makes the situation absolutely cut and dry, as well as gives you all the advantages.

I don't worry about getting shot while in the shower, it would really suck, but security and ease of living are often at odds and I just have no desire to be the guy who showers with a pistol. If you are being stalked by a bad guy who positions himself to hear your shower running, then you are probably going to have a really bad day...because it would be far easier for him to shoot you when you are walking to your car, leaving work, etc. Most homeowners are concerned with random acts of violence moreso than deliberate premeditated assasination attempts with no forewarning. If the latter is something you are really concerned about, then you should probably spend a couple hours a day digging out the shelter...

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"All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act out their dream with open eyes, to make it possible." Seven Pillars of Wisdom, T.E. Lawrence