.223 and auditory exclusion?

[jstephens202]

Mas,
As usual, thanks for taking the time you do here on this forum to help. My question is this: I have read from you and other experts that one may experiance auditory exclusion when defendeding one's self or others with a handgun. Have you any knowledge of the same auditory exclusion occurring with a .223, especially any incidences of it happening in indoor shootings? I have experianced the auditory exclusion myself, but only in non-range shootings( i.e., putting down injured animals, twice during dog attacks where I had to fire to stop the dog from biting). You have reccommended hearing protection and I adhere to that, keeping it handy next to my duty/home protection Bushmaster M4, but I wondered about the affects of .223 round touched off in the house on unprotected ears, both the shooter's and family members not actually engaged in the defensive action.
Again, thanks for the info!

James Stephens

[Mas Ayoob]

Auditory exclusion is perception, not reality. Nothing happens inside the ears to protect them from damaging sound; cortical perception when the brain is in survival mode keeps us from realizing we've heard it, or makes it seem muted to us. We sometimes don't hear ears ringing afterward because we're not listening for it.

Never hurts to have active muffs handy by the home defense rifle. It only takes a couple of seconds to put them on. If there isn't time for that before the gunfire starts...well, you'll hear more with damaged ears than you'll hear in the grave if you don't defend yourself.

best,
Mas