The Arms Room was a gun store and indoor gun range located just outside Houston, TX.
It specialized in concealed handguns and sporting rifles, and also sold Class 3 firearms and accessories, and offered self-defense courses.
Mary B. visited the gun store and indoor shooting range years ago.
After shooting her firearm, she claimed she suffered hearing loss.
Because of this, Mary sued the store for failing to provide sufficient hearing protection.
She argued that the earmuffs provided to her were electronic and required a volume setting.
In court documents, Mary said, “She sustained permanent hearing loss from the excessive noise level of the gun shots within the concrete walls.”
She went on to say that the medical treatment she sought for the hearing loss was unsuccessful.
The shooting range countered by saying that Mary signed an agreement releasing the company, “from any liability for acts of omissions, for any direct, indirect, incidental, special or consequential damages whatsoever resulting from or related to the use or misuse of firearms on the premises.”
The gun shop added that Mary’s hearing loss was a pre-existing condition.
Finally, the company argued that if the injuries occurred, they were caused by the manufacturer of the hearing protection device, not the shooting range.
In the end, Mary lost her lawsuit.
However, the shooting range ended up closing years later.
The owner didn’t reveal the reason, but spending money fighting the lawsuit obviously didn’t help the business.
Now, everyone who shoots a firearm is responsible for using the proper safety equipment, including eye and ear protection.
If the protection isn’t adequate, it’s a self-correcting problem.
You will notice immediately and should remedy the problem.
Another way that some shooters try to protect their hearing is by using a suppressor (sometimes referred to as a silencer) on their firearm.
Before buying any suppressor, you should consider the caliber of the weapon.
That’s because some calibers suppress better than others.
And you should start by picking a caliber that provides the best overall performance when suppressed.
Considering this, here are the top calibers I would suppress if you are looking to buy a suppressor.
9mm:
The 9mm is the most popular centerfire pistol round in the world.
These days, you can find quality, subcompact pistols in 9mm, and it’s an ideal concealed carry round.
With the popularity of the 9mm, more companies are offering options with heavier, subsonic loads.
This means that you can find 9mm in 147gr, which would be best for a suppressor.
Another benefit of the 9mm is the availability and cost of the ammo.
You can easily find 9mm for about 25 to 40 cents a round.
Plus, 9mm ammo can be used for a variety of tasks, from home defense to concealed carry.
If you are looking for a 9mm for suppressed shooting, I would check out the Winchester Super Suppressed 9mm Luger 147 grain.
.22LR:
The .22LR is the most popular caliber in the world.
It’s inexpensive, quiet, and easy to find.
The round is subsonic in standard velocity.
Plus, there are plenty of companies that manufacture .22LR in subsonic options.
Another great thing about shooting suppressed .22LR is that you can find the rounds at any sporting goods store.
And many places selling bricks of .22LR, which – depending on how much you shoot – can last a while.
Even though it’s not my first choice for a self-defense caliber, it’s a good option for shooting at the range or for hunting small game.
If you are looking for .22LR ammo for suppressed shooting, I would try the Federal 22LR.
.45 ACP.
The .45 ACP is a bigger round that became popular thanks to the 1911 pistol.
All standard .45 ACP is subsonic in both pistols and carbines.
Some +P.45 ACP might not be subsonic, but there are plenty of options that are.
And 45 ACP is relatively easy to find for sale, but it’s not cheap.
A .45 ACP round packs a punch.
While it’s not the quietest round, even when suppressed, it can knock down a target, creating such a catastrophic wound that they’ll likely stay down for good.
Check out the American Eagle .45 ACP 230 grain for suppressed shooting.
So, if you’re considering adding a suppressor to your firearm, do some research on your caliber and consider the best round to use for you.
Look, a suppressor isn’t the first accessory I’d choose for my guns.
It can change the way you draw and how you sight your target, which means it requires practice and changing your fundamentals.
Having a quieter gun isn’t worth retraining my shooting reflexes.
