Earplugs vs earmuffs for shooting: which to buy first, and why you'll want both indoors

How we compared them: we haven't measured these ourselves. We compiled the NRR (Noise Reduction Rating, the number on the package) that each maker publishes, what federal hearing researchers have measured with real gunfire, and the fit and care instructions makers print, then scored our picks on the rubric at how we pick.

Earplugs vs earmuffs at a glance

The NRR ranges come from the products we cover, as published by each maker. The peak-reduction row comes from NIOSH measurements at law-enforcement firing ranges, described below. Our three picks side by side:

Protection: the numbers

On the package, earplugs win. The highest-rated product we cover is a foam plug: the Howard Leight MAX-1 at NRR 33. The reusable Decibullz Custom Molded Earplugs are NRR 31, which Decibullz says meets ANSI S3.19. The best muff we cover, the passive 3M Peltor X5A, is NRR 31, and our first-muff pick, the Howard Leight Impact Sport, is NRR 22.

With real gunshots, the gap closes. NIOSH measured hearing protectors on a test head at law-enforcement firing ranges and reported: "The mean peak reduction for earmuffs was 26dB, while earplugs alone provided a mean peak reduction of 24dB. The mean peak reduction for the combined earmuff and earplugs was 44dB" (NIOSH Publication 2009-136). Those are averages for the specific products NIOSH used, not ratings for ours, but they make two points clearly: in practice plugs and muffs land in the same neighborhood, and together they do far more than either alone.

Keep the EPA's own caveat in mind for both: the NRR is measured with continuous noise and "may not be an accurate indicator of the protection attainable against impulsive noise such as gunfire" ( 40 CFR 211.204-4). Our guide to what NRR you need for shooting goes deeper on reading the label.

Getting the fit right

This is the biggest practical difference. Every hearing protector sold in the US must come with "instructions as to the proper insertion or placement of the device", and the label must warn that "improper fit of this device will reduce its effectiveness in attenuating noise" (40 CFR 211.204-4). With earplugs, the fit is a skill: foam plugs have to be inserted the way the package shows, every time. NIOSH hearing researchers describe the best double-protection setup as "a deeply-inserted foam earplug and a well-seated earmuff". Note the word deeply.

NIOSH's 1998 noise criteria reflected how much fit matters by type. That guidance derated labeled NRRs by 25% for earmuffs, 50% for slow-recovery formable (foam) earplugs and 70% for all other earplugs (NIOSH 98-126, Section 1.5). NIOSH has since replaced that derating scheme with a recommendation for individual fit testing (NIOSH 2025-104), so don't use those percentages as a formula. The takeaway still holds: plugs reward a careful fit more than muffs do.

Muffs are simpler, but they have their own fit instructions. 3M's data sheet for its X Series muffs says to "position the earcups over your ears so the cushions fully enclose the ears and seal tightly against the head", and to adjust the height of each cup until you get "a tight and comfortable fit that exerts even pressure around the ears" ( 3M PELTOR X Series data sheet).

Wearing glasses

You'll always wear eye protection at the range, so this matters to everyone, not just prescription wearers. Glasses temples slide between the muff cushion and your head. 3M says a muff's noise reduction "may be lower when eyeglasses, goggles or respirator straps are worn between the sealing surface of the earmuff cushions and the sides of the wearer's head". NIOSH measured the effect: earmuffs worn with safety glasses had a peak reduction of 18 dB, against 26 dB for earmuffs alone (NIOSH 2009-136).

Earplugs sidestep the problem entirely, because nothing sits between a cushion and your head. That's one more reason for glasses wearers to put plugs under their muffs. Our guide to ear protection with glasses covers thin temples and slim cups, and shooting glasses for glasses wearers covers the eye side.

Hearing commands and comfort

Foam plugs and passive muffs turn everything down, including the range officer. Electronic muffs fix that: Howard Leight says the Impact Sport's directional microphones "amplify range commands and other ambient sounds to a safe 82dB" and stop amplifying above that level. Electronic earbuds do the same job in a plug shape, though their ratings in our picks are lower. Walker's rates its Suppressor and Isolator earbuds NRR 25 without naming the ear tip, and AXIL rates the GS Extreme 3.0 at NRR 21 with its foam tips and NRR 17 with silicone tips. Our best earplugs for shooting covers both foam and electronic options.

Comfort is personal, and it's the one thing we can't measure for you. What makers publish helps: the Impact Sport has a padded headband with "telescopic height adjustment", and the Decibullz come with custom-molded earpieces plus foam and small, medium and large silicone tips, so more ear shapes can find a seal. If one type bothers you over a long session, that's a good reason to own the other.

Hygiene and upkeep

Plugs go in your ear canal, so they're personal gear. Disposable foam like the MAX-1 is meant to be used and thrown away, which is why it comes 200 pairs to a pack: hand a friend a fresh pair rather than lending yours. Reusable plugs like the Decibullz come with a carrying pouch; follow the maker's cleaning instructions and keep them bagged between trips.

Muffs are easier to share, but the cushions wear. 3M's care instructions for its X Series muffs say to "wash outside of earmuffs only" with mild soap and water, and that 3M "recommends replacing foam liners and cushions at least twice a year in order to maintain acceptable noise reduction, hygiene and comfort". Check your own muff's instructions, since care varies by maker.

One range-specific habit: for indoor ranges, NIOSH advises washing hands before eating, drinking or "any hand contact with the face" (NIOSH 2009-136, written for range workers). Rolling a foam plug means handling something that goes in your ear, so put fresh plugs in before you handle guns and brass, and wash up before you swap them. Our guide to lead exposure at the shooting range covers the rest.

What your range may require

Range rules vary, so check before you go. Some ranges accept either. Others don't: Triangle Shooting Academy, an indoor range in North Carolina, states that "ear muffs are required to be worn while inside the range. Ear plugs are not considered to be sufficient ear protection" ( Triangle Shooting Academy dress code). That's one range's policy, not a universal rule, but it's a good reason to own a muff even if you prefer plugs. Our first time at a shooting range guide covers what else to ask when you call ahead.

Why you want both indoors

Indoors, sound reflects off the walls and ceiling. NIOSH recommends that "all workers and shooters should be required to use dual hearing protection devices (earmuffs and earplugs) when the range is in use" at indoor ranges (NIOSH 2009-136). That document was written for range employees and people who shoot for their job, but ASHA gives recreational shooters the same advice: at an indoor facility, "wear double hearing protection" (ASHA, Recreational Firearm Noise Exposure).

Don't expect the two ratings to add up. OSHA's method for estimating dual protection is to take the higher-rated device, subtract 7 dB if working from A-weighted noise measurements, and add just 5 dB for the second device, noting that "using such double protection will add only 5 dB of attenuation" ( OSHA Technical Manual, Section III Chapter 5). NIOSH's gunfire measurements found a bigger gain for the pair, as the numbers above show. Either way, both together beats either alone. Our double hearing protection guide shows how to wear them together, and best ear protection for indoor ranges has the pairs we'd start with.

Which to buy first

• Most beginners: an electronic muff (our pick: Impact Sport) plus a pack of foam plugs (our pick: MAX-1). You can shoot outdoors in the muff and double up indoors.
• Glasses wearers who fight muff seals: foam plugs first, then add a slim muff on top.
• You want plugs you keep: the reusable Decibullz, which come with foam and silicone tips.
• Your range requires muffs: a muff, obviously, and plugs underneath if it's indoors.

For more muff choices, see electronic vs passive ear muffs and our overall best hearing protection for shooting.