Safety is most important to the shooting sports. Ear protection and Eye protection are mandatory. Commercial glasses from an optometrist are fine. Good glasses are important. Hold your glasses out in front of you and look though the glasses at an object, move the glasses slowly up and down. Is the object clear or distorted? If the object is clear your glasses are O. K, if the object is distorted than you better buy a good pair of glasses. If you use a "red dot" sight a little darker lens than needed will make the dot look sharper.

There are three types of ear protection; Sponge, Molded, and Outside ear protection.

1) SPONGE- The sponge is soft foam that you roll between your fingers to make it thin, than you place the sponge in your ear, most are disposable and cheap in cost and fit most size ears.

2) Molded ear protection is either a plastic insert that pushes into your ear hat is very inexpensive or a custom fit ear piece. The custom ear piece is a funny looking device that fits your ear perfectly. The "maker" of the molded ear piece takes "putty" and adds hardener to it, next they gently push the "putty" into your ears. The person getting the "putty stuffed into their ears has to not talk or move their jaw for about 10 minutes. The "putty" hardens in your ear. The "maker" than removes the now hardened "putty" and "seals" the ear piece. This ear piece is very comfortable and reduces noise level very good.

3) Outside ear protection is the usual ear protection you normally see shooters wearing. Some sort of plastic "cups" that cover each ear. There are two types of cushions on the molded ear protectors, Air and Liquid. Air is the best because if you get a leak during a National Competition, liquid can be very distracting.

The Molded ear piece also can have an Amplifier build in with a sound cut off.

Wearing Two ear protectors can help you focus due to the extra noise reduction.

In cold weather warm up your ear protection by body heat. Place the sponge or molded ear protectors in your pocket. Place the outside ear protectors on your leg before the match.

One set of Ears and Eyes are given to most people DON'T LOSE THEM.

Never vacuum primers and powder as the primers may explode and start a fire. (not to mention they are kinda loud when they explode.)

Always wash out black powder cans when they are empty. Throwing black powder in the trash is very dangerous.