They must be rolled up and inserted in the ear canal and allowed to expand to a tight seal. Simply poking them in your ears is ineffective. Foam plugs provide no protection against bone conduction, which mostly occurs with long guns when the blast is transmitted through the stock of the gun to the skull. For long gun shooting, muffs are a better choice. When shooting indoors, use both plugs and muffs.
Sound levels increase dramatically in enclosed spaces.
Eye protection is mandatory at any sanctioned competition and at most professionally run ranges. Every time you fire a gun you are setting off an explosion in front of your face. If anything goes wrong with your firearm or ammunition shrapnel may be thrown into your eyes. Glasses also prevent hot brass from semi-autos and bullet fragments from the cylinder gap of revolvers from hitting you in the eyes. Alcohol and guns do not mix.