Indoor range "Concerns"

[hemiram]

I've been hit solidly twice, once right after I started shooting. The place was loaded, all the lanes were firing away and it felt like I got stung on my right temple. I have no clue where it came from, but I've always had "thin blood" and it was all over my shoulder and chest in a couple of minutes. I went home, which was a couple of blocks away and used a styptic pencil to stop it and cleaned up and came back.

The second time was about 7 years ago, and there were only two of us shooting. Me shooting handguns and the other guy was shooting an AR. He was like 10 lanes away from me and was shooting away. I was loading one of my revolvers and I got hit dead center of my forehead, and yelled, "Hey!", and the blood began to flow. The other guy heard me yell, as did the RO, and I ended up having to be late for work as I was going to go straight from the range to work and I had to go back home and clean up and change. I have a tiny little triangular scar that is almost invisible on my forehead. But it sure bled a lot.

And countless numbers of hot cases that seem to be guided by something into the worst places. I don't remember what I was shooting, a 9mm of some kind and I was talking to a friend behind me, and said something like, "One more mag each and we'll get out of here!". I fired and the case hit the side of the lane and went right into my mouth. YOW! My friend was on the floor laughing and I had a nice burn on my tongue. It was the only time I had a case go anywhere near my mouth. By the next morning, the burn was 99% gone.

 

[hso]

muffs are truly not enough protection

Yep, double up...always. Even then we need to be mindful that when wearing muffs and plugs
we only add 5dB to the highest plugs you can wear (typically 33dB for foamies). That gives you 38 as the effective NRR. For reliable noise protection you have to halve that for reliable exposure protection giving you a reduction in exposure of 19dB ([Highest protection protection used NRR + 5]/2). Subtract that 19dB from the sound produced by the firearm and you're exposure is remarkably higher than you'd have thought.

 

[drband]

Every indoor range I’ve been to looked like folks had been shooting from 10 feet behind the firing line—multiple holes from floor to ceiling. I avoid indoor ranges and stick to an outdoor DNR range with well-trained ROs.

Always be aware of your surroundings, even on a “good” range.

 

[DoubleMag]

WELL THAT ABOUT COVERS WEARING EYE PROTECTION while shooting I guess ! !

I HOPE ! ! !

 

[mmb617]

I've never shot at an indoor range. I have access to an excellent outdoor range where I'm usually by myself, but sometimes in the winter I wish I could shoot indoors. Reading through this entire thread has pretty much cured me of that desire. Last winter was so mild that I hardly missed a week of shooting outdoors and since I'm retired I can always pick a decent weather day to go.

A new indoor range just opened here and I thought maybe I should check it out in case we get a stretch of really bad winter weather, but once I found out they don't allow you to collect any of your brass I changed my mind.

I was already concerned about having to shoot in close proximity to others who may not follow safety rules, and also aware of the noise factor so the brass issue was the last straw.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

"Don't allow you to collect any of your brass" ? That's what rim fires and revolvers are for.
I note the range safety and etiquette videos I have seen emphasize that everyone is a safety officer.
I agree that CF rifles on indoor ranges are a little much but when there are no easily accessible outdoor ranges....

 

[Alex Clayton]

"Don't allow you to collect any of your brass" ? That's what rim fires and revolvers are for.
....

I have not yet actually been to one that does this but have heard of it. Ranges that say you can't keep your own brass. All of them around me just say you can only pick up yours. In other words they do not want people back there trying to scrounge all the brass they can grab. Sadly many people live where there is only one choice. So it's a take it or leave it situation. Thankfully I live where there are many to choose from within an hour or less drive. Of course now our Governor is announcing new plague lock downs coming so looks like shooting will be again outlawed for a while
Guess it will help with the ammo shortage here at least if no one can shoot

 

[Nacho Man]

I had a .45 bullet bounce back and hit me on the shoe. Looked down and found it.
Slightly deformed, threw it in my pocket and kept it as a souvenir. Still have it in my junk box of cleaning supplies

 

[AK103K]

I have not yet actually been to one that does this but have heard of it. Ranges that say you can't keep your own brass. All of them around me just say you can only pick up yours. In other words they do not want people back there trying to scrounge all the brass they can grab. Sadly many people live where there is only one choice. So it's a take it or leave it situation. Thankfully I live where there are many to choose from within an hour or less drive. Of course now our Governor is announcing new plague lock downs coming so looks like shooting will be again outlawed for a while
Guess it will help with the ammo shortage here at least if no one can shoot

Ive shot at a couple that said this. I generally didnt listen to them and picked mine up, what I could anyway. No one ever said anything to me either.

One place I used to shoot at didnt want you going ahead of the line to pick it up, which is understandable (other than a problem or emergency, they didnt call cease fires) and Id guess a lot of the reason the others dont want you doing it. They didnt care if you picked up what was at your feet, and if no one else was there, you could pick up what was in front of you.

What annoys me more than the brass thing is when they require you to buy their usually cheap/junk and way overpriced ammo and you cant use anything you brought in.

 

[Alex Clayton]

Ive shot at a couple that said this. I generally didnt listen to them and picked mine up, what I could anyway. No one ever said anything to me either.

One place I used to shoot at didnt want you going ahead of the line to pick it up, which is understandable (other than a problem or emergency, they didnt call cease fires) and Id guess a lot of the reason the others dont want you doing it. They didnt care if you picked up what was at your feet, and if no one else was there, you could pick up what was in front of you.

What annoys me more than the brass thing is when they require you to buy their usually cheap/junk and way overpriced ammo and you cant use anything you brought in.

Few years ago a long time gun shop here moved and set up a brand new indoor range and shop. I was pretty exited to see it until it opened. Wife and I went out, been open a few weeks. Walk in and there is NO ONE in there which seemed odd. Then one of the 3 people working in there start telling us about the place. VERY modern, fancy target hangers that you could make move while shooting, turn, the whole 9 yards. Then I asked price. Lot's of double talk and I could see why. You had to buy their ammo, which was pricey, you could keep the brass, you had to buy their damn targets, which were SUPER inflated in price. It is a 75ft instead of 50ft which is nice but damn. I told the guy sorry but this is just not going to happen. While we were there we went around to the gun shop to look. Did buy another gun from them. Drove off thinking they must be trying to see how fast they can go out of business. Well it did not take long. Soon the range had a new name and new rules. Now you could bring your own ammo for anything hand gun. You can shoot .223, 7.62x39, 30-30 Win there but those you do have to buy their ammo. OK I could see that. Still have not gotten over to try it even though I keep meaning too. One other deal killer is no memberships. As nice as it is I would pay twice what I pay at the place I go now without batting an eye but, still no from them. I have to guess the people who built it sold off the range since they must have been seeing it was going to go under the way they first tried to start it. I mean I know it is a HUGE outlay of cash to build one of these but you can't try to rape the public to recoup that when there is several other ranges in the county here to compete with.

 

[HB]

I go to the range to shoot, not to be shot.

So accurate. I find many public ranges terrifying. Indoor ranges are the worst.

I like to think I’m a 2A advocate until I see the general public operate a firearm.

To the OP, I’ve been hit with jackets and splatter at USPSA shoots but I havent been to an indoor range in years. More likely to get shot there than Baghdad.

 

[AK103K]

So accurate. I find many public ranges terrifying. Indoor ranges are the worst.

I like to think I’m a 2A advocate until I see the general public operate a firearm.

To the OP, I’ve been hit with jackets and splatter at USPSA shoots but I havent been to an indoor range in years. More likely to get shot there than Baghdad.

LOL. Yet everyone tells you they are an expert shot, even if youve never seen them practice, or even heard them talk about practicing, and they are proud to tell you, they go to the range one or twice a year.

Maybe those times you were there, was when they went to shoot.

 

[Deanimator]

So accurate. I find many public ranges terrifying. Indoor ranges are the worst.

I like to think I’m a 2A advocate until I see the general public operate a firearm.

To the OP, I’ve been hit with jackets and splatter at USPSA shoots but I havent been to an indoor range in years. More likely to get shot there than Baghdad.

Many years ago, a fellow officer and I were on the Ft. Knox public range.

We called a ceasefire to change targets. While we were downrange, we started hearing bullets breaking the sound barrier to one side of us followed by muzzle blast.

We frantically called another ceasefire and double timed back to the firing line.

A couple of townies were standing there, guns in hand. We asked them what they thought they were doing, firing with people downrange.

They replied, "We wasn't shootin' atcha. We was shootin' PASTYA!"

We replied, "Do it again and we'll shoot THROUGH you."

We secured our firearms and made a beeline for Range Control who were none too happy with the situation. Unfortunately, by the time they got back there with us, Larry and Daryl had packed up and left.

We continued to use the range periodically, but from then on ALWAYS made sure that we were the first ones on the range, finishing shooting LONG before the products of generations of inbreeding and fetal alcohol syndrome got there.

 

[slickracer]

If I had to shoot indoors, I would give up the hobby. It's just not for me.

 

[Meeks36]

If I had to shoot indoors, I would give up the hobby. It's just not for me.

The key to indoor ranges is to get there when they first open. And all the morons are sleeping.

 

[theotherwaldo]

I've only used an indoor range to get my CC permit.
I hated it.
I've never used it again.

 

[Riomouse911]

I’m pretty much limited to indoor ranges Since I stepped away from our tactical team after turning 51. Unless I drive 85 miles out to the desert I don't have the opportunity to shoot on an unrestricted outdoor range unless I pay huge initiation fees... and this only after at least a 12 month wait for a membership opening.

The range I usually go to is well run. Ventilation could be better and lighting is a bit low, but they are pretty quick to stop shenanigans and hold people accountable when they shoot up target hangers ($5.00 and the shooter gets to keep it.) The last time I saw someone corrected was for rapid firing a mag from an AR. The kid understood and all was fine.

The range no longer lets shotguns be fired with anything but slugs, and no longer allows pistol gripped shotguns or AR/AK pistols because too many holes were appearing in the roof and walls.

They’ll let you pick up your brass as long as you’re not snorking the other guys’ brass, but no shooting steel core or other bullets that may damage the backstop.

I wish I had other options, but right now I’m doing the best I can with what I options I have.

Stay safe.

 

[Good Ol' Boy]

I'm not going to say anything that hasn't already been said.

I spent years at indoor ranges and IMHO it doesn't matter what kind of ear pro you have when your next door to someone shooting a .223 with a brake, 12g or worse. Its not just the sound but you can actually feel the pressure being let off.


Nowadays I am blessed enough to be able to shoot at home for the most part. Although I still frequent an indoor IDPA match every Monday night, but that's pistols only and while watching we're all in the rear so no big deal .


You couldn't pay me to go back to a public bay...

 

[Sovblocgunfan]

There are a couple of indoor ranges near me that I have frequented. It’s quite common to see the “fired brass is property of the range” thing-they also will not let you shoot steel cased ammo. I only assume it’s because they police the brass and sell it to some re-manufacturer.

one range I go to is actively involved in checking in on their patrons. I can recall one time where some people who had no business being around a gun were all of a sudden (politely and professionally) surrounded by staff folks who gave them the right kind of help. Was nice to see, because the range was full and it could have gone south quickly.

 

[BigBL87]

I've been hit by hot brass from both the next lane and my own, and got a spray of what I assume was unburnt powder from my own firearm. That box of ammo did that a couple times, don't know what the issue was.

Never been hit by a richochet indoors or outdoors. Closest I came was actually shooting a 22 rifle outdoors at my in-laws on a little impromptu range we've set up w/ a dirt backstop. Was shooting with a friend, and had a ricohet come back between us, we both heard it zip by. Freaked us out, must have hit a hidden stray chunk of concrete in the dirt backstop or something. Being a 22 at 50 yards I doubt it would have done much damage, but still freaky to hear it whizz by you.

As far as ear pro, like others I double up indoors and it helps alot.

 

[MySuomi]

As for shrapnel flying around:
I shoot outdoors (mostly steel targets in front of a large berm) and put down a large ground cloth at the 25 yard mark to catch most of my pistol brass. I am always surprised at how much shrapnel is mixed into the brass as I collect it after shooting even at 25 yards. Probably half a thimble full each time.

The only time I was hit with a ricochet was with pistols shooting steel at 25 yards. Wearing cargo short pants it hit right below the groin. Left a bruise and just barely broke the skin. A few inches higher and that would have put me on the ground.

Eye protection is a must. You really have no idea how much metal is in the air when you are shooting at steel targets.

 

[Pete D.]

I run an indoor range for a rod and gun club in Brooklyn, NY. Six points, 50 feet.
No centerfire rifles. No shotguns. No pistol cartridges larger than .44 Magnum.
By default then, most of the shooting is .22, .32, .380/9mm, .40, 45.
We move lead out twice a year.
Eye and ear protection a must. I wear both plugs and a head set.
If the range is busy, i wear a hepa rated face mask.
There is a three bay HEPA filter behind the steel backstop. In each point, There is a blower above and behind each shooter which serves to clear the point of the gases of firing.
There are holes where there should not be holes....Walls (to hit either sidewall, the shooter has to have the muzzle pointed at least two feet away from the centerline of the lane.), some in the ceiling, even with baffles to prevent high angle shots from penetrating, some skids on the floor downrange....invariably from shooters trying rapid fire at targets three yards away or less and jerking their shots down.)

 

[Hokkmike]

"Loooking at the walls, floor, ceiling and even the bench separators with bullet holes in them make you wonder "what the hell am i doing here"?

You have answered your own question.

 

[Odd Job]

I had elevated serum lead levels after shooting thousands of rounds of .22 suppressed indoors. The levels weren't high enough for medical treatment but were borderline for concern. So I eased off on that, fired more outdoors. But that was a lot of rounds, one of my suppressors has 35,000 rounds through it!
I had an unlucky bounce of a .22 case off an indoor range divider. It managed to get behind my eye protection and wedge against the skin. I got a burn that is now a permanent scar, mostly because I couldn't get the glasses off fast enough (I was concerned with putting the rifle down safely first).

 

[Thunderchicken]

Great idea. I think inhalation of that material is the greatest hazard. I asked my doctor if I should get my lead levels checked and she said unless you have a house with lead water pipes or use or have lead paint, then she said im fine. What an erroneous and incomplete knowlegebase.

Doctors do have a huge amount of knowledge, but not ALL the knowledge. Hopefully she would be open to being enlightened by a patient. If not, that would give you some ... insight ... into your choice of doctor.

On another note, thanks for the story about the salt block. I guess I’d never have thought that would be dangerous, an now I learned something.