Range Etiquette: Magnums versus Shell-Shuckers

[Nick96]

Flying brass is most annoying. Funny though, it only seems to be an issue with people that come in with a newish looking gun, in the factory box, shoot up 50 rounds in about 15 minutes that end up all over the paper down range. So, I end up making my shots while they are reloading - knowing they will be going away shortly.

I can't say I've really been bothered with magnum revolver blast though. Believe it or not, the blast from .40's seems more sharp and annoying - especially when they are popping them off pretty rapidly.

What's really annoying is people that come in with apparently little skill, knowledge, training, seriousness - or a combination of all. I end up keeping a periferal eye on them to make sure they don't shoot me or someone else. Typically it's the same people described in the first paragraph.

 

[Darrin]

Don't ask how, but at an indoor range today, I was getting hit by brass, (there are walls separating each lane), from a guy 2 lanes over!



*cough*cough*dave*cough*cough*

 

[yesterdaysyouth]

only time i ever got to shoot in a lane was in my ccw class, guy on my left has a 92f and guy on my right had a 22/45.....

i only took 3 brass to the check but those guys got 25 rnds of 44 mag. powder blast to the face.... the ammo i was shooting at first was 180gr jhp from the early 80's so it was HOT!! at least compared to the last 10 rnds of 180 umc.... oh and we were shoulder to shoulder,

im pretty sure the guy with the 22 was pretty shook up, the 92 guy was probally the first time he shot the pistol, it looked brand new and he was all over the target at 7 yds...

 

[Billy Sparks]

I think that when it comes to magnums that we (universal) should evaluate exactly what kind of shooting is going on in the range and then deciding if one should start shooting, rather unfair if there are some junior league shooters there practicing with thier 22's and you are assaulting them with the blast and shockwave of magnum rounds.

Just playing devils advocate here. By the same token if I have arrived at the range I am paying a yearly membership for should I turn around and leave if I brought the "wrong" caliber? At which point your are forcing me to leave and find another place to shoot.

 

[bpisler]

The indoor range where i was a member banned all magnum ammo because they thought the mags were to loud.I guess they never heard 357sigs or 10mm's,my last trip i took my friends ruger blackhawk and some of his 300gr 45 colt reloads,i got off 6 shots before the rangemaster came in ready to throw me out for shooting magnums.I told him they were 45 colts,not magnums,at this point he looked a little confused but told me they were too loud anyway.I justed packed up and left.I now shoot at a outdoor range and have no problems.

 

[Edward429451]

I dont mind the blast and I can deal with the brass, those are things that let you know you're on a range. The thing thats annoying sometimes is it seems that invariably when I go up to shoot some big boomers, some twit brings a kid or two right up into the next lane with no muffs or plugs for their kids.It makes it hard to sluff it off and keep shooting with the kids there, knowing they have no ear protection.

 

[Preacherman]

It makes it hard to sluff it off and keep shooting with the kids there, knowing they have no ear protection.

Why not have a range rule banning from the firing line anyone who does not have ear and eye protection? Similarly, with the big-boomers, why not have a range time set aside when "loud" guns (yes, I know it's relative! ) will be banned from the range to give those with .22's, or introducing newbies to shooting, a chance to shoot without flinching at the noises from the next lane? This can be structured so as to give the least possible inconvenience to all concerned.

My vote, though, goes to the noise and muzzle-blast of big boomers as more distracting than flying brass. When I did General Purpose Rifle at Thunder Ranch, I was prone between a muzzle-braked AR15 on my left (thanks, Dirt Dude!) and a 7mm. Rem. Mag. bolt-action on my right with the BOSS system installed. My darn hat was lifting off my head every time they fired! Made my Steyr Scout .308 look puny by comparison...

 

[Edward429451]

Why not have a range rule banning from the firing line anyone who does not have ear and eye protection?

My range is an open outdoor range with no RO's so I'd have to be the enforcer. Would cut into my shooting time playing range cop. I just carry extra plugs for these occasions for the kids, but not for the twit dads.

 

[Majic]

Everyone's time is limited. How can you determine a time that is compatable with all your customers? There seems to be suggestions from some to place limits on magnum shooters for the sake of the smaller caliber shooters. If that be the case, shouldn't the magnum shooters have lower dues since they are limited in when they can shoot? Or would you rather see the range divide all the time up? Then you can have a only magnum shooters time frame, only semi-auto time frame, and only non-magnum revolver time frame. Then everyone would have to restructure their time allotment for shooting. That would be fair to everyone.
Do we really want to divide ourselves like this? There are probably certain things that bother each and every one of us, but we all live in this world together. Why not accept that this is the life of a public range, or find your own private range.

 

[DE44mag]

Try shooting around a Desert Eagle, not only the magnum blast, but flying brass too!!!! I love it when people start looking around to see what is making all that noise AND throwing 44mag brass. the look on their faces is great. While we should all try to make an effort to be consious of were our brass is going and of our muzzle blast, at the same time remember that it is all part of shooting at the range. If these folks payed their money to use the range, or to belong to a shooting club, then as long as they follow the range safty rules, and the clubs rules, they have a right to shoot what they want when they want!!!

 

[E357]

This is a pretty tough question to answer. For myself, I will almost always inform the people around me that I will be shooting something loud, and try to work my 6 shots into their 10-17 mag reloads. If they act like idiots, I just blast away.

Elliot

 

[Handy]

My old indoor range allowed rifles. So I avoided the loud vs. flying brass problem by doing both.

But I never fired more than couple sight-in rounds out of my HK91.

 

[starfuryzeta]

The local indoor pistol range/gun store has banned anything over 44magnum. I asked the guy that used to own it why that was. He said the only reason was because it would bother the other shooters. I then asked why he sold calibers greater than 44 (there was a new .454 and .480 in the case) if you can't even try them out there. A very excuse ridden response.

The outdoor range I want to visit will not allow anything over .50 caliber, except muzzle loaders.

 

[E357]

The outdoor range I want to visit will not allow anything over .50 caliber,

starfuryzeta: What were you planning on shooting, if you don't mind my asking.

Elliot

 

[Frohickey]

definitely the shell-shuckers...

When I bring my big boomers to the indoor range, I usually look to see if there are others nearby.

I usually start out with a few rounds, definitely under 10, and see their reaction to the loud boom. If they stop and look, I smile back. If they come and ask, I offer them a few rounds to try out.

The shell-shuckers, you couldn't bother them to be as courteous.

 

[Ledbetter]

Shooting is a loud sport--deal with it or take up knitting.

I guess I agree. That's why some people wear earplugs under their muffs.

Also, the only people I notice complaining about magnum blasts are the folks that aren't blessed with ownership of one

Many times, a guy with a new magnum (especially a Desert Eagle) is the most entertaining thing you'll see at the range all month. I once saw a guy that couldn't hit the black part of a B-27 target at seven yards with his 44. mag DE. He asked me if I would try it and I shot one in the chest and one in the forehead (kinda lucky). Now THAT was fun.

 

[Bobarino]

i didn't vote because there was not a "neither" option. both the loud boom-booms and the flying brass are just part indoor shooting. nothing we can do about it, so no use complaining. i figure one should learn to shoot well even when distracted by loud magnums and being pelted in the melon with hot brass. if you can still hold your groups together while one or both of those are happening, then good on ya.

Bobby

 

[Edward429451]

I agree! What a concept. Its like training. If you can shoot good while under fire from hot brass and concussions from blasts, you just may be military material.

Anybody ever hear Sgt. York complain of noise or shrapnel?

Uh huh, thought so.

One thing to do is to buy a Magnum so you got something to 'fight back' with...Get some Boom Boom Boom going back & forth and then see who pulls back the better target.

 

[Boats]

I was shooting my Garand at my outdoor range when a guy shows up mid-morning to sight in his scope on his deer rifle. He had a lot of stations to choose from and he plops down two away from mine. It didn't take long, but he got impatient with brass-brass-brass-brass-brass-brass-brass-brass-PING! So he asks me if I mind, he's trying to zero.

"Sorry, I didn't notice that you'd taken up golf over there."

As to courtesy, anyone who wants to pop off a clip on my old warhorse need only reciprocate with whatever they are shooting.

 

[Chupacabra]

I shoot at an indoor range and I don't really mind either one. Flying brass isn't a problem because of the barriers between lanes and .44 magnums going off just make me concentrate more on my technique (what little there is! . )

There was one time howevere when a guy to my left was shooting an autoloader. He had the gun stuck out past the barrier so every time he fired, casings would go flying through my line of sight. Annoying yes, but nothing to get PO'd over.

 

[anapex]

About the second or third time I took my .44 Mag Super Redhawk to my indoor range. While checking in the RO was dealing with an older woman who wanted to switch her lane because someone was using something that she considered "too loud", I believe it was a .45 or .40s&w. After she went back to the range I told the RO with a grin that he probably didn't want to put me in the lane beside her. I ended up not firing the ruger until later on in my session ( I had my wife with me who doesn't care for it) and the woman had already left but there were enough people left that my wife said it was like the one range scene in Robocop when everyone stops shooting and comes over to look. I usually get atleast one person now that does that but not as much as before. The range has a max of .44 mag but mostly everyone is in the 9mm-.45 range but I figure since I have a membership I should atleast be able to fire up to the max when I feel like it.

 

[starfuryzeta]

starfuryzeta: What were you planning on shooting, if you don't mind my asking.

I'm not planning on shooting anything .50 cal. Don't even own one....yet.

I just thought it was interesting, because I believe the outdoor range is the largest (and maybe only) one in town, away from any population centers. I just assumed that any caliber would be welcome.

 

[SteveS]

I didn't cast a vote on this one either. I can't say that I have ever been annoyed by either of these people. I mostly shoot at an outdoor range, so the noise is not that bad. I figure that they are paying the same dues as me, so as long as they shoot safely, it is fine by me.

If I am interested in some privacy, I will go right when the range opens. I can usually shoot undisturbed for several hours.

 

[spacemanspiff]

the poll is missing a third entry: 3) dont really care

brass and booms dont bother me. 45acp brass can hurt, but all it does is leave a bruise. brass from my own p22 bothers me more than the brass from the shooter to my left.

 

[Tman]

I suppose another question to ask: If you hear really loud boomers, are you annoyed or are you really jealous