Range Etiquette: Magnums versus Shell-Shuckers

[pax]

If the boom bothers you that much, get better hearing protection and quit whining.

If the brass bothers you that much, button up your shirt, get a better hat, and quit whining.

The guy who taught me to shoot had an interesting take on flying brass. I had a brass go down my shirt one afternoon ( ) and was cussing a blue streak while digging it out. My friend looked over and said, "You're practicing for self-defense, right?" Yeah, I was. "Well, then. Next time that happens, settle down and put one in the 10 ring before you do anything about the brass." Do WHAT?? "No, really. It's the closest thing to real combat practice you're gonna get. Practice ignoring pain and shooting under pressure." Ohhh-kay.

I'm not quite that nutty, but the man did have a point. At least it was good practice for the first time I RO'd at a shooting class -- piece of brass got me right in the kisser and gave me a fat lip. I had just enough presence of mind to keep from yelping and embarrassing myself in front of all the brand new shooters.

pax

Do not worry about your condition. Make your assailant worry about his condition. -- Jeff Cooper

 

[OEF_VET]

The brass down the shirt sucks, but heck, wear a hat and good shirt.

 

[dleong]

The poll is missing a third response: Neither.

Since I double up on hearing protection (muffs and plugs) at the indoor range, I am able to quite comfortably share the line with bigger-caliber handguns like the Desert Eagle and Ruger SRH. I actually find the concussion from these types of hand cannons... mildly therapeutic.

As for brass being thrown my way, I usually don't complain if they are of a caliber for which I reload.

DL

 

[Ala Dan]

Greeting's All-

HOT brass flying into your shooting lane and
ultimately down your shirt can certainly distract
a good qualifying run! I had that experience on
my very last qualification as a LEO. Those darn
Smith & Wesson Sigma's are noted for this; as
well as stovepipes!

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[Tamara]

If one does not like loud noises or flying brass, then a shooting range probably ain't a good place to hang out.

 

[Navy joe]

Don't care. I wear double hearing and the indoor range I shoot at has bulletproof glass partitions. I will lay off on heavy artillery or rapid fire if there is a novice shooter trying to learn next to me. I try to shoot when they are reloading.

Conversely, If I get stuck next to God's gift to handguns, specops wannabe, or some other blowhard I usually have just the thing for the occasion. It boils down to speed reloading practice with an 870 and slugs, or rapid bolt manipulation practice with a M-44 carbine. They usually act a little calmer. If not, the fact that I am hitting my target with my pistols while they are looking cool and missing convinces them to pack and go.

Outdoors I try to be considerate, especially given how an AR flings brass.

 

[Flashpoint]

I have only gone to an indoor range twice, but I would have to say that the shockwave is what bothered me most. The first time it was me and a lady who was shooting a .22 about 5 lanes away, so there was no problem with either. The second time all lanes were full and the guy next to me was shooting a .45 cal. Once I realized that brass was going to bounce around I accepted it and was able to ignore it, but the shockwave coming from the lane next to me was a bit harder to get use to. Honestly neither was worth whining about.

 

[gbelleh]

I dig it when people shoot big boomers at the range. I brought my .44 mag out last week and the people at the range seemed to enjoy watching us shoot it!

 

[Meowhead]

Definitely the brass. Once upon a time I had a 9mm casing bounce off my forehead, off the right lens of my glasses, then lodge itself between frame and cheek. Ouch.

But that, and the concussion from big guns, are just a part of being at a shooting range. As annoyances they're negligible.

 

[Grampa]

Oh, I don't think either one is a big deal, but I suppose the annoying edge goes to the flying brass. I usually wear plugs and muffs, and our range is outdoors. I'm occasionally my own worse enemy on brass. I have a Browning semiauto breakdown 22 rifle -- the one that ejects straight down. I have to watch my sleeves real careful when I'm shooting from the bench. I have an empty 22 brass shaped burn a few inches above my wrist that is healing right now. And one of my handguns (don't recall which one right now) ejects brass up and right, which often hits the roof joist and comes back at me. Baseball cap, eye protection, buttoned collars ...etc. Whatever it takes!

 

[dav]

What I have not seen mentioned yet is how annoying either of these is to the person you brought with you who is not yet "into" guns.

The indoor range I belong to has two sections. Rifles on one side, and small handguns on the other.

For some reason, even though all I was shooting was a handgun, they always assigned me a lane in the rifle side!

I find the big booms hard to experience for the first shot (it is usually unexpected) but relaxing after that. Unfortunately, my wife wants to shoot with me, but shoots .22, and the noise really bothers her.

The brass can be startling, but easily put up with. Even the burns finally went away after I caught one by reflex instead of brushing it away.

Just to get even with the big noise makers (yeah, like that is really why) I got myself a shotgun. I don't know if it makes a lot of noise at the indoor range or not. It is so darn much fun that I haven't noticed the sound it makes yet.

 

[Calanctus]

I agree with dav; the last time a went to a range, there was a woman who was an obvious first time shooter, jumping a foot in the air any time ANY shot was fired. I looked over and noticed her large earrings were keeping the earmuffs from forming a seal around her ears. If I hadn't noticed (the lug who brought who her to the range certainly didn't), she would have sworn off shooting for life. Thank god she wasn't there when the guy with the .50AE Desert Eagle was shooting, she would have been bleeding from the ears and talking about those "eeeeeeeeeevil guns." Instead, she was asking how much the .22s were in the case on the way out.

 

[ReadyontheRight]

I would never complain to the guy next to me about it, but the most disturbing shooting I've ever had going on next to me was a .357 Sig. The thing had a high little bang like a yippy little dog that went right through my ear protection. I know it was a .357 Sig because the little cases would hit me periodically.

I just moved onto a different range.

 

[ReadyontheRight]

The coolest was a fully auto .45 Thompson in the lane next to me. That guy really burned though $10 boxes of hardball, but he had a BIG smile.

 

[TamThompson]

Yeah, part of the game and what's going to happen in a real-world scenario.

Heck, when I took my CHL shootin' test, they lined all fifteen of us up in a row and we all shot simultaneously. Everyone was shooting a semiauto, and I was getting hit right and left with flying brass. I just pretended I was in a war (strange, since I've never BEEN in a war, but as I say, pretending.)

At one point, I got a hot shell right down my blouse and straight into my bra, but did I whine? No.

I figure noise and flying shells WILL happen in a defensive scenario, so I just deal with it.

 

[Berg01]

If muzzle blast percussion from big-bore magnums bothers your bud, two suggestions;

1) Get to the indoor range very early in the morning, when it first opens, and when it is least likely to be crowded;
2) Always shoot outdoors, where muzzle blast noise is less of a problem

 

[WebHobbit]

Berg01 -- did you read my opening post? Or were you not talking to me? I'm the Magnum shooter! So no Magnum blast doesn't bother me in the slightest.

 

[Rock45]

Gotta take a stand!

I'll be honest, folks...if there is someone next to me with a 50BMG I completely lose interest in my handguns...It's such a hoot to just sit back and watch the carnage! Seriously, I always take a magnum revolver to the range for just these situations. I still get very excited shooting magnums or being around someone else shooting them, but I only shoot at an outdoor range.

 

[Spot77]

Neither really bother me much EXCEPT for the first shot from either one. The first "BOOM" usually makes my ears adjust, and the first piece of hot brass on the noggin' usually wakes me up a bit.

The thing to remember is that you can't take it personally if one or the other bothers you. I know I fling brass into the next lane sometimes, but it's not a personal attack on the poor guy next to me. Same with the "loud" guns. The guy next to me didn't show up that day just to see if he could ruin my hearing or not.

The range that I use assigns lanes, so we generally don't have a choice. I don't know if they have a method to lane assignment or not.

What really gets me though is the wannabes who show up unprepared to shoot; they'll bring their girlfriends/wives wearing a halter top with 3/4 of their breasts hanging out. It's such a shame.....hot brass sometimes finds its way down my buttoned up shirt, so I can only imagine what's going to happen in the next lane. Same with insufficient eye/ear protection.

And hey....a hot brass mark on the forehead is a great conversation piece with your buddies.


Selected times for each type of gun??? Not really fair I guess, although setting aside 2 hours a week for just the serious .22 target killers might not hurt.

I like both revolvers and autoloaders, and I love to check out what everybody else is shooting.

 

[Stormbringer]

I agree with Tamara if the noise and shells bothers you you probably shouldn't be at the range - instead find or buy some land and shoot in isolated bliss. If I'm at a range (indoor or outdoor) and I've paid my fee for its use I'm gonna use what I want within the limits posted by the owners of the range. That means I'm bringing my Magnum revolvers and my AR-15 if that's what I want to shoot and its allowed by the range. As long as safety is followed I don't care what others shoot while I'm at the range.

 

[Zach S]

When theres a magnum in the next lane, you do feel the blast, it gets on my nerves a little more than flying brass, but I live with both. Sometimes it doesnt bother me, other times I move to another lane (if possible).

 

[aerod1]

The brass but it really isn't that big a deal.. I usually try to shoot on the left side of a semi auto shooter if possible.
I shoot magnums myself, so they don't tend to bother me much.

Jim Hall

 

[Walk Softly]

I had one trip to the range when everyone stopped and came over to check out what I was shooting... Just some warm .357 mags I had loaded using blue dot! Not only were they loud, but they were also putting a vapor trail down range for several feet. People seem to get more upset over my FALs with muzzle breaks though, claim it blows things off the next table, specially my carbine with 16" barrel. Personally I find the .357 Sigs to have a very lsharp bark, though if you really want a surprise try a NAA 22 mag revolver with 1 1/8" barrel. BTW I find brass much more annoying than noise, but you get used to it and dress for the occasion.