Range Rules

[Dale Alan]

I belong to several ranges, and follow "their" rules . Hard to believe anyone would be so foolish they would pay money to become a member and not understand and obey those rules . If a person does not like the rules build your own range . Seems simple to me .

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

Interesting about the cratered steel. I have one that was supposed to be ar 500. And my 44 mag put some big craters in it. I had some bullets fly back towards me. The company i got it from was nice and sent a new one to me.

 

[Trey Veston]

We don't have ranges out here. Only millions of acres of state and federal land, random gravel pits, and private land.

Found a nice little gravel pit 3 miles from my house and claimed it for my own personal range after I cleaned it up of beer cans and trash (no shooter trash, thank goodness.).

Been out there a few times now and no idea who owned it until last week when a state DOT truck stopped by and the driver and I chatted about guns for about 45 minutes. Turns out the county owned it. He had just talked to a county guy a few minutes before stopping to talk to me and was told to let me know I was welcome to shoot there and they were happy I cleaned it up.

But, I am limited to a max of 50 yards.

 

[DustyGmt]

I belong to several ranges, and follow "their" rules . Hard to believe anyone would be so foolish they would pay money to become a member and not understand and obey those rules . If a person does not like the rules build your own range . Seems simple to me .

Well the range is very poorly managed, the only contact info given out is for a guy who hasn't been affiliated with that range in nearly 10 years. The old rules, all 3 of them, were always posted on the back of your card and on the range property. If you read my post, this year is different and I only found out they added all these new rules after I'd paid and got a temporary pass with the new rules written on it. They will mail me a card in 4-6 weeks. This is very strange to me considering the kind of place it's always been....

 

[Archie]

As the subject was brought up - the rules of shooting on the range - is posted. Mostly the usual stuff; don't handle gun when someone is downrange, be considerate and so on. No alcohol at all. (There is a nice bar on the way back to town if one is thirsty.)
Also some specific rules: No calibers above a certain level, no targets on ground and target must be hung at a certain level (shown by colors on uprights, not assumed). Most of the specific rules are to avoid stray rounds zinging over the rather high backstop. The National Guard lives over there and they get really snippy about that. Also we have one 'lane' designated for rimfire only with rimfire grade metal targets. Those targets are dented or penetrated by nearly anything centerfire. We also have a 'plate rack' on a lane (not the rimfire lane) and rifle cartridges are prohibited to extend the target life.

These rules are posted on the range firing points. No memorizing needed. Right there in front of God and everybody.

Also the indoor range has a description of cartridges not allowed and reminders to turn on the exhaust fan.

 

[John_R]

Anyone know why some indoor ranges ban steel cased ammo? Is it just because they want to sell used brass?

 

[DustyGmt]

Anyone know why some indoor ranges ban steel cased ammo? Is it just because they want to sell used brass?

I believe it's because the bi-metal jacket excellerates the destruction of the backstop. That's what I've gleaned from people here and there. I never knew why either.

 

[John_R]

I don’t mean the projectile, I mean the casing. If the casing hits the backstop, you got bigger problems.

 

[CapnMac]

Anyone know why some indoor ranges ban steel cased ammo?

Might be due to experience with that ammo having questionable quality.
Many reports of some of that stuff being under and over pressure, duds, and hang fires, and the like. None of which you want inexperienced shooters coping with on a crowded line.
But, that's a guess.

 

[DustyGmt]

I don’t mean the projectile, I mean the casing. If the casing hits the backstop, you got bigger problems.

Is it clear that I'm saying the jacket on the projectile loaded in most steel cased ammo is bi-metal. Destroys backstops quicker I guess. The projectile I mean.

Also, I think some places who scrap the brass don't like to have what they see as low grade (worthless) cases laying around diluting their scrap returns. I know of scrap yards that if you brought them 1/4 ton of prepped #1 copper and they find one lil sliver of Romex insulation in your pile they are docking your load to #2 and paying you alot less.

 

[swg1]

I don’t mean the projectile, I mean the casing. If the casing hits the backstop, you got bigger problems.

Or you're simply shooting a Mini-14.

 

[Skeptic13]

Lawyers screw everything up.

 

[Jim Watson]

Agree with Dusty, I figure that steel (and aluminum) cases reduce the scrap value of swept up empties.

Steel jackets are certainly hard on old fashioned steel deflector bullet traps, but the rubber mulch used in recent construction ought to absorb about anything within its depth vs power rating. Of course they also mine the traps for lead and copper jacket, so it may be another case of not wanting to dilute the scrap.

 

[375supermag]

His...
I belong to two local gun clubs.
One doesn't allow any targets other than standard bullseye type targets although they have finally replaced the one steel plate they have on the 200 hundred yard rifle range berm. It went missing several years ago but was finally replaced last fall. Nobody seems to know where it went but it has now been replaced.
The rules have been relaxed somewhat on the pistol range to allow the use of clay birds on the berm beyond the 25 yard line and a few hanging steel plates at 25yards. Still can't bring your own steel plates or any reactive targets.

The other club is pretty much OK with anything as long as you clean it up after you are done shooting. No tannerite type targets though.
They have a large number of steel plates on the handgun range and at least one at every berm from 50 yards to 200 yards on the rifle range.