Shooting range built over highway

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Not gonna happen, too many laws would be broken, besides that it would mean someone else would have to change the target
 
I haven't watched that video in a while. Is that one of the ranges where you shoot through a tunnel which pretty much prevents you having a errant shot.
 
This footprint seems very counterintuitive to common sense; anti’s would/ should have a fit but so should gun owners - goes against everything that I was taught about shooting direction. I would have to thumbs down this one as “dumb”. The math says that eventually there will be a mishap and all it takes is one; then someone will go “DUH” - who is the genious that thought that this was a sound and safe idea. We do not shoot across roads here for a good reason - shot over enough, a vehicle impact will happen.
 
The wall seems like it would protect the roadway in theory, but, here at least, the first bullet that clips the top and drops a particle of concrete on a windshield will shut the whole thing down. It is a shame that there wasn't anywhere more conducive to build a range...
 
Looks great; from the last part with the flags in the background, it appears to be in Switzerland.....

I remember seeing a photo of another range in Switzerland where the entrance road came from behind the backstop berm and ran alongside the shooting lanes. They never had an issue there either.

Here's an indoor range in Germany that is pretty cool (even if the dialog is German):

 
Looks great; from the last part with the flags in the background, it appears to be in Switzerland.....

I remember seeing a photo of another range in Switzerland where the entrance road came from behind the backstop berm and ran alongside the shooting lanes. They never had an issue there either.

Here's an indoor range in Germany that is pretty cool (even if the dialog is German):


I understood one word in that: "schiessen" : "shoot." Big surprise, finding THAT word in a video about firearms.:neener:
 
Believe it or not, the people who designed and approved the range carefully considered all the safety implications. From the baffle wall design, to the ammunition and rifles permitted, there is zero risk of bullet hitting the road. You also have to understand that the majority of Swiss rifle shooting is a 300m course of fire in the prone position. See: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schiesswesen_ausser_Dienst#Eidgenössisches_Feldschiessen

The reason the range was built here is because there is simply a lack of appropriate land in a small country such as Switzerland. There is also a high demand for ranges, due to the number of target shooters, but primarily due to the number of national service members who have to shoot their compulsory programmes.

I risk offending by posting this on a primarily US message board, but it's quite grating to hear US commentators try to apply their shooting culture norms to other countries, as if they are the sole authority on safe use of firearms. After all, if you do a Google search for 'gun range accidents', they pretty much all occur in the USA. Search for 'Swiss gun range accidents'?
 
I agree Blackstone. It seems folks over there have a different attitude. Driven bird hunts where folks are in a line, yet no one gets shot (they even have some adult beverages at times with no issues). Both of those things would make a lot of folks here cringe in horror.
 
Believe it or not, the people who designed and approved the range carefully considered all the safety implications. From the baffle wall design, to the ammunition and rifles permitted, there is zero risk of bullet hitting the road. You also have to understand that the majority of Swiss rifle shooting is a 300m course of fire in the prone position. See: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schiesswesen_ausser_Dienst#Eidgenössisches_Feldschiessen

The reason the range was built here is because there is simply a lack of appropriate land in a small country such as Switzerland. There is also a high demand for ranges, due to the number of target shooters, but primarily due to the number of national service members who have to shoot their compulsory programmes.

I risk offending by posting this on a primarily US message board, but it's quite grating to hear US commentators try to apply their shooting culture norms to other countries, as if they are the sole authority on safe use of firearms. After all, if you do a Google search for 'gun range accidents', they pretty much all occur in the USA. Search for 'Swiss gun range accidents'?

I never intended to offend .... but it isn't obvious to me how an negligent discharge couldn't hit a passing car. Maybe you're right.

We all tend to be a bit ethnocentric even if we don't realize it. I just can't see shooting over a roadway like that. I suppose if I actually visited that range I could understand it being safe .... but meanwhile, I won't be shooting across a road.
 
I risk offending by posting this on a primarily US message board, but it's quite grating to hear US commentators try to apply their shooting culture norms to other countries, as if they are the sole authority on safe use of firearms. After all, if you do a Google search for 'gun range accidents', they pretty much all occur in the USA. Search for 'Swiss gun range accidents'?

It's because we're exceptional! ...Except for all the measurements where we clearly aren't even average... :(
 
I guess I'll do a quick follow-on FAQ to address the most often asked safety questions.

Q: How do you stop people hitting the road?
A: There is a baffle wall, with a height that was calculated so that any shots that have a dangerous trajectory will be stopped by the wall. In the prone position, you cannot even see the road.

Q: So someone can stand up and shoot at the road?
A: Yes, but you would be immediately noticed and stopped. If you wanted to shoot at cars, why would you do so in a range where other armed people are in close proximity and could easily stop you? Why not just....stand near a road and do it?

Q: What about squib loads? Won't they have a dangerous trajectory?
A: You can only use high quality Swiss military GP90 or GP11 ammunition that you purchase and use at the range. You are also only allowed to use rifles approved for Swiss competitions (which tend to be Swiss service rifles, and select approved target rifles). Even then, low energy shots will simply not clear the baffle wall. To my knowledge, Switzerland operates by the same laws of physics as the rest of the planet.
 
When I was in Switzerland, right next to where I was living, there was a military shooting range with the exact same configuration...shooting over a main 4-lane highway! Despite the "OMG! Shooting over a HIGHWAY!" attitudes displayed here, Never a problem! Of course, the Swiss were quick to point out that they were much more civilized than us Yanks! Even here, there would be no problem, except for those who don't wish to be confused with facts and logic.

All it would take would be a berm ( a Military term for a pile of dirt) limiting rounds from flying any lower than ~ 3 feet over the highest semi trailer, curved to block view of any oncoming or departing vehicles, to remove temptation from those who have trouble reconciling actions with consequences...I was in the Military with some of those! Stiff, guaranteed JAIL sentences in Der Schweiz for anyone foolish enough to endanger or injure anyone, automatic/electronic/targets and/or communication with those manning the pits, And ADULT supervision!
 
Unless you can find a state that doesn't have a law prohibiting shooting over a roadway it still probably not going to happen in the USA. We have enough open land to build good long ranges here without doing that. Plus that looks mega expensive. Who's going to pay to build some thing like this. And I bet it would very hard to find an insurance company that would even think about insuring a range that is shooting over a public roadway .Looks fun ,but it won't happen here.
 
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