Was at our local indoor range yesterday where I?m a member, and was amazed at a new employee?s disregard for property. Because steel case ammo messes with their brass collection process, they rifle through everyone?s range bag when checking in looking for the offending ammo. After shooting, I stopped in and spoke with the owner to express my frustration, and to show him my ammo boxes. At that point I suggested a possible work around to avoid this distrust of ?some? members, as well as future damage to property. I told him it may be possible to add a field to my membership profile stating my membership would be canceled if caught shooting steel case. The benefit I would receive is that when scanning my membership card, they would see that I signed off on this, and I would not be subjected to their ammo scrutinization, and range bag rifling process. At that point he apologized for the employees behavior, and said he would look into my idea, as well as giving me a free box of ammo. I?m just hoping they implement my suggestion, as it?s a relatively new range with medical grade ventilation, and some super folks to shoot with.
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I probably wouldn't be shooting there but they would not be going through my range bag without a warrant.
They would be welcome to observe me shooting and punish me accordingly if they caught me with steel ammo but that would be it.
I have heard of lots of places that don't want steel jacketed ammo. It chews up the backstop and in severe cases can start fires. Never heard of concerns with steel case ammo though. Seems like it would be really simple to incorporate good strong magnet into the brass processing to weed such cases out. You could just glue a couple of good strong neodymium magnets to the case feeder cartridge and it should catch 99% of them.
That was my thought as well. I got a little snarky with the new kid doing it, but am trying to let it go. I did tell him that a knife blade inserted under the box flap works well, he just gave me kind of a dumb look, Lol
At least the owner was apologetic and gave me a free box of ammo, they don?t like steel core 7.62 x 39 much either
The few local indoor ranges here simply ask to see your ammo if they don't know you. A couple have magnets they run over the plastic cases or factory boxes.
I'm not sure I'd take too kindly to having someone rummage through my bag, or that I would have let him. An apology from the owner and some free ammo was a nice way to take this back in the right direction though. Hopefully the owner had a chat with the overzealous employee regarding his behavior.
Many of the regulars have started carrying a separate container with ammo only, and is likely what I?ll start doing, and yes, they do the magnet check also. I think a lot of the reason this happened was because it was a new, and relatively young employee. The two biggest issues I have is the lack of trust, and the destruction of property. There are other places to shoot, but none are nearly as nice and cost nearly the same. In the warm months I do a lot of my shooting at my friends farm, and just put out a large tarp to catch my brass, but in the winter, it?s not much fun when it gets below 10 or 15 degrees. I need to talk to my doctor and friend who has one of their highfalutin memberships and see if they get checked, which I highly doubt. It is their company and their rules, so I?ll need to just suck it up. Another option is located in the city. Not only is it a dump, but the last time I was there several years ago, several of the guy?s shooting were almost certainly gang folk by the looks of their colors and sideways shooting😂, nope, not going back there
See if your friend with the farm will let you build a "shootin' shack". Being out of the wind with a small woodstove in a small space goes a long way to keeping the chill off.
It?s funny you mention that, we?ve talked about building an enclosure, just never thought about the wood stove, plus he has a crazy amount of cords of wood 😀
not to be "snarky" but I am sure glad I don't have to shoot at a public range.
I'm with blaster! Having one's own range is a blessing.
I have a small range in the back yard used mostly to develop loads. Also a member in an outdoor gun and rifle club with a nice covered range out to 100 yds. Nice to shoot and hang out with like minded people. I don't like to shoot indoors.
I have shot at ranges that would not let you pickup your spent brass, i would shoot there usually once. Craig
Hey Craig, your own brass is fine to pick up, they just don?t want you to pick up all the other folks stuff 😀
One place wouldn't let you pickup your own brass!! That was my last trip there. My new range will let you pickup your brass and if you ask the other shooters if they are keeping their brass and they say no you can pickup their brass as well. This range trades pickuped brass and lead in the target stand for free cleaning of the stand every so often. Still I can bring back more brass than rounds I shoot. A guy yesterday doug out some 38 special brass he didn't want so I got that too. I really try to be nice if a guy and I are both shooting 9mm I ask as much to give him his brass i sweep up. You got to remember we are all carrying guns!!! Craig
I have been annoyed by all these things as well.
OTOH, I have observed insane behaviors by people at shooting ranges that have driven these policies. More than once I have seen shooters cross the barrier on a hot range to collect brass that was ejected forward. And I have both been present when fires started as well as reading about them in the news several times a year. Not just from steel core, but guys that are dumb enough to shoot incendiary or tracer rounds at an indoor range (or anywhere in the desert west for that matter).
Once I saw a guy complaining at the counter when they said he couldn't user tannerite target at the indoor range.
Absolutely, being kind and polite is just a given, unless something turns it into a time to not be
I reload steel case .45. Why not add some more restrictions, as if we dont have enough already?
All the ranges do is sell it. Suggest the staff at your range use a magnet.
I would assume they have some type of magnetized device, but is just frustrating that they treat members that way, granted, it was a younger new employee
I've been a fabricator, model maker for years. It's easier for me to have extra safety glasses depending on what task I'm doing.
Fast forward I'm at a newer range and while entering the range a young RSO is inspecting my bag he asks about me not having safety glasses. The glasses I was wearing were safety glasses without the side shields. All of my safety glasses are prescription yet he was determined to tell me and show that the lack of markings on the lenses that they weren't. I then produced three more pair of safety glasses from my range bag that I keep when other people come with me.
I just put another pair over my glasses to appease him. I'm too old to argue and make a fuss.
For sure, make the lad happy and then remove them 😊
Quote from: Current Resident on February 11 2023 10:20:29 AM MST
I just put another pair over my glasses to appease him. I'm too old to argue and make a fuss.
I'd be finding a new range....
They?ve stopped asking me during the week, and rarely go on the weekend. It worked itself out
Quote from: tommac919 on February 12 2023 07:43:26 AM MST
I'd be finding a new range....
That is getting harder and harder.
When I moved to my current home 25 years ago there was a range 4 miles away with three pistol bays, a rifle range (not sure how long, at least 100 yards and probably 200, 300) and several clay stations. There was another range 8 miles away with the main shooting bay going from 10 yards out to 600 yards (gong), a separate "hot" bay for practical shooting and several clay stations. There were two other 25 yard indoor pistol ranges withing 2-3 miles. All of them had very reasonable fees, usually $5 or $10 with no real time limit unless there was a line. And there was only a line the week before deer season when everyone was sighting in their rifle.
Now all those are closed. The only outdoor range left "nearby" is the state DNR range which is 11 miles away, all city driving so it can take 30-40 minutes. They don't allow chronographs on the rifle range, and they don't allow high-powered rifles on the pistol range, so you can't work up rifle loads there. Blow your nose wrong and they will ban you. I am a certified instructor and RSO, I know how to properly run a safe range. These guys are only interested in pushing people around. However, this range is still reasonbly priced.
The other 3 that I know of left in the city are all indoor and are very spendy. $30-40 for a half-hour of range time, often with a 1-2 hour wait for an open range. And with an the same/similar shenanigans I am hearing in this thread.
Thanks, this is a really nice indoor range compared to others within reasonable driving distance, and offers some serious medical grade ventilation. When I go during the week there?s never a wait, and almost always run into some shooting buddies. If I?m not mistaken, it?s $34.00 per month with unlimited access and no time limits unless it?s super busy on a weekend. Non members pay $25.00 per visit, so after aprx two times it becomes a pretty good deal. Members also get discounts on guns, 30 or 40 off, and $20.00 dollar FFL transfers instead of $40.00. It?s just unfortunate they aren?t like my old range / LGS, no wheeling and dealing on trades or preferential treatment, they are into making maximum profits, and don?t consider your past spending history when buying their guns.
Guess I'm just lucky...
My main range is indoors at local Veterans Hall ( 50 ft , 5 stations , in basement ). Elec lock for members from 8am to 10pm ( unless they rent the hall )