Unthinking range employee and distrust of members

[Kenk]

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.

[frankt]

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.

[sqlbullet]

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.

[Kenk]

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

[Kenk]

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

[Graybeard]

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.

[Kenk]

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

[sqlbullet]

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.

[Kenk]

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 😀

[blaster]

not to be "snarky" but I am sure glad I don't have to shoot at a public range.

[Markwell]

       I'm with blaster!  Having one's own range is a blessing.

[N9TKF]

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.

[gadabout]

I have shot at ranges that would not let you pickup your spent brass, i would shoot there usually once. Craig

[Kenk]

Hey Craig, your own brass  is fine to pick up, they just don?t want you to pick up all the other folks stuff 😀

[gadabout]

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