"Weird" shooting range rules.

[Ed M]

Anyone frequent any shooting ranges with weird rules?
The closest gun club range to me has some rules that I initially found odd.

#1 - Three rounds max in ANY weapon. This includes revolvers.
#2 - NO human silhouette targets.

Rule #1 is pretty annoying. If I want to test fully loaded mags, I have to go elsewhere. There's only one indoor range nearby, and it's $20/hr. I initially thought this rule was in place to keep someone from shooting for an excessively long time, thereby preventing anyone from calling a cease fire/clear to walk downrange to check targets.

Rule #2 kinda baffled me. I always thought that maybe some jerk got offended by them.

This club has zero membership qualifications, and it's $40 per year for a "range only" membership. Memberships are sold at the clubhouse/bar, and also at a local news stand/tackle shop. All you need to do is fill out a short application form (basically just name, address, phone #), show ID, pay the $40, and you get your membership card on the spot. It's a really nice range, and it's rarely crowded. There's also a well stocked lake on the property, and nice trap and archery ranges. Members are asked to help police the property, and are encouraged to report anyone violating rules - this is easy, since members are required to display their membership cards at all times (they suggest wearing it in an ID badge or fishing license holder). Also, no guests are allowed. Period. They claim that's for insurance purposes. They even have kid's memberships ($10/yr) - kids must be accompanied by an adult, and under their supervision at all times.There's often no club officer at the range, but they are usually within earshot.

No one had the answer to why those odd rules were in place - until one day I ran into the guy that maintained the property. He explained that the rules were connected. He explained that several "questionable looking" individuals from the nearby big city had joined the club.This guy I was talking to was also the rangemaster. He said that the individuals in question were shooting AK's with high capacity mags, and were shooting at pictures of people they had printed out on paper. He also swore he heard what sounded like automatic weapons fire, but it could have been from using "bump fire" type stocks (legal).

I'm thinkin' he shoulda called the FBI !!! They posted those new rules, and those individuals ignored them. They were promptly tossed, and banned from the property. They've kept those rules in place to prevent a repeat. Scary stuff going on these days....

[JohnR]

I would never go there again. They deserve to lose if they refuse to compete with "real" ranges.

[ripley16]

I would never go there again. They deserve to lose if they refuse to compete with "real" ranges.

Yes. Makes the place almost useless.

[340pd]

I work at a range run by three different municipalities. We fought to get some public time and now that we have it they look to us as a source of income. No silhouettes is one of our rules and I think that rule goes back to the fact we promote a "family friendly" environment. On any given Sat. morning you will find an equal number of men and ladies shooting. We also closely monitor mag dumps which keeps all patrons comfortable. On the plus side, if you tell any RSO you save brass, you will go home with more than you started with.

http://policeandfire.training/publicaccess.html

[JohnR]

One local range stopped allowing rapid fire after they spent a bunch of money on new backstops. Apparently if you send multiple rounds through the same hole it tears up the backstop faster. So sending rounds through the same hole slowly, well, does the same thing but fewer people are capable of doing that.

Plenty of "human shaped" targets, though.

[berettabone]

The club I used to belong to had no rapid fire, at least one second between shots, and no silhouettes either. The new club I will be joining has no such rules when your alone, and if someone else is there that doesn't mind rapid fire, you can go at it.

[340pd]

There is a huge difference between rapid fire and controlled rapid fire. If I have a customer that does the latter I have no problem. It's when the ceiling and floor come into play we step in to slow the individual down. Had a customers .45acp go full auto once, that got our attention pretty quickly.

[Bawanna]

I never liked range officers watching over me. I see the need for them as there are a lot of folks at ranges that need serious help in the safety department.

We are allowed silhouettes, in fact the sell a ton of varieties at the range. I prefer the targets with multiple targets like 6 on one big target. Does shooting into the same hole ever really happen?

I much prefer a logging road with a clearing or something and by myself or with people I know.
At ranges I'm nervous of others including the range officer. Out in the woods I'm nervous if I'm supposed to be there or not. Guess I'm just nervous by nature?

Limiting round count is silly. Most of our rifle ranges require 1 round at a time. Great for guys with AR's or myself with a Garand wanting to experience the ping of the clip flying out. Had it for years before I could actually do that at the range over on vacation. It was cool.

3 rounds in a handgun?????? Hopefully they can use the building for something good after they go out of business.

[JohnR]

Put the target at 5 yards. Shoot twice, making holes centered 1/4" apart (can any of us really do any better than that?) If the backstop is 25 yards from the firing line, the bullets impact 1 1/4" apart. I'm not an expert at bullet traps, but it's possible that multiple rounds hitting it rapidly could keep the trap material from recovering after the previous bullet deforms it, thus wearing it out faster. Maybe the impacts don't need to be in the exact same spot for this to occur.

[Longitude Zero]

Almost all range rules are written by the lawyers for the ranges insurance underwriters. All my local ranges ban human shaped targets including but not limited to the "standard B-27. Rapid fire is pretty much of a no-no everywhere in every state I have shot in both for trap deterioration and shooters inability to control. Full auto well that died decades ago. All but one outdoor range bans bump firing due to the shooters inability to safely control. And so on and so forth. also all local ranges once you are banned you are not allowed back ever. Depending upon the severity of the reason for the banishment they call each other and a ban at one could lead to a ban at all.

[Ed M]

I'm not complaining much about the few rules I initially thought were strange. With as nice as the facility is, and the really nice folks I run into there, it's worth the minor inconveniences to be able to get some range time in. I work nights, and typically go to the range when it opens at 8AM - I'm usually the only one there on week days.

I have to confess, if I have the place to myself, I'll sometimes fill magazines to capacity and just shoot 3 at a time. The range is out of sight from the rest of the property, so no one knows. Others have admitted to doing the same, but I only talk about this with the regulars I know well. There's some really great people that show up fairly regularly, and we all get along fine. Lots of LEO's, military retirees, competition shooters, reloading buffs testing loads - but mostly just ordinary folks looking to get some practice with their CCW's in a family friendly place with no jerks around.

The place is immaculately kept, and the backstops are 4x4 frames with rubber conveyor material used for the center. Staples work well to attach targets, and stick on targets work very well too. The rubber material is kind of self healing, with no pieces of plywood to splinter up and make putting up targets tough. Pretty durable, and easy for one person to replace too.

It's very convenient being only 10 minutes away, and it allows me to run over almost any time to test things out, or just get an hour of practice in. The rules also seem to be keeping the bad element away. There's more to this story than what I'm willing to post here, but let's just say I have no desire to see the place turn into some kind of terrorist training center.

[Bawanna]

"Depending upon the severity of the reason for the banishment they call each other and a ban at one could lead to a ban at all. "


Wow, I guess the only option available then would be to move to Chicago and shoot off your balcony.

Lord knows we need more ranges all over the place.

I guess shooters are like wildlife, our habitats are being taken over my population and developments.

Wyoming, here I come.

[JimBianchi]

Seems I read about a law back east that said no human shaped targets.

I read a comment from a supporter of the law saying the "target were black and it encourages the shooting of black people" so some such garbage.

Love living the free state of Nevada!

[CJB]

The three-shot rule is a bit of a bad maneuver. It prohibits practice for NRA Style Bullseye Shooting

[Bawanna]

Around here the only human type targets they prohibit are like known people.
Put up a target with Hillary or Ovomit on it and they will come unglued.
Certainly no issues with the B27's. Or generic unknowns. Usually a dude holding somebody hostage, that sort of thing.

Shooting at round targets isn't beneficial to CCW practice since bad guys don't have circles and scores on their clothing.
Sort of like hunting. Guy can drill a bullseye time and again but put a deer in front of them and they don't know where to shoot cept for maybe the middle.


Wait! Maybe that's an idea. Take all known bad guys and require them to wear clothing with bullseyes front and back.
Kind of like the home monitoring ankle bracelets.
Lets everyone know who they are and gives the advantage of having a bulls eye.
I better get this patented before somebody steals my idear.