Newbie to "Indoor Range" Question.

[coldshot03/04]

You all know by now that Im a newbie to the indoor gun range. So I have a silly question.:D When firing where do the bullets go?:o

[Kevlarman]

Hopefully downrange! :D

[coldshot03/04]

What stops the bullet?

[John Ross]

It depends. Used to be almost all ranges had an angled steel plate that the bullet smashed into and either the fragments or the whole bullet ended up in a trough area at the bottom of the plate. Two problems here: The noise of impact added to the general din of the gunfire, and airborne lead dust added to the health and ventilation issue.

More ranges now use a Grantrap, which is a 4 foot deep backstop of ground up rubber that catches the bullet. These setups don't care what kind of (non-pyro) ammo hits them. You can shoot .50 BMG AP and they'll trap it. The rubber granules are held in place by a big self-sealing rubber sheet. It needs to be patched occasionally and eventually replaced, but will tolerate an amazing number of hits before it starts "leaking".

JR

[coldshot03/04]

Cool! Thanks for the info.:) I usually shoot outdoors.;)

[Standing Wolf]

I didn't know that! Would the ground up rubber be old car tires?

[WhoKnowsWho]

My indoor range still has the angled steel. :(

[10-Ring]

Yeah, the range I frequent uses angled steel plates too :(

[coldshot03/04]

I believe the range I visit is angled also.:)

[sturmruger]

I shoot at an indoor range in Burnsville, MN they have the groud tires. It is kind of fun to see the rubber jumping around when someone is shooting.

[outfieldjack]

The one I go to in Columbia SC has the rubber thing..... but there is also water at the base of it. Do they have a leak or is that intentional? :confused:

[mtnbkr]

The NRA HQ Range in NoVa is angled steel, but has some sort of fluid running down the plates to keep dust down. I was there once with one other person and the RO called a ceasefire so they could repair the system (fluid wasn't covering all plates). Since it was going to be a couple minutes and there was only one other person, I asked if I could walk to the end and check the system out. Pretty neat. There's a conveyor belt at the bottom to take the chunks out of the range.

Chris

[WhoKnowsWho]

That's cool.

I should ask my range if they are planning on upgrading anytime in the future... if they allow rifles after that, I would do the year membership then and there.

[AJ Dual]

There's another system that starts out as the angled plate, but at the end rolls up like a snail-shell or a rolled carpet. The angled plate deflects the bullets into the opening where they then zing around the spiral losing velocity and then collect in the center.

[coldshot03/04]

Now, One shot, I hit the metal piece that holds the paper target .:D :o Where did that bullet go?:o

[Bobarino]

the indoor range that i shoot at has the angled surface but it looks like concrete instead of steel. not sure though. the wierd part is, its angle upward. it deflects bullets into the ceiling. i still haven't figured that one out.

another local range has a backstop that looks like and overgrown miniblind with many 4 inch wide angled slats. it sucks quite frankly. you often get pieces of bullet coming back at you and hitting you.

Bobby

[sw442642]

Don't shoot down the cable that moves the target. I've seen that done twice. Oops.

Also check out ventilation. It can be bad in some places.

[shooter.45]

The Range I belong too has angled steel which once a month wipe down with motor oil and the bullets go up into the ceiling where they have some kind of gizmo that slows the bullet down and drops them in a pan at the bottom of the steel. Kind of cool . And there ventilation system is a very good one blows everything down range.

[Jarvo71]

The indoor range to which I belonged for a year had sand piled up against the wall. It was cleaned out pretty often, I never noticed anything bouncing back at me, nore was there ever much lead in the sand. The problem with that range was that you were only allowed to shoot at the targets provided (bullseyes) at 15 yards.

[coldshot03/04]

Hey sw442642, I saw one cable down on lane #1or#2.:)

This is Marcus Smiths Outdoor World in LaGrange GA it has 10 lanes. (Pistols only)

The maximum is 25yrds. (3yrds-25yds). The only problem (was for me anyways) the lighting poor, it had a few dark spots inside.:(

[Cashman]

Coldshot I frequent this same range enjoy it while you can they will be relocating soon and ther new location will not have a range.Where else within about 30 miles have you found?

[Mal H]

mtnbkr - I was curious about the trap at the NRA range also and walked down there with an RO. I had thought the liquid was plain old water, but he said it was mineral oil. The oil has lots less splash, collects the lead and Cu chunks better and doesn't evaporate.

[mtnbkr]

Aha! You're right. I remembered asking him, but couldn't remember the answer (this was nearly 3 years ago).

Chris

[coldshot03/04]

I havent been anywhere else this was my 1st time at an indoor range. Where are they moving to? Gun country use to have a range but I have never been there to shoot. Just looked around they are a bit Snobish. Im thinking about checking out http://shootersofcolumbus.com Email me or give me a Private message.

[coldshot03/04]

Cashman, I called them morning and they said, that they were not going anywhere.:confused:

You are talking about Marcus Smith Outdoor World?

[Cashman]

Thats strange they have been telling me for about three mths that as soon as there new building gets finished they will be moving.

[coldshot03/04]

So where are you planning to shoot? Know of any good rifle ranges in the area?

[Cashman]

Theres one rifle-pistol range out Hwy 219 going towards Franklin. Its WMA property bring you own targets and stands or you will be made a wasted trip. That is where I go part of the time.

[coldshot03/04]

Cool! Thanks for the info. Tuskegee WMA is closer for me. Good talking to you.

[coldshot03/04]

I went to the range again today and the guy there said that they are moving to a new location. They be Will shutting down in 3 days.:(
I know of another place in the Opelika area down toward Bueagard outdoor range owned by an elderly couple. $2 per hr, per person.
Well, Marcus Smith outdoors was fun while it lasted.

The Marcus Smith employee said, that in about a year that they would have a Virtual Shooting Range in their new location.

[Zark-9]

Well, I try to be resourceful and helpful when I can. This may be of interest to the thread. Its sites for the indoor range near me and info. on its bullet trap. Also the site of the manufacturer ! ;)

http://www.migunshows.com/gunrange.html

http://www.bullettrap.com/index2.html

You may have to cut and paste, .....these technology thingys be damned! :cuss:



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"Yes Virginia, ........sometimes Santa does makes it work!" :banghead:

[melman8r]

At the range, I shoot into sand/dirt.