Local indoor range no longer allows WWB ammo

That range is going to be seeing a lot of other manufacturer's ammo boxes refilled with WWB if they try to monitor what's getting shot.
I'd understand a "no reloads" policy, but no WWB? What about WWB range-clean ammo?

I'd get the owner or manager to make that statement before making a big deal about it, hopefully the counter-person was confused or mistaken.

Seems that perhaps they sell the brass they sweep up to a reloading company that doesn't like the winchester stuff?

It helps if they taught proper grip technique:


Anyways...

Contact the manager for futher details. The regular counter guy is giving patrons bad info, that may lose their future business.

Pretty simple. Save your 50-rd winchester white box boxes. Repack your 100-rd bulk pack stuff in them. No way to tell otherwise, and it's the same ammo. I did that for years before I started reloading, if only to make it neater storage than having rounds all jumbled together in the little WWB pack.

You're not the first to complain...

about this place...but it looks like they've had this policy for quite some time...


http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=159802

Let's take a look at the actual restrictions. Clearly it is NOT to force people to buy their ammo:

We do allow patrons to bring their own ammo to use in the range, but ammunition must be purchased from Targetmaster for use in our rental guns.

Ammo Allowed

Handguns: all calibers are welcome

Shotgun: ONLY Buckshot or Slugs

Rifles: up to 2300 fps (i.e. .22, .22 mag., .30-30win., 35rem., 30 carbine, .45-70gov., etc.)


.223 is allowed as well but must be purchased at Targetmaster at the time you are coming in to shoot and is only sold in 20rd. box quantities. You may not bring any outside .223 in to shoot even if it was purchased from Targetmaster at an earlier date.

Ammo Restricted

CCI Blazer or other aluminum cased ammo

Fully exposed lead bullets except for .22lr or calibers that are not offered in a jacketed bullet (i.e. 45colt, 44 special, 38 s&w, etc.)

Steel cased or steel core ammo (i.e. Wolf, Silver Bear, etc.)

Winchester 100rd. Bulk/Value packs

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Most of these make sense if you look at the limitations of an indoor range. I am frankly surprised that they allow any centerfire rifle rounds because of penetration problems. I am amazed that they allow 223 at all, apparently their house load is OK to shoot indoors.

Blazer and steel cased ammo screw up brass recycling, lead bullets are a big pain indoors because of lead in the air and splattering and steel core bullets penetrate too much.

I can certainly understand why they won't let people test their handloads in the range's guns. (Let's find the real maximum 44 Magnum load!!)

Now I have no idea why they don't want Winchester Bulk ammo (I assume that's WWB), but I bet there's a good reason. Have you asked?

Unenforceable rules weaken the good and reasonable ones.
Are they going to check every round's headstamp?
Re-pack, pre-load mags, or otherwise obscure the origin (like keeping them in the case or your range bag) of perfectly good ammunition, or just find a local club and get a membership if you don't want to deal with silly stuff like this and be surrounded by first-time shooters that you didn't invite.

I think the pricing on many ranges will be going up in urban areas. The ammo restriction seems to be more of a profit center for them. They are controlling what is mostly shot. I would go elsewhere if you have a choice. But I guess it is one of those things... their range, their rules.

My club restricts the use of magnum ammo at some of their ranges. I used to have a membership at a local indoor range, but have not renewed. They allowed any handgun ammo, including the biggest like 460, 500 etc. Rifles were restricted to 22.

Glad I don't have to deal with that kinda stuff.

I've shot at targetmaster, mostly .22lr (ruger mkIII) and .38 spl (s&w 10 & 19). I often wondered why they didn't allow wwb, but since my mkIII hates winchester ammo, and I already had a bunch of other brand .38spl I didn't have an issue with the restriction. As I replaced ammo, I simply bought non-wwb. (their restrictions used to say "no smokey reloads" - looks like they've dropped that one.)

Unenforceable rules weaken the good and reasonable ones.
Are they going to check every round's headstamp?

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When you pay for your range time, they'll ask to see your ammo, except for .22lr. They don't seem to care what .22lr you shoot. They look at the box and say ok or not. I suppose you could sneak other stuff into your box - I've only had them check the actual bullets (yes, bullets) once to see if they were jacketed (I guess he didn't recognize the brand). They're system seems to be one of "check what you don't recognize but otherwise assume the customer is honest."

There are no restrictions on targets or backings. Bring your own or buy from them. No silly rules about not shooting "human" targets (ones i see a lot are generic arab terrorist, osama bin laden with a gun, and man with a hostage.)

Last time I went, I didn't want to use up my dwindling supply of .38spl so I asked what they had cheap for plinking. The guy behind the counter took a box of remmington from a stack of "range ammo." I was surprised at how reasonably priced it was. Another counter guy then asked me what kind of gun I was shooting. When I told him, he said - wait, use this instead, it's better for your gun. It was the same price. I thought that was a nice bit of knowledgeable service at their end. I think I'm going to go again just to buy up more cheap range ammo than I'll actually shoot lol.

One thing I've never gotten from them is "attitude." They don't mind answering newbie questions, they don't treat you like they're demigods and you're a peon just because you're on the wrong side of the counter. And there are a lot of range members - not everyone shooting is a beginner.

No doubt there are bigger, better, newer, cleaner, more professional ranges, but IMHO, Target master is fine. I'll miss it when I'm no longer making work-related trips to PA.

I would not shoot at a place that did not allow me to bring my own ammo. I reload to SAVE money. I cast my own bullets to SAVE money. I also pickup other people's brass to SAVE money. You get the idea.

I would ask them why.

target master

I know that gun store bashing is looked down upon, but I am not a big fan of target master. They are the only indoor range that I know of in my area, and they do carry a great selection of products.

That being said, I've often felt that its tough to get good customer service there.

I think I remember them telling me that the Winchester bulk back rule was directly related to customers buying ammo at wal mart.

I've also never seen the girl from the website photo shooting there....false advertising?

We have a local range in the Seattle area that won't even let shooters pick up their brass! Needless to say, I do not patronize them. They pick it up, sort it and re-sell it. It's a lame "rule"... I own that brass.

They don't want you spilling the bulk-pack box of ammo all over the place! Repackage it in WWB 50-packs and everybody will be happy.

I've shot 499 out of 500 with that stance and a similar grip at a local league match. I was experimenting. Different strokes for different folks.

We have a local range in the Seattle area that won't even let shooters pick up their brass! Needless to say, I do not patronize them. They pick it up, sort it and re-sell it. It's a lame "rule"... I own that brass.

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Do they yell at you if you use a revolver, and empty your brass into your own container? Or for that matter, an autoloader with a brass catcher?

I can think of one reason - it's a scattered box of ammo, not neatly packed. Doesn't make sense, but that's all I can come up with.

We have a local range in the Seattle area that won't even let shooters pick up their brass! Needless to say, I do not patronize them. They pick it up, sort it and re-sell it. It's a lame "rule"... I own that brass.

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It might be amusing to take some brass you no longer want to use (like it's been reloaded 25 times and you figure it's not worth reloading it any more). Tumble it to make it all pretty, then run it through a case trimmer and shave off about .050", maybe a bit more. See how much you can cut off without making it look obvious to someone without a caliper. Scatter it on the floor before you leave.

A few pissed-off reloaders who try to use rimless cases that are .050" short might put a bit of a dent in their future brass sales. Note that YOU aren't selling the brass. For all you know, they recycle it as scrap metal (which is what they SHOULD do with cases of unknown origin and history!).

Of course, you shouldn't actually DO this. I didn't advise it. I just said it might be amusing. Don't do it.

I would not shoot at a place that did not allow me to bring my own ammo.

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They do.

Yikes. I like my local range, was just there an hour ago. No fees, no monitoring, no issues. I cannot imagine shooting someplace that told me that my brass was theirs when it hit the floor. Nope, that would not fly with me, I paid for that product, and will take home what is mine.
Guess I am spoiled out here, but that sounds ridiculous. We used to encourage reloaders to bring big plastic baggies when they came out to the range, and fill up from the brass barrels. Still ended up with 10 55 gallon drums full when I left there...no idea what happened to it all.

Blazer and steel cased ammo screw up brass recycling, lead bullets are a big pain indoors because of lead in the air and splattering and steel core bullets penetrate too much.

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I wouldn't shoot at a range that tried to keep me from recovering my brass or banned lead bullets.

I OWN that brass. I'm not giving them whatever the range fee is PLUS the value of the brass. I reload for every handgun caliber I shoot.

I can afford neither factory practice ammo, nor to handload jacketed bullets.

I once went to a range in Sheffield Lake, Ohio. As I was unpacking the guns I was zeroing for Camp Perry, the guy behind the counter told me I couldn't use lead bullets. He offered me some +P .38 Special JHPs... to shoot in my Giles .38 Special M1911. I'd have invited him to load some of them into the magazine, but I was in a hurry, and he probably would have ruined the ammunition and the magazine. I packed my stuff back up and left for another range.