Is This the Shooting Range of the Future?

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DAdams

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Recently I went to a new shooting range. They wouldn't allow me to shoot JHP. When I inquired as to why not they indicated they didn't want open lead bullets fouling the environment. They would only allow fully clad ammo.
That means you couldn't wring out your favorite PD JHP at their range.

Is the environmentally friendly range of the future?
 
That has been the policy at the indoor range close to me since I started going 4 years ago. If I want to run lead or JHP through my pistols I drive a little further to the outdoor range.
 
Some indoor ranges that I know of have similar policies due to their concerns about lead and personal health issues, even though they are well ventilated. I've never heard of an outdoor range that had those rules but I wouldn't be surprised. So much of what ranges require is a result of attempting to cover themselves from legal or publicity issues before they occur. Can't say I blame them too much. However, vote with your money and feet.
 
Can't say I blame them too much. However, vote with your money and feet.

Actually I found the shooting range environment very nice. State of the art equipment, clean, well lit, well ventilated, nicely arranged stations, it was just new to me as no other indoor range I have gone to had such a policy.

Certainly is their perrogative. I will have to vote with my feet though as I have three new handguns that need wringing out with something other than range ammo.
 
Well the outdoor range for the local LEO at Acadia National Park shut down all lead bullets about two 1/2 years ago. Now only the USNPS rangers can use the range firing frangible rounds only. This has caused the USCG station here to use the Blue Hill Range for their qualifications now. If two branches of the Fed Gov can't even get along--sheesh.:banghead: It is good for me as I will volunteer to help when they do qualify and get a ton of once fired GI brass for my troubles.:D
As a note our 50 foot indoor range is limited to lead only projectiles and a max of 1000 FPS centerfire and 1300 FPS rimfire up to 45 CAL due to the makeup of the backstop.
 
grubbylabs said:
So I guess when the bullet destroys itself in the trap the led is not as hazardous when it is exposed?

Manco said:
What about the vaporized lead compounds from primers?


You are both correct!

Need to ban bullets that contain any lead at all, and only allow metals costing several times more which are far less abundant. Like when Bismuth (hevishot) primarily produced as a by product of lead production, went to over $14 a pound in 2007 with increased demand. I wonder how high it would skyrocket if it tried (unsuccessfully because there isn't enough) to cover the entire ammo market.
Solid copper and other possible metals are much more expensive than lead, and many metals are banned from use by federal and state laws in handguns.
It would stop of a lot of those suspicious people that like to cast their own bullets, lets see them try to melt most other metals on a burner.
We could easily push ammo prices many times higher!




Need to ban all reliable primers containing any potential compound not safe to breathe, eat, and bathe in, limiting people to less reliable and shorter shelf life alternatives!
Throw out those decade old proven formulas, people need to depend on what someone thought up last year! Shelf life? You can buy ammo when you need it, who needs it to last anyways? Someone suspicious I tell you!


Can we start the petition? Have an effective anti politician's phone number? Campaign donations are a good way to get the ball rolling!
 
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I just wondered if they were even aware of the lead in primers. Maybe if they banned additional (and more affordable) types of ammo, then more of their customers would take the hint and take their business elsewhere.
 
Sounds like a range using a mulch pile back stop

I'm not certain I understand this statement? Please explain and thanks.

I fortunately have an outdoor place to shoot. I also have another range that is not as "correct".

I also wonder if someday the range of the future will be Nerf or paint balls only or those little pellets.
 
What about fmj? It has an exposed lead base. Sounds like a silly policy to me.

I don't know about the OP's range, but the ranges that I know of that are conscious about lead allow only fully plated bullets. What happens after they hit the backstop is up for debate.
 
Didn't the EPA crackdown or at least threaten to crack down on indoor ranges a few years ago? I remember something about that and then all of a sudden it seemed like my local indoor range discovered ventilation.
I have to wonder if your local ranges policy is due to new government regulations or old regulations with people now enforcing them.
 
Fully plated only is this range's policy. If you didn't happen to have the right stuff, of course they have plenty for sale. :rolleyes:
 
Our range doesn't have that rule. It's also probably considered less than safe for about 80% of this populace. 8)

On the note of specific ammunition I'd say though it's driven by two factors:

Some sort of EPA type deal where "flying lead" is bad, mkay?
Some sort of notion that clearly the same ammo *they* sell is way more better. For their business. 8)
 
The range I shoot at a lot has a policy of no FMJ for rifles. Pistols are ok. I can't shoot my .22 mag unless it is hollow point. Of course this is the range being sued by a man hit by a bullet over a mile away. I don't know how much longer they will be open.
 
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