Lead vs FMJ at indoor range

[distra]

I shoot a few practice stages (bullseye) last night at our clubs indoor range and there were signs everywhere stating no FMJ rounds. Now I was shooting lead .22lr my bullseye rounds, but I got to thinking is a FMJ round really that much harder on a indoor backstop than a lead bullet? From what I have observed in the pin league, both lead and FMJ seem to have the same impact on the bowling pins. With such a thin layer of copper, I have a hard time understanding how this could damage the backstop.

 

[RAD]

Depending on the caliber it can be.
More than likely you have "Grungers" mining lead from the pit there.

 

[Plumber576]

My range is different...NO lead allowed, jacketed only.

 

[jefmad]

It does make a big difference. At my range that is lead only people still bring in FMJ pistol rounds and every time they do it damages the backstop.

 

[Master Blaster]

It may not be just because it can damage the backstop.

Folks who shoot at steel plates can tell you that the FMJ rounds are more likely to bounce back and cause injury.

 

[Starter52]

+1 to what Plumber said. I've been to ranges where only jacketed ammo is permitted. Jackets mean a lot less lead fumes in the air.

RAD's probably right about someone mining the lead, although with the current copper prices they might reconsider.

 

[BullfrogKen]

Why don't you ask those that run the range your question. All we can do here at this point is offer conjecture.

 

[barnetmill]

Lead from the exposed base of a bullet is suspended as a fume so the jacket must cover the bullets base. I am not sure about what happens when a bullet strikes a steel plate, i.e. if any of that becomes airborne.

Steel full jacketed bullets out of Tokarev pistol can damaged steel. I am not talking the steel cored ammo.

Most importantly is that pieces of the copper jackets from a 9 mm luger rnd can come back. I once dug out a piece of jacket from my hand that did that.

 

[distra]

Bullfrog, they claim FMJ damage the backstop. I'm just trying to understand how the thin layer of copper on say a .45 ball round would cause damage to a steel backstop. There is a balistic mat in front of the backstop of course that gets shot up pretty quick. I guess if the angle of impact surface of the trap is close to vertical, more of the bullet energy will be absorbed by the deflection plate. I'm concerned about air born lead so I shoot polymer coasted lead bullets inside. These are not FMJ, so are legal to shoot at the range. Thanks to those who replied.

 

[cracked butt]

I wouldn't worry about lead exposure any more than with FMJs or plated bullets- the majority of the lead in the air comes from the primers.

For backstop damage, yeah the FMJs do erode some of the older backstop systems faster. Some of the old ranges have a thick steel plate that is angled downward into sand to catch the bullets. I used to shoot at a range like this.

Another problem with jacketet bullets is sometimes the jacket sheds pieces that fly back and hit you, I would imagine that safety concerns may also be reasoning for not using the jacketed bullets on old ranges.

 

[GreenFurniture]

What distance is the backstop?

Is it an angled "smash plate" backstop? Or is it rubber/sand/wet?

 

[distra]

50ft and I'm not sure on the trap. I thought it was angled steel and sand.

 

[GreenFurniture]

15 yards?

My best guess would be splash back.