New indoor range, no handloads ?

[Watchdog]

Well, no indoor ranges for me. They must appeal to the low volume casual shooter.

That isn't necessarily so. I shoot on a regular basis, usually two guns per session, sometimes three. I burn up a lot of ammo and targets. The range I use has no anti-handload rule, either. I no longer shoot competition, but still believe in regular practice sessions.

And since it's an indoor range, that means I can shoot rain or shine, snow or no snow.

 

[Donn]

That's a not uncommon rule at indoor ranges . . .

Muss' right, their house their rules. The indoor range I use OK's hand loads & brass pick up. The only no-no is steel core ammo, for obvious reasons.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

Here in NJ, indoor ranges are pretty much the norm. Recently I have been firing only 22 LR-hey, it's shooting.

 

[Goldstar225]

I won't shoot at a range that prohibited my handloads or picking up my brass (safely). No heartburn with them it's their range and their rules but then it's my money, brass, and my choice. I'll drive a bit further and take my business elsewhere.

 

[TomkinsSP]

And they will know because...

 

[BC38]

And they will know because...

...my reloads are usually in plastic MTM boxes instead of factory cardboard boxes.

Though as others have said, put them into factory ammo boxes and no one will be the wiser.

Personally I ask about their brass policy before handing over my money. If they said I couldn't retrieve my own brass, I simply wouldn't proceed with renting the lane. And I'd have no qualms about telling them why either.

Problem solved.

 

[deadin]

Rig up a brass catcher, (I had one for my Pardini 32 WC. 32 Long brass was hard to come by at the time) or shoot a revolver and dump your brass into your shooting case. It will never touch their floor....

 

[CScott]

This range has been at the same location since the 1930's. You can't argue with success and good club management.

Can you tell us the name of that range? Or what town?
If not, I understand.
Scott

 

[federali]

Short-sighted business Practices?

I think that ranges forbidding hand loads do it ostensibly for safety reasons but hope to sell you more ammo. I don't like that expended brass automatically becomes the property of the range.

Unfortunately, in an effort to collect brass, some individuals reach beyond the foul line which could be a hazard. Some ranges also have detector lights so if you extend any part of your body beyond the line, buzzers sound and the range shuts down. Yet another problem is that some people are not just happy to collect their brass but try to scrounge as much brass as possible as a scrap metal dealer will pay you about $1.50 a pound, last time I checked.

I just joined the Wake County (NC) municipal or sheriff's range and you're free to retrieve your brass or shoot hand loads provided the retrieval is done in a safe manner. You can also buy brass from the range.

 

[nachogrande]

ID MARK YOUR BRASS.

In our steel challenge & bowling pin groups almost all of the regulars hand load & want their brass back. Different color sharpies or marks help to keep our brass sorted out. We ALL pick up all the brass & sort it out up on a table. Those that don't want their brass is up for grabs, or goes to the club. SURE some brass buzzards will take anything they can, they get discovered quickly. If I have all my cases trimmed & primer pockets uniformed, I don't want anyone else's.

 

[Muss Muggins]

I believe you're confusing who posted what Muss.
I never used the term "property" - that was Chief38.

The point I was making is that NOBODY has even hinted at wanting to recover their lead, only the brass. So your comment, while either snarky or amusing (depending on one's perspective), isn't really pertinent to the discussion about recovering the brass that the shooter has paid for.

You're right, my bad. You fellas' rants kind of run together some times. I still maintain my position. The range also sells your lead. I don't reload, so I don't know what the breakdown on price per component is, but bullets definitely ain't free, and they're yours, even after sent down range. I was trying to be both snarky and amusing by demonstrating a need for everybody to relax. Their range, their rules . . .

 

[BC38]

You're right, my bad. You fellas' rants kind of run together some times. I still maintain my position. The range also sells your lead. I don't reload, so I don't know what the breakdown on price per component is, but bullets definitely ain't free, and they're yours, even after sent down range. I was trying to be both snarky and amusing by demonstrating a need for everybody to relax. Their range, their rules . . .

LOL, so expressing a different opinion than yours is the definition of a rant now, eh?

Not being a reloader, it is understandable that you might think people expect or even want to recover their lead. FWIW, I'd guesstimate that more 95% of us who do reload have no interest in recovering the lead - even though the bullet is the single most expensive component.

Unfortunately, even if you can recover it, reusing it requires melting/smelting it and recasting it as new bullets. That's a lot of work and something that very few reloaders (probably actually less than 5%) would even have any interest in doing.

Brass on the other hand, is readily reused without a lot of effort. More importantly, making it from scratch isn't even a realistic option - no matter how much work you're willing to invest. Unlike casting bullets.

So that is why your comment about recovering the lead came across as an attempt to be pointlessly provocative.

 

[jejb]

I just joined the Wake County (NC) municipal or sheriff's range and you're free to retrieve your brass or shoot hand loads provided the retrieval is done in a safe manner. You can also buy brass from the range.

Same deal at the local indoor range I am a member of. They don't allow steel cases or bullets, but reloads and picking up your brass are fine. I wouldn't belong otherwise. I shoot 300+ rounds a week, and I just would not shoot that much if I had to buy the ammo outright. I don't see a lot of other folks picking up their brass, though. Actually, I'd call it unusual, at least at this range. So I guess most shooters are not reloaders.

 

[Muss Muggins]

LOL, so expressing a different opinion than yours is the definition of a rant now, eh?

Sometimes I agree with you, after I manage to get through all of the words and the CAPITAL LETTERS. Still a rant . . .

 

[BC38]

Same deal at the local indoor range I am a member of. They don't allow steel cases or bullets, but reloads and picking up your brass are fine. I wouldn't belong otherwise. I shoot 300+ rounds a week, and I just would not shoot that much if I had to buy the ammo outright. I don't see a lot of other folks picking up their brass, though. Actually, I'd call it unusual, at least at this range. So I guess most shooters are not reloaders.

Just curious, but why the prohibition against steel cased ammo? As I posted previously, I have never heard of that and am curious as to the reasoning behind it. Steel in the projectiles makes total sense, but why no steel cases?

 

[BC38]

Sometimes I agree with you, after I manage to get through all of the words and the CAPITAL LETTERS. Still a rant . . .

Duly noted.

 

[kraynky]

When our only local indoor range opened up a few years ago, the had the same policy, not reloads no brass pickup. That kept me from going to that range, but I still shopped at the store. A couple or 3 years go by and I end up buying a handgun from them, and they offer me a free "30 minutes" of range time. I asked the lady if they still had a "no reloads policy and no brass removal policy. And she said "That was before we got our Insurance company on board" So I can shoot my handloads and pick up my Brass there now!

Perhaps your's will change soon dogdoc, when they get their insurance worked out.

 

[deadin]

why the prohibition against steel cased ammo?

'Cause they would have to sort it out before selling the brass to the scrap yard and time is money...
(Actually, a decent magnet makes it easy to remove the steel stuff,,,,,)


How about the aluminum cased stuff? The magnet won't get it..

 

[BC38]

'Cause they would have to sort it out before selling the brass to the scrap yard and time is money...
(Actually, a decent magnet makes it easy to remove the steel stuff,,,,,)


How about the aluminum cased stuff? The magnet won't get it..

EXACTLY. Do they prohibit the use of aluminum too?

I kinda' figured it was something like that - its all about their getting extra revenue for minimum effort.

Like I said earlier, they'd need to revise their business model a little to attract my business. I'd rather go somewhere that charges a little more for the lane rental than someplace that depends on confiscating my brass to be profitable.

I figure that at a nickel a case for once fired brass, if I shoot just 100 rounds an hour it's costing me an extra "hidden" $5 an hour to shoot there. 150 rounds an hour would be an extra $7.50 an hour. I'd rather them be up front and charge me the extra $5-$10 an hour more for the lane and let me keep my brass.


But that's just me.

 

[dogdoc]

Definitely their range and their rules but I think it is bad business as most high volume shooters are reloaders. I can't think of one competitive shooter in my club who does not reload. I just don't shoot there but I am very fortunate as i have my own land.