Shooting range rant....

[rwsmith]

Boggy Head is an unregulated shooting range in the middle of the Francis Marion Forest about 50 minutes from my house. The regulated super duper range with the range master is about the same distance. Boggy Head is famous for having crazy people shooting, but these days, there are so many serious shooters than you don't see the crazies as much.

A year or so ago they started this campaign. "We're going to close Boggy Head, it's full of trash and HAZARDOUS WASTE."

"What kind of hazardous waste?", we ask.

"Refrigerators and TVs."

I suggested that we get a 'users group' together and clean the places up.

A few weeks later they announced a cleanup one Saturday. About 60+ people came and in half a day we had the place looking like a PARK. We all put our names on their list.

Now they have a guy who's been there since July. Got an announcement, "We are thinking of closing down Boggy Head. It's full of trash and LEAD, which is hazardous waste." Also, somebody caught a richochet shard in the neck and had to have surgery. I don't know how it happened but he is ok. Call this number if you have suggestions about what to do.

I called the number to tell him that we had gotten together before to clean the range up and the results were great. They SAY that they clean the lead off the other range on Mondays. I don't know HOW they do it, but why couldn't the same be done at Boggy Head?

I don't have any idea what to do about shooting people at the range. We were out there yesterday trying out my wife's second hand Model 10 (It works great) and the County Sheriff's Deputy was out there for a good while, but there wasn't much going on (rain).

ANYWAY the 'dude' I called never got back to me and I think that this time, just like last time, they are spewing all kinds of rhetoric about closing due to 'hazardous waste" to the public without giving them the whole story. That way if they do close it down the public will say, "Oh no wonder, it's a hazard". It's not any more hazardous than any of the untended ranges in SC. There's one near Beaufort, SC that they spent a huge amount of money on to make it a 'super range' but all you have to do it sign in when you get there. No supervision. People don't use it much because it's REALLY out in the woods. At Boggy Head there is often a waiting line for a table.

I'm tired of their game. I will go out there and work on the range, but if they really want to close it, CLOSE THE DAM THING so we can forget about it.

 

[Oracle]

There is a public land range fairly close to my home. The range isn't bad but there are times when idiots without a clue and "Gangsta's" are there. The "Gangsta's" will come down to see what you have so a bare minimum of two guys, preferably three or four sidearms in full sight are needed. The idiots are the biggest concern, you never know what they will do.

There are two membership ranges, both are nice, I have memberships in both. The public land range is a short drive and it is tempting to go there.

 

[dockmurgw]

Your up against something that is likely a losing battle...culture shock. The "dude" you refer to and his followers are likely transplants from areas where that type of shooting is uncommon, if not illegal. They bring their beliefs with them, and demand that you conform to their idea of normal behavior. Good luck, there are tens of thousands of these people flocking to your area every year, and many will have no respect or tolerance for what they find when they get there.

 

[BigBoy99]

Just tell them you are performing a public service. You are taking all of the "Hazardous Lead" which could be eaten and returning it to its original natural state by putting it back into the earth where it originally was mined.

 

[bigwheelzip]

Also, somebody caught a richochet shard in the neck and had to have surgery. I don't know how it happened but he is ok.

Looked up your range. Putting rifles and handguns together on the same range, with targets on the ground, five yards in front of the bench, I'd think is a recipe for a ricochet.

 

[andy52]

There's no way I would shoot at a unregulated public range way to many idiots out there. I either shoot at my own range or sometimes in the winter at a indoor range.

 

[Rule3]

Mining and reclaiming lead is very expensive to do. Even though the recycle company keeps the lead.

That range reminds me of what a local State Wildlife Refuge used to me like. It was a scary place. The State finally got ii controlled, RSO, cleaned it up and it is much nicer, I watched a company reclaim TONS of lead, it was a BIG operation.

No Way I would shoot at your range! At least 100 yard, with people shooting handguns?? What formed all the trenches?? Ground shooting?



There are more videos. These are years old.


[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J40M_OwNjl8[/ame]





[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZGQxG7Z2nc[/ame]

 

[steelslaver]

There are some informal shooting spots around Montana. I never use most of them anymore. I have also, seldom ever ran into anyone else at one the same time I showed up. But, the junk people haul out and shoot full of holes is well, depressing. Looks like an old time dump. I suspect in fact some of the stuff was just dumped, then later shot full of holes. Even beer bottles. Lots of morons with no respect for the area.

The lead issue is a non starter for me. A lead bullet laying on the ground is pretty inert. The big "Oh, my Lord its lead" was caused by lead oxides, much of it in paint, some of it in leaded gas emissions. Refined lead is not easily absorbed by the human body. Don't go swallowing a bunch, but it is kind of difficult to absorb especially by breathing, I doubt most 30 caliber slugs would even make it past my nose let alone go very far into my lungs. Lead oxide is a whole different animal. You can breath it, absorb it through your skin, and if swallowed it will easily enter your system. But, it is all around you anyway. Natural levels of lead in soil range between 50 and 400 parts per million. So, if you look at the top 1/4" of 100ft x100ft area most anywhere you would find 10,000x144x.25 or 10,000x36 for 360,000 (over 1/3 of a million) between about 17 (1/3 of 50) to 133 (1/3 of 400) cubic inches of lead and the majority of it lead oxide which is much more absorbable than refined lead. OH, Jeez, Louise, we are all gonna die! True, question is when.

Concentrations due to paint dust, and other industrial contaminators are more of a hazard. Now an indoor range with lots of shooting I can see where lead dust levels in the air can get high but once a bullet hits the ground it is pretty much a nothing.

The human body will naturally excrete a certain amount of lead. That amount is fairly low. But, it is only when your taking in more than it can excrete do you develop a problem.

 

[Dave from Pa]

WOW, never realized how fortunate I am.I have always shot on a club maintained range or my range at the farm so watching the videos was eye opening.The potential for a ricochet leaving the range is high.All the club ranges I belonged to had separate ranges for rifle and pistol.On my range at the farm I have a dedicated backstop for each distance.Just watching all the videos there has to be a better way.Same goes for all the junk people leave, you carry it in you carry it out.Maybe time to initiate a range membership.The public ranges here are maintained by the Pa.Game Commission, shooters are required to have a valid hunting license and ranges are patrolled by WCO`s when time permits.

 

[Nevada Ed]

A Burn (hill of dirt) across the range at 7 yards might help the flying bullet problem but it is up to the shooters to stay safe.

By chance, does the other guy want to close the range down so new homes and be built ??

Good luck.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

We got a BLM shooting location about 20 miles away.
I hesitate to call it a range, it’s a legal place to shoot with a big hill behind it.
Earlier in the year it was closed for fire danger.
Now you are required to bring water or extinguisher and a shovel.

 

[FlyFish]

A few years ago I was in charge of a lead reclamation project at our Club's trap field and rifle ranges. I got tapped for that assignment because I have some 40 years or so of of experience in the hazardous waste remediation business (now retired). A couple of points for you to consider:

Spent lead from shooting is legally NOT hazardous waste. It is a material that was used for its intended purpose and is therefore legally considered solid waste. Among other things, that's why gun ranges do not require a RCRA permit to operate.

That said, lead shot and bullets in the environment can pose an environmental hazard under certain conditions and proper management of lead should be considered one responsibility of operating a shooting range.

All of that, and much, much more than I could possibly get into discussing here is contained in the EPA publication "Best Management Practices for Lead at Outdoor Shooting Ranges" (EPA-902-B-01-001), which is available on-line.

 

[Beemerguy53]

Years ago, I used to shoot at an outdoor public range...until more and more sketchy-looking characters started showing up there, holding their pistols sideways and eyeing up everybody else's guns.

I joined a nearby rifle club with a membership limit, strict rules for members, and all the amenities (clubhouse, restrooms, etc.) that make a day on the range easy and fun.

 

[keith44spl]

I don't shoot at public ranges for all the reasons stated....

I belong to a local gun club with rifle, pistol, rim-fire and trap ranges.

This is the main rifle range. We have a full time grounds keeper.

.

 

[Gamecock]

Another thing. I wouldn't go to a public range in SC alone. I have heard reports of theft at Leeds and Beaverdam.

 

[Tom Beavert]

Range Jerks

The wife and I are spending the summer as volunteers for Colorado parks and Wildlife in Hot Sulphur Springs. My job is the range. It's very nice, with single lane rifle bays with targets at 25-100 and 200 yd. separated by large berms. 3 very nice pistol bays. Also several throwers for clays, and an archery area. The only cost is you must have a current hunting or fishing license. The destruction is very sad, I'm there 2-3 times a day, between other duties to check licenses and do repairs. the target stands are 7 ft. 5" D poles, 6' 2X4s horizontal 4' apart. EPDM .6mil in the center. how can one destroy a 5"D pole shooting at 25 yd? Well one way is to staple your target to the post! Rifle bays are marked rifle only, a 12 gauge shortens the life of the whole system.
OK I will shut up before I start to rant.
Tom B.

 

[rwsmith]

You are.....

There is a public land range fairly close to my home. The range isn't bad but there are times when idiots without a clue and "Gangsta's" are there. The "Gangsta's" will come down to see what you have so a bare minimum of two guys, preferably three or four sidearms in full sight are needed. The idiots are the biggest concern, you never know what they will do.

There are two membership ranges, both are nice, I have memberships in both. The public land range is a short drive and it is tempting to go there.

Your up against something that is likely a losing battle...culture shock. The "dude" you refer to and his followers are likely transplants from areas where that type of shooting is uncommon, if not illegal. They bring their beliefs with them, and demand that you conform to their idea of normal behavior. Good luck, there are tens of thousands of these people flocking to your area every year, and many will have no respect or tolerance for what they find when they get there.

You are absolutely right. It's an exodus.

Oh, we have a very nice private range, but it's too expensive for my wallet.

 

[rwsmith]

It's what we have.

Looked up your range. Putting rifles and handguns together on the same range, with targets on the ground, five yards in front of the bench, I'd think is a recipe for a ricochet.

I'm not sure what the circumstances behind the richochet were. That's one reason people bringing TVs and refrigerators mess up the place.l Thinking somebody let off a round into the concrete floor. I'm not saying that's good, but again, it's only about a dozen tables like the ones you see and it's pretty substandard all around. Used to be tables spread across grass. They had to put everything under a roof and jammed the tables together like you see. But it is an unregulated range and it is free. Just a place to shoot.

Look up the Twin Pond's range in Awendaw. It's super with sections for shotguns, pistols rifles and a Range Master. It must be an 1/8 of mile wide.

The one near Beaufort is similarly built, but has no range master. They made benches that no one can sit on and put a baffle board from the front of the roof that you can't stand up and shoot because it's too low. People have begged them to put some 3" notches or something to enable people to stand and shoot (I shoot offhand mostly) but they just say they can't do anything.

PS: You can see why it's called Boggy Head. That picture is after a light rain. With the deluges we've had you need to bring some old shoes, or waders.

 

[rwsmith]

It's great that you have one...

There's no way I would shoot at a unregulated public range way to many idiots out there. I either shoot at my own range or sometimes in the winter at a indoor range.

If I had my own range. I'd shoot there, too. I shoot at a nearby indoor range where it's usually colder and hotter inside than it is outside.

 

[rwsmith]

I don't think......

Mining and reclaiming lead is very expensive to do. Even though the recycle company keeps the lead.

That range reminds me of what a local State Wildlife Refuge used to me like. It was a scary place. The State finally got ii controlled, RSO, cleaned it up and it is much nicer, I watched a company reclaim TONS of lead, it was a BIG operation.

No Way I would shoot at your range! At least 100 yard, with people shooting handguns?? What formed all the trenches?? Ground shooting?



There are more videos. These are years old.


Boggy Head Rifle Range 11 29 14 - YouTube





Shooting at Boggy Head Rifle Range - YouTube

I'm not sure Boggy Head has EVER been cleared of lead.