Blackpowder range etiquette?

I shoot at a public range occasionally and move or quit shooting if it is necessary and warn spectators that my flinter will blow a lot of hot sparks out to the side.

At a public range you will see all kinds of folk, 99% are considerate and responsible, every now and then a half wit bozo will show up. One guy took a shot with his deer rifle while the rest of us were down at the 100 yard bearm pulling targets, when confronted he said he wasn't shooting in our direction only off to the side. We collectively convinced him it was time for him to leave NOW! He did when confronted by 5 or 6 very angry folk.

First come-First served. Any 'demand' for me to move would be met with a short answer. Any 'request' would usually be accommodated.
However, I pay for and am allocated a target by the NRA here. I am obliged to tell the Range Office that I am shooting black at the time of booking. They usually leave space on my behalf.

Our BP designated range (it was originally set up as BP only) is also now a rimfire and silhouette range so we get all kinds of modern firearms in the mix. Flintlock shooters are required to use a shield of some type to prevent anyone on the next bench over from getting hit with the vent blast. The people shooting semi autos are permitted to rain hot brass on people with out restriction.

Generally, most people give you space and stay several benches apart unless the range gets really crowded. I've never had a complaint about the smoke, but have had to explain a lot of basic BP practices, because to the uninitiated they appear as safety violations.

As with anything, patience and calm usually wins the day. If not the RO gets called.

Being a lefty flintlock shooter, I always stay to the left of the line (the only time I lean left on most issues). If someone sets up near me on the left, I advise them of the danger from hot gasses. I always invite others to shoot my flintlock if they show any interest. It goes a long way to "neighbor relations." My smoke is no less intrusive than a 16" barreled AK-47 or AR-15 barking and spewing brass all over. That being said, I would never set up to the right of a right handed semi-auto shooter, and would not expect someone to set up to my immediate left. That's common courtesy.

Black powder shooters are not second class citizens. We pay our club dues and contribute just like everyone else. Sometimes I remind new members that our home club was started as a muzzleloading club.

ADK Bigfoot

The range I go to has two sides. One is a pistol side capable of shooting out to 50 yards. The other side has more shooting benches and is a 100 yard range with a spot to put up a 200 yard target and gongs out to 400 yards I believe. Almost every time I've gone there is no one on the pistol side, so I normally ask and am given permission to shoot on the pistol side. I like it, I end up being the only one on that side of the range and don't have to worry about smoke bothering them or their freaking loud muzzle brake bothering me.
If I want to prove a load out to 100 yards, then I'll shoot on the other side. I try to pick the most downwind open spot available and warn the others near me that I'm going to be making clouds of smoke. No one has had any issue with it, and several times they come watch me load and shoot for a bit and will ask questions about what I'm doing. I always offer interested people to shoot it if they want, but no one has taken me up on it yet. A couple have commented that they're afraid it'll blow up.

I shoot pretty much any and every kind of firearm, and 99% of the time I'm at the Range to enjoy part of a day off or have some fun before work. So I'm more than happy to avoid conflicts in the interest of enjoying my range time and moving on with my day.


Here's the "Multi" range at my club, it was pretty much born as a Deer rifle "confirm zero" station and a Rimfire range. To the left of this is the Cowboy Action pistol pits that anyone can use for handguns as long as they don't destroy the "prop" buildings.

You can fit maybe 2 rifle shooters in there or maybe someone with a little carbine, but to the right is a huge, beautiful , 300 yard rifle range if you really want to shoot rifles.

You can see the "grey area" where it is unofficially a First Come First Serve type shooting area but you really can't refuse a 2nd person.

Just a thought provoking post, I figured maybe some people have had similar experiences.

Everyone involved was polite so there was no Conflict, not like anyone stormed off or there was tension. Just my first time really having to explain to another shooter that my muzzleloader may not be a good thing to be 4 feet away from.

ADK Bigfoot said:

Being a lefty flintlock shooter, I always stay to the left of the line (the only time I lean left on most issues). If someone sets up near me on the left, I advise them of the danger from hot gasses. I always invite others to shoot my flintlock if they show any interest. It goes a long way to "neighbor relations." My smoke is no less intrusive than a 16" barreled AK-47 or AR-15 barking and spewing brass all over. That being said, I would never set up to the right of a right handed semi-auto shooter, and would not expect someone to set up to my immediate left. That's common courtesy.

Black powder shooters are not second class citizens. We pay our club dues and contribute just like everyone else. Sometimes I remind new members that our home club was started as a muzzleloading club.

ADK Bigfoot

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Common curtesy!!! That’s a key. Making a fuss over what you have a right to do just creates a bad time for all. You look at at least a minute or more between shots, most of the time I’m looking at two minutes on line as I swab between shots. I’ve got plenty of time to warn folk around me. I can’t think of a time I’ve been to the range I haven’t had good exchanges with other shooters there.
I’m willing to be a little inconvenienced because you see reciprocity real quick, or at least that’s my experience.

Our club has a dedicated muzzle loader range, so it's not much if an issue. That said, I being left handed normally set up on the far left side. Sometimes I can't do that if someone else is already there. In the latter case, I warn those on my left of the gas and embers which might hit them. I have never had a problem there.

Now when I used to frequent a public range, I used to do the same thing and sometimes people got upset and most times they moved after the first shot. But, other than the warning I never moved if I was there first. I did have a guy give me some grief when he got hit with hot gas but he was warned and I was there first. He left.

Just me and my attitude.
If I am at the bench with "whatever" and someone sides up and gets ready to shoot next to me, that's on them if they are uncomfortable with what I am shooting, as long as I am doing it in a safe manor.
This is double true if they had the option of other locations/lanes/areas that would suit them just as good.

NOW, if they were there first and I had an option for other locations, I would go elsewhere on the range.
If there was no other elsewhere, I would notify them of my intentions and make an effort to time my shots as to disturb them as little as possible.

We all paid our money, therefore buying the privilege to shoot there and enjoy what we paid for.

Go along to get along, be kind and friendly. However, stand ground when necessary.

BTW, I have been fortunate and have never had this particular conflict arise.
Normally my guns attract attention, and I readily offer to let others take a shot.
The young ones (with parent permission) get to shoot a way scaled down powder charge. It still makes a boom and a cloud of smoke while the guardian of that child is busy recording the experience. I have made a lot of new friends doing that and hopefully sowed the seeds for future smoke pole shooters.

Eric Krewson said:

I shoot at a public range occasionally and move or quit shooting if it is necessary and warn spectators that my flinter will blow a lot of hot sparks out to the side.

At a public range you will see all kinds of folk, 99% are considerate and responsible, every now and then a half wit bozo will show up. One guy took a shot with his deer rifle while the rest of us were down at the 100 yard bearm pulling targets, when confronted he said he wasn't shooting in our direction only off to the side. We collectively convinced him it was time for him to leave NOW! He did when confronted by 5 or 6 very angry folk.

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I used to shoot at a Public Range on Ft Dix, NJ and I have a bunch of horror stories from that place , similar to that where people were downrange and a dude was looking down a scope , on his rifle pointed downrange.....prompting everyone to pretty much charge him on foot....the shock of seeing 20 people ranging from age 20s to 80s running at him prompted him to throw his manure in his car and bingo.

Anyway yeah I always choose to take the high road at the gun club , this is a hobby and I'm there to have fun, not fight with people. If I want conflict I'll just go to work.

tenngun said:

You got to stop shooting the cheap stuff. Black powder smells of untouched wilderness, brave men, wool and smoky fires, foggy mornings in camp, misty deer hunts,.....

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-HISTORY! PATRIOTISM!

Amen on that brother Stan.
DL

I like it when I'm at our clubs muzzle loader range shooting my Flintlock and the inline crowd is there sighting in their scoped rifles. 9 times out of 10 I'm shooting tighter groups than they are. Whether they're just bad shots I don't know but I usually get some funny looks and a few compliments.

I too, get looks of envy from nitro shooters when my black gun booms alongside them. The looks are always turned to huge smiles when I ask "Want a go?" Three people in the past six months have said "Where do I get one?"

Had similar experiences several times

tenngun said:

You got to stop shooting the cheap stuff. Black powder smells of untouched wilderness, brave men, wool and smoky fires, foggy mornings in camp, misty deer hunts,.....

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I’ve never read my thoughts articulated this well before! I plan on using this quote to explain to people why I shoot BP.

"suppository shooters" ! best line yet !

Suppository Shooters are like "what's that thing " I'm like, it's the earlier model of your AR

Come on folks we are all gun guys. Flintlock, percussion and modern.

Delete this post maybe cause I SAID MODERN.

Be friendly at the range cause you shoot a flint lock does not mean you get a right to be an ASS. Same as the percussion, nipple hugger folk. Same as here

Get real we are all shooters. Half of the complaints here would get both of the shooters asked to leave my clubs ranges and then placed their memberships on review by the next meeting.

Shooters better stick together or we will all go down together. Screw the FUDDS who think their ML, Trap guns, Skeet guns makes them superior.

Stantheman86 said:

Suppository Shooters are like "what's that thing " I'm like, it's the earlier model of your AR

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It is an original military sniper rifle. One shot, one hit.....