Black powder on smokeless ranges

[rickystl]

We don't see you at the range often enough. Come to the May match even if it's just to be social.

Yes, I need to get out shooting some more. Currently, stuck at home with a vertigo, left ear. Have to wait till the dizziness stops and can drive again. Pain in the arse.

 

[APG]

I'm very fortunate to have a great range 8 miles from my house. It's on a Indian reservation which is great being that I live in California. The place is run by a bunch of veterans like myself. It has a pistol bay with steel targets , a pistol/shotgun bay and then a rifle range going out to 880 yards. It is open 3 days a week for recreational shooting and the other days it is open for police SWAT teams and such. I've been going every Monday for several years now so they jokingly call it Muzzleloading Monday. Never had any complaints from any shooter. Alot of questions though. And a bunch of , " wows" and "really cool".

 

[TobJohn]

I'm very fortunate to have a great range 8 miles from my house. It's on an Indian reservation which is great being that I live in California. The place is run by a bunch of veterans like myself. It has a pistol bay with steel targets , a pistol/shotgun bay and then a rifle range going out to 880 yards. It is open 3 days a week for recreational shooting and the other days it is open for police SWAT teams and such. I've been going every Monday for several years now so they jokingly call it Muzzleloading Monday. Never had any complaints from any shooter. Alot of questions though. And a bunch of , " wows" and "really cool".

I grew up in California and while camping as a Boy Scout, I don’t think I ever saw fire danger below “very high”. Are there restrictions on when muzzleloaders can be shot, due to fire danger?

 

[APG]

I grew up in California and while camping as a Boy Scout, I don’t think I ever saw fire danger below “very high”. Are there restrictions on when muzzleloaders can be shot, due to fire danger?

I don't know but there sure should be.

 

[Gtrubicon]

I usually shoot by myself at home. Occasionally I will go and shoot with friends at a range. In either case, I always have my concealed carry on me.

 

[mikesto44]

I won't shoot at any public ranges. Unless I know the people there. Had one idiot shoot at his target. While I was hanging up mine...!

 

[CaptainVane]

I won't shoot at any public ranges. Unless I know the people there. Had one idiot shoot at his target. While I was hanging up mine...!

We are pretty good at self policing. We had an old guy first timer who started walking down range to change a target while it was hot. 3 guys snatched him back. Unless everyone and i mean everyone calls out hot or cold, nobody ventures beyond the benches. We do a good job of self policing. Im rather proud of how it is. No range officer needed.
Elk Neck State Park pistol range, for you retired guys from southern PA or north DE too. Weekdays 9am. All welcome.

 

[TarponStalker]

I was visiting my son in Texas and was shocked to find out the outdoor range near his house does not allow black powder shooting.

 

[William O.]

I was visiting my son in Texas and was shocked to find out the outdoor range near his house does not allow black powder shooting.

Where was that?

 

[mikesto44]

Captainvane we called it out ! They said ok,they were five feet from us. So we walked down an started to pin targets up. That's when they started shooting at the targets next to ours..! There's idiots everywhere...!

 

[DrLaw]

Our chief range officer, a delightful fellow who used to be so steady at shooting that we would explain that rigor mortis had set in to newbies, has developed some breath problems when black powder is used. It also bothers him to shoot now in our indoor range. Since he is our oldest and most beloved member, we let him know if we are shooting black powder if he is around. He will not insist that we stop because of him, but rather he will sit in his car if the atmosphere becomes too cloudy and watch from afar.

I almost cannot believe that so many people have had such bad experiences. Almost, since I worked with the criminal element, some of the most narcissistic people on the planet outside of movie stars, high ranking military and scuzzy politicians. It is a shame that gun people cannot understand all forms of shooting and not be fudds.

The Doc is out now.

 

[Trigger]

I was at the modern range today.. when I showed up there were 10 people shooting under the green flag. I left.

The blackpowder range.. mosquitoes allot of them. But had it to myself though.

 

[ETipp]

Only one somewhat local range here. It’s a public range way out from anything. Personally, I don’t give two hoots what anyone has to say or complain about the smoke from my muzzleloaders. I’ve had a few folks forcefully coughing and fanning the air around them whenever it drifts their way. I just keep on keeping on.

However, most every time I go there I get folks wanting to check out my ML’s. They ask questions and are intrigued by them. I do my best to answer them at the proper time but I do not allow myself to become distracted from what I am doing. I’ve now gotten to the point that I’ll tell them I’d like to go over it in a few minutes after I have shot and before I reload.

By far my most concern at a public range is whenever I go check my targets and leaving everything lying on the bench. With the parking lot just a few feet away, It would be real easy for anyone to grab what they want, jump into their car and be gone before I could do anything about it. In fact, it has me so concerned that I seldom go there alone anymore. One thing I do is make sure the big iron on my side is in plain view.

I’d much rather go out into the woods or fields to shoot my ML. No distractions and no concerns.

 

[DCAN]

Believe it or not if I leave a deer or pig to go and get the cart I ALWAYS cut the tongue off and put it I’m my pocket. Kind of an insurance I guess!!!!

Good idea! I carry several pennies of the same year. Put them in several places on the dead critter if I have to leave it for a while.

 

[Mike in FL]

Our chief range officer, a delightful fellow who used to be so steady at shooting that we would explain that rigor mortis had set in to newbies, has developed some breath problems when black powder is used. It also bothers him to shoot now in our indoor range. Since he is our oldest and most beloved member, we let him know if we are shooting black powder if he is around. He will not insist that we stop because of him, but rather he will sit in his car if the atmosphere becomes too cloudy and watch from afar.

I almost cannot believe that so many people have had such bad experiences. Almost, since I worked with the criminal element, some of the most narcissistic people on the planet outside of movie stars, high ranking military and scuzzy politicians. It is a shame that gun people cannot understand all forms of shooting and not be fudds.

The Doc is out now.

Doc, that was a very polite post. Thank you. Although I have never fired indoors outside line of duty, here in FL the weather is always obliging for outside shooting. The range I am a member of has no rules regarding black powder, I have never ever seen a muzzleloader there. It s a very large range and any muzzleloader is considered "high power" and is supposed to be used at the center fire rifle range, although no one makes an issue at beginning the sighting in procedure on one of the 25 yard pistol ranges. The rifle ranges are covered but outside. Never ever has anyone complained about the smoke. We have ranges for handguns, center fire rifles, trap, skeet, steel, and archery. Because hunting is not so good in my area I visit that range twice per week on average. The one down side is that we have no range longer than 200 yards and extended distances can be great fun.