Ranges Ban Black Rifles?

J

JEC

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Thought that heading would get some attention, and would like some input from black rifle shooters to deal with a problem at our range.
I am a member of the SPFGA and do considerable "volunteering" at the Range and being there frequently...I talk to a lot of shooters ...and some of them are on the verge of asking the Executive to consider prohibiting the use of certain semi-auto loading rifles.
The primary problem stems from the fact that all the Range "maintenance" is done by volunteers and they are getting tired of picking up after members who leave "heaps" of 7.62 X 39 brass laying about the firing line. In spite of the fact that pails are provided for brass, 95% of the brass picked off of the floor and out of the grass by volunteers is 7.62 X 39.
So, shooters of the 7.62 X 39 ... how do you recommend the problem be handled ? Lets be proactive and not wait for a "reaction".
 
Nothing like banning all over the actions of a few...hmm, remind anyone of anything?
Vigilence and consider making the work parties a bit more linked to membership would be my recommendations.
 
this kind of problem may be easily traced to one particular clubmember. Its best dealt with by taking our friend to the side and having little chat. People generally respond well to friendly talk. Another way is to post a little note on a message board in a clubhouse. Communication is the key in other words.
 
Is this a problem at a lot of ranges?

I was at Poco last month and I was thanked quite a bit more than I would expect from the range officers for sweeping up the area I was shooting in.

I thought this was a common courtesy, you sweep up all the brass after you are done.
 
We currently have about 1500 members and our clubhouse is not a "meeting place" so it is hard to communicate using that forum. Regular meetings seldom have more than 30 members attend so that doesn't seem to work either.
When I see a shooter using a 7.62 X 39, I always mention that they should be sure to pick up their brass ..explain why... and they always do... when someone is there.
We have signs posted...provide pails... have "Rules of Ettiqute" ....

It is difficult to get folks out to work party events, and the ones who show, are the regulars...90% of whom are over 60 years of age (and not one of them shoots a 7.62 X 39),

Like I said...no one wants to see any action banned. But the problem is comming to a head. How do we reach the "lazy"?
 
Give those guys their own firing line and let their brass pile up in their own special 7.62 firing line. Kinda like back in the old days at school, you clean you dishes and put all your housemate's dirty dishes in a box, and shove it to his bed
 
I like the idea of the magnet for the steel brass (which is certainly the bulk of the "litter") ... that would make picking it out of the grass much easier. We now have to do that by hand. Now, we need a 7.62 shooter to use the magnet!

A "surcharge" has been suggested but would be too difficult to police. But at least it would provide funds to pay somebody to pick brass.

Our Range is about 40 minutes out of the city and we do not have a range officer per se. Range members get a gate combination # so often there are no other members to help "police" the area. We do have a "contract employee" who checks memberships on a random basis to reduce having non-members use the facility.

The thing that is so disheartening is that I don't think many of the "offenders" realize that they are doing anything wrong...(their Mom picks up after them at home)...or that they are potentially jepordizing the privledges of the 7.62 shootrs that are conscientious.

It seems what we need to do is have the 7.62 shooters "spread the word" as I suspect many of them are in contact with each other ... talking aabout their equipment... but how?
 
I would of thought that picking up the brass was a no brainer. Must be nice to be rich enough to be able to throw it away.

I wish someone at my range would abandon all their .308 brass. I'd pick it up myself daily and reload it. That would cut the cost of my shooting by at least half.


Quote:

Ammo! The precious metal of the future!
 
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unlisted.handle said:
I would of thought that picking up the brass was a no brainer. Must be nice to be rich enough to be able to throw it away.

I wish someone at my range would abandon all their .308 brass. I'd pick it up myself daily and reload it. That would cut the cost of my shooting by at least half.


Quote:

Ammo! The precious metal of the future!
Click to expand...

Thing is steel case 7.62x39 isn't reloaded, the cases are next to worthless. This is sad, but please do your best to stop it from going ahead, it's letting gun control have another yard without even meaning to. We need to keep semis mainstream. Education, and signage, are the ways to go.
 
I also am a member at SPFGA and have seen & cleaned the massive piles of x39 left laying around. I have also had to deal with asshead members that say I shouldn't be able to shoot my AR there as us "assault" rifle folk make far too large of a mess.

Somedays, the amount of x39 laying around makes the firing line akin to walking on marbles.
 
greentips said:
Give those guys their own firing line and let their brass pile up in their own special 7.62 firing line. Kinda like back in the old days at school, you clean you dishes and put all your housemate's dirty dishes in a box, and shove it to his bed
Click to expand...

Ha Ha Ha, those were good times. We never bothered with the box though.

I spend more time at the range picking up other peoples brass than my own. I figure one day I'll own a firearm of every caliber.
 
The thing with guys walking away from ranges and not sweeping up after themselves is they get away with it.
Maybe you should try and implement some accountability, make a big sign, encourage people to suggest to others that they sweep up when they're done. Perhaps even lay it all out in a big declaration, something to the effect of 'if you don't clean up your SKS brass you may not be welcome with your SKS in future.'
 
I'm a member at SPFG, am out there at least two or three times a month, and more like every weekend during the summer.

I can't recall ever seeing 'piles' of brass, 7.62x39 or otherwise, on the firing line. Sometimes the .22 lr gets a little thick down by the 25 M targets on the centerfire line, but a quick sweep and you're back in business.

In fact I've yet to see piles of any brass at Sherwood Park in five years of membership, with one exception: the tons of 5.56 and .40 S&W brass left by Edmonton's finest after training exercises.
 
It's unfortunate when the .223 shooters get lumped in with the 7.62 (SKS) guys because for the most part.... there is not much .223 brass laying around.
I think the idea of having the SKS shooters "segregated" has some merit. Out of sight, out of mind...at least it would reduce the building clamor to "ban" the rifle. Unfortunately, we are not set up (in terms of room) to be able to do that at this time, but it is an idea that could work itself into future planning.
We are just in the process of upgrading our Rimfire/Handgun Range for which the bill for building berms/etc will come to over $30,000.00
I hope our next big project will be to construct a similarly "berm enclosed" range for handguns only so it may be a while before we get arround to accomodating SKS shooters. The simplest solution is to somehow "get the message" to the abusers. Perhaps we do have to "take off the gloves" so to speak, and post a not to subtle warning.
Just for interest sake, I would be interested in hearing ideas for what kind of things would be included in a SKS range... so will post another thread to solicit ideas.
 
Just deal with the morons and don't ban or put restrictions on a class of weapons. Don't punish everybody for the actions of a few idiots.
 
I think this is a bit of an odd discussion, I can never get over the amount of brass left laying around on the public range on Homestead Rd. And very little of it is 7.62x39, most of it is .22 and .30-06 and a fair amount of .303. And a lot of 12 Gauge shell cases. What happens is that someone comes along who recognises what once-fired .303 brass is worth and picks all that up, but the .22 and 12 Gauge just sits there. I always pick up all the stuff around the bench I'm shooting from but policing the whole range would take awhile.
 
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