Reloading banned at a range?

[kappy]

My local range just banned reloading on the premises. They've never had a problem, but I just saw a new edict against it. I can't fathom why they would do this.

Does anyone else know of a range where there is an explicit ban on reloading on the premises? If so, what cause was given?

[missionary5155]

Good morning
Does your local range also sell ammo?
Mike in Peru

[JeffinNZ]

How do they know the ammo is handloads? Get yourself some factory boxes and carry your loads in them. I have no time for such stupid rules.

[boltons75]

Reloading on their premises, or banning shooting reloaded ammo? I have a few around that won't allow you to shoot reloads. I just don't give them my business. But reloading on their property, if that's the case, could simply be an insurance liability issue.

[kappy]

I can shoot reloads, I just cannot reload there. This is an outdoor facility. I just built up a portable reloading kit so that I could work up loads at the range. I only know of two other shooters who do this at my range, but the moment I built my kit, they banned the practice. I'm checking to see if this is true of anywhere else for outdoor facilities, since I can't see how this is any more dangerous than loading a muzzleloader. My understanding is that this is a somewhat common practice for competition benchrest shooters. Of course, my experience is limited, since they don't seem to have many of these competitions in my area.

I don't see how it could suddenly be a liability issue, but I suppose it's possible. I'll check tomorrow.

[kappy]

Good morning
Does your local range also sell ammo?
Mike in Peru

They actually sell nothing. Not even targets.

[boltons75]

I know the range masters at my local range, Williams gunsite, do some case prep during slow days..

[fishhawk]

well does that now mean no muzzle loaders? You are reloading a round for each shot!

[jcwit]

Sounds like somebody just figured a way to swing his weight around.

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

or that if you sat their and loaded 3 rounds then fired them you were taking a lot of bench time , and they saw a shortage of shooting benches at times and were trying to head it of at the pass

private club or public range ?


if it is a private club usually all one needs to do is get on the board , but that comes with it's own head aches. if your on the board you can get some reloading safety half hour class together for the 3 of you who do load then your not a risk any more.

lawyers love safety trainings to cut liability perceived or real.

[P.K.]

Sounds like somebody just figured a way to swing his weight around.

That is my take on it too, however it could also be some misguided soul thinking off countless shooters bringing barrels of "explosive material" to the range. Odd as it may be but some folks look at reloading as a form of alchemy that they can't or refuse to understand. I ounce had the privilige to witness just one such case in action where a shooter expained after three malfunctioning rounds how he counted each and every grain buy hand before carefully placing them in the case.


As to the question of benchrest shooters yes they do reload on station and many bring just one case for the purpose.

[KCSO]

Here the skinny, INSURANCE! I'll bet if you coould find out their insurance company clamped down on them because reloading supplies are DANGEROUS. Here we can't sell powder or primers unlless we payy and extra $6000 a year! Because that stuff is dangerous and will burn your building down and explode a a moments notice, ect.

[Jim Flinchbaugh]

if our range tries that I'll be shooting in the woods again.
I have never seen anyone else at my range reload on site, but I do it quite frequently.
Bench time not an issue & if it is, someone else can shoot whilst I piddle around, I even let them use my rest and bags if they want

[excess650]

I've heard of ranges not allowing reloading on-site, and it was told it was related to single persons spending so much time at a shooting station. This really shouldn't be a problem during most of the year, but just before hunting season, activity increases dramatically.

Yeah, MLers load each shot, and with blackpowder which is classified as an explosive vs propellant like smokeless powders.

Schuetzen shooters generally use a single case and recharge between shots. Most breech seat the boolit and slide the charged case into the chamber rather than loading ''fixed ammunition" ie cartridges.

I've never seen this enforced, but other than MLers and schuetzen shooters, I've not seen anyone reloading at the range.

[deltaenterprizes]

Benchrest shooters load ammo on the range too.

[shooterg]

Muzzleloader reloading with black powder would be more liability than you working up smokeless loads like every other benchrest guy does . Somebody had a brain fart or is on a power trip !

[wallenba]

I have a few of those in my area. Even more ban cast. I think they want to sell ammo and recycle the copper as well as the lead.

[troy_mclure]

lots of bench rest guys at my range, its also a members only range, and the owners are avid reloaders themselves.

[kappy]

This is a public range run by a club. They make the rules. Access to benches is not an issue, since we rarely ever have all lanes filled, and if we did I would just shoot .22lr or rounds I've already made up.

I think the issue is "it looks like there will be liability." I'm going to the club meeting tonight for an explanation. I'm an avid member of the club, so I'm surprised that no one came directly to me with a request that I stop or any kind of explanation.

[starmac]

Well on another thread shooting at all has been banned, at least they closed the range.
There is others that have banned handguns????

[stubshaft]

What a shame. I always found it much easier to develop loads when I took my HDS Compac to the range with a box of components and reloaded right there.

[kappy]

Talked to the club president today. He seemed pretty steadfast in his decision. He claims that it is a liability issue. I explained my viewpoint (bolstered by many of the incisive arguments here, thank you folks!) and said that I was disappointed that after all of the work I've done for the club that this decision was made.

My biggest concern is that I spent a lot of time and (for me) a lot of money... money which could have been invested in parts for my upcoming AR project. And it's bad for the club because it means we'll never have any serious benchrest shooting, nor will we be able to train people to go elsewhere to benchrest shoot.

[boltons75]

Sounded like it could have been a liability issue. Sucks to hear, to bad everybody is so afraid of lawsuits. It's there perhaps another range near by that you could take your business to? Or at least get a group of members and threaten to take your shooting elsewhere, as a collective group, to maybe sway the owners decision.

[Beau Cassidy]

A very short sighted rule for sure. Unless a range board member or someone who supported (or even knew about the rule) were standing over you shooting I don't see how it could be enforced.

[Lance Boyle]

Seems like a pre emptive knee jerk.

I have not loaded on the range but have certainly wanted to. Would save a lot of effort and components and time later, taking down unused/unproductive iterations. I have an extra press and scale and have contemplated building a range box.

[KCSO]

Hey check into what you have to do to keep blackpowder at a range or gun shop! If I remember right a fellow I know who sells B/P told me his insurance is $12,000 a year! And he has to store all but so many pound in an outside storage vault so many feet from any occupied building and the powder inside must be in an approved vault taken out only at time of purchase. A far cry from the powder can and scoop that came from our local hardware store, which was open from 1870 to 1990 without and accident.

[starmac]

Insurance and regulations has and will continue to hurt and kill things like this.

Small town race tracks, outfitters, especially those that use horses, shooting ranges are but just a few, that is closing all across the country.

There used to be a nice cafe, lodge type deal, just as you entered the Yukon right on the edge of a beautiful small lake. I asked the owner why he didn't get some canoes and rent them to us in the summer months, as I thought it would be a boon to his business. He promtly told me that he had and if I wanted to tour the lake he would gladly loan me a canoe, complete with life jackets and paddles, but it would cost him 12,000 a year to be able to rent them for 4 months a year. SO THEY WERE FREE

[PanaDP]

I don't think I've ever been to a public range that does allow loading at the range.

[WildmanJack]

Hmm, maybe I shouldn't speak at this point but I shoot at a public range run by Fish and Game here in Florida. I reload at the bench all the time. as do a lot of other guys. All the range officers stop and watch to try to learn a little something for their own reloading. Besides the other reloaders always pass on info to their brothers in an attempt to help make better shooting boolits.... Dam shame they stopped it there...
Jack

[shooterg]

If liability is the issue then black powder muzzleloading should be banned. Static electricity alone can set off BP ! Whole deal makes no sense to me ! The guy that issued the rule has most likely never shot anything but factory ammo and has no clue.

[starmac]

If liability is the issue then black powder muzzleloading should be banned. Static electricity alone can set off BP ! Whole deal makes no sense to me ! The guy that issued the rule has most likely never shot anything but factory ammo and has no clue.

Or he might be doing what the insurance company is telling him to do if they want to stay open, don't give them any ideas about muzzle loaders. lol

[PanaDP]

Static electricity alone can set off BP !

Not true.

[starmac]

Not true.

You can pour out a pile and light it off, you will just get a little poof anyway.

[stubshaft]

Next thing you know they'll ban rimfire ammo because it might go off if you drop it.

Idiotic!

[wallenba]

The day after I posted a reply (#17) to this thread, I went my local indoor that bans cast. I was there to get the new scope on my Ruger M77 on paper, they have a fifty yard rifle range there. They told me I could not shoot my .308 Winchester handloaded J's. I had to shoot what they sell. Reason being they don't allow any military derived cartridges that 'COULD' have steel cores. I offered to let them check with a magnet. Nope...it's policy.:veryconfu

[zxcvbob]

I don't know what the layout is, but can you park your truck on the street off of their property, and reload there? Kind of depends how far you gotta walk back and forth that way.

[9-toes]

Couldn't a waiver from liability end this nonsense? The range I go to makes everyone sign one of these before getting on a lane.

[kappy]

Couldn't a waiver from liability end this nonsense? The range I go to makes everyone sign one of these before getting on a lane.
Yeah, we have a "hold harmless" agreement. Apparently that isn't good enough.


I don't know what the layout is, but can you park your truck on the street off of their property, and reload there? Kind of depends how far you gotta walk back and forth that way.
They won't let you reload in the parking lot... and I'm a little reticent to reload on a public street. Our outdoor range is in city limits and the sheriff's range is just down the road a half block... so I'd rather not have LEOs see me doing something the decide is "suspicious."

But the range can't tell me what to do off of their (technically "our") property, so I could do it. The problem that then arises is that there is considerably more effort involved in reloading then.


The day after I posted a reply (#17) to this thread, I went my local indoor that bans cast. I was there to get the new scope on my Ruger M77 on paper, they have a fifty yard rifle range there. They told me I could not shoot my .308 Winchester handloaded J's. I had to shoot what they sell. Reason being they don't allow any military derived cartridges that 'COULD' have steel cores. I offered to let them check with a magnet. Nope...it's policy.:veryconfu

That is complete ****. That's just a money-making gimmick. I'm glad our range doesn't sell anything. We're afraid of the liability involved in selling ammo as well. Plus all of the taxes.


Next thing you know they'll ban rimfire ammo because it might go off if you drop it.

Idiotic!

A great point.

[starmac]

The day after I posted a reply (#17) to this thread, I went my local indoor that bans cast. I was there to get the new scope on my Ruger M77 on paper, they have a fifty yard rifle range there. They told me I could not shoot my .308 Winchester handloaded J's. I had to shoot what they sell. Reason being they don't allow any military derived cartridges that 'COULD' have steel cores. I offered to let them check with a magnet. Nope...it's policy.:veryconfu

I'm curious, is this for all military calibers, or all calibers.

[Lead Fred]

Bet them folks would have a cow if they came out to our Silhouette range.
They might eb the only flatlanders not reloading on the benches behind the shooting stands.

[Ola]

As far as I know there is not a single range that prohibits handloads or reloading at the range in Finland. So maybe this is a US thing? Liability issues are something else over there...

[kappy]

Bet them folks would have a cow if they came out to our Silhouette range.
They might eb the only flatlanders not reloading on the benches behind the shooting stands.
Yeah... you do feel like Mr. Cube when talking to some of the squares. No one could explain the exact point which caused liability... whether it was powder and primers, actually charging a load, seating primers, etc. If you cannot point out the actual place where something is dangerous, maybe it isn't? Where is your range? I might need to move.


As far as I know there is not a single range that prohibits handloads or reloading at the range in Finland. So maybe this is a US thing? Liability issues are something else over there...

They are something else. Something foolish.

[wallenba]

I'm curious, is this for all military calibers, or all calibers.

Just those military cartridges that CAN come with steel cores. Like Wolf 7.62x39, 7.62x54r 30-06, .308W 7.5x55 Swiss, 8x56r, etc. Any military surplus stuff people get real cheap. And just because a 308 Winchester does come like that from somewhere, they banned it. You can only shoot those calibers if you buy them there. Also to quote the range officer,"we're not doing it just to sell ammo though".[smilie=1: Logic of it escapes me, since handloads are OK, and I offered to let them check with a magnet, so the "we're not doing it to sell ammo" statement has no credibility.

[kappy]

Just those military cartridges that CAN come with steel cores. Like Wolf 7.62x39, 7.62x54r 30-06, .308W 7.5x55 Swiss, 8x56r, etc. Any military surplus stuff people get real cheap. And just because a 308 Winchester does come like that from somewhere, they banned it. You can only shoot those calibers if you buy them there. Also to quote the range officer,"we're not doing it just to sell ammo though".[smilie=1: Logic of it escapes me, since handloads are OK, and I offered to let them check with a magnet, so the "we're not doing it to sell ammo" statement has no credibility.

Is this a public range? If so, they need some new management. If it isn't, they need some competition.

[captain-03]

Talked to the club president today. He seemed pretty steadfast in his decision. He claims that it is a liability issue. I explained my viewpoint (bolstered by many of the incisive arguments here, thank you folks!) and said that I was disappointed that after all of the work I've done for the club that this decision was made.

My biggest concern is that I spent a lot of time and (for me) a lot of money... money which could have been invested in parts for my upcoming AR project. And it's bad for the club because it means we'll never have any serious benchrest shooting, nor will we be able to train people to go elsewhere to benchrest shoot.

Vote them out -- run for office ... change the rules!!

[wallenba]

Is this a public range? If so, they need some new management. If it isn't, they need some competition.

It is a public range in Westland Mi.. Yes I think they worry about liabilities. The use of steel cores is a valid concern since there is residential housing in the immediate area behind the range lanes. I agree with them on the ban of steel cores, just not their unwillingness to discriminate between those rounds and mine. There is another indoor that will check them with a magnet. They also ban steel cores, but do allow my handloads, but they are limited to 25 yards. (That range is also friendly to cast boolits too).