You never know what you'll see at the range

[Rockindaddy]

Normally at my PA farm I have several shooting ranges. When in Florida all winter as a "snow duck" I go to a small range that my friend owns that borders the Everglades. Plenty of shooters arrive from Miami, FL. Was done shooting and talking to my friend when we observed a young shooter banging away. He was holding the autoloader 9mm sideways and would push the pistol forward so as to maybe add a bit more velocity to the bullet traveling down range. The owner of the range and I continued to observe this shooter. I was laughing at this strange shooting stance. The range owner explained that those shooters, shoot like that because that is the way the pistol comes in the box!!! Ahhhhh!!! Perfectly logical !!!! About this time our unusual shooter ran out of 9mm ammo. He walked over to us and asked if anyone had an extra box of 9mm for sale. He said his new "9" was not hitting very well. Shots were all over the target. I told him that I had an extra box that I would sell to him. He paid me and went back to thumbing ammo into a magazine. I walked over to him and asked how he acquired his unusual shooting stance. He said he watched TV and that's how it's done. I kinda felt sorry for this shooter and offered to help him improve his shooting. I demonstrated a two hand hold on the pistol holding it vertically instead of sideways. With a pen and paper I drew a proper sight picture showing him where to hold on the target. His shooting greatly improved. This kid was so happy with his new pistol. He thanked me and continued with his new shooting form!!!!! Made this ole' guy happy to see a young new shooter enjoying his new hobby.

[charlie b]

Yep, many of the new hunters ask for help a lot. Had one guy and son and they were confused about the trajectory data on the box and how to apply it to the rifle. Another was loading a ML with pellets that he was loading backwards. I introduced him to loose powder and he was even happier.

FWIW, the idiots are the ones who refuse help or get mad when you suggest an improvement.

I haven't been hit by a 'bounce back' but it was close (hit a box next to me).

[fredj338]

My experience has been that people are already angry with their situation and can't or won't listen to someone trying to help. It's like they think you are butting in. Now if I am approached by someone asking for advice or help, I am willing to joyfully help them.

^^THIS^^ I have offered help in the distant past only to be told to mind my own business. So I am fine with someone shooting themselves or their friends, just not me. I'll be glad to call 911, maybe.

[AndyC]

My curiosity got the better of me and I found out that they fit into each other. The casings were headstamped 9 mm. Maybe they were fired in a 40 Smith & Wesson???

I can guarantee it. I was once an RSO at a range and I noticed bulged cases from a guy, who proceeded to tell me that .40 ammo was too expensive so he was shooting 9mm through his .40 instead.

[Winger Ed.]

I can guarantee it. I was once an RSO at a range and I noticed bulged cases from a guy, who proceeded to tell me that .40 ammo was too expensive so he was shooting 9mm through his .40 instead.

I stopped a guy once from doing something like that..... or worse maybe.
He'd gone to the range one time with a buddy after he'd inherited a .30-30.
His buddy had & was shooting a lever action .38/.357.

He said from now on, he'd shoot .38s in his lever action because they were cheaper.
I asked him what he thought would happen when that 38caliber bullet tried to go down through the 30 caliber hole.
It was another, "Hmmmm, I never thought about that".

[35 Rem]

I stopped a guy once from doing something like that..... or worse maybe.
He'd gone to the range one time with a buddy after he'd inherited a .30-30.
His buddy had & was shooting a lever action .38/.357.

He said from now on, he'd shoot .38s in his lever action because they were cheaper.
I asked him what he thought would happen when that 38caliber bullet tried to go down through the 30 caliber hole.
It was another, "Hmmmm, I never thought about that".

Yeah, there are a bunch of gun owners who really don't grasp what the individual components of a cartridge are or what their function is. One of the wholesale gun suppliers I order from added something to their catalog several years back that truly startled and disappointed me. Now understand again, this is not a Retail catalog I'm talking about, it's for FFL holders only. The bullet section of the catalog started referring to bullets as "Bullet Tips" and specifying that these were bullets only. The thought of somebody holding a FFL and selling guns that doesn't know what a "bullet" is and calls them "Bullet Tips" is frightening to me.

[elmacgyver0]

It is not just limited to firearms and ammo.

[steve urquell]

Yeah, there are a bunch of gun owners who really don't grasp what the individual components of a cartridge are or what their function is. One of the wholesale gun suppliers I order from added something to their catalog several years back that truly startled and disappointed me. Now understand again, this is not a Retail catalog I'm talking about, it's for FFL holders only. The bullet section of the catalog started referring to bullets as "Bullet Tips" and specifying that these were bullets only. The thought of somebody holding a FFL and selling guns that doesn't know what a "bullet" is and calls them "Bullet Tips" is frightening to me.

How about "bullet primers"?

[35 Rem]

How about "bullet primers"?

Incredible, ain't it? How can you load ammo and not understand that a case, primer, powder and bullet are assembled to make up a cartridge? The whole thing ain't no "Bullet"!

[Texas by God]

Growing up here in North Texas, all guns used “shells”-
As in; “Hey, you got any .22 shells? Shotgun shells, 30-30 shells?”
But we know that bullets ain’t “tips, projos, or heads!”


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[murf205]

It's not just at the range either. A friend was waiting to launch his boat when 2 guys were trying to put a brand new fish and ski boat back on the trailer. The guy in the truck yelled "hold that thing still and I'll back the trailer under it"!! Needless to say, that boat didn't look brand new after that.

[35 Rem]

Growing up here in North Texas, all guns used “shells”-
As in; “Hey, you got any .22 shells? Shotgun shells, 30-30 shells?”
But we know that bullets ain’t “tips, projos, or heads!”


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Being a educated Redneck myself I can identify with calling them Shells for sure. I don't like being overly formal in spite of how the previous post may have sounded. What I cringe at is an obvious lack of understanding of even the basics of ammunition especially by people such as FFL holders who are supposed to know better.

[redhawk0]

Growing up here in North Texas, all guns used “shells”-
As in; “Hey, you got any .22 shells? Shotgun shells, 30-30 shells?”

I think this is generational. My dad still calls everything a shell. And here I thought it was a PA redneck thing.

redhawk

[Texas by God]

And empty shells were hulls.


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[dtknowles]

I think this is generational. My dad still calls everything a shell. And here I thought it was a PA redneck thing.

redhawk

That's shotgun shooter talk. There is guns and there is ammo. Ammo, cartridges, loaded rounds. Empties are cases or brass even if make of steel. If shotgun, shells and hulls or just empties. Calling loaded rounds, bullets is like calling magazines clips, just kind of ok, not everyone has to use perfect terminology. The thing about calling "Primers" "bullet primers" yeah, kind of lame but Primer can mean a lot of things, it can be paint or an introductory educational text or exercise. Bullet primers while it seems lame is about the best phrase to differentiating the component used it the production of ammunition from all the other kinds of primers there are. Even ammunition primer might be misconstrued as an introductory course in ammunition. Of course context clarifies everything if the reader has a clue.
Tim

[charlie b]

car·tridge
/ˈkärtrij/
noun
noun: cartridge; plural noun: cartridges
-a container holding a spool of photographic film, a quantity of ink, or other item or substance, designed for insertion into a mechanism.
Similar:
cassette
magazine
cylinder
canister
container
capsule
case
pack
packet
package
-a casing containing a charge and a bullet or shot for small arms or an explosive charge for blasting.
Similar:
bullet
round
shell
charge
shot
casing
-a component carrying the stylus on the pickup head of a record player.
---------------

FWIW, I use the term ammo or round for a complete cartridge. Probably from military. Rounds more often when not referring to a mag full. Probably due to time in tanks.

PS when talking to wife or other friends I will use the terms ammunition, magazine, and rounds of ammunition, just to make sure they understand what I am referring to. No abbreviations.

[Ezana4CE]

Years ago I visited the most redneck, back woods, hillbilly shooting range I've ever seen. I wasn't there to shoot, but just to see what the place was like. It was a public range with a river behind the target stands, and rows of houses on the other side of the river. There was a little cantina at the range where you could buy sandwiches, chip and beer. Apparently drinking was allowed on the shooting line. I walked over to where a pair of good ol boys were shooting a revolver. This was a 357 magnum, and one of the guys was telling the other that these were his special hand loads. Both of the guys had a beer in their hands (and a couple more in their tummy's) as they were shooting. On the first shot I noticed a very pronounced muzzle flash, much larger than would be expected. Wisely I backed away from the firing line. After the six shots were delivered to who knows where, the shooter had to set down his beer in order to beat the cylinder open. Both of them acted as if this was perfectly normal. I could not have left that place faster, and never went back.

@405grain You have got to be kidding. I would've high tailed it the hell up out of there quick as soon as I saw the alcohol!! Then there were homes in the backdrop? Are you serious? That's nuts!

[doc watson]

+1 on Dicks

[Hanzy4200]

I've found blown out .357 SIG cases multiple times at the range. Clearly fired from a .40 S&W chamber.

[AndyC]

In Africa, an "empty cassette" is a spare magazine and "spin barrels" are revolvers. Anything stainless or chrome is automatically a "magnum" and "bullet heads" are the projectiles.