Seriously? For fuck's sake, what a buzz-kill when you're trying to do a little target shooting with your handgun and the cowboy in the next lane starts blasting away with a 5.56 carbine.

Doesn't matter that I double-up on hearing protection (plugs and muffs) when I shoot indoors.
The muzzle blast and concussion is significant and uncomfortable.

And, I might add, this is a small range.

Makes me appreciate suppressors. Takes most of the concussion out of it.

When you walked in were you under the impression that they weren't allowed?

One of the many negatives of indoor ranges.


I have a shorter barreled AK-103k, which has a 14" barrel with a pinned -74-style compensator, which projects basically all the blast out to either side, and a shorter barrel firing 7.62x39 has increased muzzle blast as it is. I know from personal experience from letting friends shoot it that it's obnoxious to stand next to, thanks to the massive side concussions. (It's not bad for the shooter themselves.)

I don't take it to public ranges, or especially indoor ranges, because I wouldn't want to be the poor guy in a lane next to me. But not everyone has a choice... When they want to shoot their "obnoxious" rifle, that indoor range may be their only option.

Meh - when I shoot indoors I use double hearing protection.

One of the last time I went, there was a guy in the lane next to me with an M-4. HE was teaching his wife how to shoot 3-round bursts.


They went through about 1,500 rounds and, because he didn't reload his ammo, swept up all his brass and gave it to me.

One thing I will always do if I am shooting something significantly louder/more concussive then normal or using something that throws brass “in anger” I will let the folks around me know and tell them to let me know if it is causing them issue.

Usually no problems at all and most folks appreciate just having a little heads up.

I don't find 5.56 carbines and rifles to be that loud, but I do find 5.56 pistols to have terrible concussion.

They allow em at the indoor range I shoot at every week, but the louder ones get put in a smaller mini range as it were with a door between it and the rest of the rifle range.

Yeah, I've been blown sideways a few times from the muzzle blast from the next lane.

There was one incident with a guy shooting a 50 cal Desert Eagle except he didn't really know what he was doing. He did an accidental double tap and blew a hole in the target retrieval rail. The range officer escorted him out.

quote:

Originally posted by BigSwede:
When you walked in were you under the impression that they weren't allowed?

No, I know they're allowed. The guy shooting the 5.56 wasn't breaking any range rules.
It's just uncomfortable being next to someone shooting that caliber indoors.

Occasionally I'll bring one of my .44 mags to the range, so maybe I shouldn't bitch too much. Those are pretty loud at an indoor range, too.

The two local indoor ranges I go to have separate sections (with a wall) for rifles and handguns.

quote:

Originally posted by tgtshuter:
The two local indoor ranges I go to have separate sections (with a wall) for rifles and handguns.

This is the way my daughter's range handles it. Sensible.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
Ironic

Haha..I know. Kinda stupid complaining about noise at an indoor range

For some reason the indoor range we used to go to all the time in Richmond/Henrico usually combined the rifle and pistol shooters onto one lane.

I have no idea why.
There are few times that I can remember that they had everyone separated.

It was loud as crap and annoying. I guess I am sensitive because I have high level hearing loss and even though I wear double protection I am paranoid about every little loud noise.

(You can thank Uncle Sam and the US Army for that)

That indoor range in Richmond is still being silly, and not putting rifles in one range and handguns in another range, even though there are four distinct ranges and a basement range. So simple to do, but they have no inclination so to do.

The NRA range is even worse, as they allow up to OMG caliber rifles.

OKC has an indoor range, Wilshire Gun, with 3 separated ranges. One is a 25 yard, another is a 35 yard, and there other is a 101 yard range well separated from the other 2. The 101 yard indoor range is Rifle Only.

I’m with you guys, I don’t like to be concentrating on my pistol work with somebody blasting away with a rifle. That’s why I like Wilshire.

Oh, and they have a gunsmith and a Class 3 dealer shop onsite too. The candy store lol.

Once was assigned a lane next to a guy firing a scoped Marlin 45-70 at a 25 yard indoor range. The concussion was unbelievable. I didn't hang around long.

I have no idea how many times I've seen people on this forum state that they enjoy shooting their rifles that have brakes, short barrels, or comps at public ranges -- just to clear out the riff raff from nearby bays.

It always seems like fun, until such a rifle is next to you.

I took my wife to an indoor range to get her comfortable when she was just starting out (it was winter, and our club only has outdoor shooting).

Everything was fine until two idjits came in and fired off full .357 magnum loads from a S&W snubbie. No warning, no courtesy heads up... just blasted the 5 shots as fast as they could.

Needles to say, my wife was startled, and didn't feel like shooting much after that.

The only rifles allowed at our indoor range are rimfires.

I was shooting my semi-auto Finnish Soumi in 9mm. I was told I cannot shoot it in there anymore. I asked why not but, anyone and their uncle can start banging away w/ 10mm’s, 44 Mag’s, 50A&E’s, etc....in handguns with a much higher muzzle energy output than my 9x19. It was explained some people would assume that was a rifle and start blowing up the indoor range w/ rifles.

I responded that if they are too stupid to ask about it or notice the shells are a lot smaller than their rifles maybe we don’t want them as members of the club..... I lost.