I had a similar experience to the OP. I was at a local indoor range and was placed next to a swat team wannabe. He had on all the tactical gear, web belts with thigh holster,etc. Didn't pay much attention to his pistol shooting but then he reached into his bag and pulls out, what I later learned was a muzzle-braked AR. It was not the noise so much as it was the concussion. I had to leave the range. I had had triple bypass surgery about 6 months before and I was literally afraid the shock wave was going to disrupt the grafts. All these places should have separate ranges for handguns and long guns but they are either too lazy or too cheap to tie up a second range officer. There's an upstairs range in a gun store about 100 miles from me. I like the sign on the door going into the range, "No Rifles".

quote:

Originally posted by NK402:
I had a similar experience to the OP. I was at a local indoor range and was placed next to a swat team wannabe. He had on all the tactical gear, web belts with thigh holster,etc. Didn't pay much attention to his pistol shooting but then he reached into his bag and pulls out, what I later learned was a muzzle-braked AR. It was not the noise so much as it was the concussion. I had to leave the range. I had had triple bypass surgery about 6 months before and I was literally afraid the shock wave was going to disrupt the grafts. All these places should have separate ranges for handguns and long guns but they are either too lazy or too cheap to tie up a second range officer. There's an upstairs range in a gun store about 100 miles from me. I like the sign on the door going into the range, "No Rifles".

Funny you mention that. I've had several times, at my lgs, where I'm walking in for a quick session to shoot my EDC to keep my skills fresh. Several times I'm running errands and the gun range is just one stop of many. I walk in there and see tactical dummy. complete in all his 511 gear, tac this and that big ol boots on etc. This is an indoor range. You aren't running tac drills there, sorry. And unless you know the owners well, have a membership and come in at a very dead time you can't practice presentations either. I'm in flip flops, shorts and a tee shirt but I have my bag with ammo, earpro, eye protection, everything I need including some cleaner and oil to quickly field strip my edc and get it back in the holster. Tac dummy sees me and says something like "you are going shooting in sandals?" then laughing like he is know it all. Just bewildered at the sight. Each time I ask yeah and why? Are we running tac drills today Rambo? Why in the holy fuck do you have all that gear on for an indoor range? The owners are a family and start laughing right at the idiot(s). Another time I quoted Step Brothers and said "I remember when I had my first beer" then smiled. One guy after I insulted him back said "what do you do if hot brass hits your feet?" and I said the same fucking thing I do if brass goes down my shirt or hits my arm, fling the shit off. It's not rocket science Chuck Norris.

Well...it just happened again today, same range.

However, this time was the worst yet.
5.56 but louder and more concussion than ever before.

I couldn't see the firearm so I don't know exactly what he was shooting, but I could see the spent cases so I know it was a 5.56.

It was so bad I went back to the check-in counter and requested a different lane. I've never done that before but this was unbearable, even with double hearing protection (plugs and muffs).

What makes this really nonsensical is that the range is maybe 40 feet maximum. So it's a small range and it seems pretty silly to be shooting 5.56 rifles at that distance.


This is the closest range to my house by far or I would stop going there. Oh well, still managed to enjoy myself.

do they have a suggestion box?

Is there some reason you continue to go back there?

Today at the same indoor range, two stalls away, someone opened up with a semi-auto 7.62.

Holy shit, that was unreal. Huge muzzle flashes that looked like a camera strobe, and the concussion was off the charts.

Just had to stop shooting until they emptied their magazine, there was no way to concentrate on target shooting with that going on.

The commotion attracted the attention of the staff, who told them to stop.

But seriously, what kind of self-absorbed asshole brings a 7.62 carbine to a small indoor range?

When I checked out after shooting, I told the staff thanks for shutting that down. They told me 7.62 isn't allowed there, which anyone would know if they actually read the range rules.

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Originally posted by mod29:

What makes this really nonsensical is that the range is maybe 40 feet maximum. So it's a small range and it seems pretty silly to be shooting 5.56 rifles at that distance.

The indoor range I go to has 2 ranges, one 17 yards and one 25 yards.

When I was in the Army, we zeroed our rifles at 25 meters, so these ranges are pretty good for getting an initial zero. Beyond that it's kind of a waste.

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Originally posted by mod29:

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.

That's what I considered doing. Buying a 44 mag just to give some back.

I see these 5.56 and 7.62 short barreled, red dot carbines at the range all the time. Usually the dumb shits are shooting at targets only 20-25 feet downrange. Dump a mag and think they're hot shit. Their target still looks like it got hit with a shotgun blast.

quote:

Originally posted by 229DAK:
I see these 5.56 and 7.62 short barreled, red dot carbines at the range all the time. Usually the dumb shits are shooting at targets only 20-25 feet downrange. Dump a mag and think they're hot shit. Their target still looks like it got hit with a shotgun blast.

Yep, you're right! Large targets, you know the ones...bad guy holding a gun or man-outline types that are huge...and holes all over 'em. No effort to group shots whatsoever. I keep my eyes on those type of shooters when I'm sharing the range with them.

I use the popular 'shark with a SCUBA tank in its teeth' target when I shoot my M1 at our 50 foot indoor range.

In reading these stories I wonder at times whether the management of small indoor ranges that permit the sort of obnoxious stuff that’s being discussed ever do any analysis of its effect on overall business. I.e., do the number of customers whose motive is mostly to make as much noise as possible make up for the number of customers that they chase away or discourage from coming at all?

Just wondering, what is the most obnoxious firearm that can be used at most indoor ranges. Yes, the rules will vary from range to range, so let's think about handguns in the calibers that are usually acceptable at most places.

500 smith and wesson magnum is pretty unnerving.

Leaving aside some of the rifle level cartridges fired from T/C Contender pistols as possibly not being acceptable, one of my most memorable muzzle blast experiences was the first time I fired a full power 357 Magnum round with a 2.5 inch S&W model 19. And then there was the time with a hot 44 Magnum handload from a 4 inch model 29 “Mountain Revolver.” That was actually more memorable from the recoil standpoint, so I believe the 19 would still take first place in the muzzle blast category in my experiences. (I stopped buying revolvers when the 44 Magnum was the “most powerful handgun in the world,” so I can see how my experiences are somewhat dated. Question would be whether some of those later cartridges would be acceptable at most ranges.)

quote:

500 smith and wesson magnum is pretty unnerving.

Most of the indoor ranges around here will not allow .50 caliber.

Asking because I had a really obnoxious shooter* in an adjacent lane the last time that I was at an indoor range, wondering what might be good to have in the range bag in the unlikely event that I ever go back there. Just something to pull out if the occasion arises.

---

*NOTE: I could tell you the story if you want to hear it, but I have never, neither before nor since, encountered such an asshole.

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Originally posted by sigfreund:

full power 357 Magnum round with a 2.5 inch S&W model 19

A friend has one of those -- 2.5" Model 19. He refuses to discuss selling / trading it to me, but I know that he would let me borrow it.

Many years ago, he owned a store. Police friend of his told him that as a store owner, he needed to own a handgun, and gifted it to him. He had never fired it until I took him to the club that I belong to. I tried it. Really liked it!

Here is my youngest son shooting my 7.5” barreled AR pistol in the noon time sun.

It is a real hoot in a dimly lit indoor range. One guy legit thought I had a flame thrower.

Kaw Valley Precision linear compensator helps direct noise and concussion forward, but still bothersome to some.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
Just wondering, what is the most obnoxious firearm that can be used at most indoor ranges. Yes, the rules will vary from range to range, so let's think about handguns in the calibers that are usually acceptable at most places.

A short barrel AR is actually more annoying than most people can imagine, especially if you have a comp that blows the gasses to the left and right. The owners don't realize how bad it is but the concussion in the lanes to the left and right of you will quit shooting until you leave. Super annoying.

Don't stand near me when I am shooting my SIG 556P in 7.62x39mm.