Ammo 'bans' at ranges (Blazer, etc).. WHY?

J

jg0001

New member
Why is it certain ranges restrict use of certain brands of ammo?

I refer particularly to Blazer, Tiger, Wolf, and Sellier & Bellot (all of which are banned at my local range, with Blazer and S&B also banned at a range I've used in PA).

Are they considered in some way dangerous or does the range simply want to collect the brass and not be bothered with cheaper and/or non-brass casings? (Which doesn't make too much sense since they sell other ammo that is non-brass).
 
I've heard of everything now. Wolf, maybe because it is known for steel jacketed bullets. But Blazer? Especially Blazer Brass? That's just ridiculuous.

No idea why, can you ask range management?
 
You'd have to ask the folks running the range that question to get the exact answer, but suspect your idea that it's because they don't want to have to sort out the non brass casings is exactly why.
 
Standard S&B ammo is loaded in quality brass cases. But they also have a cheaper line that is plated steel. Ranges can't reuse any of the steel cases, or the aluminum Blazer.

Chuck
 
wow

I'd suggest you follow my example. Write a letter to the range management explaining your reason for not returning to their range... and then go find a better one.

I received a phone call in return and free range passes which i gave to my friends
 
The range I go to is handgun only. It's cheap, private and they don't
allow magnum ammo. 44/357 ext. Thats kind of a bummer but it's
walking distance from my house and they have good exaust in place
so I shoot my ammo. I see guys shooting magnum stuff all the time.
(no one workes there card swipe entry)
 
Wolf ammo (some of it anyway) has steel cores. These steel cored rounds can damage bullet traps at indoor ranges. This is beyond the brass/steel/aluminum sorting issues.

Their house, their rules.......
 
My range is kind of a stickler. Only brass casings, no aluminum or steel in the indoor range. This is obviously because they reload ammo or sell the brass. There are always big piles of the brass sitting by the range just waiting to be cleaned up and sold.

Kinda sucks but that is only the indoor portion of the range, you can shoot almost anything in the outside portion.
 
I'll tell you a story that might shed some light. Several years ago I was a t a local indoor range. I was the only one at the range at that time. I fired my 1911 and a lot of the brass went forward of the line. I grabed a push broom from the corner and dragged it out. The owner went ballistic. I was told that was unsafe and never to do it again.

After that I still went to that range, but only fired revolvers to any great extent. I took a 9mm that would toss most of the caseings into the wall. which was angled some so the brass went over the line. I had a case of brass case berdan primer 9mm, surplus stuff. Some time later this guy started checking ammo and refusing to let people shoot military head stamps. He told me that I should pay him for all the decapping pins he broke.
 
Private range

No tracer rounds...............fire hazard.

No full metal jacket on "old" indoor range........backstop will be damaged.

As long as you are not destroying their property. I say shoot what you want. However they have the right to kick you out and not let you return. If you can live with that then go for it.
 
My range:
* They get money for recycling the brass.
* Whole containers of brass can get turned down if there's any aluminum in there (Blazer).
* They can sort out the steel with a magnet, plus it's easy to spot visually.

So aluminum is banned, steel is OK.
 
range

so these are commercial ranges.no one reloads that go there??you dont pick up your own brass??or you arnot allowed to.
 
I shoot at my own range, (300 yards) but even I have ammo limits, I'm barred from shooting my 416, 375, my cannon, etc, when wifey is napping.

Wives being woke up from a sound sleep do to shooting makes for burned dinner.
 
The local indoor range bans all non brass cased ammo; but it's not for the reasons stated (except for the guys who said recycling). A lot of indoor ranges don't reload their brass, they just sell it in bulk to recycling companies, companies which don't accept the steel or aluminum cased rounds. Or the recycling companies charge them extra for steel/aluminum casings, which drives up overhead.
 
They often sell the shells as scrap metal - they're worth almost as much that way as in reloadable shells and you don't have to sort them.

(Um, that might change through with the economy: most metal prices have dropped in the last six months as the economy tanks.)

Anyways. If the brass is going to be smelted, one shell's worth of aluminum in there will screw up several buckets or more worth of brass, royally.
 
The only restriction the local indoor range has is you have to buy ammo from them when you rent a handgun. Seems they got sued when someone blew up a rental with a hand load they had brought in.
 
My Local Range

Well here in the Great White (Melting Today) North, my local range has a lot of ammo rules.

Like for handgun calibers under .44mag no steel of any kind, no loads over 1300fps, aluminum cases frowned on but allowed if you know the RSO (may make you clean them up and take them out with you rather than leaving in the brass buckets).

For Handgun Calibers .44mag to .460 basically the same but you have to purchase the ammo from them for use on the range, unless you know the counter guys and RSO and they trust you (but they do check you from time to time as they don't want to loose their jobs).

All rifle calibers and handgun calibers over .460 all ammo must be bought from them and these are restricted to two lanes with 1/2 hr max usage limits per person. The Rifle lanes also cost more per half hour than an hour on a handgun lane.

These don't really effect me unless I have my AR out for some fun and practice as my membership does not cover the cost of the rifle lane time. As for the cheaper Blazer ammo in the aluminum case, in this area a 1K case of 9mm 115gr FMJ brass cased non-corrosive is right around $205-$215 depending on manufacture. The Blazer cheap stuff at the one range in the area that sells it is $100/500 so there isn't a huge savings around here, and for me 5 or 15 bucks per 1K cheaper isn't going to fly for me as I plan to start reloading in the next few months. I have about 3K in brass in the closet right now waiting on a cleaner/reloader setup.
 
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