Rules are there for a reason

J

jag2

New member
Some idiot at an indoor range in Dallas decided to ignore the rule and fired a tracer round. Burned one of the nicest indoor ranges TOO THE GROUND. Anything else I say will get bleeped by the mods.
 
I've actually seen this happen to a range. In that case, one person's foolishness (or malicious intent) did over $250,000 in the blink of an eye.
 
In the case I saw, it was a steel backstop. The tracer ignited small amounts of unburnt powder. It was enough to send some flames into the exhaust, which spread from there.

In the case of the range mentioned in this thread, it was a backstop of granulated rubber, which many ranges use.
 
Seems like a good summary article. http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/dallas/Three-alarm-fire-engulfs-Dallas-gun-range-192889931.html

The article said the shooter would not be prosecuted since it was an accident. If the range had rules on using tracer rounds, then the shooter has liability whether he likes it or not. The insurance company will take him to court regardless of what the article said if tracers were not allowed at the range.

As far as rules go, there are practical safety minded rules and there are rules set to reduce liability. I don't like indoor ranges much. My one membership was un-memorable and I didn't renew it. Have not tried a different indoor range. My experience level on indoor ranges is not substantial and limited to two ranges.
 
Makes me (kind of) understand ranges that make you use their ammunition and not shoot your own.

I do not like or support that policy but I guess this story makes me slightly more sympathetic to that restriction.
 
Mike Irwin said:
What the hell was the backstop area made of?

Bales of kerosene-soaked cotton?
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I vaguely remember a training film in the Army that talked about the effects of tracers and what all they could do. There were several scenes of tracers setting all sorts of things on fire.

if I remember right, somebody using tracers(accidentally) on a live fire FTX nearly burned down half of Hunter-Liggett.
 
Trust me, I've seen what tracers can do.

I've also seen powder fires at gun ranges where I've worked.

Just didn't expect to hear that a tracer took out the entire building.
 
The article said the shooter would not be prosecuted since it was an accident. If the range had rules on using tracer rounds, then the shooter has liability whether he likes it or not. The insurance company will take him to court regardless of what the article said if tracers were not allowed at the range.
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The shooter isn't being prosecuted because he did not break any laws, it was a violation of range rules to use tracers, but there is no law prohibiting the use of tracers in Dallas.

The owner of the gun range is an attorney and had his law office in the same building, no doubt there will lawsuits filed. My question though, where was the RSO - range safety officer as it was reported that the shooter fired multiple tracer rounds?
 
My question though, where was the RSO - range safety officer as it was reported that the shooter fired multiple tracer rounds?
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It only takes a split second to touch a couple off. By the time he'd have registered what happened, the fire would have already started.

The same goes for range suicides. Unless the RSO was standing directly behind the shooter with a hand on his shoulder, he couldn't have done anything.
 
I think it was 2011, tracers set fire to the surrounding hillside at Knob Creek and they had to cut short the MG shoot. The Fort Knox soldiers also had numerous brush fires at the same time.
 
What the hell was the backstop area made of?

Bales of kerosene-soaked cotton?
Click to expand...

That's kind of what I was thinking.

In the case I saw, it was a steel backstop. The tracer ignited small amounts of unburnt powder. It was enough to send some flames into the exhaust, which spread from there.
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That's why my range doesn't allow tracers or sparking steel ammo.
 
Most ranges I know don't allow steel core ammo simply because it really batters the impact plates in addition to the spark issues.
 
Most ranges I know don't allow steel core ammo simply because it really batters the impact plates in addition to the spark issues.
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Stupid question but, to avoid this, how does one know if they have steel core ammunition? Does it say that on the box or is that special ammunition or something? I'm saying that because of the Great Freakout II with limited ammo available, I'm looking at that joyous East European stuff (if even that ever comes in).
 
Stupid question but, to avoid this, how does one know if they have steel core ammunition?
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They don't know if it has a penetrator or not. To err on the safe side many simply reject any bullets that are attracted to a magnet.
 
@zincwarrior,

One option with foreign ammo is to use a magnet. If the projectiles of your rounds stick to the magnet, they're not allowed to be fired on the ranges I shoot at.

Sport45 - looks like we posted simultaneously... :D
 
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