Ammo at Ranges

[JJ1911]

I went to my local range today and they told me I could not use aluminum cased rounds, even if they were factory, and only used in my own gun. I didn't ask why but I should have because now I'm curious. Anyone know why aluminum cased rounds are not allowed at some ranges?

[Kingofthehill]

Because they don't like to sort the brass and aluminum. Its a pretty common deal from my experiences.

JOe

[USN CHIEF]

And they want you to buy their overly priced expensive cheap ammo.

[RedDawn]

It's common practice for a range to pickup spent cases and use them to reload their own ammunition.

[rayra]

Concur with all the preceding answers. The range operators are short-sighted crapy businessmen.

Several indoor ranges in greater L.A. are the same way, and also insist you buy their ammo (with their gross markup) to shoot their rental guns.
Compound that with all their other lawyerly restrictions and the jacked-up rental prices they all charge these days, and well that's why their businesses are so empty now, as compared to 20yrs ago.
And that sort of lack of business turns bad businessman into even worse ones.
If their policies and pricing were more relaxed, they'd have far more more business and their profit would come from volume business, instead of trying to screw individual shooters out of ~$50 just to try out a handgun.

[nooner]

Ask them to put you in the right corner and tell them you will sweep up your cases.

[DMCA]

About 20 years ago or so, the ranges where I shot in Illinois required a deposit on any reloads you purchased from them. If you wanted your deposit back, you picked up the brass. I don't recall any issues with aluminum, perhaps those cases became more popular in the last 5-10 years?

I agree with the comments about range experiences. Here in S. Cal, I go far out of my way to find an amenable place for shooting. In defense of the range operators, I would say that a shooting range in a big urban area is a challenging business to operate. In Illinois, you have to register for a firearms owner's card (FOID). That is issued after a background check and has to be renewed every 3 years. That is the only item required to purchase a firearm and it is also required to get on a range or purchase ammo. I don't want to even come close to defending Illinois gun laws but in California, a felon can get on a range and rent a gun. That dynamic no doubt adds to the "atmosphere" at some ranges.

[will227457]

Concur with all the preceding answers. The range operators are short-sighted crapy businessmen.

Several indoor ranges in greater L.A. are the same way, and also insist you buy their ammo (with their gross markup) to shoot their rental guns.
Compound that with all their other lawyerly restrictions and the jacked-up rental prices they all charge these days, and well that's why their businesses are so empty now, as compared to 20yrs ago.
And that sort of lack of business turns bad businessman into even worse ones.
If their policies and pricing were more relaxed, they'd have far more more business and their profit would come from volume business, instead of trying to screw individual shooters out of ~$50 just to try out a handgun.

As someone who works part time at a range it is not cost efficient to pick out the casings from the WOLF or Blazer ammo. It is easier to just ban it out right. On a rental gun I totall understand them making you use their ammo, what if you use reloads and blow the gun up? there was a guy in there last week with his own gun shooting reloads he blew out the top end of his gun, he blamed the gun not his crappy loads......It just makes sense. There is a lot of liability in renting hand guns and I can assure you insurance is not cheap prices should reflect that.

All that said and I speak from personal experience does the range were I work gouge for their ammo, hell yes it is way more expensive than say your local bulk supplier and a rip off in my opinion, Do they over charge for rentals....on some guns yes. If I owned and operated my own place I would make people buy my ammo for the rentals it is a hugh source of revenue, but I would not have the ridicilous mark ups that I see, thats just not right and it's just greedy.

Is the owner were I work a bad business man hell yeah he has his head up his A__! but there is a line out the door on the weekends to use the range, and it stays busy during the week. He is almost the only show in town and also offers a large selection of handguns for purchase. Say what you want it's good to be in the gun business right now....

[steven_m64]

still dont be such a-holes and ban them outright just require them to pickup their steel/non-brass shells.

most people being lazy would probably choose not to shoot them so you get to be nice and still get your way.

[will227457]

still dont be such a-holes and ban them outright just require them to pickup their steel/non-brass shells.

most people being lazy would probably choose not to shoot them so you get to be nice and still get your way.

The cool thing about rules is if you don't like them you can spend your money elsewere.....

Most people are lazy and probably would not pick up 200 empty casings, and what about the ones that fell in front of the firing line

[Vacaville]

As someone who works part time at a range it is not cost efficient to pick out the casings from the WOLF or Blazer ammo. It is easier to just ban it out right. On a rental gun I totall understand them making you use their ammo, what if you use reloads and blow the gun up? there was a guy in there last week with his own gun shooting reloads he blew out the top end of his gun, he blamed the gun not his crappy loads......It just makes sense. There is a lot of liability in renting hand guns and I can assure you insurance is not cheap prices should reflect that.

All that said and I speak from personal experience does the range were I work gouge for their ammo, hell yes it is way more expensive than say your local bulk supplier and a rip off in my opinion, Do they over charge for rentals....on some guns yes. If I owned and operated my own place I would make people buy my ammo for the rentals it is a hugh source of revenue, but I would not have the ridicilous mark ups that I see, thats just not right and it's just greedy.

Is the owner were I work a bad business man hell yeah he has his head up his A__! but there is a line out the door on the weekends to use the range, and it stays busy during the week. He is almost the only show in town and also offers a large selection of handguns for purchase. Say what you want it's good to be in the gun business right now....

I understand not allowing people to rent guns and bring in their own ammo. I would do the same if I had a range. But I thought I was paying for using the range at the counter, not with my brass. I figured leaving my brass was just a bonus for the range, that I do not mind giving them, and if they have to take a few minutes to sort out some aluminum and steel casings it's just part of the process of making some addtional cash. If you don't want to go through the hassle, sweep it all up and throw it out. Not allowing people to shoot steel or aluminum cased ammo is about equivalent to the local landfill telling you to keep some of your stuff because they can't make money off of it. I guess I've just been naive.

[will227457]

they make you seperate your garbage even at the dump, organic, construction materials, tv and computer monitors....try going and dumping all your stuff in one place...

[will227457]

I understand not allowing people to rent guns and bring in their own ammo. I would do the same if I had a range. But I thought I was paying for using the range at the counter, not with my brass. I figured leaving my brass was just a bonus for the range, that I do not mind giving them, and if they have to take a few minutes to sort out some aluminum and steel casings it's just part of the process of making some addtional cash. If you don't want to go through the hassle, sweep it all up and throw it out. Not allowing people to shoot steel or aluminum cased ammo is about equivalent to the local landfill telling you to keep some of your stuff because they can't make money off of it. I guess I've just been naive.

try picking out a few hundred aluminum/steel casings from a few thousand brass.....economically it dosent make sense, I don't understand the grief if your local range dosent allow it......... shoot somewere else.

[steven_m64]

its not that hard, just use a steel plate and a series of strong magnets it makes picking up steel cases alot faster.

i hate brass nazi's.

What about letting people use Brass catchers hmm?

your range is not one of those a-hole ranges that wont let you even pick up your own fired brass is it?

[Vacaville]

they make you seperate your garbage even at the dump, organic, construction materials, tv and computer monitors....try going and dumping all your stuff in one place...

TV and computer monitors are hazardous waste. Steel and aluminum casings are not, they just can't be reloaded. As far as organic and construction materials, I believe they take them at my local landfill - you just have to drive to different spots on the site.