SCVRC 10th St. range in SJ - shotguns allowed?

[3ngineer]

I couldn't find an email address on their site. Anyone know if shotguns can be used there? About a year ago I brought a 12ga and was told shotguns were temporarily not allowed because the target mounts were getting torn up.

On their home page under "regulations", shotguns aren't mentioned as allowed, though their range rules still include shotguns shooting up to 00 buck as OK.

http://www.scvrc.com/downloads/SJMFR%20Public%20Hours%20Range%20Rules%20(2012-05-03).pdf

[Javajoe]

Shotguns are allowed at the San Jose Municipal Firing Range aka 10th St. Range. At the moment while some backstop testing is being done only lead 00 Buck is allowed. Steel shot or any composition of slugs are never permitted. Shotguns are typically restricted to the center lane to help avoid damage to the walls.

[unusedusername]

FYI: Javajoe is a board member of the Santa Clara valley rifle club that runs the 10th street range. I would take his answer as being authoritative.

[3ngineer]

Thanks, @Javajoe and @unusedusername!

[hambam105]

If you were shooting a 38 Special ammo at the 10th Street Range and one of your rounds penetrated the ranges' backstop and whacked one of the home-less persons camped out behind the building, could you be held responsible?

[unusedusername]

If you were shooting a 38 Special ammo at the 10th Street Range and one of your rounds penetrated the ranges' backstop and whacked one of the home-less persons camped out behind the building, could you be held responsible?

I can't tell if this is a serious question. I'll assume it is.

The backstop testing that was being done involved reducing lead particulate in the air. It had nothing to do with stopping projectiles.

The backstop is several inches thick of steel plating, with a cinderblock wall behind it. A 38 special isn't going to go through that.

If you somehow fired a cannon in there, and that went through the backstop and hit someone, then yes, you should absolutely be held responsible. Whatever RSO that was on duty that allowed you to fire the cannon should also be held responsible.

[hambam105]

I can't tell if this is a serious question. I'll assume it is.

The backstop testing that was being done involved reducing lead particulate in the air. It had nothing to do with stopping projectiles.

llll

[hambam105]

I have been warned about, oh, say, eight hundred and three times that you can't use pistol FMJs at the 10th Street public range in San Jose, CA.

Are the pistol bullet type restrictions still in place?
If that is still the case then WTH does air quality have to do with using pistol caliber FMJs or any other bullet configuration?

Maybe the Traders Gun Shop Employee in San Leandro, late 1980s, who put a 30 caliber bullet thru the in-store range backstop and thru the body of another employee minding his own business in the break room was also preoccupied with air quality as well.

[unusedusername]

Are the pistol bullet type restrictions still in place?

Huh? I've been a volunteer RSO with 10th street range for the past 3-4 years and I have never heard of such a thing.

Full metal jacket lead bullets are fine at 10th street range. I would say that full metal jacket is probably the most common shape of bullet that is used at the range.

If you are talking about steel core or bimetal bullets, then that is a different story. That is due to them causing sparks that could potentially (and has in the past) caused unburned powder in the bullet trap to catch fire. Steel and bimetal bullets are the material the bullet is made of, not the shape.

Generally, anything with a lead bullet (of any shape), with muzzle energy less then or equal to 450ft/lbs is OK to use. The ft/lbs limit is based on the rating for the backtop, with a healthy margin of error built in case of manufacturing defects in the ammunition.

Your usual 38 special, 9mm, 40 S&W, and 45ACP rounds are below this limit when shot out of a <6" barrel. Higher energy rounds such as a 357 magnum at full loading, a full power 44 magnum, or a full power 10mm auto is above that limit. The energy limit prevents the use of pistol caliber rifles since the longer barrel creates higher muzzle energies, or generally any rifles that are not 22LR.

[3ngineer]

Huh? I've been a volunteer RSO with 10th street range for the past 3-4 years and I have never heard of such a thing.

Full metal jacket lead bullets are fine at 10th street range. I would say that full metal jacket is probably the most common shape of bullet that is used at the range.

If you are talking about steel core or bimetal bullets, then that is a different story. That is due to them causing sparks that could potentially (and has in the past) caused unburned powder in the bullet trap to catch fire. Steel and bimetal bullets are the material the bullet is made of, not the shape.

Generally, anything with a lead bullet (of any shape), with muzzle energy less then or equal to 450ft/lbs is OK to use. The ft/lbs limit is based on the rating for the backtop, with a healthy margin of error built in case of manufacturing defects in the ammunition.

Your usual 38 special, 9mm, 40 S&W, and 45ACP rounds are below this limit when shot out of a <6" barrel. Higher energy rounds such as a 357 magnum at full loading, a full power 44 magnum, or a full power 10mm auto is above that limit. The energy limit prevents the use of pistol caliber rifles since the longer barrel creates higher muzzle energies, or generally any rifles that are not 22LR.

Glad you mentioned that. I've been on the fence about purchasing a Ruger PC9 to shoot at the 10th st range, so I'll hold off on buying one for now.

[duxxu]

Pretty sure a 9mm going out a 16in barrel has less energy than a .40 or .45.

[unusedusername]

450 ft lbs isn't that much...



According to this testing, most brands of 9mm exceed 450 ft lbs of energy out of longer barrels. Even a few of the hot +P loads exceed this out of a 5" barrel.

Here is the chart for 45ACP:


The range generally does not allow 45 ACP +P due to this.

Graphs from here: http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/45auto.html

[duxxu]

Yeah that 450 limit is pretty tight, seems like almost everything out a 5" .40 cal would put you over that line.

http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/megraphs/40sw.html