Anyone Else Have A Problem With Local Gun Ranges.....

[J.T.]

Not allowing you to bring in your own ammo?? It seems that for "Insurance" reasons as Im being told we are not permitted to bring in outside ammo in Palm Beach County!! Ive gone up north to Marion county and had no problem at all with this!! Anyone else??

[tattedupboy]

The one I go to doesn't allow handloads, although, curiously enough, they don't check the ammo you bring in. That's a moot point for me, because I have never shot handloads (yet). I don't know what the penalty is for anyone caught shooting handloads, though.

[lukem]

I've only noticed my range makes you buy ammo from them when renting one of their guns but that makes sense.

[FreedomsAdvocate]

Here in Tampa, it seems to depend on the individual range rules:

Shooting Sports (indoor range) checks the ammo to make sure it is not reloads (can't even use factory reloads like Georgia Arms Canned Heat), but other than that only real limit is on unjacketed lead--not including .22's).

Dade City Rod and Gun (outdoor range) doesn't care one way or another.

[Glocksquared]

Here in Ft. Myers there is only one indoor range and you have to buy their ammo.

[wolfhunter]

All the ranges within driving distance of me allow any ammo, bought onsite, bought elsewhere, and even reloads.

[HK4U]

Here in Fort Worth, Texas I have never heard of any doing that. I have known of some that prohibit certain types. One will not let you use Wolf and will not allow any steel bullets.

[Glock Fan]

If you think that's bad, consider the range here in PRHI that purchases bulk quantities of ammo from The Sports Authority, then puts their marked up price tag right over the Sports Authority price tag, then places the ammo on their shelves for sale. I could go into The Sports Authority and purchase a box from them with identical lot numbers and take it to the said range and they wouldn't allow me to use it. I would have to purchase the marked up box of ammo (approx. 80% mark up). The owner says it's because of "insurance liability purposes".

One guy went so far as to challenge his reasoning (he's an insurance broker buddy of mine) and offered to find him a more "gun friendly" insurance carrier with much lower rates. The store owner literally told him to "f-off".

Needless to say, I don't go to that store/range unless it's absolutely necessary.



gf

[J.T.]

Right on the nail head Glock Fan!! Its the old "Don't piss on my shoes and expect me to beleive its raining!" I now have to go way out of the way just to practice when I want to. I can understand checking ammo that is brought in for FMJ but thats it!

[Glock Fan]

The other indoor range on the island used to prohibit reloads. Once they realized that lots of folks bring in reloads that are put back into factory boxes, they changed the policy. Shooters now sign a waiver stating that they won't hold the range liable if they're injured by their ammo or results of shooting "unsafe" ammo. There's virtually no restriction on the type of ammo that can be fired on the range. Only exception is shot shells, due to the shreading of targets and potential fire hazard. Basically any round "legal" here in PRHI is OK to be fired on that range. Normal citizens are prohibited from the "good stuff" like "steel core", "armor piercing", "incindiary", "tracer", etc. type of ammo.

I don't like how a lot of ranges I've been to (I do a lot of shooting when I travel) pull this "we require you to purchase our ammo because of insurance purposes" crap. I can understand some ranges requiring "clean range" or "frangible" type of ammo due to the limits of their range (possible weak back stop, poor ventilation, etc), but giiving a poor excuse like "insurance purposes" just doesn't do it for me. I called BS at one range in VA and after a short but colorful discussion with the range master, I was able to shoot the frangible ammunition I had purchased from another range. My basic argument was that they had the exact same brand, packaging, etc. How were they going to tell that I brought in my own stuff. What sealed the deal was that the lot number was the same on my box of ammo. He couldn't believe the sticker price of the ammo (was almost $3 less than their price). I didn't have the heart to tell him that the other range had much higher range fees.

Good luck in finding a decent place to shoot. As members of the shootig community, we need to send a message to the firearms businesses that we're not gonna take their crap. They will either have to play ball with us or expect for us to take our business elsewhere.



gf