What exactly is thier reasoning for not wanting steel core ammo?

 

At an indoor range not to far from my house, they don't allow it either. I can understand why they wouldn't, but at an open range? Those bullets you are using have enough ferous metal in them to be attracted by a magnet. Probably a steel jacket with a copper wash.

 

I, too, am wondering why they don't want any steel-core on the range. Are there some steel targets they're trying to protect?

 

At indoor ranges, armor piercing ammo will damage the bullet traps used. There is no easy way to distinguish between true armor piercing (the paint comes off and most counter people wouldn't know what it means anyway) and light steel core (non armor piercing) , mi-metal/steel jacketed ammo, so, most indoor ranges just give their counter people a magnet and say if it sticks, don't allow it.

Out door ranges, with proper berms, should have no trouble with any "magnetic" ammo. If they do, it may be because they want to sell you their expensive "good" ammo, instead of you shooting your "cheap" surplus. Just my guess.

 

That makes more sense than anything else. I know ranges that won't allow home made reloads, and that's just to make you buy what they sell.

 

That makes more sense than anything else. I know ranges that won't allow home made reloads, and that's just to make you buy what they sell.

I have an indoor range/shop here nearby that doesn't allow any steel or aluminum cased ammo. It's obviously because they sell the brass, but I will never go back to that shop because they lie about it. They claim that the steel and aluminum cases will damage your gun, so that's why they don't allow them on the range.

If a person is caught with steel or aluminum cases, they are kicked out and banned forever. I don't shoot that ammo, but they don't have to ban me to keep me away.

 

The outdoor range ban on steel cored ammunition is based on the questionable suspicion that a steel core can generate a spark under certain conditions and start a fire.

I consider this suspicion 'questionable' as all the 'proof' of the matter seems to derive from fires of unknown origin but, '... one shooter that day used steel cored ammunition and if that wasn't the cause what was?' Very little hard evidence of which I'm aware.

Still, that's the primary excuse.

 

I know of a fire that was started at the range I go to due to the use of steel core ammo shot from a 50 cal. The fire burned up a good portion of the hill side. I cant see why anyone would think that a spark isnt possible when steel hits steel, or when steel hits rock.

 

Lots of ranges in CA ban steel core bullets because of possibility of starting brush fires. I don't remember if it is state wide regulation. A lot of acreage burns each year without the help of stray steel core bullets anyway (also banned are tracer and incindary ammo). Indoor ranges the ban is obvious...

 

easy fix... load and shoot cast boolits..

 

jLA, some ranges won't let you shoot your own brew.

 

Youre right.. Guess I just been spoilt to having my own range to shoot on where i make the rules and the targets and the ammo and in some cases the guns. Other than shooting in JLA land I frequent CENTEX with charles and chris from time to time..

 

The very reason I do almost all of my shooting at carver alley!

 

You know Myles, we are very fortunate to be TX hillbilles livin in the county.. Not many rules or regs, and our very own shooting ranges.. I thank my lucky stars I dont live in liberlandcommiefornia.. And i offer my sincerest condolences to those that are stuck there.

 

You are so right, and CA is worse than you think, I used to live there too!

 

I know, so you know better than most what we have to lose..

 

Youre right.. Guess I just been spoilt to having my own range to shoot on where i make the rules and the targets and the ammo and in some cases the guns. Other than shooting in JLA land I frequent CENTEX with charles and chris from time to time..

I want to be you favorite neighbor. I would love to have my own place with enough area to have my own range.

 

Move to TX..

 

Move to TX..

yes, then you can go full 50BMG too !! There's lots of land and far cheaper cost of living out here!

 

The reason is the range has steel targets from 100 yds out to over 500 yds. It is the only thing we ever shoot at at that range. Steel cored ammo will strike a spark on occasion and if the grounds are not groomed of weeds then a fire MAY BE possible. This club had a fire start well over a year ago from a 50 cal so they banned 50 cals at the range too.

About 25 years ago we were at a range that had berms but behind them was a hill side. Some dummy shot a 223 steel cored round at a large rock on the hill side and started a small fire. Within 10 minutes the whole hill side was on fire. Then the adjacent hills caught fire. They had to call in a Borate bomber plane and a bus load of fire fighters. The area got so dangerous we had to leave. My son-in-law himself started a small fire with a 8 mm Surplus round that he easily put out. It can happen. But on a range there is no reason that the area around the targets should not be free of weeds and under brush.

For 10 years we shot this same steel cored ammo at this range and we never started a fire there. This is just new management flexing their muscles. And they do not sell any ammo there. It is a dinky range with very few shooting positions for rifles.

My biggest complaint was they never announced the rule change. If I had known of it I would have not renewed my membership or I would have tried to fight it at the meetings but living 150 miles away makes attending meetings hard.

What other commercial ammos or components are steel cored? Those Winchester 147 gr FMJBT fail the magnet case. Is it now common for component bullet to have steel cores or just ones that also get sold to the military? How prevalent are steel cored bullets as reloading components?

LDBennett

 

What other commercial ammos or components are steel cored? Those Winchester 147 gr FMJBT fail the magnet case. Is it now common for component bullet to have steel cores or just ones that also get sold to the military? How prevalent are steel cored bullets as reloading components?

LDBennett

The ammo doesn't have to be steel cored, if those bullets you are using have enough ferous metal in them to be attracted by a magnet they are probably a steel jacket with a copper wash.

 

Why not just say no shooting steel targets when there is a burn ban on? I'll never be part of a club that is that strict and stupid. The only club around here is a bunch of arrogant pricks anyway, so I'll just go out to a friends house and shoot whatever the heck I want for free.