Range Etiquette

[sutehk]

I went out to the local range today to practice with my carry gun. I get there and start setting up while chatting with another gentleman I have seen there before. He was getting ready to leave. Meanwhile, a group of about 5 other gentleman show up and begin to do their thing. I chat with them a little and we all start to shoot. Couple of the guys were at the bench to my right shooting revolvers and semi-autos. I'm shooting a semi-auto as well. This goes on for about a half hour, chatting and shooting, before they head on over to the rifle ranges. I continued to shoot for a while after. When I'm all said and done I started to clean up my spent brass. Took notice that many of the shells landed around the bench to my right. At this point I feel like a total ass. I didn't fire a whole lot of rounds, maybe about 15 - 20 while they were there. When I start to leave I stopped one of them and apologized profusely.

Question 1

What exactly is proper range etiquette for semi-auto fire around other shooters?

Also, the range I frequent has a no rapid fire rule. I spoke with one of the club officers about doing double tap practice while there. His response was that they held pistol competitions and cowboy shoots there where 5 shots in 10 sec. is part of the competition. He didn't see a problem with it. I do not want to cause trouble there as I go there often.

Question 2

What constitutes "rapid fire"?

[Asmodeus6]

I'd say this constitutes rapid fire;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELol1...eature=related

[FireGS]

Damn, you got to it before me. Thats such an epic video.

[knight0334]

Semi-autos(righthand ejection) stay to the right of the range for most of the ones I was at that didn't have shooter barriers. If no barriers, and if the right most is taken - put a vacant station between you and the guy towards your ejection.

[sutehk]

Knight0334

Thats what I had originally done when I got there. The gentlemen that I knew and chatted with at the beginning were still packing up so I moved down further. These other guys then came and setup on all sides of me, primarily to my right.

Asmodeus6 and FireGS

Yes, that is obviously rapid fire and a BIG video on youtube. However, my curiosity is more or less what most would consider rapid fire at a range that does not allow such. Blasting through and entire clip as fast as you can pull the trigger is obvious. What about 2 shots or 3 shots in say the same amount of seconds?

[Poonie]

Most people should be smart enough to know that semi-autos eject to the right. If you were there first and they knew that and still sat near you then its on them if the brass starts dancing around their heads. Now had it been you who showed up second then yes, leaving an empty station between you is the courteous thing to do, but what happens when the place is packed?

I had an incident happen one time when I was shooting my mini-14. Now anyone who has any knowledge of mini-14's, will know that those things toss brass very far. Well, I had been at the range for about an hour when this guy shows up. I was on the left side of the range so of course my brass could potentially hit someone, but I had no choice in tables when I got there because it was crowded and I took the only open table. Anyway, I warned the new guy that my gun throws brass and he was supposedly cool with it. Well I crank off two shots and he's suddenly pissing about the brass hitting him. I then said, " I prewarned you, and you still decided to sit here". I then proceed to fire again, again he starts moaning, so I just turned and said " I was here first" and didn't say another word. The guy got huffy and left.....Oh well.....

[Emptymag]

I think the "issue" many ranges have concerning "rapid fire", is that there are those who like to dump a mag as fast as they can. While doing so, they are often not keeping the sights on the target. There is the potential for a round to leave the range if it should hit the ground ahead of the backstop(it could skip into the air), or perhaps even go over the backstop entirely.

[lovetogoshooting]

I do not see this as a problem anyone who has spent any time at a range has had a spent cartrige land near or on them (always wear eye protection). I do not think you did it on purpose It is just where the your spent shells were landing. If it was a problem for the other shooters thay would have said something or moved(I would have). You did the right thing by telling them you were sorry. Please do not loose any sleep over this......Just my 2 cents... Joe

[Wasz]

I think its common courtesy to try and keep to the right side if shooting a semi-auto or the empty stall thing. I also think that everyone realizes that these guns do this and its just part of shooting. So you can either wait until someone is done shooting or endure the brass.

Its sort of the same as guns are loud and distracting. Either you learn to tune out everyone else or try and time your shots when no one else is shooting. Its just part of the sport. You didn't do anything worth chasing someone down to apologize to them for. Kudos to you for caring and being a respectful person though.

[GunLawyer001]

For $30 you can buy a brass catcher and avoid the problem entirely.