Range etiquette-shell ejection

[sof 0]

     The other day at the range no one was there so I took the next to last bench on the right, and set up my stuff. I was shooting my AR, and I like that particular slot because it allows access to all the target backstops without shooting across any of them if you want to shoot different distances, and you can set a target at 25, 50, and 100 without being a hog about it __ nice clean lanes. After I had been shooting a while it got busier and finally someone took the bench to my right. There were no screens left to put up a barrier and of course my ejected shells were hitting him right in the head, neck and body. He was a good sport about it and after we joked around about it a bit. I apologized, and we worked out alternating turns more or less. After a while a screen became available and we scoffed it up solving the problem completely, but it was a good 40 minutes or so before that happened. 

     What's the etiquette involved here? I kind of know the guy a bit from range clean up days, and he's a good guy, but what if he was some dickhead and made a fuss. I don't feel like I was in the wrong here, even if I had just fired away, though I wouldn't do that unless he wasn't amenable to alternating fairly. For future reference, what do you say? What if he had been there first and I could only take the port to his left due to the others being used?  That would be kind of awkward.

 

[ogfarmer 138]

I carry a brass catcher in my range bag just for these type of situations. Given I've only felt the need to use it once or twice. ( note they do make cheaper priced ones, using this as example)

 

http://www.amazon.com/Caldwell-Pic-Rail-Brass-Catcher/dp/B00EB5OU0Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415482595&sr=8-1&keywords=caldwell+brass+catcher

 

theres also this type I have seen some guys set up at efga

http://www.amazon.com/Caldwell-122560-Brass-Trap/dp/B00EB5OU06/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1415482471&sr=8-4&keywords=caldwell+brass+catcher

[Vlad G 345]

The range etiquette is what you did, be nice to each other and alternate.

 

On the other hand, if the person to your left is an ass and doesn't want to and pegs you in the head, or the person to you left keep whining, well .. its a gun range, harden up, life is hard, wear a helmet

[HBecwithFn7 296]

The range etiquette is what you did, be nice to each other and alternate.

 

On the other hand, if the person to your left is an ass and doesn't want to and pegs you in the head, or the person to you left keep whining, well .. its a gun range, harden up, life is hard, wear a helmet

 

I have seen RO's attempt to adjust people's positions in the port if someone to the left is hitting their neighbor. It happens to me all the time, and I don't care. But it was happening to my 18 y/o niece as well. They got the guy to move slightly to the left in his port.

[mustang69 505]

The friendly thing to do is adjust your position.  IMO I am responsible for my brass - both cleanup and controlling where it goes as much as possible.  Sounds like you handled it well - you both walked away on good terms, and had some friendly conversation too.

 

When it happens to me, I adjust in  my lane if possible, then speak to the person who's brass it is.  If none of that works I look at it as a training scenario for when SHTF.  Can't expect a clean, trouble-free environment when that happens   

[PD2K 115]

The range etiquette is what you did, be nice to each other and alternate.

 

On the other hand, if the person to your left is an ass and doesn't want to and pegs you in the head, or the person to you left keep whining, well .. its a gun range, harden up, life is hard, wear a helmet

 

Exactly. Being nice pretty much handles the situation. Most people understand and go with the flow. Alternating is a good idea.

 

But always remember you are responsible for your own brass. If your brass is hitting another, it is your job to diffuse the situation with kindness.

[302w 83]

I try to hit my dad with brass.

 

I've seen a guy set up a 50 cal can to deflect his brass from hitting me. I appreciated his concern.

[bhunted 887]

A guy right next to me were shooting our ARs and his kept hitting me. Every time I went to pull the trigger, I got pinged in the head with a shell. After about 7 rounds of getting pinged, I was laughing so hard, the guy said what's wrong. I explained it to him and we both laughed our asses off. He off set his stand and all was well. If it were on camera, it would have probably looked like a bad comedy act. After all said and done, we hung around and shot the breeze.

 

So yea, etiquette is what you make it. I've seen others act like douchebags over less and for what reason? Are things that bad where we can't laugh about things once in awhile?

[sof 0]

Actually knowing the guy a bit as I did there was some laughter involved and we did try adjusting my bench a bit but the best we could do was to stop hitting him in the head and hit him elsewhere. He said not to worry about, it but when one went down the neck of his shirt changed his mind.

[Old School 611]

Courtesy is a good thing!  Try this two sizes at Walmart 3- 7 bucks

 

Dazz 3 compartment pop-up sorter

 

Folds flat, through a box of ammo in it to weight it down.  And, it collects my precious cases.

[Sparks450r 0]

usually when i am shooting from a bench at a range and there is someone to my right,  i throw a small towel over the center of my rifle over the ejector and that keeps all the brass on the table, or at least real close by. it also helps on cleanup

[mipafox 438]

You can spray me with brass and it doesn't bother me one bit. I might reposition my head if they are hitting me in the face. Obviously if I get one stuck in my collar it will wake me up for a moment but I am just used to be hit by brass.

 

I don't think I've ever been hit by .50 BMG or some of the guns like HKs with reputations for flinging the stuff 40 feet. That might wake me up.

[raz-0 1,259]

I always have gear with me. If someone shows up, I put a piece of gear in the way on the bench. Or move to prone or sitting or something. There's lots of ways to work around it. 

[fishnut 2,358]

If im shooting my AR its not the brass that's going to bother you its the concussion from the YHM break. But yeah I don't care if brass hits me ill just move a little and I don't really care if brass hits someone next to me. its a shooting range hot brass happens. If I am getting hit with brass from a caliber I reload I am happy!

[bhunted 887]

Like I said, I was laughing so hard, I had tears in my eyes. But if you are trying to take precision shots, getting pinged sux.

[mustang69 505]

I was at the range one time getting pelted by brass.  I was adjusting as much as I could when the RO came over and mentioned how, when he was in a firefight in Iraq, he got a couple of hot rounds in his shirt and boots, and couldn't do anything about it because of the fighting - he just had to keep going.  It gave me a whole new perspective on getting sprayed on the range.  It was suddenly no big deal.  It's why I now consider it as part of the situation that I can't necessarily control.  I try to use it to maintain focus. 

 

I thanked him for his service and the lesson...

[bhunted 887]

Here's one for you. Had a hot 45 casing land on top of my glasses and almost take melt out my eyebrow. You want to see someone yelp and jump! Ugh!!!!! Lol.

[Mikeythumbs 1]

The worst is when you are RO for a steel matches I've had brass go in my glasses in my shirt. I just laugh it off as part on the job.

[Old Glock guy 1,127]

Not exactly the same thing, but a related question.  I've been at an indoor range with partitions between the shooting stations, and had brass coming at me from the adjacent port.  In each case, the shooter was all the way up to the line, with his gun extending past the wall.  Would it be impolite to request that he or she move back half a step so that the casings would be blocked by the divider?  I've always been reluctant to ask.

[bhunted 887]

Not exactly the same thing, but a related question. I've been at an indoor range with partitions between the shooting stations, and had brass coming at me from the adjacent port. In each case, the shooter was all the way up to the line, with his gun extending past the wall. Would it be impolite to request that he or she move back half a step so that the casings would be blocked by the divider? I've always been reluctant to ask.

Absolutely not. I had same prob. But not knowing the demeanor of the fellow, I asked the RO to tell him. They are not suppose to be so close or leaning over that far. He was ok with it and apologized.

[HBecwithFn7 296]

Absolutely not. I had same prob. But not knowing the demeanor of the fellow, I asked the RO to tell him. They are not suppose to be so close or leaning over that far. He was ok with it and apologized.

 

Yeah, all I'd have to do is give the RO a little "body language"  (i.e."get this nitwit to stop pelting me with brass"), and they're on it!

 

I agree positioning is an issue. But some people need to rely on the bench for leverage, so I don't know what one could do in that regard. All my positioning indoors has been standing positions (i.e. weaver, isosceles etc.). But I learned some kneeling/crouch positions in my recent class, and I'm not sure if I'll be able to practice them "indoors."  

[bhunted 887]

Yeah, all I'd have to do is give the RO a little "body language" (i.e."get this nitwit to stop pelting me with brass"), and they're on it!

 

I agree positioning is an issue. But some people need to rely on the bench for leverage, so I don't know what one could do in that regard. All my positioning indoors has been standing positions (i.e. weaver, isosceles etc.). But I learned some kneeling/crouch positions in my recent class, and I'm not sure if I'll be able to practice them "indoors."

Sure you can.... I've knelt before. But that won't cause getting pelted. It's mostly when they hang their bodies over the bench. He was just doing it all wrong. As well as trying to empty his gun as fast as possible. We got him on track. Improper position not to mention watching to many shootemup movies.

[kurtinnj 9]

When I was in Basic training (1973) the first day on the range I had a hot round go down my shirt.( I shoot left handed) I jerked the rifle and almost hit the kid next to me. The DI shut down the range till they could find me a round deflector. What it does is forces the brass down to the ground. After that I didn't have any problems. However I was required to carry that deflector my total time in the Army.