Black Powder Banned at my Gun Club!

[SOLANCO]

This new rule sucks and hopefully they'll come to their senses and remove it. At least you have a club you can shoot at. The only club near me has a whopping $10,000 initiation fee and a $195 monthly fee to join.

That is just flat out nuts.

 

[Joemolf]

Where do you live sounds similar to the Ferry Brook Range in Keene NH; though I think there’s one fee 2 or 3 with a back groud check unless you have proof of a recent gun purchase.

Yes I own a home in Marlow I just have not been here steady enough to warrant joining. I’m up in the air about retirement here after the spine surgery I had last October that took a lot out of me. Marlow is nice but rural and if you’re healthy fine but between covid and another major spine surgery I now thinking maybe the Carolina’s. We are able to shoot but you kind of have to limit it because there’s some that are bothered by the noise of it. The only thing that brothers me is that I have neighbors that have unlimited ammo it seems otherwise I don’t care. I do understand some people are easily startled. My property is perfect for black powder. I didn’t have to worry about my back when I bought it now I do unfortunately.

 

[William Lincoln]

Seems like overstuffing. Less can be more at a range.

 

[Nav]

Sometimes I load 20gr in a .50 at the range if I’m shooting to 50 yrs.

 

[Joemolf]

Maybe they should ban tasteless, corny-looking, slippery, out-of-place Astroturf, too.

They may have applied astroturf for the guys who scavenge their brass with one of those sweeping contraptions. Though where I first saw them used at the Sebastian range they worked on concrete and I suspect hard packed dirt. The range i shoot both my flintlocks and metallic cartridge guns is just dirt Calverton Long Island. I find 95 percent if not all my brass that I want to reload.

 

[Joemolf]

If I haven’t admitted already I will here. Few months after I had spine surgery I was itching to get out and shoot my Brown Bess with the new paper cartridges I made while on the mend. I had a small low pile carpet revenant under my shooting stand. I generally shoot that flinter standing but I was not strong enough to hold it. I obviously also would load standing. This time I was loading from the cartridge pan first and I spilled not much of the 1 1/2 F on the carpet. I knew it was there but it wasn’t much and never gave it a thought; that bothered me the most. Well after a few shots when I fired the gun what was there ignited! Not a pleasant surprise. The rug got surface burnt about 4 inches in diameter. 1 1/2 F ignites pretty darn fast. I’m not sure if it was the spark from the lock or exhaust from the touch hole that I have one of those deflectors on. I think the deflector may have contributed but I’m not trying it again. Pretty stupid on my part! The big man was watching over me thankfully

Yep. I am blessed to be able shoot on my property , alone and at any time. I use belong to a small "range" years ago when I lived in town . I would go early in the mornings and 95% of the time have the place to myself, so it was nice too.

i have a place in NH with 12 acres and love shooting my flintlocks there. So quiet and no distractions. People back home on Long Island always seem to talk to you when you’re reloading. They obviously never plaid golf and hence have No golf etiquette!

 

[ArbiterThel68]

Reminds me, the biggest gun range and gun related center near me is omaha 88 tactical. They let you shoot everything, machine guns, suppressors, but no black powder. Buncha loosers.

 

[CaptainVane]

always seem to talk to you when you’re reloading.

I seem to be the only BPer at the range and they all wanna ask about my beautiful pistols right while I reloading.
After loading chambers with…
No powder
Double powder
Double ball
No wad
I will no longer talk to anyone while reloading.

 

[springfield art]

Had one of our members start a fire a couple of times. Seems he was shooting old military ammo. (tracers)
He watches what ammo he shoots now.

Yeeeeah, no range allows tracers! Private land, sure, but no organized range will allow.

 

[Nor Cal Mikie]

Had one of our members start a fire a couple of times. Seems he was shooting old military ammo. (tracers)

Yeeeeah, no range allows tracers! Private land, sure, but no organized range will allow.

OLD military surplus ammo not marked as "tracer" ammo.

 

[springfield art]

Had one of our members start a fire a couple of times. Seems he was shooting old military ammo. (tracers)

OLD military surplus ammo not marked as "tracer" ammo.

Usually would have the tips color-coded, I think Red if not mistaken. Used to see it at gun shows, but it's not a big seller due to the fire hazard.

 

[CaptainVane]

You guys talk gun shows. I would like to attend but dont know when. How do you know when a show is happening? Asking about upper half of Maryland.
Also i have been told to avoid gun shows because it’s usually guys trying to offload junk on unsuspecting buyers. So go or no?

 

[vintovka]

B.S.

Unburnt powder from tens of thousands of rounds and hundreds of shooters collects in astroturf. Enough that something hot touches and lights it off.



Range needs to wash down their filthy range with water once in awhile and lift the idiotic ban, but good luck explaining to the FUDDs that poor maintenance caused it.

I have seen this in person. Luckily it was unburned powder caught in the concrete contraction joint and burned like a fuse.

 

[stikshooter]

This new rule sucks and hopefully they'll come to their senses and remove it. At least you have a club you can shoot at. The only club near me has a whopping $10,000 initiation fee and a $195 monthly fee to join.

Guess everything in Texas is bigger ,including the idiots !!!/Ed

 

[bpd303]

Asking about upper half of Maryland.

This may help ya.
https://gunshowtrader.com/gunshows/maryland-gun-shows/

 

[BP Addict]

UPDATE!

When the rain finally returned, they lifted the ban.

It was on the Agenda at the next Board Meeting. They’re working on a Protocol for Extreme Fire Danger. We’re a club that also operates a Public Range with member-only ranges as well. Unfortunately, not all the Range Masters on the Public Range are familiar with Muzzleloaders and Black Powder. As Chief Rangemaster for the club, I will be putting something together to familiarize them with the hobby before next summer.

Our Muzzleloader club shoots there once per month. We were told that because we have members who have been shooting for years with the Matches being run by the same, we would be exempt from any further bans.

To lower the risk of fire, the Monday Maintenance crew will be using a Leaf Blower to move the unburnt powder off the green carpet during the dry weather.

Walt

 

[Sam squanch]

You guys talk gun shows. I would like to attend but dont know when. How do you know when a show is happening? Asking about upper half of Maryland.
Also i have been told to avoid gun shows because it’s usually guys trying to offload junk on unsuspecting buyers. So go or no?

Insist on the gun owner meeting you at a shooting range. If they balk, the gun probably doesn’t function well. I would also insist on a check of the serial number to prove it’s not stolen. An old co worker got a great deal on a 22 pistol. He was pulled over for speeding, cop asked about the pistol on the seat, ran the numbers- STOLEN!!!!!! Cost a lot in lawyer fees to get out of that mess.

 

[CaptainVane]

If I may, MD gets a bad rap as an ultra liberal state. But i want to give a shout out to our DNR. They provide excellent ranges pistol, rifle, archery well maintained.
$25 yearly permit if >65, $50 if a puppy.
Cant beat it!

 

[APG]

Black Powder has been banned on our Club Range until further notice. A shooter on the Public Range started a fire with his 1860 Colt Replica Revolver. It was a Freak accident as indicated by his explanation. It wasn’t real grass but the Astroturf in front of the Firing Line. Maybe they should have concrete or bare dirt instead of something flammable. This is the second burn mark since the first of the year. I don't believe the first one was caused by a Muzzleloader.

“I feel really bad about what happened at the range, I hate to be the guy that got black powder banned. As near as I could tell, the fire was the result of a percussion cap hitting the "grass" in front of the shooting positions. I saw the fire start and signaled the range master. The fire moved fast (I'm sure you've sen the damage). I was shooting from a standing position, .44 ball, 25 grains of powder and a lubed wad, nothing unusual and pretty sure I hit the target. Anyway, that's the basics - if there is anything else I can tell you just let me know.”

I’m hoping that the Board comes to its senses and removes the Ban. Otherwise, I’m going to have to join another Club a little further north.

Walt

Communist bastards.

 

[jdw276]

Never mind......