ML shooting range etiquette?

[tonykarter]

I've always done all of my ML target work at deer camp, but anticipate going to a local range in the near future.

Please clue me in on what I need to do differently (if anything) as a ML shooter while there so as to be courteous to others, and safe. I can think of setting up on a downwind station to be courteous to the other shooters, but what else? Guns are required to remain pointed downrange on the firing line during the shooting session, so what do you do (and where) if you want to clean and swab between shots? Anything else?

 

[Vaino]

When the MLer is loaded, it's always pointed down range, but when doing other things, the muzzle can be pointed in any direction that's necessary to complete whatever you're doing.

Our range has a system of sirens, flashing red lights and bells which are pressed on before someone goes down range.....this is necessary irregardless whether it be the 25,50 100 or 200 yd ranges. Whomever turned the "warnings" on, has to turn them off.

Our range is more formal than most, but has never had an accidental firing.....Fred

 

[Black Jack]

When the MLer is loaded, it's always pointed down range, but when doing other things, the muzzle can be pointed in any direction that's necessary to complete whatever you're doing.

Assume you mean when the range it "hot". Ranges I shoot at require guns to be benched and unloaded after "cease fire" command when shooters go down range to pull and post targets. No gun handling whatsoever during this time.

 

[necchi]

Depends on the set up, formal or informal, and/or the presents of a Range Officer.
All most everyone understands a ML needs to be loaded from the muzzle, so just put the butt on the ground at your bench and load it.
Don't cap or prime it until your sitting on the bench or at the line and it's pointed downrange.

Further etiquette,, is your loaded yet un-capped/primed rifle is still considered "hot" when it's time to change targets. If a call comes to unload and bench rifles for a walk downrange,, speak up and tell them you still have a charged rifle and need to shoot.
Your shooting will be slower, Courtesy to the CF shooters dictates ,, don't hang up the other guys that bang their 5-10 shot's off quickly while your trying to get your 5 shot's in.

 

[ADK Ephraim]

At my local range, I frequently encounter smokers behind the firing line. I make a point to let everyone nearby know that I'm shooting black powder, and may have powder open during the loading process, and for them to react accordingly with their smokes!

 

[Vaino]

If when the "alerts and warnings" come on, anyone at the firing line just retreats behind the firing line.....easy to unload a CF but not a MLer....so nothing is done to either. If no one stays on the firing line, nothing will happen.

I stay away from the gun club on weekends.....way too crowded w/ many interruptions. Our club is "grandfathered" because of subdivisions and rural housing....but no shooting before 9:00AM and the evening hrs are self limiting because of poor visibility.

We also willingly constructed earthen berms to lessen the noise although many of the closeby neighbors are club members.

Careless or inconsiderate members are soon gone and seeing the waiting list is long, the 350 limit of membership is usually filled......Fred

 

[jdw276]

We don't have RO's. Self policing. CF folks crank off their 5-10 rounds call it cold and start walking as it is 2-3 folks max plus me. They come back and I explain to them how a ml works and now they can watch me shoot my one time before they touch their gun again as they violated a club safety rule about not checking with all shooters before going down range. I get grief once or twice a year until I flip my badge over and it says trained rso. Been going on for 5-6 yrs now. Once I had to threaten a guy that I would take his member card from and he could go before the safety committee to get it back. Can't shoot without it.

 

[Danny Ross]

If you are shooting a flintlock at a public range and "IF" you can go to the furthest right shooting bench of if left handed to the furthest left station.

About a year ago a group of guys and I went to the tables (at the public range) about the same time at the 50yds range. I asked them if they minded if I could have the far left table they said "No" they wanted it. I thought OKAY because I said I was shooting a flintlock. They were shooting a AR type rifle. I would get hit with brass, the first round I shot one of them got hit with the torch. After that every time I went to shoot they backed up. I tried to tell them. DANNY

 

[ord sgt]

At my local rifle range, most of the shooting benches have a semi circle cut into the table top. This was done so m/l'ers could be left standing while loading.
Range etiquette requires that all firearms are left unloaded during a cease fire situation. Rifles are placed on the benchtop, muzzles pointed down range. The RSO checks the chambers of all the suppository guns and asks about the status of m/lers.
At the commence fire command, then you can handle and load your rifle. If the call is for a cease fire, inform the RSO if you have a loaded firearm. They will hold off the C/F until you touch off your shot. Then bench your rifle and stand back.
I have been muzzle loading longer than being an RSO and Chief RSO.
Don't know the status of your shooting range but that's how it's done at my club.

 

[Kansas Jake]

Our range requires ML's to be loaded at the bench behind the shooting line and shooting benches. Capping or priming is done at the line. It things are real slow, they will allow long guns to be loaded from the pouch at the line. I generally try to go to the end of the line when shooting ML's. The range has a separate rifle and pistol range.

 

[Rifleman1776]

At every properly regulated range I have shot at the foremost #1 rule is MUZZLE UP at ALL TIMES except when at the firing line and then it must be pointed down range. Loaded, unloaded doesn't matter, it is considered loaded at all times.
If shooting a flinter, wait until the guy to yur right is finished before taking your aim. If someone walks up to your right advise them you are shooting flint. Never, never-ever, shoot your flinter if you know someone is standing to your right. Or, use a flash shield or barrier on a post. Mostly, use common sense.

 

[Alden]

Ask when you get there...

 

[Spikebuck]

If you are shooting a flintlock at a public range and "IF" you can go to the furthest right shooting bench of if left handed to the furthest left station.

I do the same thing if at all possible. Once I couldn't get the end station and a guy set up right next to me...like a foot away...with a big 50 caliber "something" on bipods. I told him that if he was that close he was going to get burned by the fire coming out of my touch hole. He took the warning to heart and moved over a bit. I didn't stay long anyway as the shockwave from that thing that close was unbearable. He and his buddies were violating nearly all the rules including shooting fruit (pumpkins in their case), etc. It was the last weekend trip I ever made.

Other than that, I'm very aware that I shoot 1 shot in the time it takes most guys to throw out more lead than I shoot in my entire session, so I just let them go check targets as frequently as they desire...or if I'm just ready to shoot I ask them if I may get one more shot off, then while they are checking, I'm reloading. I take a good pair of binoculars so I don't have to go check my hits by walking down to the target.

Most people on the small, backwoods, unmonitored DNR range I go to don't know what the word "etiquette" means, so whatever I usually do is way beyond what I see most anyone else doing. They cannot even clean up their target trash or their shooting station when they are done. :shake: I wish I had a good monitored range within reasonable distance. The range I go to is cheap to join and worth every penny. :wink: :grin:

 

[jamesthomas]

My range has a yellow line you stand behind when somebody yells COLD RANGE!. If you aren't going to check your target and weapons are either racked or leaned muzzle up on the bench. Only on the weekend will there be a RO. If there is a shoot that weekend they will close the range to casual shooters. My range is gated and locked, only members have a key. I'll turn around and go home if the AKer's and Ar15 people are there, I can't shoot a good group with them there and some are :youcrazy: :shake: just blasting away.

 

[necchi]

,,go home if the AKer's and Ar15 people are there, I can't shoot a good group with them there and some are :youcrazy: :shake: just blasting away.

Lol,, Yep,, the "Spray an Pray" group,, every range has'm.
I was at a range one time shooting at 100yrds off hand using my 8-1/2x11 printer paper target,, hitting it with every shot. A couple of scoped CF guy's show up with the clubs 14x16 target,, they banged away (off the bench) and hit that huge target with about 60-70% of their shot's,, and left calling it good`nuff for Deer hunting!!

 

[nkbj]

It's puzzling that the ar/ak's bother with the price of ammo when they could achieve the same results with a good pair of ear phones.
Oh well.

 

[nightwolf1974]

I've always done all of my ML target work at deer camp, but anticipate going to a local range in the near future.

Please clue me in on what I need to do differently (if anything) as a ML shooter while there so as to be courteous to others, and safe. I can think of setting up on a downwind station to be courteous to the other shooters, but what else? Guns are required to remain pointed downrange on the firing line during the shooting session, so what do you do (and where) if you want to clean and swab between shots? Anything else?

I have a private 325 yd range. MY ONLY rule for MLs is either pick up the sabots OR don't come back. I've had to (more than once) kick people off my range for stupid stuff like BUMP FIRING and shooting at day break (since my cabin is right next to it and I like to sleep in when I'm up there with FEMALE COMPANY).
Just before Halloween, I was up there with a 25 y/o blonde womanI met online and some guys showed up and started shooting. I yelled over to them to make sure they picked up their sabots, to which they told me to !@#$ OFF! So, I walked over with my AK in hand and 1911 in belt and told them range time was over and never come back. AK beats MLs :grin:

 

[Rifleman1776]

,,go home if the AKer's and Ar15 people are there, I can't shoot a good group with them there and some are :youcrazy: :shake: just blasting away.

Lol,, Yep,, the "Spray an Pray" group,, every range has'm.
I was at a range one time shooting at 100yrds off hand using my 8-1/2x11 printer paper target,, hitting it with every shot. A couple of scoped CF guy's show up with the clubs 14x16 target,, they banged away (off the bench) and hit that huge target with about 60-70% of their shot's,, and left calling it good`nuff for Deer hunting!!

A ml club I used to belong to was once challenged by some cf'ers to a match. The ml'ers insisted on offhand and scored the ml way. In the end it didn't matter how it was scored. The ml'ers scores were much-much better. Some of the cf'ers had trouble hitting paper. The reason, IMHO, is we enjoy our shooting and practice, especially offhand, much more than our modern gun brothers. Those cf'ers rarely get their rifles off the bench. Then they wonder why they miss deer in the woods.

 

[FishDFly]

Go to the NMLRA site and read the range rules, good place to learn.

 

[Mad Irish Jack]

If you're shooting a flintlock you can do one of two things that help with the flash residue control. One is to put a flash suppressor or guard on the lock to deflect the flash upward. these can be made or purchased from vendors and ML gun builder supply companies. Or, you can make yourself an inexpensive flash baffle. Take four 8 inch long lengths of 2X4 and glue and nail two each together to make a set of legs. Find 2 waffled voting posters (prefered they're the plastic ones 2'X4')or heavy cardboard will do; cut in half and glue 2 together. Using a saw cut, a groove half way through the width of the legs to accept the baffled panel. When at the range place the panel in the legs and set it off to the side of the lock. This blocks the the flash and residue . The other shooters will surely want to check your shooting stuff. It shows you care about safety for you and others. :wink: