USSA taking steel targets away

[338Shooter]

If I had a gun range there wouldn't be steel for idiots to destroy either. I keep my own steel targets. Set them up at safe distances and shoot them with appropriate ammo. I don't have to worry about some mouth breather shooting them up wish M855 and then having my lead and copper fragging me all day.

 

[HMFIC]

USSA does an amazing job and we're very lucky to have access to such an incredible facility in our own backyard.

As for shooting steel, I don't blame them at all for wanting to ensure the steel is available for everyone to use without destroying it. In fact, I applaud them for that effort.

Show me ANY other range in the area where you have an onsite rangemaster who will ensure you can shoot what you want as long as you're within the guidelines. Most ranges just lock it away for match use only.

 

[rlongnt]

Each month this exact debit comes out of my bank account “US SHOOTING ACADEM CHK CARD PUR 866-441-8772 OK 003421 = $56.20”. I don’t have a lot of time to shoot but like to keep my practicing/training up as much as I can. That means I don’t have time to go messing around with paper targets nor do I like to pay $1 each for targets I have to go put up/pull down just for a quick session that can be done with steel. Unlike paper, steel tells you instantly whether you have a hit or miss so there is no need to go downrange.

If some jackass shoots steel-core or a .50 BMG and ruins the target that person needs to be dealt with up to and including making financial restitution for damages caused by nonstandard wear and tear. Steel-core makes a “VERY” distinct sound compared to normal frangible that vaporizes on impact with ballistic steel. Maybe signage and magnets to test Russian ammo etc. could help if it is really such a big issue. Setting aside certain bays for members might also create an environment where users have personal buy-in and are more likely to treat the equipment properly.

NOTE: I am the customer and for my $56.20 a month I expect a certain quality of service and upkeep level. Simply stating that some bad apple came in and screwed it up for everyone else is penny wise and pound foolish not to mention a pretty lame excuse not to maintain what many would consider “critical infrastructure”.

I have seen the damage caused by steel-core and acknowledge that it is an issue but steel targets were part of the package I was sold. If I want to shoot paper there are lots of places to do that. A contract that only binds me to pay without regard to what I am delivered is not something that will drive membership numbers the way they would prefer.

 

[BadgeBunny]

Has anyone else seen this? My father and i were out there last weekend and the steel targets were taken off the south carbine range and a few other from what i heard. I was told that people were shooting calibers that were too big at south carbine, but i never saw any signs saying there was a size limit. Is anyone else as pissed as i am? I love USSA and have been a long time member, and a nice guy i met there said and i had to agree, "we pay them each month to tear their targets up". And if i wanted to shoot paper, i could go to any other range in the tulsa area and shoot there, but i choose USSA because of the nice facility. I dont know, maybe im the only one complaining about it??

WTF? I'll call a spade a spade here ...

Rant ON ...

That right there is why there are no steel targets at USSA anymore. Why in the world would anyone think it is okay to TEAR UP someone else's property?? I'm not a USSA member but if I lived in Tulsa I would be. And I can guarantee you that anytime I shot there I would leave the bays I shot on in cleaner shape than I found them -- and I CERTAINLY would NOT tear up any targets.

It's people like you and the "nice guy" you met who **** things up for the rest of us ... NICE job ***** ...

Rant OFF ...

 

[Seedy]

Damn BB...tell us how you really feel!

I'm a USSA member and shooting steel targets instead of paper is one of the things that draws to their facility. One of the things they teach in orientation (or did when I went through it) is not to shoot the steel with steel core bullets or 50bmg. Last time I was there I had them magnet check my Russian ammo and it was indeed steel core. So I didnt shoot the steel with that ammo. I know enough to assume that Russian surplus and green tip lake city surplus is steel core. I don't think that everyone knows this.

No one I've ever met there has intentionally wanted to "tear things up". I'm going to step out on a limb here and say that Crispy and his buddy weren't talking about intentionally tearing up anything. The reality is that bullets hitting things do damage. Anything placed down range is likely to be struck. People miss targets and hit stands and other downrange infastructure. If people were perfect shots they wouldn't need to train/practice. I think Crispy and his buddy were tongue and cheek referring to this incidental wear and tear.

Education of their members is the answer here, not taking away the steel. I believe people at ussa who have shot the steel with inappropriate ammo have done so out of ignorance, not malice or a desire to "tear things up".

 

[crispy]

WTF? I'll call a spade a spade here ...

Rant ON ...

That right there is why there are no steel targets at USSA anymore. Why in the world would anyone think it is okay to TEAR UP someone else's property?? I'm not a USSA member but if I lived in Tulsa I would be. And I can guarantee you that anytime I shot there I would leave the bays I shot on in cleaner shape than I found them -- and I CERTAINLY would NOT tear up any targets.

It's people like you and the "nice guy" you met who **** things up for the rest of us ... NICE job ***** ...

Rant OFF ...

Wow! Well "tear" was poor choice of words on my part and i apologize for the use of it. And if i have somehow personally offended you i apologize for that as well. My whole point is that i can shoot paper anywhere. I come to USSA because its a far superior range as far as im concerned. My only question is, why dont they put up signs saying they dont want certain calibers shot at certain ranges. (mostly the south carbine, everywhere else already has a sign stating pistol calibers only, ect) Now, the biggest caliber ive shot there was a 30-06. But knowing what i know now, i wont be doing that anymore, as i mostly just sight in AR15's there anyhow. But i really dont appreciate the way in which you responded to me. "NICE job ***** "

 

[crispy]

I think Crispy and his buddy were tongue and cheek referring to this incidental wear and tear.

Yes, thats what i meant and i should have clarified that. Im sorry

 

[Surveyor1653]

I noticed that the steel was off of South Carbine, as well. It sucks that folks are compelled to shoot what's not appropriate ammo for the particular target they're using.

I would propose to the USSA members who read this that it is as much your responsibility to report this kind of thing when you see it as it is to call a cease-fire and correct unsafe behavior on the range. That "I'm not my brother's keeper" crap goes out the window when the life they take may be your own, huh? It should. The same can be said for the guy shooting his Mosin at the steel on South Carbine or in one of the pistol bays. You know THAT ammo is innapropriate. Say something. Be polite but explain the consequences. If the guy's a tool and doesn't want to listen then call the clubhouse and let them know what's up. I'm pretty sure they'll be happy to hear from you.

FWIW: Not all Russian ammo that attracts a magnet is steel core.

 

[Seedy]

Hey! I shoot mosins on the south carbine range! (But not at the steel!)

I agree its our responsibility to "say something" if we see something questionable going on. At the same time, the last time I was out I had my rifles and shotgun in a caddy and while I was on several pistol bays (shooting my pistols and .22 rifle) staff came by a couple times to make sure I knew not to shoot my rifles in the pistol bays. By the time I got to South carbine to shoot the rifles I was actually self conscious shooting my Enfield (with lead bullets) at the steel as i was afraid someone would think i was shooting them with the nagants

 

[Seedy]

Which brings up the question of "which rifle calibers are appropriate" for steel at 100?

.303 British?
30-06?
300 ultra mag?
Lead 7.62x54r?

I like shooting iron sight rifles and 100 yards is the distance I like to shoot them. If I was using scoped rifles I would want to be on the 300.

...oh and as a matter of courtesy please take your 50bmg guns to the 300 yard range. I have had the displeasure of shooting next to someone on south carbine shooting a Barrett (he was sighting in his scope on paper at 50 yards!!! SMH ). The muzzle blast was actually picking up open rifle bags with rifles on them!