NRA HQ range has banned steel jacket ammo

erwos · Nov 27, 2018

I do a lot of my shooting at the NRA HQ range, so I was real disappointed when I saw tonight that they have now banned all steel-jacket ammo. Used to be you just couldn't shoot steel-core, but they've upped the ante due to their backstop being "old" and "not being able to take it". I don't even know where I can economically shoot my MSRs anymore around here; gonna have to brave the cold at AGC or make the trek to ESS or SEG, I suppose.

rouchna · Nov 27, 2018

erwos said:
I do a lot of my shooting at the NRA HQ range, so I was real disappointed when I saw tonight that they have now banned all steel-jacket ammo. Used to be you just couldn't shoot steel-core, but they've upped the ante due to their backstop being "old" and "not being able to take it". I don't even know where I can economically shoot my MSRs anymore around here; gonna have to brave the cold at AGC or make the trek to ESS or SEG, I suppose.

Really? I was just there 2 weeks ago and shot Tula through my M92 SBR.

erwos · Nov 28, 2018

rouchna said:
Really? I was just there 2 weeks ago and shot Tula through my M92 SBR.

Yes. I was sure to communicate to the RSO at the desk that this had a significant impact on me and others. I mean, the good news is, Tula seems to have recently released a non-magnetic line of ammo... the bad news is, I've got to buy it again. Looks like SGammo's gonna be getting a nice chunk of change in January from me. This may finally be the straw that forces me into bulk reloading rifle rounds.

cpo · Nov 28, 2018

erwos said:
....but they've upped the ante due to their backstop being "old" and "not being able to take it".

So, how does a steel case change how the lead bullet affects the backstop?

It would make more sense if they said they were tired of dealing with all of the spent casings that nobody wants.

Qbeam · Nov 28, 2018

cpo said:
So, how does a steel case change how the lead bullet affects the backstop?

It would make more sense if they said they were tired of dealing with all of the spent casings that nobody wants.

The bullet jacket is steel. Casings don't matter. Bullet jacket hits the backstop causing more "dents" in the metal.

Q

rouchna · Nov 28, 2018

erwos said:
Yes. I was sure to communicate to the RSO at the desk that this had a significant impact on me and others. I mean, the good news is, Tula seems to have recently released a non-magnetic line of ammo... the bad news is, I've got to buy it again. Looks like SGammo's gonna be getting a nice chunk of change in January from me. This may finally be the straw that forces me into bulk reloading rifle rounds.

Looks like ESS will be getting more of my business.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

cpo · Nov 28, 2018

Qbeam said:
The bullet jacket is steel. Casings don't matter. Bullet jacket hits the backstop causing more "dents" in the metal.

Q

Ah... got it. I was thinking steel cased, when I was reading jacketed... thanks. That's what I get for trying to do anything cognitive before 0700.

Schipperke · Nov 28, 2018

Couple weeks ago they segregated lane 13 for 22LR only. Sounds like they're close to a full rehab.

Jim12 · Nov 28, 2018

I really like that range. I wish it had a branch in Annapolis. And Chevy Chase, for that matter.

erwos · Nov 28, 2018

Schipperke said:
Couple weeks ago they segregated lane 13 for 22LR only. Sounds like they're close to a full rehab.

I was unaware of that, but I guess it makes sense.

The problem with ESS and SEG is that they're way out of the way for my commute home from Crystal City. The NRA range is vaguely justifiable in some sense, as it's not that far out of the way. The way this is going, I may need to start doing range days on Sunday mornings again.

Qbeam · Nov 28, 2018

cpo said:
Ah... got it. I was thinking steel cased, when I was reading jacketed... thanks. That's what I get for trying to do anything cognitive before 0700.

Coffee, man... Coffee.... lol :lol2:

cpo · Nov 28, 2018

Qbeam said:
Coffee, man... Coffee.... lol

On my third cup now... things are becoming more clear! lol

Sundazes · Nov 28, 2018

Better that than close down. One of the local indoor ranges had 1 or 2 lanes closed for like 6 months. When I got hit not once but twice with a 9mm ricochet in the same session, I stopped and said something to them. I even showed them the slug. The response was, oh we are waiting on parts for the backstop. The look on my face must have been priceless. They have repaired/replaces the bad areas as this was several years ago.

Ammo Jon · Dec 27, 2018

erwos said:
I do a lot of my shooting at the NRA HQ range, so I was real disappointed when I saw tonight that they have now banned all steel-jacket ammo. Used to be you just couldn't shoot steel-core, but they've upped the ante due to their backstop being "old" and "not being able to take it". I don't even know where I can economically shoot my MSRs anymore around here; gonna have to brave the cold at AGC or make the trek to ESS or SEG, I suppose.

Are they reselling the brass there and just don’t want to sort it out?

erwos · Dec 27, 2018

Ammo Jon said:
Are they reselling the brass there and just don’t want to sort it out?

They didn't ban steel-cased ammo, they banned steel-jacket. As long as it's not magnetic bullets, they don't care at all what the case is. Admittedly, banning steel-jacket does cut back on steel-case to a large extent, but they're allowing it.

necrodude · Dec 29, 2018

The NRA range went down hill in the last 2 years. It used to be my favorite range to go to. They must of changed the management or something. The range officers used to be nice and didn't just yell at you for every single thing you do. Last time I went there, my friend had a Geissle 3 gun trigger in his ar15. He was doing double taps with it. A range officer came over at us yelling no full auto guns allowed. He yelled at us for a good 5 minutes. It took another range officer to finally make the guy understand it wasn't full auto.

The whole no bi jacketed ammo sealed the deal for me though. What are we supposed to do if we have any Russian caliber rifle? Pretty much all the ammo they make is bi metal jacketed. Yeah they have brass cased ammo but it's almost double or triple the price. Now I just go to Silver eagle or Elite shooting sports.

erwos · Dec 29, 2018

necrodude said:
The whole no bi jacketed ammo sealed the deal for me though. What are we supposed to do if we have any Russian caliber rifle? Pretty much all the ammo they make is bi metal jacketed. Yeah they have brass cased ammo but it's almost double or triple the price. Now I just go to Silver eagle or Elite shooting sports.

The ROs at the counter even brought that point up themselves when I mentioned how annoying this new change was, so I guess they just don't care. I have literally thousands of rounds of ammo I can no longer use over there, which is gonna make rifle classes a lot more expensive to take.

spur0701 · Dec 30, 2018

If I'm remembering correctly SEG tried the same policy against steel jackets sometime last year but so many people complained that it only lasted a few weeks.....squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Schipperke · Dec 30, 2018

I've been to a few ranges with the magnet test. I recall Heritage does it, and a range that MDS members went to in the Baltimore area (can't recall name) did it as well. Anything NRA can do to thin the herd there is fine with me. The RSO's can get cranky at new shooters for sure. I'm sure the media would love any accident that happens there, so I kind of understand the intensity.

Aamdskeetshooter · Dec 30, 2018

Damascus Izaak Walton League is closer to Rockville than AGC. You’d still have to deal with the cold.

NRA HQ range has banned steel jacket ammo

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast

Member Benefits:

The Hebrew Hammer

Defund the ATF

The Hebrew Hammer

hmmm......

Ultimate Member

Defund the ATF

hmmm......

Ultimate Member

Let Freedom Ring

The Hebrew Hammer

Ultimate Member

hmmm......

Throbbing Member

Ultimate Member

The Hebrew Hammer

Active Member

The Hebrew Hammer

Active Member

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Users who are viewing this thread

Log in

Forum statistics