AGC Trap 'range'

[ed0202]

As I was driving up Marriottsville Rd around 1:40 yesterday (3/6/16), I heard something hit the roof of my truck. I know what metal on metal sounds like (vs acorn or stick on metal), and it sounded to me like it was shot hitting my roof. I looked at satellite, and it looks to me like the trap range points toward the road. Am I crazy, or is this a real possibility? Maybe someone at the trap range had a heavy reload or something other than a target load? To keep this posting in context, I live very close to that range. On weekends, I can close my eyes in my backyard and hear horses in the park and shooting in the background like it's 1863 Gettysburg. I love it, and it was actually one of the cool things about my property when we first saw it. I really couldn't care less about the small dent on my roof. I'm just curious to know if this is a real possibility.

 

[SKIP]

I think there was an incident last year just as you explained.

 

[Art3]

They have shot size and velocity restrictions to prevent just such an occurrence...but...it just takes one to ruin it for everybody :/

 

[DutchV]

I've only shot trap there once. Had a lovely time, everyone was well behaved; my friends and I had a great time. I knew the rules about velocity and shot size before I went, so I made sure I took the right ammo. No big deal.

Of course, some people don't get it, and there wasn't anyone checking ammo. So it could happen.

 

[BFR50]

The woods between the range and the road does look thinner this winter. Hope the woods thicken up come warm weather.

 

[good guy 176]

Yes, it can happen but I will not discuss details here. I recommend that you report this incident in writing to the Range Officer on duty at the lower AGC range house (next to Marriottsville Road).

The AGC Board is very concerned about anyone who does not obey the restrictions placed on members (or guests) who fail to abide by the rules for those trap ranges. If found guilty, the member and/or the guest will be banned permanently from AGC property.

Lew--Ranger63

 

[PapiBarcelona]

Could be a real possibility depending what type of shot was used. I just looked at google map for AGC, it's at least 200 yards go the road.

I've shot 7 1/2 shotshell 1 ounce reloads at 100 yards paper silhouette and the one or two pieces of shot that struck the paper barely left an impression.

Have a hard time believing target shotshell made it that far.

 

[Sonofagun]

The woods between the range and the road do look thinner this winter. Hope the woods thicken up come warm weather.

Yes it has been thinned out quite a bit.

If someone uses a shotshell other than a target load <1200 fps w/ bigger shot than 7.5 it might be possible for shot to make it to the road.

 

[Sonofagun]

Could be a real possibility depending what type of shot was used. I just looked at google map for AGC, it's at least 200 yards go the road.

I've shot 7 1/2 shotshell 1 ounce reloads at 100 yards paper silhouette and the one or two pieces of shot that struck the paper barely left an impression.

Have a hard time believing target shotshell made it that far.

Remember that when shooting at clays you are shooting a target that isn't at level ground but and a particular angle and height from the trap house.

Most of the shooters are using MOD - FULL choke so the altitude (sea level or >), angle of the gun, shot size, and amount of powder (in drams) or (speed in f.p.s) will determine the maximum range of the shotshell.

Any damage to the car?

 

[mcbruzdzinski]

As GoodGuy176 stated, you need to report the incident to the AGC. Just stop in the Barnes House (white building near the 100 yd range). You can get to it from the entrance on Wards Chapel Road.

Incidents like this are rare but they do happen and the AGC needs to be aware of who may be using the wrong shot for the trap areas.

 

[PapiBarcelona]

Remember that when shooting at clays you are shooting a target that isn't at level ground but and a particular angle and height from the trap house.

Most of the shooters are using MOD - FULL choke so the altitude (sea level or >), angle of the gun, shot size, and amount of powder (in drams) or (speed in f.p.s) will determine the maximum range of the shotshell.

Any damage to the car?

I still have doubts it was someone using 7.5 or smaller shot. I've been to Sporting clay courses that the stations loop closer than that.

Who knows? It's all speculation.

 

[bkuether]

I looked at it, and appears to be possible. 7.5 shells have a max sea level distance of about 750 feet. Marriottsville Road is a little over 200 Meters out, which is 653 or so feet. If someone DID use #6 on the range, then even more of a chance. It would have to go through a tremendous amount of tree branches, but upon calculating the distances, it could have happened.

I knew my GIS skills would come in handy one day....

 

[bkuether]

Now with that settled, OP why don't you go introduce yourself to the greater group in the "Introductions" section?

 

[DanJo]

I was coaching the Howard County 4-H Bullseye club shotgun shooters on trap range #1at that time on Sunday and our kids use club ammo which is all less than 1,200 fps as per AGC rules, so I don't think our shots would travel that far based upon the ammo and trajectory of the shot. The range was jammed packed Sunday afternoon though, so it's possible that someone wasn't abiding by the rules.

 

[smdub]

I want to know how one can reliably determine it was metal vs a rock, acorn, etc vs the sound alone. Depending on where it hit they can sound exactly the same. There is real money to be made if you could develop an acoustic mass spectrometer

 

[Melnic]

How is max range figured out? Holding it at 40 degrees?

How often is a shotgun shot at 40 degrees on the trap field?

 

[ed0202]

First, thanks for all of the replies. As I was driving Sunday, it took me probably a mile or so to convince myself of what just happened. At that point, there was no turning back because you just can't delay when you have your son in the backseat and you are headed to the aquarium. I probably should have stopped at AGC when it happened, but I will try to stop later this afternoon if I can get off work in time to inform them of the situation. For smdub, I will have you know that my ears are finely tuned like you wouldn't believe. I have several years of marriage tuning and a few years of child tuning under my belt, so the old ears just keep getting better with age.

 

[Lou45]

First, thanks for all of the replies. As I was driving Sunday, it took me probably a mile or so to convince myself of what just happened. At that point, there was no turning back because you just can't delay when you have your son in the backseat and you are headed to the aquarium. I probably should have stopped at AGC when it happened, but I will try to stop later this afternoon if I can get off work in time to inform them of the situation. For smdub, I will have you know that my ears are finely tuned like you wouldn't believe. I have several years of marriage tuning and a few years of child tuning under my belt, so the old ears just keep getting better with age.

I can relate to ed0202's hearing abilities with being able to determine something of given matter being hit by something else. Let's take something that most here on this forum CAN differentiate, a ball player hitting a pitched baseball with a wood bat vs hitting the ball with an aluminum bat. Yeah, you CAN HEAR the difference. What the OP stated is just a bit more finely tuned, especially if he has the hearing I used to have back in the day as I could almost hear the grass grow.

 

[smdub]

Not the same at all. The bat is the resonator in your example. Thats like saying you can hear the difference between a metal roof and a wood one. OF COURSE anyone could tell that. W/ your bat example, can you tell the difference in sound it made in the BALL? Thats what we're talking about.

Can you tell the difference in a musical drum hit only once w/ wood drumstick vs an aluminum one? Thats an example w/ better correlation.

 

[alucard0822]

the max "on paper" distance for #7.5 at 1200 is 209 yards, add a little wind, and it can make it 10 more yards to the road, obviously hotter loads or larger shot can, although about as dangerous as sand at that range. Used to shoot at Carroll too, about the same distance from the line to the industrial park, and lead made it there on occasion too.