The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Just a quick couple of questions which I hope someone will know the answers to. So assume a current certified indoor range is safe for c1400fps & 425ftlbs for centre fire.

Should it specify the calibres / cartridges / chambering that can be used on it or is it free reign?

If it does have restrictions for (say) pistol calibre only, can it be reviewed and recertified? If so what is the process/cost?

Do any clubs with similar velocity / energy levels allow shooting of downloaded rifle calibres indoors? If so could you provide me with details?

Both my clubs allow down loaded full bore rifle as long as they are within range specs. I recently took my Steyr and Howa .308s in to have 2 loads tested.

Best load was 162gr Loverin cast boolit over 9gr of Trail Boss, this gave an average MV of 1075, ES of 13 and SD of 4.3, ME was 413 ft.lbf/564 joules

In our club I have devised and introduced a certification system where loads are chronographed, the ME worked out and then if within the range limits, it is signed off. Any changes to the load or rifles and it needs to be retested.

That means we have an audit trail if someone comes along and says you are shooting 303's on an indoor range and you are breaching your range certificate, the testing proves that we know we are not.

Standard load for most shooters is 4gns of any fast pistol powder, N310, Bullseye, etc lead boolit in the 120 gn region for 6.5 to 8mm calibres as per Harris, low recoil, low cost, great 25-50 yrd accuracy and you get to shoot all your rifles and have more loads to develop so more handloading bench time. :goodjob:

If you want more poke then go to an outdoor fullbore range.

dromia wrote:In our club I have devised and introduced a certification system where loads are chronographed, the ME worked out and then if within the range limits, it is signed off. Any changes to the load or rifles and it needs to be retested.

That means we have an audit trail if someone comes along and says you are shooting 303's on an indoor range and you are breaching your range certificate, the testing proves that we know we are not.

Standard load for most shooters is 4gns of any fast pistol powder, N310, Bullseye, etc lead boolit in the 120 gn region for 6.5 to 8mm calibres as per Harris, low recoil, low cost, great 25-50 yrd accuracy and you get to shoot all your rifles and have more loads to develop so more handloading bench time. :goodjob:

If you want more poke then go to an outdoor fullbore range.

So do you test loads each time a member wishes to shoot or just that combination of load and rifle and trust the member doesn't change anything?

Does your range certificate specifically include rifle calibres or is it allowed by virtue of the reduced load approach?

Once that load and rifle is signed of then it doesn't need to be retested again unless it is changed, obviously if member doesn't adhere to this they are breaking the club rules and subject to disciplinary action.

The range certificate doesn't specify pistol or rifle calibres, it has a maximum calibre, for smokeless, maximum muzzle velocity and maximum muzzle energy.

dromia wrote:Once that load and rifle is signed of then it doesn't need to be retested again unless it is changed, obviously if member doesn't adhere to this they are breaking the club rules and subject to disciplinary action.

The range certificate doesn't specify pistol or rifle calibres, it has a maximum calibre, for smokeless, maximum muzzle velocity and maximum muzzle energy.

Thanks for that.