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61-538: The Inouye Marksmanship Center is a 12,000 square foot shooting range located on the campus of The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina . It is home to NCAA Division I The Citadel Bulldogs rifle team, as well as the club pistol team, The Citadel's ROTC programs, and the South Carolina National Guard . The range is named for Senator Daniel Inouye , who secured federal funding for

122-469: A shooting range to prevent overpenetrations and stray shots . Bullet traps typically use friction , impact or gradual deceleration to stop bullets. They can function as a backstop by themselves or be part of a larger backstop, e.g. placed in front of a thick rubber wall or a bay of sand. The bullet trap may also provide means to recycle bullet materials and/or prevent release of toxic heavy metals (such as lead dust from fragmented bullets) from

183-482: A barrier. The firing line, usually marked red or orange, runs along the downrange edge of the shooting booths. Some ranges have motion detectors that can set off an alarm when a shooter passes this line during shooting. Target systems consist of a target object and optionally a target carrier system and a target control system. Some ranges utilise electronic scoring systems which do not require paper targets to be placed downrange. Targets for indoor ranges are usually

244-433: A canvas or hessian back on the larger long-range types. Most competitive targets are a solid black circle on a white background. The black circle may have scoring rings. Targets of other shapes may be used such as used in pistol (hand gun) target shooting. Reactive targets allow shooters to easily identify bullet strikes. This allows shooters to improve their skills by quickly being able to compare their aiming point and where

305-425: A covered firing point are usually grass, often on a slightly raised, flattened mound. Outdoor ranges with a covered firing point are usually concrete or tarmacadam. Outdoor military range firing points are not usually covered and may have other configurations, e.g., sloping, a gravel base or hole in the ground. A "fixed firing point" or echelon rifle range is where the targets are located at the various distances with

366-558: A defined private area and to reduce potential hazard from misfires and prevent ejected cartridge cases from hitting/distracting adjacent shooters. Shooting booths are made of partitions or panels which can be acoustically treated to reduce the unpleasant effects of noise on surrounding bystanders. The booths are sometimes equipped with communication or target-operation equipment; target or booth lighting controls; shelves for holding weapons and bullets, or to prevent shooters from going downrange; and equipment for practicing shooting from behind

427-404: A high retaining wall behind the target line called a backstop or stop-butt, comprising an earth mound, sandbag barrier or specially designed funnel-shaped traps to catch and prevent misaligned shots, errant projectile ricochets, or shots going beyond the bounds of the shooting range. Most outdoor ranges restrict the maximum caliber size and/or projectile energy based on the design specification of

488-462: A minute of angle for this wind. Aligning the target at the 12 o'clock position or direction, with the 6 o'clock direction being directly behind the shooter, winds at 3 or 9 o'clock are equated to full value, winds at 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11 o'clock are equated to half value, and winds at 12 and 6 o'clock are equated to no value. The minute of angle correction (full value) is then commonly estimated as ((Range [meters] / 100) × Wind [mph]) / C , where C

549-475: A paper sheet or piece of corrugated cardboard with a printed image, either a bullseye or a silhouette . Target carrier systems allow a range to operate more efficiently and safely by transporting targets between the firing line and the target line, so the shooter does not have to wait for a "ceasefire" and physically walk downrange to examine and set up the target. This is particularly useful on commercial and "self service" ranges. The target control system allows

610-501: A report highlighting the shortcomings of current occupational lead exposure standards and urged the United States Department of Defense to update its guidelines and practices for protecting workers from lead exposure on firing ranges. Lead and other pollutants are regulated by ventilation in a range. The configuration of the supply and exhaust air systems is critical for proper operation. Interlocks that enable both

671-419: A room’s available length—comprising the thickness of the steel plate, the thickness of the anti-splash curtain and 10 to 11 inches of air gap between. However, sloping steel plates will tend to wear less quickly—particularly on precision target ranges where fixed targets result in fire being concentrated into small areas. In such cases, small sloping plates or sacrificial vertical wear plates may be placed behind

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732-448: A rubber curtain through which the bullet passes and is then stopped by a metal plate. The rubber curtains help reduce ricochet or bounce-back of bullet fragments. Ranges without automatic target placements sometimes have galleries or trenches from where personnel lift and retract, mark and replace targets. Backstops need to be of sufficient height to capture the projectile intended for the target as well as any ricochet that may occur from

793-549: A significant consideration for urban outdoor range complexes. Individual bullet traps of this nature would typically be backed by a concrete wall to protect from negligent discharges or mechanical failures causing a bullet to miss the target entirely but which is not expected to be struck during the course of normal firing. Intact vehicle tyres are generally only suitable for higher energy projectiles which will easily penetrate their surface. Handgun bullets and shotgun pellets may ricochet back. Granulated rubber (often from shredded tires)

854-466: A small leaf or another small light object can be dropped from shoulder height, and the object is then pointed at by the shooter; the angle between his arm and his torso can provide an equivalent wind speed estimation as a wind flag, although it will not be at the mid-range location along the bullet's trajectory. Lighting should be consistent in intensity, glare-free, and shadow-free. The shooter's vision down range should not be obstructed by lighting behind

915-840: A smooth surface finish and are usually slanted slightly from up range (shooter positions) toward the backstops downrange to allow for better maintenance and cleaning. Indoor range roofs are constructed from steel joists or precast concrete panels with a smooth flat surface that will redirect misfired bullets, facilitate maintenance, and prevent lead buildup. Roof baffles are installed at a 25–30 degree angle to protect ceilings, lighting fixtures, ventilation ducts, and any other unprotected element from stray bullets. Baffles are typically constructed of armored plate steel covered with fire-rated plywood. Deflectors are similar to baffles, but are not usually covered with plywood; they can be installed either vertically or horizontally and are used to redirect stray bullets from unprotected fixtures and elements inside

976-817: A vertical pipe from which spent bullets drop out the lower end. Lightweight versions suitable for capturing airgun pellets are often used behind electronic scoring systems on ranges configured for ISSF 10 metre airgun events. The plate slopes are shallow (about 18° ) so bullets may be deflected relatively intact rather than disintegrated upon impact. Some deceleration traps use an oil or water coating to reduce friction and capture dust. Impact-type bullet traps typically use vertical or angled 500 Brinell scale steel plate at least 3 ⁄ 8  in (9.5 mm) thick for centrefire cartridges. Plate thickness of 0.16–0.24 inches (4–6 mm) may be adequate for rimfire ammunition . Sloping plates deflect bullets downward into sand, water or some other capture material; but

1037-444: Is a constant. The constant C equals 15 for ranges from 100 to 500 meters, 14 for 600 meters, 13 for 700–800 meters, 12 for 900 meters, and 11 for 1,000 meters. For full-value winds, this full windage correction is used. For half-value winds, the minute of correction in windage given by this formula is halved; for no-value winds, no minute of angle correction in windage is required. Multiple flags are required for two reasons. First,

1098-419: Is a convenient capture material from which bullets may be separated by gravity during agitation by subsequent bullet impact. A weapon unloading facility or weapon clearing station is an area provided for loading or unloading firearms safely, for instance when a patrol returns to a base, or a guard returns their firearm to an armoury after their duty. Usually comprising a deceleration trap ("snail trap") or

1159-403: Is a fiber-reinforced concrete substituting expanded polystyrene beads for gravel aggregate. For ISSF 50 metre rifle events , individual bullet traps comprising a metal box filled with plastic beads are often used behind the electronic scoring systems used for such events. Such systems require less space than earthen berms whilst being quieter than steel impact or deceleration traps, which can be

1220-403: Is determined by how often the range is used. Wet methods or a vacuum fitted with a high-performance particulate air (HEPA) filter may be used to clean. The risk of unburned powder accumulating necessitates the use of an explosion-proof HEPA vacuum. Bullet trap A bullet trap (or pellet trap when used specifically for air guns ) is a device to stop and collect projectiles fired at

1281-742: The basement . The basic components of most indoor ranges consist of firing lines/lanes, targets and a bullet trap /"backstop" (which prevents stray shots and overpenetrations ). Design considerations may vary depending on planned use but they all must address the basic requirements for operating the range safely, and that is provide ballistic protection, safety controls, proper ventilation, acoustic isolation and appropriate lighting. Firing range walls are usually constructed of poured concrete , precast concrete or masonry blocks . The walls must be sufficiently impenetrable and provide adequate ballistic protection from stray shots and back-splatter. Floors are constructed from dense reinforced concrete with

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1342-508: The natural ventilation of outdoor firing ranges, some outdoor ranges have ballistic baffles overhead, and concrete walls and structures on the sides that can cause the air to stagnate and lead to increase exposure to lead and noise. Consequently, operators of outdoor ranges might consider adding sound transmission barriers, absorptive materials, and natural vegetation to lessen noise emission. Fans pointing downrange can provide air movement away from shooters to lessen lead exposure. Oftentimes

1403-565: The Welsh Airgun Championships. Outdoor shooting ranges are used for longer-distance shooting up to or exceeding 1,200 yards (1,100 m). Training might also specifically require exposure to the elements such as wind, dust and rain. Outdoor competition shooting is preferred under benign weather conditions, although conditions may change, competition is only abandoned when safety becomes an issue. Outdoor ranges are designed to contain all fired shots. This necessitates

1464-409: The actual bullet impacted the target. Electronic scoring targets use an acoustic or optical system to evaluate the shot as it passes through the target frame. Service rifle competitions typically use the military-standard targets contemporary to the firearm's era. The same applies for the matches they shoot. Other target types include a metal plate that is knocked over by the projectile such as in

1525-488: The air rifle sport of field target or handgun discipline of IPSC, and stationary metal plates of scaled animal outlines on which bullet strikes mark as well as those that mark the paint which is painted over again after scoring. The butts or backstop is the area behind the target into which the shot impacts having passed through the target. Earth or sand berms are common, particularly on outdoor ranges. Vertical or angled steel plates with collectors are common indoors, often with

1586-468: The booths is general ceiling-level lighting and can usually be controlled manually or from the central controls. Lights downrange of the firing line are usually spotlights used to illuminate the targets at various distances downrange of the booths. Safety control systems are installed to protect the shooters during range malfunction or emergency situations. Such systems may include warning lights, alarm bells, and air-flow and filtration monitors. Due to

1647-403: The design and proper operation of an indoor ranges is the ventilation system. Proper ventilation reduces shooters' exposure to airborne lead particles and other combustion byproducts. Ventilation systems consist of supply and exhaust air systems and associated ductwork. Supply air can be provided through a perforated wall plenum or radial air diffusers mounted at ceiling height. Airflow along

1708-554: The design or management is not of a quality conducive to best practice. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health issued an Alert, that presents five case reports documenting lead and noise exposures, and examines firing range operations, exposure assessment and control methods, existing regulations, and exposure standards and guidelines. More information about reducing occupational exposures at indoor firing ranges can be found at NIOSH Firing Range topic page In 2013, The American National Academy of Sciences published

1769-505: The discharging of firearms in indoor ranges can produce noise levels of over 140 dB sound pressure level . To combat this, it is commonly recommended that those inside the range "double-up" ear protection by using both earplugs and over-the-head earmuffs , and to protect range bystanders from sound exposure. Depending on the range, prescription eyeglasses may qualify as eye protection. Indoor ranges can be particularly unsafe, due to high lead exposures and increased noise exposures where

1830-460: The energy of bullet impact. The spray of molten metal may solidify as dust, and soft lead bullets often leave a smear of lead upon impacting the steel plate. Smeared metal may be converted to additional airborne dust by subsequent bullet impact. The popularity of vertical plate installations for indoor ranges is largely down to their minimal footprint compared with sand, granular or helical bullet traps and can consume less than 1 foot (30 cm) of

1891-498: The exhaust air to the supply air system to conserve energy especially in extreme climates. The exhaust air is always filtered before being exhausted outside the building or recirculated to the supply system. Lighting in the range consists of control booth, uprange area, shooting booth, and downrange lighting systems. Control booth lighting is usually manually controlled and consists of general lighting and low-level lighting used during particular shooting conditions. Lighting uprange of

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1952-604: The facility in 2002. The facility hosted the 2017 Southern Conference rifle championships, as well as the annual Southeastern Air Rifle Conference championships from 2012–2016, and will host the 2018 NCAA Rifle Championships . Shooting range Shooting ranges can be indoor or outdoor, and may be restricted to certain types of firearm that can be used such as handguns or long guns , or they can specialize in certain Olympic disciplines such as trap / skeet shooting or 10 m air pistol / rifle . Most indoor ranges restrict

2013-538: The facility, others do not. Many jurisdictions have no such restrictions, regardless of whether one has a concealed carry license in jurisdictions where concealed carry is legal. Whether indoors or outdoors, all shooters are typically required to wear eye protection as well as hearing protection (ear muffs or earplugs) at all times when within the defined boundaries of the range. Employees and users are exposed to lead dust from bullets or cartridge primers, which can be inhaled or can settle on skin or clothing. Additionally,

2074-408: The firing lanes and all shooters. Control stations are usually constructed of concrete blocks with bulletproof observation windows. Backstops and bullet traps are used to absorb the energy from the projectile and capture it to prevent overflight beyond the range area. Bullet traps come in a variety of designs and are usually constructed of impenetrable metal plates. The thickness of the plates and

2135-497: The firing line should be no more than 0.38 m/s (75 feet per minute, fpm) with a minimum acceptable flow of 0.25 m/s (50 fpm). Air is typically exhausted at or behind the bullet trap. Some firing ranges are designed to have multiple exhaust points downrange to maintain downrange flow and desired velocities at the firing line. The exhaust system should be designed to provide minimum duct air velocities of 12.70 – 15.24 m/s (2,500 – 3,000 fpm). The equipment and designs for

2196-524: The firing line. The illumination should be bright enough to prevent pupil dilation, which lowers the shooter's visual acuity. Emergency lights for egress, "Range in Use" signs at the entrance, and exit lights are among the other lighting options. During repairs or cleaning, the lighting behind the bullet trap should be at least 30 foot-candles. Although some ranges require all weapons to be discharged, securely encased, and/or trigger-locked before entering or exiting

2257-436: The firing range such as doors, windows, and ventilation registers. Shields are constructed of plate steel and plywood. The central controls for the firing range equipment, communication, lighting, and security are housed in control rooms or stations. The range master, who is in charge of range operation and management, operates the controls. The control station must provide the range master with an unobstructed line of sight of

2318-541: The firing range's distance. Airflow at the shooting line can be unstable if it is not uniformly dispersed, allowing lead and other pollutants to be brought back into the shooter's breathing region. Supply air should be added as high as possible in the range. Due to the health risks of accumulated lead dust and combustion products, cleaning floors and horizontal surfaces on a regular basis is recommended, either explicitly or as an implementation of more general health and safety regulations for handling lead. The level of cleaning

2379-404: The helical chamber often resembles a horizontal pipe, into which bullets are directed by upper and lower steel plates. The upper plate slopes downward and the lower plate slopes upward to a horizontal slot in the side of the helical chamber. Alternatively, some narrow deceleration traps for single firing positions employ vertical plates to direct bullets into a helical deceleration chamber resembling

2440-428: The huge amount of air being exhausted. Single-speed fans, not multiple-speed fans, should be used. To demonstrate proper exhaust system function, indicators (static or velocity pressure) for flow monitoring are a good idea. Outside air must make up for the lost airflow. The distribution of supply air is crucial in assessing the ventilation system's effectiveness. Air supply systems are designed to spread air equally over

2501-466: The lack of combustion gases negates the need for the high-performance ventilation systems required on conventional indoor ranges. Such arrangements are particularly common for major championships. Few locations could justify the expense of maintaining a permanent range with 80+ firing lanes, but such a range can be set up temporarily in large sports halls or exhibition centres. This is the approach taken by major European events such as InterShoot , RIAC and

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2562-464: The lower power of most airguns, it is often possible to operate airgun ranges safely in multi-use and improvised spaces. This is particularly true of ISSF -oriented airguns which are limited to muzzle energies of 6ft-lb. Suitable ranges can be set up in sports halls or function rooms, using simple wooden backers, pellet catchers or lightweight ballistic curtains to protect the wall behind. Although safe handling practices for lead pellets must be followed,

2623-512: The marksman or woman shooting from the one firing point. The most advanced rifle range of this design was constructed for the Commonwealth Games New Delhi 2010. The firing point cover can be as simple as a tent, to a frame with only a roof (to keep off rain or sunshine) to a substantial building with appropriate apertures to shoot through. Civilian targets are usually made of paper or a plastic coreflute, sometimes with

2684-400: The materials used depend on the velocity and energy levels of the projectiles to be fired in the range. The majority of modern bullet traps are made up of angled hardened steel plates that redirect bullets into other metal plates, releasing their energy. The plates must be resistant to penetration, abrasion, and metal fatigue. The traps direct the spent bullets to a collection area in front of

2745-582: The more remote areas common to outdoor ranges. Outdoor ranges for ISSF and Olympic shooting events often have heavily sheltered firing points to protect athletes, spectators and media from inclement weather as well as housing the sophisticated electronic target systems. Several studies of outdoor ranges have shown that prolonged exposure to lead and noise can cause health problems, particularly among employees and instructors. Due to their larger area and more "open air" nature, outdoor ranges need less cleaning and maintenance than indoor ranges. However, despite

2806-487: The plate angle is often steep enough to largely disintegrate the bullet upon initial impact, and bullets are expected to disintegrate upon impacting vertical plates to prevent dangerous backward ricochets . Shooter protection for firing positions within 25 metres (82 ft) of the impact plate may require an anti-splash curtain of self-healing material hung in front of the plate to contain any fragments of “back splash” as well as dust. Rifle bullets may be partially melted by

2867-467: The production of dust as well as allowing for the capture of higher energy projectiles which would wear an impact trap too quickly and necessitate uneconomical levels of maintenance. The most common form of friction trap is a berm of granular material such as sand; earth or granulated rubber. In some circumstances a wall of railway ties , intact vehicle tires or blocks of shock-attenuating concrete ( SACON ) or other proprietary materials may be used. SACON

2928-414: The projectile striking the range floor. The height is determined by range distance, as well as the approved firearms - a range for unsupported or pistol shooting may require a larger backstop than a range exclusively used or prone or supported rifle where a greater level of accuracy is expected. Outdoor shooting ranges sometimes have wind flags, positioned between the firing line (where the shooters are) and

2989-552: The range master to control the operation and movement of the targets through a central control station in the control booth. Some ranges provide local control modules that can be operated in the shooting booths. Many smaller clubs or competition ranges may not bother with target carriers as shooters fire in timed details anyway, and match targets will be collected for scoring at the end of each detail. Electronic scoring systems are increasingly common on such ranges, which eliminate paper targets and manual scoring. A critical component in

3050-491: The range. Some target-shooting ranges have separate facilities devoted to the use of higher-powered firearms such as .50 caliber . Outdoor ranges may be partially enclosed and so have some features in common with indoor ranges, for example the British Armed Forces barrack range has a roofed firing point and normally has 360° walls. As its name suggests, it is generally found in military bases rather than in

3111-440: The same range is made available to both bow and gun shooters. However, there are many ranges that have been made available exclusively for archers , which lack the backstop to safely contain bullets The most popular types of archery ranges include 3-D ranges, field ranges and indoor ranges. The firing point normally is at a defined point on the ground, and on a civilian range will usually be level and flat. Outdoor ranges without

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3172-452: The shooting range. Some bullet traps include a negative-pressure system to filter dust from air within the impact zone and capture area. Deceleration-type bullet traps direct bullets into a helical or circular chamber in which the bullet will slide against the curved chamber wall until it gradually loses velocity from friction and drops to the bottom of the chamber, where it can be later collected. For use with multiple firing positions,

3233-526: The supply and exhaust fans to be working should be designed to ensure proper operation. The range's exhaust system eliminates dirty air. The air velocity down the range is determined by the exhaust flow rate, but it has no bearing on the airflow pattern at the firing line. A minor negative pressure in the range can be maintained by exhausting 3 to 7% more air than is supplied. The negative pressure of -0.04 + 0.02 inches water gauge should be maintained for ranges. Energy recovery systems should be considered because of

3294-445: The targets as the primary bullet trap, whilst a large vertical plate covers the remainder of the wall as the defence zone to catch errant shots. The small plates can be easily changed as frequently as necessary whilst the main back wall will need little maintenance from occasional scattered fire. Friction bullet traps slow and capture the bullet more gently than steel plates. This allows more effective capture of contaminants and reduces

3355-453: The targets. Shooters observe these flags to make an estimate of wind speed, which is then converted into lateral minute of angle point of aim corrections or, alternatively, windage holdoff corrections. The flag method is the most common method used to estimate wind speed. A flag blowing in the wind will naturally blow away from the flagpole, with the angle of the bottom of the flag to the flagpole increasing with increasing windspeed. To estimate

3416-437: The trap or, for high-energy projectiles, at the back of the trap. Many indoor ranges provide additional spaces such as a cleaning room for weapons, a classroom, restrooms (including shower facilities), office areas, lounge area, or storage and maintenance rooms. Passageways are used to physically isolate the firing range from the adjoining areas. Some shooting ranges are equipped with shooting booths to provide shooters with

3477-405: The use of high-power calibers , rifles , or fully automatic firearms . A shooting gallery is a recreational shooting facility with toy guns (usually very low-power airguns such as BB guns or airsoft guns , occasionally light guns or even water guns ), often located within amusement parks , arcades , carnivals or fairgrounds , to provide safe casual games and entertainment for

3538-489: The ventilation systems are varied, most firing ranges have one supply and one exhaust fan, however, some have multiple supply or exhaust fans. Very often, the air-flow rate required by the firing range and space constraints for the fans dictate the number and types of fans. Most firing ranges have systems that supply 100% outside air to the firing range and exhaust all of the air to outside the building; but, some firing range ventilation systems are designed to recirculate some of

3599-598: The visiting crowd by prizing customers with various dolls , toys and souvenirs as trophies . In urban areas, most shooting ranges will be at indoor facilities. Indoor ranges offer sheltering from inclement weather conditions and can be operated around the clock under a controlled environment. Outdoor shooting ranges are typically found away from populated areas due to concerns of safety , noise pollution and soil contamination . Indoor shooting ranges are usually constructed as standalone structures, though they may be housed in larger buildings in isolated areas such as

3660-436: The wind speed closest to the midpoint of the range has the greatest effect on the projectile. In addition, the wind at one part of the range will not always be the same at another part. Wind flags are not always actual flags, sometimes streamers are used, small triangle flags, or even pinwheels. Factors such as the range length and expected strength of the wind determine the best type of flag to use. When no flags are available,

3721-413: The wind speed in mph, the angle in degrees between the bottom of the flag to the flagpole at the mid-range position between the shooter and the target is divided by 4. For example, an angle of 60 degrees between the bottom of a flag and a flagpole would be estimated as a 15 miles per hour (24 km/h) windspeed. The clock method is then used to determine full value, half value, or no value corrections in

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