Gun ranges rationing ammo?

Butcher · 02-04-2013, 07:50

I went to the range yesterday with my buddy, his girlfriend, and her dad. Range has a limit of two shooters per lane so I went with the dad. Both of us are gun owners and brought all of our own supplies so we jumped right on line to shoot.

Buddy and his gf had to rent a gun and buy ammo and shot a few lanes away from us. Twenty min through our shooting my buddy comes over and says he's done. I'm like "what do you mean you're 'done,' we just started??" He says, "the range will only sell us 100 rounds of ammo. We gotta step off line now"

So the range charged them for half an hour of range time minimum, only sold them two boxes of ammo, and then rented out the lane to the next shooter(s) immediately. They literally have a 30' wall LINED with cases of ammo stacked two deep and five high that they refuse to sell to the public. It's for "range use only". What the hell?!

Anyone else experiencing this foolishness?!

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MadeInAmerica · 02-04-2013, 08:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Butcher

I went to the range yesterday with my buddy, his girlfriend, and her dad. Range has a limit of two shooters per lane so I went with the dad. Both of us are gun owners and brought all of our own supplies so we jumped right on line to shoot.

Buddy and his gf had to rent a gun and buy ammo and shot a few lanes away from us. Twenty min through our shooting my buddy comes over and says he's done. I'm like "what do you mean you're 'done,' we just started??" He says, "the range will only sell us 100 rounds of ammo. We gotta step off line now"

So the range charged them for half an hour of range time minimum, only sold them two boxes of ammo, and then rented out the lane to the next shooter(s) immediately. They literally have a 30' wall LINED with cases of ammo stacked two deep and five high that they refuse to sell to the public. It's for "range use only". What the hell?!

Anyone else experiencing this foolishness?!

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You should have given them some of your ammo.

Butcher · 02-04-2013, 08:10

Different caliber

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gwalchmai · 02-04-2013, 08:15

Time to find a new range.

***HerrGlock*** · 02-04-2013, 08:20

It's a business decision. Open your own range and allow people to buy all the ammo they want, undercut the range and make a fortune.

PVolk · 02-04-2013, 08:27

There was another thread here a week ago where a guy's local range required him to buy their ammo rather than bring in his own, and they limited each shooter to only one box! It seems that's it's getting rediculous to shoot at some public venues right now.

stolenphot0 · 02-04-2013, 08:28

My local range is limiting you on certain calibers right now. But they don't have an expansive selection. They run out of 9mm weekly and get .223 in every few weeks. Guys had been going in buying range ammo and stocking up or reselling it.

That hurts the range when actual shooters come in and want to rent an ar and can't without ammo. That's a loss of $12 range rental, $10 gun rental and $7-8? for ammo.

Dan_ntx · 02-04-2013, 08:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by PVolk

There was another thread here a week ago where a guy's local range required him to buy their ammo rather than bring in his own, and they limited each shooter to only one box! It seems that's it's getting rediculous to shoot at some public venues right now.

There are a few of "those" ranges around here... Must use range provided ammo, only this or that type ammo allowed, caliber limits per shooter, gun limits per shooter, etc. Some enterprising genius has it all figured out...

The good news is that you can almost always get a lane with no waiting at these ranges because very few people frequent them.

ImpeachObama · 02-04-2013, 08:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by HerrGlock

It's a business decision. Open your own range and allow people to buy all the ammo they want, undercut the range and make a fortune.

Those fees mentioned are chump change. I don't think a fortune is to be made with all the regulations and taxes to be paid, at least where I'm at. You could undercut them until you are out of ammo. That is the problem. It is really dried up. My range had three G27 and three G39 mags. I went to get all of them and was politely asked to put a few back for others. So I complied. They had very little ammo, and only some used pistols, just about nothing new. I asked about a new Sig and the manager said they couldn't order direct any more, everything was being funneled thru distributors. I can see how the margin just got pinched and the deal they would have given me isn't to be had anymore. Things are tight, and changing. Maybe there are some areas that aren't effected the same, but they could be feeling it sooner or later.

plainsman · 02-04-2013, 08:45

I don't think many businesses being harrassed the Looney Leftist Gun Control Wackos can survive without taking taking some steps. During gas shortages, rental companies also saved gas for their cars, it's called survival!

The thought that a gun range should sell all their ammo, not for range patron use but, for what, for the squirrels to stockpile? If the stockpiling squirrels are not shooting at his range, how does he stay in business? Or does he just wait for yobama stimulus money to restart his "out of business range?"

We need to support our gun industry and ranges, your politicians brought this upon you, it didn't happen overnight.

Pro gun pundits have tried to warn you for years it was coming, now due to gunowner apathy, and mainly democraps, it is here. Blame your fellow du-nuttin gunowners. If 50 million gunowners did ANYTHING, firearms ownership would be MANDATORY!

SC Tiger · 02-04-2013, 10:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by PVolk

There was another thread here a week ago where a guy's local range required him to buy their ammo rather than bring in his own, and they limited each shooter to only one box! It seems that's it's getting rediculous to shoot at some public venues right now.

One in Greenville doesn't require it but they do charge you ten bucks to shoot your own. You can probably sneak a few rounds in without them noticing. One thing they will allow you to do is to bring back ammo you bought from them at one session but did not shoot, to shoot the next time. I view it as a business decision.

Their ammo is decently priced so I never worried much about it. If I want to shoot reloads I go to the DNR range (which is much closer and free besides). Actually I do 90% of my shooting at the DNR range anymore.

I kind of get wanting to control what ammo people shoot because certain kinds are very tough on backstops. It only takes one idiot with some sort of armor-piercing or incendiary ammo to cause an issue.

**larry_minn** · 02-04-2013, 12:09

100 rds for half hr/two people taking turns. For slow fire folks that might be ok. (shoot 5 rds, pull/change target, etc.
Every range I have been to. Range reloads are for range use. (you can take home extras just can't buy 10 boxes and head out door) Other ranges you have to buy their ammo, (some either let them check your ammo, satisfy them you are shooting "approved" ammo.
I.E. one range had "fragible" ammo only. I.E. exposed lead, or other loads that were easy on backstop.
I rcall one range that not only did you have to buy their ammo but you were not allowed to pick up brass, take home any unshot live rds. (this was in TX of all places 20+ yrs ago. IIRC it was not that far from Cheaper then dirt)

4 glocks · 02-04-2013, 13:10

I went to an indoor range not long ago. They were out of 9mm and 22lr ammo. If you rent a gun you have to use there ammo. You can shoot your own as long as it's not steel case.

Ranger1759 · 02-04-2013, 13:41

Ahhhh 400 acres in the middle of no where ohio.....wouldn't trade it for the world! No range costs, no BS from niegbors....and quite a large pack of coyotes running about! It's nice hunting from your upstairs bedroom window!

Texas2Va2013 · 02-04-2013, 14:22

Local range (Katy, Tx) has been out of 9, .45, and .38 for weeks. Stores have been bare for weeks as well. trip to the range means running down ammo stores. Moving to Va (suffolk)in two weeks, hope its better there!

Butcher · 02-04-2013, 14:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ranger1759

Ahhhh 400 acres in the middle of no where ohio.....wouldn't trade it for the world! No range costs, no BS from niegbors....and quite a large pack of coyotes running about! It's nice hunting from your upstairs bedroom window!

Be right there!

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sum-dum-guy · 02-04-2013, 14:34

Like this? BS!

davew83 · 02-04-2013, 14:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by SC Tiger

One in Greenville doesn't require it but they do charge you ten bucks to shoot your own. You can probably sneak a few rounds in without them noticing. One thing they will allow you to do is to bring back ammo you bought from them at one session but did not shoot, to shoot the next time. I view it as a business decision.

Their ammo is decently priced so I never worried much about it. If I want to shoot reloads I go to the DNR range (which is much closer and free besides). Actually I do 90% of my shooting at the DNR range anymore.

I kind of get wanting to control what ammo people shoot because certain kinds are very tough on backstops. It only takes one idiot with some sort of armor-piercing or incendiary ammo to cause an issue.

Alan arms sucks except for their ammo selection and price, come to Sharp Shooters, much nicer and friendlier people.

Angel · 02-04-2013, 15:18

The beauty of capitalism is that if you dont like it you are free to go somewhere else or better yet mortgage your house, borrow from your parents, dip into the kids collage fund, work two jobs to find the money needed to begin the process of trying to open a range/gunshop that will require you to work 6-7 days a week sunup to sundown serving people who know nothing about what it takers to run a business complain because the prices/policies/lack of merchandise and high prices during an unprecedented panic run. And you get to read on a gunboard about how someone is buying up all the normal price ammo so they can sell it on craigslist but some bastard who has mouths to feed and no more inventory raised his prices/put limits in place so you could not clean him out and sell for a profit.

Roering · 02-04-2013, 15:23

My local range limits to 3 boxes. I can understand this as it is important that they have inventory.

Ranger1759 · 02-04-2013, 15:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Butcher

Be right there!

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Come on over!

Actually, I'll be out your way in April, going to Fort Frederick for the history trade fair

shadow_dog · 02-04-2013, 15:41

I have noticed the indoor ranges around here have seemed to suffer from ammo shortages. One just got in a bunch of 22 rimfire, CCI brand, $5 a box, one box per customer I was told.

Butcher · 02-04-2013, 16:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ranger1759

Come on over!

Actually, I'll be out your way in April, going to Fort Frederick for the history trade fair

Nice. That's like 90min out west from here.

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pizza_pablo · 02-04-2013, 16:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ranger1759

Ahhhh 400 acres in the middle of no where ohio.....wouldn't trade it for the world! No range costs, no BS from niegbors....and quite a large pack of coyotes running about! It's nice hunting from your upstairs bedroom window!

Color me envious

Perhaps when I get out of the rat race, I can do similar

QuietAnarchist · 02-04-2013, 16:14

The closest indoor handgun range to me forces you to buy their ammo, one box limit, minimum 30 minute lane rental. It sucks, but my other options are outdoors (where you can load no more than 6 rounds into a magazine) or a 35 minute drive where the lanes are super busy.