silver bullet

[tbaby303]

Went to the silver bullet today to do a lil in door shooting. I go there when I need to shoot my AR15, any wase when I was talking to one of the workers there and he told me that some lady was shooting there last week and she got grase by a bullet that richochets by some one eles. He told me she was walking out and her head was bleeding, man that some crazy stuff. I know that the shooting range is getto just by the ceiling having all them holes in them. I don't think I'm gonna go back to that range any more, that shit is scary. I'm not trying to bash that place or nothing but that's just how I feel. What do you guy think about the silver bullet shooting range? I want your feed back on this rang. Thanks.

Sorry for the grammer and the miss spell words, I'm working with my phone, so please no bashing.

[Irving]

I haven't been yet, but checked out their site to see if they had any overly stupid rules.

The very fist time I went to Green Mountain, a guy shot himself in the foot. I didn't even own any guns at the time and had rented a few to try out. I went back into the lobby to buy some more ammo and the place was full of paramedics and police. At first I thought it was a bunch of guys just getting off work heading to the range and thought, "Cool, look at all these guys!" then someone moved and I saw the guy on the stretcher.

Also, the last time I was at the Boulder Rifle Club, there must have been a ricochet because during one round all this smoke started shooting out of no where, then some flames burst about 4 feet into the air. It was pretty crazy.

Anyway, the point is that I don't know a TON about ricochets or anything, but It probably wasn't the ranges fault. Weird things can happen when shooting bullets at things. It could have just been a really bad shot on the wrong part of the range.

Any other impressions of the range? I'm still curious to check it out.

[SU405]

I have only been there a few times. It's a small place. Depending on who is there and if they are slow they will let you go over the hour limit. Some guys are real range nazi's though. I took my AK and was letting the wife shoot it, The guy comes in and taps me on the shoulder and says. "If she's going to shoot the AK the target needs to be all the way back down range". The target had maybe 5' from the backstop. I was like whatever man. I know what you mean by ghetto feeling though. From now on if I go there I will just take my pistols. They really seem to think that if you have an AK you're going to accidentally shoot up the place.

[ROFL1]

[Zman]

I've shot there a number of times, mainly because there is nothing else up near Arvada. Never had any ricochet problems, but the ventilation is not the best. They give a LE discount and allow LE draw from the holster which is a plus.

I used to go to K2 ... Green Mountain now. Didn't realize they had reopened...may go have a look.

Z

[Irving]

At Green Mountain anyone can draw from a holster.

[steveopia]

hip55 posted the .50 Cal. Riccochet Headshot (http://www.co-ar15.com/forums/showthread.php?p=232307&posted=1#post232307)and it jogged my memory of an experience I had at a local range. So I decided to search "Silver Bullet" and here we are.

I went to the SB range back in March (I think) to shoot a couple pistols. Long story short, I'm reloading one of my magazines and I get wacked right in the chest with a riccochet. It hit me right where that one internal heart organ is located. Scared the crap outta me and stung like a B. So I pack up my stuff, grab the riccochet, and go to the counter. I toss it up on the counter and say "So this thing just wacked me right here." pointing at my chest. The guy replies "Oh yeah that happens a lot. A woman just a little bit ago caught one in the head and was bleeding all over the place." WTF?!? He was very nonchalant about it.

It pissed me off something serious. I won't be going back there.

Now here's my questions. Does this happen a lot at various ranges? Should it have made me angry or after reading this story does it seem silly that it did? Regardless, it left a bad taste.

[gnihcraes]

I haven't had it happen, but seen it happen at this SB range. apparently it's because some other shooter hasn't setup their target correct and is firing too high or low and it's not hitting the backstop correctly. Wear eye protection. Check the neighboring lanes to see who is setup their target wrong.

[steveopia]

I haven't had it happen, but seen it happen at this SB range. apparently it's because some other shooter hasn't setup their target correct and is firing too high or low and it's not hitting the backstop correctly. Wear eye protection. Check the neighboring lanes to see who is setup their target wrong.

I've heard of getting some shrapnel (if you want to call it that) bounce back on you from people hitting the target carrier but this was a full flattened out slug that wacked me.

And it's interesting that I've experienced it there, some poor lady caught one in the head there, and you've seen it happen there. Seems like they have a problem with their range. I've heard scattered stories about various places but these guys seem to hit their mark pretty consistently when it comes to this. Comparing apples to apples, I've never heard anything like this from customers or workers of The Firing Line in Aurora. I live pretty close to SB but will go to FL long before even thinking about the other.

Do you go there often?

[gnihcraes]

I go there every now and then, might even go in the next day or two, need some practice. I was there for a "Couples Night" shooting event a year or so ago, the range officer at the time was talking about something on the firing line when she got whacked with a piece from down range. Then she looked at the targets and had one person arrange theirs a little better so they were shooting directly into the trap, not up or down causing it to bounce back.

I guess if the angle is just right, V shaped trap, I think some people shoot at the target and hit the concrete and it bounces just right. They should be shooting straight into the back of the trap.

[bellavite1]

I work @ the Silver Bullet on Sundays.

Please note:
I AM NOT SPEAKING FOR THE SILVER BULLET, JUST FOR MYSELF AS A WORKER THAT SEES A LOT OF SHOOTERS IN ACTION.

Yes it is a small range, only five lanes and 25 yards.
This is why I have to be a "range nazi" sometime.
It is only common sense.
If you are shooting rifle and the target is not all the way back, it is very possible, because of the trajectory, that the bullet, rather than hitting the back stop, will hit the ceiling, or the target carrier, or other spots not designed to safely expend the energy of the round.
Especially with unexperienced shooters.
Can a ricochet happen in this case?
You bet.
Same for drawing from holsters: not everybody knows how to do it safely and I think it is better to err on the side of safety.
If you rather go where everybody does whatever they like, be my guest.
Just because you have a gun it does not mean you automatically know how to handle it safely.
Rapid fire is next: fun but not easy to do in a controlled and safe way.
You do it, then the guy next to you will do it too and before you know you are in the middle of a war zone, with lead flying all over the place.[Help][M2]

You cannot do without "nazi" rules and have a safe place at the same time.
So, which one would you rather have?

[steveopia]

You cannot do without "nazi" rules and have a safe place at the same time.
So, which one would you rather have?

I understand what you're saying and I agree. I personally prefer that ranges be ruled with an iron fist for the sake of safety. I have no clue who the other people there are. I sure don't know their amount of experience or lack there of.

Look, I'm not trying to bash SB. I actually really enjoyed going there because it was so close to my place. I more was sharing an experience I had and was looking for feedback on whether it should've been a big deal to me or not. Ultimately that experience made me feel unsafe. And hearing other stories of similar experiences didn't help.

[Irving]

I don't think anyone had any complaints about range nazis.

[gnihcraes]

Just came back from Silver Bullet. Took the 12 yo boy for some shooting. 22's, 38 and 9mm. He had a good time. Everyone at SB was great. +1 Friendly supportive staff.