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So I was at the Bexar Community Range yesterday zeroing in a scope on my new Marlin 336. The guy at the table to my left was shooting a Ruger Mini 30. Every time he fired, I got a blast of air and sprayed with burning gunpowder. It was not pleasant. I finally made a kind comment to him and he moved two tables to my right. Even then, I was getting showered with his gunpowder residue. I've never experienced that before, other than when someone was next to me one time firing a .44 mag pistol.

There must be something about the design of that rifle that sprays burning powder left and right. Or maybe it was the steel cased ammo he was using....

While there, someone was firing for the first time two new Tommy guns he had purchased. I was amazed at how little recoil there seemed to be for a .45! But then, the thing weighed a ton....

Reminds me of going to a range in Aurora, CO, and making the mistake of sitting to the right of someone who was shooting a flintlock musket. The first time he pulled the trigger, I was showered with smoke, flecks of unburnt powder, and plenty of smoldering something or other. The guy put twice as much blackpowder as he needed in the pan to prime it, and it *banged* nearly as prominently as the muzzle did. He was soon escorted from the firing line by a range officer, thankfully.

I have offended a few folks from flying brass/steel cases from an HK91...the shells were flying almost 10ft vertical and 15-20ft out. Shells were bouncing off the canopy and out in front of people on the two lanes to my right. There wasn't anything I could do to change anything except move or ask them to move...neither of us did though. A guy to my immediate right was shooting a Ruger 10/22 and I asked him (after a few polite inquiries what the heck I was blasting with) if he wanted to let a few loose out of my rifle. He jumped at the chance and had a huge smile on his face after a few rounds of .308 and all was peaceful after that.

The only time I've ever had powder burns (aside from my .22 pistols) was shooting my Mini-14.

Of course, that happened because the (soldered on ) flashhider came partway off during a string, and the next round hit it.

Ow.

denwego wrote:Reminds me of going to a range in Aurora, CO, and making the mistake of sitting to the right of someone who was shooting a flintlock musket. The first time he pulled the trigger, I was showered with smoke, flecks of unburnt powder, and plenty of smoldering something or other. The guy put twice as much blackpowder as he needed in the pan to prime it, and it *banged* nearly as prominently as the muzzle did. He was soon escorted from the firing line by a range officer, thankfully.

When I shoot my smokepoles, I always make sure I"m on the farthest right side wherever possible, or have at least two benches to my right open. If somebody chooses to sit there once I'm shooting, so be it. If I'm bench shooting the flintlock, I'll set up a plywood screen to the right -- it helps a bunch.

Imagine what it must have been like in the infantry 300 years ago, lined up side by side and firing by ranks. No wonder they worse long sleeved coats even in the summer!

Slow burning powder.

Hot, steel case rifle brass down the back of your shirt builds character. Take 3, repeat frequently. Helps you to maintain focus.

Silent Professional wrote:Hot, steel case rifle brass down the back of your shirt builds character. Take 3, repeat frequently. Helps you to maintain focus.

I love "building character". Whenever someone talks about something as being unpleasant, I just tell them that they're just building character, or if I ask someone to do something unpleasant, I just tell them how it's character building.

We certainly don't have any shortage of characters, do we????

Hot brass equals unique rain dance. Bunch of friends and wives at range all afternoon and we were shooting dualing targets when one of the wives took 2 hot .45 brass dowin in her ladies underwear region. She did some pretty good moves before getting clear. It was shake out shirttail and let them finally fall out. She sure did not like her hubby laughing so hard. The rest of us were smart enough to giggle behind our hands.

I have been blasted by powder before. Just have to share the range and try to be left of the "hot" firearm.

Bear67 wrote:Hot brass equals unique rain dance. Bunch of friends and wives at range all afternoon and we were shooting dualing targets when one of the wives took 2 hot .45 brass dowin in her ladies underwear region. She did some pretty good moves before getting clear. It was shake out shirttail and let them finally fall out. She sure did not like her hubby laughing so hard. The rest of us were smart enough to giggle behind our hands.

I have been blasted by powder before. Just have to share the range and try to be left of the "hot" firearm.

I call that particular dance the "hot shell hula."

I caution new lady shooters about it, but there's always a certain percentage that figures that wearing top that is closed in front and a baseball cap while shooting somehow diminishes their feminine allure, and they dispense with those silly precautions.

It doesn't take long before they're entertaining the rest of the line with the hot shell hula.

I think it's downright kind of 'em to help keep up morale.