Indoor Range Ventilation ?????

[clayshooter99]

Yesterday I shot at an indoor range in Greenfield. I have not shot a lot of indoor ranges but the ones that I have seemed like the ventilation systems "pushed" fresh or clean air into my back and downrange. Although this place was very busy it seemed like there was no air movement at all. I did inquire and the worker told me that it is running as normal. I was at one end, and the smoke and junk in the air was so thick, that looking to the other end was blurry and very thick. I was shooting at a small bullseye target where the black was about a three inch circle and it was very difficult to see that target at the farthest point from the smoke. Against my better judgement, I stayed for nearly the entire hour and should not have. My clothes were filthy, all cases, ammo boxes and equipment had a gray/black soot on them and the thick black saliva that I coughed up when I left looked terrible. This cannot possibly be a safe environment! This is something that will "turn off" a new shooter very quickly as they might think all shooting is like this experience. I just want to know is the majority of indoor ranges are like this or is there a known ventilation problem at this range?

 

[rkwhyte2]

Beech Grove isn't like this at all and neither is Tim's in Westfield. Would you care to name the range you went to? I understand if you don't.

 

[throttletony]

Sounds poorly ventilated. I'm the putz that's not embarrassed to wear a mask - anything to limit lead inhalation.

 

[hoosierdoc]

yeah, that sounds unhealthy. I'd rather wait for warmer weather than expose myself to that.

 

[Hookeye]

1 hr.................probably basketball tumors now.
Better have the will done, so the more liked family members get the Colts and Smiths.

 

[cedartop]

Sounds like most of the indoor ranges I have shot at. That is why I try to limit my time at them. Going to be doing a class at one next weekend and I hope it is a little better than the last time.

 

[IndyGlockMan]

That would be Highsmith Guns in Greenfield.
Sorry to hear about your experience.
I've shot there once and didn't have a problem with ventilation at all.
Did you show him the problem?
Did he see the smoke build up in the range?
Sounds like it wasn't running to me.
Weird.
This is a nice indoor range and well lit.
I wish BGF had better lighting.

 

[flyboy84]

Man that sucks you had a bad experiance. Swing by another day and see if it is any different.

 

[RUSH2112]

I went a couple weekends ago, thought it looked pretty smokey compared to my other visits.


I did gain a couple pounds.....probably all the lead I ingested.

 

[Hopper]

Sounds like it might have been time for a filter change? Highsmith's is my favorite indoor range, I think the whole shop is run by a great bunch. Not saying the OP didn't have a bad experience, but this is not the norm for those guys, the shop and range have been spotless when I've been there.

 

[clayshooter99]

To answer some of the other posters comments....I did ask about but quickly sensed an "attitude" that I had the guts to ask about it, so I did not mention it again. It was Highsmiths in Greenfield. I do hope this was an isolated incident and this is not the norm there. I feel safe in saying that NOBODY should have been inside that range in those conditions. I am as Pro-gun/shooting as anyone on this forum and am thankful and happy for indoor ranges, but this type of thing is just what the ANTI's like and feed off of.

 

[Tyler-The-Piker]

there are some days (especially Sat and Sun) where every single lane in the range is being used from the time they open until the time they close. they stay steady packed in there and you do have to wait most weekends when you show up in the middle of the day to use the range. I'm sure a combination of that and a possible need to change filters etc could be the issue. I actually had a conversation with them about this issue recently and they assured me that they pipe fresh air in there and pull/push the "bad air" out. I don't know if, when they installed the system in the range, they knew just how friggin busy their range was going to be. When they first opened it was not uncommon for me to be the only person in their range (no matter what day of the week) and like I said...now it's non-stop everyday. The more people that mention the air quality to them...the more apt they are to "upgrade" their existing air purifier etc...

 

[mgrigsby]

I was in there yesterday and had to wait for a few minutes as they finished cleaning the range. One of the clerks there had mentioned that they had just replaced the filter a few minutes prior to me arriving. Seems like you had visited at the end of the life of the previous filter.

 

[hoosierdoc]

1 hr.................probably basketball tumors now.
Better have the will done, so the more liked family members get the Colts and Smiths.

dismiss as you may, I'd still rather wait.

 

[Thegeek]

Big difference between adequate ventilation and good ventilation. I like the range at Highsmith, but when it's busy, the air system falls short. There are other ranges with much worse though. BGF did it right, that's for sure.

 

[throttletony]

I was in there yesterday and had to wait for a few minutes as they finished cleaning the range. One of the clerks there had mentioned that they had just replaced the filter a few minutes prior to me arriving. Seems like you had visited at the end of the life of the previous filter.

That's good to hear. I'm sure that the system just gets overwhelmed if it's as busy as it sounds.

 

[flightsimmer]

I was in there yesterday and had to wait for a few minutes as they finished cleaning the range. One of the clerks there had mentioned that they had just replaced the filter a few minutes prior to me arriving. Seems like you had visited at the end of the life of the previous filter.

Quote. (They had just replaced "THE" filter), unquote.
Mercy, BGF&R has a whole bank full of filters, it is very costly to replace them and they are computer monitored for when they must be replaced. But it is a top notch system.
That's what a lot of your range fee goes for, clean, fresh, heated and cooled air.

BTW, join us for Tuesday nights shoot at 6:00, 6:30 or 7:00 for friendly competition.
Any gun, any caliber.

 

[looney2ns]

They need to understand that they need to have the fans cleaned as well from time to time. Fans get dirty and air flow falls. This includes air intake grills.

 

[fishinfool88]

I enjoy Highsmith but I do agree with what was said. There have been times that I have gone and tasted powder for the rest of the night.

 

[6mm Shoot]

The air in any shooting range is by EPA to be turned over every hour. That means that all the air in the range has to be replaced every hour. If you are at a range and it is smokey, it is time to go. You should be able to see the smoke being pulled out of the place. That is why most inside ranges aren't heated. The old air has to be pulled out and new air brought in and you loose all the heat you had with the air going out.

The range I went in Miami, Florida didn't have filters. They just turned over the air. The place I go to in Kentucky say they have filters and change them every 60 days. I have no idea if that is true. It is just what I have been told.