Basement Range

[TJB101]

So in order to test some new ammo I loaded I decided to set up a range in the basement. I have multiple boxes stacked up filled with plywood. I added a dual speed hepa filter (1200 - 1600 cfm) and two bedspread 'curtains' to curtail the residue. So far I tested it out on my 9mm and 38 special using low end loads. So far so good.

I called the township police and discussed the legalities of such an undertaking. Basically they said if no one complains, no worries.

I talked to my immediate neighbor (also a CCW) and he had no problem with my endeavour. Had the wife go outside during a session and nothing could be heard 5 feet from my house. (except the music playing whilst practicing)

Has anyone done something similar?

 

[g.willikers]

Only tried it with .22s and airguns.
Even the rimfires were too dirty, with an open basement window and exhaust fan.
What is the filter you mention?

 

[TJB101]

I pulled a squirrel fan out of a retired home AC unit and built an enclosure for that uses 2 16x20 filters, one being a high end hepa filter. I added a dual speed switch that lets me run it in low and high speeds. The fan is placed about waist high on a table to the right of me about 3 feet. The curtains surround it pretty good and all waste air is sucked right to the fan with the exhaust pointing to the back of the basement.

 

[Evan Thomas]

The curtains surround it pretty good and all waste air is sucked right to the fan with the exhaust pointing to the back of the basement.

I very much doubt that this setup is capturing "all the waste air." HEPA filter or not, you're still putting lead into the air in your house. This is not a setup I'd use on a regular basis, if at all.

 

[TJB101]

All waste air .. absolutely not. But for running a few test loads thru I feel it is adequate. IMO. Walk out of the room for 15 minutes and let the unit scrub the air.

 

[Sevens]

I am not saying you shouldn't do it. I would -love- to do it. But I gotta call BS that your wife couldn't hear handgun gunshots from 5 feet away outdoors. No way. Doesn't seem possible.

 

[TJB101]

With the boom box turned way up and her standing in front of the house she could not hear anything but some low vol music and a mild thump on discharge. Maybe my comment about not hearing anything was a tad zealous on my part. No windows in the front of the property from basement and the two windows closest to my area were packed with styrofoam panels. That and the house sits back about 200 feet from street.

 

[Sevens]

Agreed, we are likely arguing perception and the terms we use to describe. It would seem to me that with any average house, if you are outdoors and 5 feet away, a normal person could hear a homeowner pounding a nail in to a 2x4 with a hammer in the basement. The 35k PSI crack from a 9mm coming out of a four inch barrel?!

Maybe my hearing is far above average.

 

[Jeryray]

Interesting, What State would this be?

Here in NY, NO WAY

 

[Skans]

There are non-lead bullets/cartridges available if lead is your biggest concern. Honestly, even with jacketed bullets, I doubt that hardly any lead becomes airborne.

 

[TJB101]

Pennsylvania... I will be test loading some wad cutters with a very lite load of Titegroup this weekend. Trying to keep everything subsonic

 

[Chainsaw.]

Is it actually illegal in NY Jeryray?

I shoot in my garage often. 3-4 car garage separate from the house. Neighborhood Im in everyone has at least two acres. I use a big maple round backed by a sheet of 1/4" steel. Hand gun only. Shoot a couple rounds to check function then open all the doors to vent in short order.

 

[tangolima]

There are non-lead bullets/cartridges available if lead is your biggest concern. Honestly, even with jacketed bullets, I doubt that hardly any lead becomes airborne.

Primer residue. It is compound lead in particular form. There are non-lead primers. But their performance is iffy.

-TL

 

[MarkGlazer]

Speak with your insurance company. I think they may take issue with your new venture.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

There are non-lead bullets/cartridges available if lead is your biggest concern. Honestly, even with jacketed bullets, I doubt that hardly any lead becomes airborne.

You're quite wrong. Most of the lead comes from the primers, not the bullets.

I shoot at an indoor range. It's old and the backstop can't handle centerfire rifle, so it sees only handguns and .22 rifles. Most of the shooters use commercial ammo, so most is jacketed except for the .22 ammo (some of which is plated).

The range occasionally had informal "combat" simulations, at which the range lanes were closed down, a mini IPSC/IDPA-ish course of fire was set up out on the floor, and competitors went out on the floor and did the course. I did a few of them. And at my next regular check-up at the VA hospital, blood tests showed my blood lead level was well above the action threshold. I quit the doing the smulations, significantly curtailed my shooting for about a year, and my blood lead level came back to normal. I wasn't the only one -- I met another guy also reported high blood lead levels. I think there were others' too, because after I had quit the competitions the range owner modified his maintenance routine. Instead of brooms to sweep brass out of the way between shooters at the competitions, he switched to rubber squeegees. And instead of sweeping the floors dry, he changed to hosing them down before sweeping, so the brooms wouldn't stir up lead dust.

And that's why I haven't set up a backstop in the crawlspace under my house.

 

[T. O'Heir]

"...said if no one complains, no worries..." You get that in writing? Did you actually read your local ordinances? Rule Number 3, I think it is, says ,"Thou shalt always CYA.".

 

[ShootistPRS]

There are usually ordinances against discharging firearms in a populated area or city limits but (BIG BUT) I have seen back yard ranges inside city limits and the cops and city say as long as it stays on the private property and is not done before or after certain hours it is all legal. When done in your home it would seem that there is little they could do as long as no one was threatened or injured. There again, it may depend on how friendly the local establishment is to your rights. A good bullet trap, some sound deadening on the walls and ceiling and who is going to know?

 

[Theohazard]

Many indoor ranges have problems with lead contamination. To minimize lead exposure it takes a high-end ventilation system and a staff that's given the proper equipment and training to clean it on a constant basis.

The range I worked at several years ago had the former but not the latter, and many employees ended up getting bad lead poisoning. The range I work at now has both, and it's pretty obvious to me how much work it takes to run an indoor range that's not a lead hazard.

Our range has an air system that is powerful enough to cycle out the entire air content of each bay in 60 seconds. The staff is constantly cleaning the facility using de-lead cleaners. There are de-lead mats in several places in each bay and in the hallways to minimize lead tracked by foot traffic. The bathrooms are stocked with de-lead soap and shooters are encouraged to wash their hands and face after shooting. Ownership and management is constantly testing all range facility surfaces with lead testing kits. The blood lead levels of all employees are tested on a regular basis.

If you're not willing do something similar with your own personal indoor range, it's very likely that you'll end up with lead exposure issues. And that's not something you want.

 

[buck460XVR]

There are usually ordinances against discharging firearms in a populated area or city limits but (BIG BUT) I have seen back yard ranges inside city limits and the cops and city say as long as it stays on the private property and is not done before or after certain hours it is all legal. When done in your home it would seem that there is little they could do as long as no one was threatened or injured

You are correct by saying most municipalities have ordinances against the discharge of firearms within city limits, but the cops have little to say about it. They do not create the ordinances, only enforce them. Similar to alternate parking, dogs running at large, excessive noise. They are not the ones to decider where and when alternate parking begins and ends. Ony write the tickets to those that don't abide. They may be lenient in certain scenarios, but the minute someone complains, they have to act and follow up. Now if there really are those "backyard ranges within city limits" you speak of, they are there because the owner went before the city council and got a variance. They have it in writing and not jut the word from their buddy on the local police force. That's why, if I were the OP, I would not progress anymore with his basement range, much less tell others about it, until he goes to the proper authorities and confirm he's legal in writing. If the OP is not within the boundaries of a municipality and there are no ordinances against it, then his worry is the lead contamination within the structure. If he has any young children, I would refrain.

 

[TJB101]

You are correct by saying most municipalities have ordinances against the discharge of firearms within city limits, but the cops have little to say about it. They do not create the ordinances, only enforce them. Similar to alternate parking, dogs running at large, excessive noise. They are not the ones to decider where and when alternate parking begins and ends. Ony write the tickets to those that don't abide. They may be lenient in certain scenarios, but the minute someone complains, they have to act and follow up. Now if there really are those "backyard ranges within city limits" you speak of, they are there because the owner went before the city council and got a variance. They have it in writing and not jut the word from their buddy on the local police force. That's why, if I were the OP, I would not progress anymore with his basement range, much less tell others about it, until he goes to the proper authorities and confirm he's legal in writing. If the OP is not within the boundaries of a municipality and there are no ordinances against it, then his worry is the lead contamination within the structure. If he has any young children, I would refrain.

Appreciate the comments. This will not be used to fire off 200 rounds ... just the occasional test of some new loads. 5, 10, maybe 15 rounds. Leave the basement and let the air handler do its job. I'm concerned about lead exposure and will take extra precautions.



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