Firing Range Services | Gun Range Cleaning Services | Shooting Range Cleaning Services| Firing Range Lead Maintenance | Shooting Range Lead Mining | MT2.com

LARGEST PROFESSIONAL INDOOR & OUTDOOR FIRING RANGE LEAD RECLAMATION, MAINTENANCE, CLEANING, & CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTOR | YOU OPERATE A FIRING RANGE-WE GET THE LEAD OUT™

  • Home
  • About
    • MT2’s Passion Vision Mission
    • MT2 Affiliations
    • Giving Back
      • Law Enforcement
    • Why MT2 Is For You
    • Cash4Lead
    • Careers
    • Lead2Love™
    • Reviews
  • Learn
    • Blog
    • Videos
    • Lead Credit Store
    • Trust Your Firing Range Contractor
    • In-House (CIH)
    • Firing Range Research & Lead-Related Fines
    • 5-Star Range
    • Industry News
    • BEST VALUE VALIDATIONS
    • Mandatory Insurance Requirements
    • OSHA RCRA Webinar
    • Workers’ Comp for Gun Ranges
  • Gun Range Services
    • Indoor Shooting Range Services
    • Outdoor Shooting Range Services
    • Construction (Design/Build)
      • Firing Range Services Construction
    • Firing Range Liability Mitigation
    • ECOBOND Treatment Technology
    • Firing Range Laboratory Services
    • FIRING RANGE CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE SERVICES
    • Lead Reclamation
    • Lead, Soil, & Environmental Remediation
    • CoronaVirus
  • Experience
    • Commercial Firing Range Projects Completed
    • Federal and State Law Enforcement Completed Projects
    • DOD and Military Projects Completed
    • Private and Agency Trap & Skeet Gun Range Projects Completed
    • Corporate/Commercial Clients
    • Engineering and Construction Partners
  • Laboratory
  • Range Guru
  • How to Work With MT2
  • Contact Us
  • FREE RANGE QUOTE
  • Toggle Mobile Menu
  • Toggle Search
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
Home » Firing Range lead cleanup » Best Practices for Preventing Bullet Ricochet at Firing Ranges and Protecting Shooters and Range Employees

Best Practices for Preventing Bullet Ricochet at Firing Ranges and Protecting Shooters and Range Employees

July 10, 2018 by Range Defender 2 Comments

Lead shot reclamationFiring ranges provide a controlled environment in which to practice shooting. It’s vital that they are designed to anticipate any issues that could threaten the safety of the shooters and employees. One such consideration which must be considered is how to minimize the risk that bullets will ricochet at unexpected and potentially dangerous angles. What are the best practices to avoid lead bullet ricochet?

Bullet Ricochet:

is when one fires a gun and the bullet hits a hard surface or object at an angle such that it deflects off the said surface of impact. The bullet or bullet fragments after the occurrence may kill or injure the shooter, or people nearby, seriously or cause other forms of damage. There are various ways to reduce the incidence of ricocheting bullets in a firing range.

The type of ammunition, the kind of targets, use of impact-absorbing equipment and the general design of the range all affect the rate of ricochet. However, the simple presence of lead could potentially increase the frequency of ricocheting bullets, even with all these measures in place. The metal qualifies as a surface from which a moving bullet could impact, bounce off and cause harm.

Identify and Address Objects that Could Cause Bullets to Ricochet:

An old adage tells us that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Examining a firing range objectively, with a mind toward identifying any ricochet hazards, can help avoid this problem. Any hard surface which could deflect a bullet should be scrutinized and addressed. This might include rocks, metal posts, sprinkler heads, or even metal hardware. Ricochet hazards should be removed, where possible, or, potentially covered with a material that can absorb the impact of ammunition. For a thorough treatment of firing range design criteria, including recommended practices to address ricochet risk at both indoor and outdoor firing ranges, visit the U.S. Department of Energy’s Range Design Criteria.

Other Safety Considerations:

Depending on the layout and use of each individual firing range, one or more of several possible solutions may be employed to lessen the risk of ricochet. These solutions might include:

  • utilizing steel traps to capture spent ammunition and fragments of ammo
  • employing the use of granulated rubber to absorb bullet impact and contain bullet fragments
  • creating designated shooting lanes that place patrons out of harm’s way
  • recommending the use of specific ammunition less likely to fragment or ricochet
  • encouraging or requiring patrons to wear safety goggles and protective clothing

Gun owners need a safe place to practice shooting. A comprehensive, multi-faceted plan to address the risk of ricochet at each firing range is a proactive way to protect patrons so they can hone their skills in a secure environment.

Removing Lead as a Control Measure for Bullet Ricochet

Due to the numerous safety concerns, rules and regulations are necessary. There are also recommendations or best management practices, BMPs under which gun ranges should operate. Removing lead, therefore, is a very useful preventive measure against such incidents thus protecting any individual at or near the range. One of the most recommended BMP for the safety of a gun range is having a fast and effective means by which to get rid of lead. Gun range owners should prioritize shooter & employee safety and their protection by employing a BMP that will ensure as minimal lead as possible in the range.

What should you do for lead contamination in your range?

  • Only use the bullet traps that minimize generation of lead dust
  • Carry out routine cleanup in the range using proper disposal techniques and methods.
  • Avoid dry sweeping, dusting, or wiping.
  • Train and inform the workers of post-warning signs and hygiene.
  • To reduce the range contamination, consult EPA best management practices
  • Provide and make use of protective garments.
  • Improve filtration and ventilation systems.

Firearm owners, sports shooters, gun enthusiasts, law enforcement officers among other individuals who use guns often visit the shooting range. These are the places designated for the sole purpose of firing guns.  There are thousands of firing ranges in the United States, for a great list of Where to Shoot, the NSSF provides a comprehensive list.

MT2 Firing Range Services is the #1 largest most cost-effective nationwide professional indoor & outdoor firing range lead reclamation & maintenance contractor providing the highest value for your recycled lead.

Now in our 18th year in business,

MT2 Firing Range Services is a recent Inc. 5,000 fastest growing company and is well-known industry wide for being the nation’s #1 largest professional provider of the full scale of outdoor/indoor firing range environmental/maintenance/construction services at over 2,000

ranges nationwide for Law Enforcement, Military and Commercial ranges in all 50 states. No one reclaims more lead or finishes a project faster than MT2!!

www.MT2FiringRangeServices.com

Related Posts:

  • Workers' Compensation Service for Shooting Ranges  | Facts and Considerations to Protect Your Firing Range Employees
    Workers' Compensation Service for Shooting Ranges | Facts…
  • Spotlight on Top Colorado Gun Ranges | Sponsored by MT2 Firing Range Services
    Spotlight on Top Colorado Gun Ranges | Sponsored by MT2…
  • Gun Range Service Recommendations Go Beyond Addressing Lead Maintenance-Firing Ranges Must Consider If Their FFL Is Next on a Criminal’s Hit List?
    Gun Range Service Recommendations Go Beyond Addressing Lead…
  • Gun Range Cleaning Tips: GunStuff TV Interviews James Barthel, CEO of MT2 Firing Range Services about and Lead Reclamation for Indoor and Outdoor Shooting Ranges
    Gun Range Cleaning Tips: GunStuff TV Interviews James…
  • Workers’ Compensation Service for Shooting Ranges
    Workers’ Compensation Service for Shooting Ranges
  • MT2 Featured in Research Article for IACP Police Chief Magazine About Creating Safe Environments through Architecture and Design for Gun Ranges
    MT2 Featured in Research Article for IACP Police Chief…

Filed Under: Blog, Firing Range Services | Gun Range Lead Removal Tagged With: Firing Range lead cleanup, Firing Range Maintenance and Lead Reclamation, firing range services, ricochet bullet

About Range Defender

MT2 Firing Range Services is the #1 largest most cost-effective nationwide professional indoor & outdoor firing range lead reclamation & maintenance contractor providing the highest value for your recycled lead.
No one reclaims more lead or finishes a project faster than MT2!

MT2 is well known industry wide for being the nation’s #1 largest professional provider of the full scale of outdoor/indoor range environmental, maintenance and construction services; proven at over 3,000 ranges, in the past 20 years and is an A+ BBB accredited business, in all 50 states from our nationwide office network. Including:
• Comprehensive OSHA training program
• Knowledge of EPA regulations
• Our “Never Generate Hazardous Waste Guarantee.”

Specializing in:
• Lead: Treatment, Screening & Reclamation to MAXIMIZE Lead Value!
• Environmental: EPA & OSHA Consulting, Remediation, Closure.
• Maintenance: Filters/Ventilation, Rubber, Traps, Decontamination
• Construction: Renovation, Design/Build, Improvements, Dismantling.

Comments

  1. Tyler Johnson says

    November 27, 2019 at 2:39 pm

    That’s a good idea to have a steel trap that could catch all the bullets. I would assume that if you had a good thick one, that it would be able to catch pretty much any caliber of bullet. If I decide to start shooting at a range, I’ll make sure that they have a good trap that could help prevent any ricochets.

    Reply
    • Range Defender says

      December 2, 2019 at 3:17 pm

      Thanks for the comment Tyler! Yes you are correct that checking the equipment at ranges you shoot at is a great idea to make sure everything looks good!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


Office Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm Mountain Time

MT2: Metals Treatment Technologies
14045 W. 66th Avenue
Arvada, CO 80004

Contact
1.888.435.6645 (tel)
info@mt2.com

Featured Links

  • About MT2
  • Blog
  • Range Questionnaire
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use

    MT2 is the #1 Largest Nationwide Professional Firing Range Lead Reclamation Maintenance and Cleaning Contractor