Indoor range caught fire today

mikejonestkd · March 24, 2023, 07:01 PM

One of the best local ranges near me caught fire this afternoon

Its still early in the investigation- in fact they are still pouring water on the rubber back stop as I type this thread, but the speculation is that the source was unburnt powder downrange.

Its a heck of a loss for a local business, and they are an excellent local dealer. I do hope they get back up and running soon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5zGFyZ9Yps

cslinger · March 24, 2023, 07:30 PM

Happens more than you think. I’ve seen it happen at least 3 or 4 times in the last 15 or 20 years. (I don’t mean I was THERE when it happened, I just mean they were local ranges I would use/known to me)

BarryLee · March 25, 2023, 05:52 AM

It happened around her a few years ago. While not an expert in fire suppression systems I do wonder if a standard building sprinkler system is sufficient for these types of fires.

mehavey · March 25, 2023, 06:42 AM

Quote:

...still pouring water on the rubber back stop

What do you call rubber impregnated with unburned powder residue?
... Solid rocket fuel

Believe it.

Shadow9mm · March 25, 2023, 08:35 AM

That happened a few years back here in Indianapolis at beech grive firearms. Some idiot was shooting tracers indoors. They never rebuilt the range, heard it was issues getting the insurance to pay out.

**Aguila Blanca** · March 25, 2023, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BarryLee

It happened around her a few years ago. While not an expert in fire suppression systems I do wonder if a standard building sprinkler system is sufficient for these types of fires.

I wonder if an indoor range needs to be sprinklered.

Building and fire safety codes don't require all businesses to have sprinklers. A sprinkler system is usually required for assembly purposes, or for larger buildings. I know the range where I shoot isn't sprinklered.

mehavey · March 25, 2023, 10:43 AM

Once rocket fuel (Rubber/Tire + oxidizer) actually ignites,
"sprinklers" had better inundate within 30-seconds.

.

mikejonestkd · March 25, 2023, 11:13 AM

here is an aftermath video.
https://www.facebook.com/TheFiringPi...39809728466441

L. Boscoe · March 25, 2023, 11:54 AM

My local range has a steel backstop, angled so the rounds don't come back
at us. I will ask if they have any rubber in them.

Sevens · March 25, 2023, 12:02 PM

Nosler had one in their test tunnel not all that long ago.

**JohnKSa** · March 25, 2023, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Once rocket fuel (Rubber + oxidizer) actually ignites,
"sprinklers" had better inundate within 30-seconds

Yup.

An indoor range with a chipped rubber backstop burned down in in the middle of Dallas some years ago. Once it gets going good, it seems that the fire department can't get it put out.

They believe a tracer started that one.

https://www.claimsjournal.com/news/s.../26/223831.htm

**Aguila Blanca** · March 25, 2023, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by L. Boscoe

My local range has a steel backstop, angled so the rounds don't come back at us. I will ask if they have any rubber in them.

That's what my range has. The steel plate is set at 45 degrees. It defects the bullets down into a moat, several feet deep, that's filled with water.

They did have a fire in the range a few years ago, but not in the bullet trap area. A hot spark dropped into the accumulation of unburned powder that had collected a few feet in front of the firing benches and set that off. Since the fire, the range has become much more organized about how often they sweep out the area in front of the stalls, and they now wet mop rather than dry sweep.

SIGSHR · March 31, 2023, 10:53 AM

The ranges I shoot at ban tracers, I haven't heard of any range fires here in NJ. Unburnt powder ? Always thought powder that didn't burn up in the barrel burned up outside it, hence those spectacular muzzle flashes that photograph so well. Rubber tires in junkyards are a fireman's bane, water doesn't work that wel on them.

**Aguila Blanca** · March 31, 2023, 11:44 AM

Not all unburned powder burns in muzzle flash. When I scrounge brass from the buckets at the range, it's surprising just how much powder is left in some cases.

**44 AMP** · March 31, 2023, 01:00 PM

Just to be a PITA, none of the unburnt powder burns in the muzzle flash. If it burns, its not "unburnt" powder.

There are always a few flakes or granules of unburnt or partially burnt powder. An indoor shooting range, where there is no weather providing an environment where this material gets washed away, or has soil to degrade into, where thousands of rounds get fired over the same small area (range floor) and absent frequent and proper cleaning, the still flammable debris builds up, and when the stars line up, gets ignited.

Its one of the known hazards of enclosed shooting spaces.

mikejonestkd · March 31, 2023, 05:12 PM

Confirmed that the rubber backstop caught fire.
Some more pics of the aftermath :
https://www.facebook.com/TheFiringPinLlc

I would have thought that the range had a fire suppression system, but apparently not.

March 24, 2023, 07:01 PM	#1
mikejonestkd Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2006 Location: Brockport, NY Posts: 3,691	Indoor range caught fire today One of the best local ranges near me caught fire this afternoon Its still early in the investigation- in fact they are still pouring water on the rubber back stop as I type this thread, but the speculation is that the source was unburnt powder downrange. Its a heck of a loss for a local business, and they are an excellent local dealer. I do hope they get back up and running soon. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5zGFyZ9Yps __________________ You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.

March 24, 2023, 07:30 PM	#2
cslinger Senior Member Join Date: July 14, 2002 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 2,040	Happens more than you think. I’ve seen it happen at least 3 or 4 times in the last 15 or 20 years. (I don’t mean I was THERE when it happened, I just mean they were local ranges I would use/known to me) __________________ "Is there anyway I can write my local gun store off on my taxes as dependents?"

March 25, 2023, 05:52 AM	#3
BarryLee Senior Member Join Date: July 29, 2010 Location: The ATL (OTP) Posts: 3,903	It happened around her a few years ago. While not an expert in fire suppression systems I do wonder if a standard building sprinkler system is sufficient for these types of fires. __________________ A major source of objection to a free economy is precisely that it ... gives people what they want instead of what a particular group thinks they ought to want. Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman

March 25, 2023, 08:35 AM	#5
Shadow9mm Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2012 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 3,612	That happened a few years back here in Indianapolis at beech grive firearms. Some idiot was shooting tracers indoors. They never rebuilt the range, heard it was issues getting the insurance to pay out. __________________ I don't believe in "range fodder" that is why I reload.

March 25, 2023, 10:43 AM	#7
mehavey Senior Member Join Date: June 17, 2010 Location: Virginia Posts: 6,629	Once rocket fuel (Rubber/Tire + oxidizer) actually ignites, "sprinklers" had better inundate within 30-seconds. . Last edited by mehavey; March 25, 2023 at 07:21 PM.

March 25, 2023, 11:13 AM	#8
mikejonestkd Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2006 Location: Brockport, NY Posts: 3,691	here is an aftermath video. https://www.facebook.com/TheFiringPi...39809728466441 __________________ You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.

March 25, 2023, 11:54 AM	#9
L. Boscoe Senior Member Join Date: October 30, 2021 Posts: 243	My local range has a steel backstop, angled so the rounds don't come back at us. I will ask if they have any rubber in them.

March 25, 2023, 12:02 PM	#10
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,701	Nosler had one in their test tunnel not all that long ago. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

March 31, 2023, 10:53 AM	#13
SIGSHR Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2005 Posts: 4,683	The ranges I shoot at ban tracers, I haven't heard of any range fires here in NJ. Unburnt powder ? Always thought powder that didn't burn up in the barrel burned up outside it, hence those spectacular muzzle flashes that photograph so well. Rubber tires in junkyards are a fireman's bane, water doesn't work that wel on them.

March 31, 2023, 11:44 AM	#14
Aguila Blanca Staff Join Date: September 25, 2008 Location: CONUS Posts: 17,924	Not all unburned powder burns in muzzle flash. When I scrounge brass from the buckets at the range, it's surprising just how much powder is left in some cases. __________________ NRA Life Member / Certified Instructor NRA Chief RSO / CMP RSO 1911 Certified Armorer Jeepaholic

March 31, 2023, 01:00 PM	#15
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 27,163	Just to be a PITA, none of the unburnt powder burns in the muzzle flash. If it burns, its not "unburnt" powder. There are always a few flakes or granules of unburnt or partially burnt powder. An indoor shooting range, where there is no weather providing an environment where this material gets washed away, or has soil to degrade into, where thousands of rounds get fired over the same small area (range floor) and absent frequent and proper cleaning, the still flammable debris builds up, and when the stars line up, gets ignited. Its one of the known hazards of enclosed shooting spaces. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

March 31, 2023, 05:12 PM	#16
mikejonestkd Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2006 Location: Brockport, NY Posts: 3,691	Confirmed that the rubber backstop caught fire. Some more pics of the aftermath : https://www.facebook.com/TheFiringPinLlc I would have thought that the range had a fire suppression system, but apparently not. __________________ You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.

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