Shooting range differences (indoor vs outdoor)

[fritzmeister]

So Friday, a friend from work and I went to an indoor range. This is the first time I have EVER been to an indoor range. I have ALWAYS been lucky/fortunate enough to be able to shoot outside somewhere. I have never been a "put a box of 50 in one hole" kind of shot, but I consider myself decent. I found myself spraying bullets all over the target. The lighting was bad to say the least. I think I was also a little excited and hurried, knowing that I had to actually pay for my time.

So the question I have is,...........is this normal to suffer acurracy inside, or is it just me? Once I kind of got settled down, I started shooting better. The one good thing about this is that I now have a psuedo insight to what it might be like in my house should someone ever break in.

Anyway, I think I may have just found another place and some other guys (from work, & home) to go shooting with (outside) close to home.

[Archer1945]

Not unusual at all if the range is not well lighted. Also as you said knowing you were paying so much per hour can also force you to shoot a bit faster than normal. However, as you also said it does make you stop and think about what the lightening might be like if you ever had to take on someone who had broken into your home/apartment.

The major advantage of having night sights on your gun is because they will allow you to aim in much lower light than regular sights will, even those with white dots. In low light conditions the eye is capable of making out large masses much better than it is on focusing on a small sight pin. A flashlight is used to id your target but it won't help you aim, that is what the night sights or laser are for.

Back to your idea about cost of shooting indoors affecting your shooting it will unless you realize on an indoor range you will be able to shoot more in an hour than you will at most outdoor ranges. This is because very few indoor ranges don't have some type of mechanical method of moving targets so you don't have to take the time to walk back and forth from the shooting point to replace your target or just check it. You will find after awhile you can probably slow down your shooting just abit, unless of course you are primarily interested in shooting as much ammo as you can in the least possible time.

[jeepinbanditrider]

Diffrence.

Usually much higher levels of lead at indoor ranges especially if they don't have a proper ventalation system.

[jtkratzer]

The only difference I noticed was that the concussion/muzzle blast of the other shooters was much more noticeable due to in being contained within a room/building. Also, the ventilation is ok where I shoot, but there isn't enough of a breeze or air movement to keep me cool enough and I feel myself getting sweaty and my shooting glasses tend to fog up at times as well as getting sweaty hands. Where I shoot, the lighting is fine, but I get irritated when I'm shooting paper targets for bullseye scoring and the target is bouncing around on the hanger because of the cable the hanger slides on out to the distance you want to shoot at.

[XD45inAZ]

I went to an outdoor range the day before I did my ccw class and I saw a difference when I shot indoors at the class. My grouping size almost doubled. I was kind of embarrassed because I am a decent shot (not great but effective).

[ROFL XD]

Interesting... I usually shoot better indoors, although I don't do it often (bad ventilation, paying for range time).

[EJ25]

i shoot better indoors on paper targets than outdoors on the metal targets. dunno why its different tho its weird.

my indoor one has the AC on full blast sometimes and it still gets kinda hot and ... well its bad to take deep breathes with all that smoke, gunpowder and brass flyin around

plus its cheaper to shoot. $125/yr unlimited range time and rentals

[fritzmeister]

My outdoor range time is in fields and pastures, so there is no cost for that. I also try very hard not to be shooting, just to be shooting. I try to make make it mean something. Maybe the last mag or two I might just blast off, because it's fun, but not too often.

There was a fan there to help circulate the air, but I don't think it did too terribly much.

Interesting how diferently people are effected (affected?) by different range environments.

[redfish]

Yes it take a little to become comfortable but you can shoot just as much inthe hour you pay for as you would probably want to at an outdoor range. I shoot at both on a regular base.

I do agree that the lighting can be poor but that just give you more challanges to over come in my eyes. Great to try diffrent styles as for you never know what you may have to deal with one day.

Having the automated sytem at the indoor range makes up the time diffrence.

[Jim B]

ya know, wow, does that bring back memories, in the summer we used to qualify outdoors and winter indoors......I used to get distracted by the extra noise indoors and put ear plugs under my muffs to help with it.....but our range officer told us at the time that we would likely shoot tighter groups indoors rather than outdoors, his answer was simply, fewer distractions....I suppose if you get distracted by birds, chatter and stuff maybe......but I did find myself personally able to zone better.....indoors but we each shot in our own booth.....oh, and our range officer used a whistle to penetrate all that hearing protection!

Jim B