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FrozenGate by Avery

Where to use a powerful laser

ragebot

ragebot

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Joined
Jul 29, 2018
Messages
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Yesterday I went to the shooting range for a regular shooting match. It struck me that that a wide open space where it is safe to shoot high power rifles with a high dirt berm around three sides would be a good place to play with powerful lasers. My shooting club has a security gate with restricted key card entrance and the public is only allowed in when accompanied with a member. Often during week days I am the only person at one of the seven ranges and one of the ranges has targets at 100, 200, and 300 yards.

Are there any shooters here who have used their lasers at a range, or anyone who thinks this is a good idea. Or those who thing it is a bad idea and if so why.
 





ragebot said:
Yesterday I went to the shooting range for a regular shooting match. It struck me that that a wide open space where it is safe to shoot high power rifles with a high dirt berm around three sides would be a good place to play with powerful lasers. My shooting club has a security gate with restricted key card entrance and the public is only allowed in when accompanied with a member. Often during week days I am the only person at one of the seven ranges and one of the ranges has targets at 100, 200, and 300 yards.

Are there any shooters here who have used their lasers at a range, or anyone who thinks this is a good idea. Or those who thing it is a bad idea and if so why.
Click to expand...


If it's only a very very weak laser shouldn't be a issue, if your pushing something serious it could reflect off a target or rock or anything and potentially blind another shooter or yourself and yea.. blind firing or being made blind isn't safe I hear. No matter how remote the range. But again at low levels it probably won't have the power to be to dangerous.. I just wouldn't bother risking it. Or starting a trend that other less responsible people will follow and further ruin laser accessibility for everyone =p (my two cents)
 
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ragebot said:
Yesterday I went to the shooting range for a regular shooting match. It struck me that that a wide open space where it is safe to shoot high power rifles with a high dirt berm around three sides would be a good place to play with powerful lasers. My shooting club has a security gate with restricted key card entrance and the public is only allowed in when accompanied with a member. Often during week days I am the only person at one of the seven ranges and one of the ranges has targets at 100, 200, and 300 yards.

Are there any shooters here who have used their lasers at a range, or anyone who thinks this is a good idea. Or those who thing it is a bad idea and if so why.
Click to expand...
What's the wattage? For some reason indoors seem to be a popular place with the bedroom the most popular. Continued to read for a down to earth reply below.
KrombopulosRik said:
If it's only a very very weak laser shouldn't be a issue, if your pushing something serious it could reflect off a target or rock or anything and potentially blind another shooter or yourself and yea.. blind firing or being made blind isn't safe I hear. No matter how remote the range. But again at low levels it probably won't have the power to be to dangerous.. I just wouldn't bother risking it. Or starting a trend that other less responsible people will follow and further ruin laser accessibility for everyone =p (my two cents)
Click to expand...

At ranges of 300, 600 and 900 feet specular reflection is not a concern since target surfaces are not specular smooth. And if such a specular surface is a target then common sense dictates to avoid that target. There is a caveat. Scopes might be a game changer.
 
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Agreed, It might be a good place to check divergance at long range. I think as long as you use good common sense if should be safe.
I'm assuming that the range is probably only open during the daylight hours, so you won't get to to see much in the way of beams.
 
Maybe I was not clear in my first post. I would only be using the laser when I was the only person on the range, or more likely when I was with someone with safety glasses was helping me make vids of laser beams. In no case would I be using a laser when someone was firing a weapon on the range. Not sure anyone has been to a real range but they consist of dirt berms at least 10 feet tall (sometimes 15) around three sides. Grass is mowed on a regular basis and the range officer makes sure you pick up your brass. Even on the couple of ranges where there are metal targets they are dull grey. Not to mention because high powered rifles can send rounds sometimes miles away even if they go over the berm there is a lot of space before any humans/buildings/roads can be found.


I have to say I have seen a lot of pix/vids posted here that seem to have been made in a residential setting sometimes on streets with trees and cars which appear to belong to neighbors. This is why I thought the range was a good place to play with lasers. There are long open spaces with nothing but dirt (when I say dirt I mean just that, dirt with no plants growing so rounds are easily captured and there is no chance of the bullet ricochet) and grass.


If a range is not a good place where would you suggest to find a good place.
 
RedCowboy said:
No, in the dirt berm of a target range you are likely to have shards of glass, and bits or copper and brass that could reflect, I would not do it.
Click to expand...

The two outdoor ranges I shoot at prohibit glass both behind and ahead of the red line (which separates shooters from non shooters) The berms are never closer than 50 feet from the red line so I can see how any copper or brass could get to the berm. The projectiles of modern bullets are designed to be biodegradable (in fact in many places lead bullets are illegal).

I will ask how many posting here have been to a rifle range.
 
Having been to a rifle range is not the point.

You seem to understand the risks involved with a high
powered laser.
Use the suggestions posted here and use common
sense to keep you and anyone in the vicinity safe.

The ultimate actions and precautions are yours alone.

BTW... Since you are new here....
Double posting in a short amount of on the Forum is
frowned upon by the community...

It is easy to Combine and Edit your Posts by using
the [EDIT] button at the bottom right of each of
your Posts.


Jerry
 
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ragebot said:
The two outdoor ranges I shoot at prohibit glass both behind and ahead of the red line (which separates shooters from non shooters) The berms are never closer than 50 feet from the red line so I can see how any copper or brass could get to the berm. The projectiles of modern bullets are designed to be biodegradable (in fact in many places lead bullets are illegal).

I will ask how many posting here have been to a rifle range.
Click to expand...

A laser reflected off dirt or grass at the distances you've stated ain't a hazard. Have fun.

RedCowboy said:
@ ragebot: Make sure you have written permission from the range property owner and understand that what ever you do is at your own risk.

Personally I think shooting ranges are for shooting, not for lasing, if I drive up to an outdoor range and someone was lasing I would want them to stop so I could shoot, I would be much more concerned about someone shining a laser at the range than a fellow shooter target shooting.

I KNOW, you would not lase with anyone around, well the range I shoot at is usually pretty busy, so......

Pretty much any time you shine a laser in public you are at risk of alarming someone.

You may be thinking lasing at distance into your super clean berm where they shoot only poly bullets and no glass was ever broken in all the history of earth is safe, well not while I'm shooting you won't. Also realize than bio degradable bullets are not always used and have not been used in the past, the dirt may be full of metal from years gone by and is constantly turned up as it's shot into, so it's really not a good idea.

---edit---

Reading your location it seems as if you have some animosity about knowing you would be asked to post your location, also what range do you shoot at living on a sailboat ?
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Take a moment to re-read his posts-please.
 
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ragebot said:
Yesterday I went to the shooting range for a regular shooting match. It struck me that that a wide open space where it is safe to shoot high power rifles with a high dirt berm around three sides would be a good place to play with powerful lasers. My shooting club has a security gate with restricted key card entrance and the public is only allowed in when accompanied with a member. Often during week days I am the only person at one of the seven ranges and one of the ranges has targets at 100, 200, and 300 yards.

Are there any shooters here who have used their lasers at a range, or anyone who thinks this is a good idea. Or those who thing it is a bad idea and if so why.
Click to expand...

Yeah you'd be fine. Reflections would be the thing to worry about so as long as there aren't any surfaces to bounce the beam you're golden.
 
When I do outdoor beam shots they are at night and into the air far above what could be an eye hazard to others. I have some very tall trees around me and often use them as a beam stop when doing this. That way, no one can accuse me of interfering with aircraft. I have done this for many years and have yet to have an issue with anyone.
 
WizardG said:
Maybe he bought one of those 10000MW chinese pointers off fleabay and he wants to melt a few engine blocks :crackup:
Click to expand...

You mean I can't melt multiple engine blocks. :cryyy:

Guess I will be forced to return it then.:(
 
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