Gallery Shooting Safety

Gallery shooting, especially indoors, brings additional safety and health concerns which I have incorporated into my safety protocols. When I begin load development for revolvers, I load one chamber at a time. I always ensure the projectile consistently clears the barrel and has some effect on the target. I’m wary of ricochets and of poor penetration, which indicate the bullet may sometimes not clear the barrel. A following shot can injure me or damage my gun.

When I started developing loads for shooting in my suburban garage, I discovered that the use of fillers and wads would sometimes cause balls to become stuck in the barrel or chamber. The powder load is so light that the ball or conical must be seated directly on the powder.

Failure to Clear Barrel

When a failure to clear the barrel occurs there is no recoil, smoke or ejecta from the barrel, and the report is only as loud as the percussion cap going off. If there is no evidence of the projectile hitting the target and/or a low report (or sound) and/or no smoke from the barrel, or no recoil, I remove the cylinder and check to see the barrel is clear. I can also check with a cleaning rod, ensuring it reaches to the bottom of the chamber. When I’m shooting the rifles, I use a pre-marked loading rod to ensure the ball has left the barrel.

I carefully select the balls and swaging diameters for my cylinders and bores in my revolvers and for the bores of the rifles. I ensure they load easily, without too much force, which may lead to failing to clear the barrel. Also, I ensure that they are not too loose, which may lead to the projectile moving forward in the chamber, contributing also to failing to clear the barrel because of low pressure.

If the ball leaves a slight ring, meaning less than an unbroken full ring, while
being pressed into the chamber, I do not use a 2 1/2-grain load. A minimum load of 5 grains is used. If there is more than a slight shaving, meaning leaving a full ring, then I don’t use that size ball at all in that cylinder. The friction may be too great for the ball to clear the barrel. None of my loads shave an unbroken lead ring off of the balls or conicals.

Preventing Ricochets

The slower the velocity the greater chance of a ricochet off of even a soft surface. (I once had a CB .22 bounce off of an empty single use thin plastic water bottle with the cap on). Ther rear of the projectile should penetrate below the surface of the bullet trap by 1″ or deeper.

One load I abandoned was out of the .45 caliber rifle. It was very accurate, a 5 shot group measured 1/2″ at 7 yards. The load consisted of a 137g conical and 5 grains of 373F powder. I had noted poor penetration but kept shooting. A conical ricocheted back to me off of a piece of cardboard. After increasing the powder load to 7 grains the projectile went through 3 layers of cardboard and 300 sheets of paper. I always ensure consistent penetration of my bullet trap.

Chain Fires

As long as I don’t use a hard rest or place my hands in front of the chambers while firing, I don’t worry about chain fires. I have had many of them before I determined the causes and corrected them. (See: “My Experience with Chain Fires.”)

My Safety Rules

• I treat all guns as if they are loaded.
• I keep my guns pointed in the safest possible direction.
• I know how to properly operate my guns.
• I ensure my guns are safe to operate.
• I keep my finger off the trigger until I am ready to shoot.
• I know my target, its surroundings and beyond.
• I ensure the last shot has left the barrel before firing again.
• I do not load or shoot while tired, using drugs or alcohol, or while distracted.
• I notify each person in the proximity of the shooting area.

My Health Rules

• I ventilate the indoor shooting area.
• I wash my hands after each shooting session
• I always use hearing and eye protection when shooting.
• I always use nitrile gloves when deleading barrels.