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Near Lubbock, today, a fire was reportedly started by a man who shot an incendiary round. Six fire departments responded. At one point the fire threatened to strike a cabin full of ammunition and gunpowder.

Sixty acres burned before the fire was put under control.

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Oopsie.

- Jim

Something about this story is not making sense to me. I am not familiar with the range so I coul dbe way off base with my thoughts. If the shooter was shooting on a normal range, in the general direction of the targets, I find it hard to believe there was something there to catch fire. Every safety berm I can recall seeing was all dirt in the area of the impact zone, just from the prior shots.

If the shooter was shooting deliberately at an area with grass, I don't see this as an accident. I hope the shooter did not intend to cause this large a fire, but I cannot see it as an accident. It almost sounds like a case of "hold my beer and watch this" as someone was explaining what the ammo would do to an new shooter. This means a small fire was probably intended, which makes this no accident. I would say this sounds like an arson case to me.

And that would explain why the fire department is still investigating. To make a solid case and be able to prove who did what and when in court.

Steve,
That is the range I shoot at when I go back to visit. there is no burm like we know them here. One long canyon there & you just shoot into the side of a tall canyon wall. After that incendary bullet cleared the paper target next impact would be sage brush on down the line. That is a huge canyon range. Culpable neglagence at least. Knowing the canyon & range, I can see someone knowing it would start a little fire but being Darwin enough to think it would go out. They need to be held accountable.

Thanks, LT. If the backstop normally has sage or other vegetation in the impact zone, just using that type of ammo would be negligence, IMO. That may not make it up to the arson level (requires intent), but something definitely needs to be done.

Lots of ranges prohibit the use of incendiary, tracer and armor penetrating ammo because of fire danger. Steel cased bullets are another fire danger the tracer and incendiary ammo is obvious because they are burning/designed to burst into flames. AP and steel cased bullets are banned because of the danger of sparks starting a fire.

If the person was shooting the ammunition maliciously they need to prosecuted in both criminal and civil courts. If doing so negligently, then appropriate remedies should be applied.

srothstein wrote:Thanks, LT. If the backstop normally has sage or other vegetation in the impact zone, just using that type of ammo would be negligence, IMO. That may not make it up to the arson level (requires intent), but something definitely needs to be done.

I dont know which range it was on there. The set up there is a rifle range just as you clear the door of the check in area. In that 40X60 +/- there is a gun room, ammo room, & reloading room.
He has target stands out to at least 300 yrd. It is a very slight down hill grade & the canyon wall that is the "backstop" rises back to the flat farm land that is on the caprock there. It has to be a good 200ft high. So far off that bullets dont actually get to the canyon wall.

As you say, at best he was neglegent, but I can see the great possibility of someone thinking it would start a little fire & then just go out.

That range continues to extend to the pistol end & the canyon wall is not any closer there.

Past that he has silouette range that is set in a pretty rough canyon that has a high shooting area. There you actually shoot over a lot of mesquite, cactus & sage. That area is match area only but it is really neet to see.

To get a good mental picture of this, think of a Hill Country canyon where you are. 1/2 mile winding road to the bottom of the canyon. Shooting on one side at the bottom into the other side of the canyon wall.
The one in Slaton, no doubt in my mind he has a couple of thousand yrds to the canyon wall in a few places.

The silouette area has to be 500 yrds to the wall. 150 yds wide. It is deeper & really rough. He has trails
leading along the target lines there & they are not streight like we think of them here. His silouetts are game animals & it is a good Hunting practice range.

The owner is an old rancher there. I like visiting w/ him as much as shooting.

I shoot at this range about once a month. One report said the shooter was firing an SKS with tracer rounds and shot into the cliff. Too many shooters have no idea of the damage they can do to a range much less the shooting sport. This is a good range with a helpful, friendly owner and co-workers. The sheriff's department ruled it an accident.

It is damaging to the perception of shooting sports when oafs like that make stupid choices. We should all subscribe to a higher standard of behavior when dealing with tools of such power. People sometimes forget what destruction their weapon can cause.

One time my local club had the military come out so that we could shoot some of their weapons. While shooting the M60 (I think that was the designation) every fifth round was a tracer. We had a brush fire, we all ran down range and stomped it out before it got too big. We also got to fire the M-16 and their sidearms plus we had field rations for lunch. It was a fun experience.

Wait, incendiary rounds can start fires? Who would have guessed .

Sometimes you don't need incendiary rounds. I helped battle a grass fire started by a bullet impacting a Pepper popper. We were able to contain it, but it could have been bad.