I attribute the range rules are for political correctness, location, lack of funding, and it being a public range.  The no human shaped targets are to assure the range isn't creating murders.  KHSC is in a bad location with housing developments in the impact area whereas mainland ranges are usually in remote locations with lots of empty land all around.  The reason the range has a lot of limitations like the 5 round mag limit, 100 yard max range, no rapid fire, etc.  A lot of these limitations can be overcome by improvements like better berms, baffles, training, more RSO's, etc but there is no funding and since it's a public range, no political will.

On the bright side, public shooting ranges are a rarity on the mainland.  One that doesn't charge a fee and has the different types of shooting sports in one place with regular hours is unique.  KHSC might be the only one of it's kind in the nation.

I picked one state at random:  North Carolina.

http://www.ncwildlife.org/Outdoor-Activities/Shooting-Ranges

NC Wildlife Resources Commission

Shooting Ranges in North Carolina

The N.C. Wildlife Resource Commission's six shooting ranges provide a safe, controlled and organized environment for sportsmen and recreational shooters alike. Click for more information on each range. Consult the interactive map below for details on public and private shooting ranges throughout the state.

    John Lentz Hunter Education Complex, Richmond County
    Flintlock Valley Shooting Range, Uwharrie National Forest, Montgomery County
    Foothills Public Shooting Complex, Cleveland County
    Wayne E. Smith Cold Mountain Shooting Range, Haywood County
    R. Wayne Bailey-Caswell Shooting Range, Caswell County
    Holly Shelter Shooting Range, Pender County

John Lentz Hunter Education Complex

John Lentz Hunter Education Complex is free. It is universally accessible.

2030 Gibson Mill Rd., Ellerbe, N.C. 28338

GPS Coordinates:  Do not use GPS coordinates to navigate to complex. Use actual address listed above instead.

Special Opening:  Friday, April 14, 2017

Operating Hours:  Tuesday - Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. from Memorial Day to Labor Day; 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from Labor Day to Memorial Day. Closed Sunday, Monday and state holidays.

Amenities Include:  50 and 100-yard rifle range with 6 shooting stations
                                  25-yard pistol range with either 3 or 6 shooting stations
                                  5-stand sporting clays range
                                  3-D archery range
                                  Standard archery range
                                  2 combination skeet/trap ranges

Contact Information:  Josh Jernigan. Josh.jernigan@ncwildlife.org
                                     (910) 434-3378 or (910) 652-4905


   

Everyone knows its a crap range.  People don't wanna talk bad about it because there's not other public outdoor range.

Had a guy ask an RO about the 5 round magazine limit during a ceasefire and the RO just said "that's the way its always been".  The guy politely asked for what reason though and the RO raised his voice and told him if he wasn't going to follow the rules then he would have to leave.

Loading 8 rounds into a garand is fine, but don't you dare do it with any other gun!  That's the way it is!

Private ranges throughout the US are so much better LOL.  Multiple target distances, boards provided to put targets on, small shooting bays to practice whatever.  I'd rather pay a small fee to actually use my guns in their capacity (long range, short range, full capacity, shooting and moving).  Also since Kokohead is the only range, its always crowded.

No silhouette targets?  No stacking targets on top each other on the pistol side?  But you can do it on the rifle side.  Lol what?  Only 25 yard and 50 yard pistol targets?  Haha.

Not sure the ranges YOU have been to, but the ones I have allow the shooters much more freedom without a compromise of safety.

I've been shooting over 40 years at various ranges in 49 states and I can tell you with certainty that the majority of them have a "No Rapid Fire" rule.  So the ones YOU go to doesn't mean a thing, I've been to many that allow it too...I did not say ALL ranges have the rule just most and said exactly why.

KHSC rules I've never seen elsewhere:

No human silhouette targets.
No targets with two circles placed vertically.
25 yd minimum distance.
Build & Bring your own target frames.

The "pistol side" at KHSC is and has always been a bullseye pistol range.  And in bullseye, there are no human silhouette targets, only 1  target per frame, and its shot from 25 or 50 yards.

As for target frames? Well it's a free municipal shooting range.  I'd rather bring my own than have to pay a range/line fee to have one provided for me.

I picked one state at random:  North Carolina.

http://www.ncwildlife.org/Outdoor-Activities/Shooting-Ranges

NC Wildlife Resources Commission

Thanks.  Guess I've been looking in the wrong place, state and city parks.  Didn't think to look under wildlife management.

The range rules have to accommodate a lot of different people from new and untrained shooters to experts and to make it easier for the RSO's to check for safety.  Rapid firing at 25 and 50 yards would send bullets all over the place...into other peoples frames, berms, table, rocks, etc.  Same at the rifle range.  Other ranges I've been to allow for "controlled" rapid firing.  If the range was renovated, I'd keep half of the tables for bullseye pistol, then convert the other half and part of the rifle range to close range pistol/rifle/shotgun by removing the tables, leveling the 25/50yd berm, raising the backstop, and installing baffles.

The 5 round magazine is due to semiauto guns breaking and going into uncontrolled full auto.  Prevents the muzzle from rising too much.  If you look at the brow at the pistol side you'll see some of the results from this (along with holes from bullseye shooters and other ND's).  You can load up revolvers.  They unofficially allow Garands to load 8 because it's a clip, not a magazine.  Just kidding.  5rd clips are uncommon and most people don't know how to load 5 rounds in a 8 round clip.



The stacking targets rule is to prevent low and high shots...putting bullets into the 50yd berm or going over the backstop.

No plinking objects and rocks is to prevent riccochets.

Good job on the RO's part to quickly respond.

Don't forget about the fine for shooting birds.

I've been shooting over 40 years at various ranges in 49 states and I can tell you with certainty that the majority of them have a "No Rapid Fire" rule.  So the ones YOU go to doesn't mean a thing, I've been to many that allow it too...I did not say ALL ranges have the rule just most and said exactly why.

The ranges I have been to does mean something. The ones I have been to have given me a tremendous amount of perspective to include range rules, range officers, hours of operation, facilities, amenities etc. Koko Head is unique in my experience in that it is vastly more restrictive than any other range I have been to.

I've had rifle courses where pretty close to what was going on in the OP was happening, including me.  One recent rifle class, I had the far left target and my buddy was next to me on my right.  This particular AR shoots brass pretty consistently just behind 3 o'clock.  I wasn't doing it on purpose of course, but I would hear him swearing at me during the course of fire.     A couple of the brass left some pretty "good" welts and even burns where the surface skin burned off because the brass sort of landed at the right angle were it got caught right up against the soft part of the sides of his waist/hip area.  We laugh about it now.  Well, I was kinda laughing when it was happening, but he wasn't laughing. . .

I have my share of brass burns and even scars from them.  It happens if you shoot often enough.  I usually have a brass net when I shoot, but I've seen some people get all mad and glare at the person who is generating the brass.  As long as they aren't doing it on purpose, I can live with it.  Yeah, if I'm constantly getting pelted with brass, I would probably take break while the person is shooting or set up some sort of barrier.  However, I've seen many get so mad that they pretty much just sit at the bench and glare at the person. 

As for the range itself, the rules are the rules.  Do I think the rules are too restrictive?  Maybe in some regards, but many I understand why they are put in place and it's mainly for goobers who just don't know any better.  Then again, it's also for those who think they know it all already and think rules apply to everyone but them when it's usually that same person who is super unsafe.  Yeah, I think that some of the ROs can be assholes and rip into people, but I believe most of them do so because they care, not just simply to be an asshole.  There are a couple like that though. . . Then again, if you have to see some of the things that happen and most simply because people aren't paying attention or exercising even a minimal level of common sense and know what could happen.  Being an RSO at other ranges, I can understand. 

KHSC did supply target frames years ago. They stored those frames near the office in cages.
I think they stopped as too many frames ended up in several pieces.
They were nice frames with numbers and were tall - similar to what the small bore shooters have.
They also had metal rests. Don't know what happened to them all.

Not sure the ranges YOU have been to, but the ones I have allow the shooters much more freedom without a compromise of safety.

Rapid fire shooting by untrained and inexperienced shooters does compromise safety. Only a fool would think otherwise.

The ranges I have been to does mean something. The ones I have been to have given me a tremendous amount of perspective to include range rules, range officers, hours of operation, facilities, amenities etc. Koko Head is unique in my experience in that it is vastly more restrictive than any other range I have been to.

I don't think it means anything in this case. There are many ranges out there that people with far more experience have had the privilege to visit. From what I'm reading you want to argue when the answer to "Why Rapid Fire Isn't Allowed" was given is just plain dumb.  The Koko Head pistol range is designed for rapid fire and that all there is to it. Complaining about that won't change a thing. And arguing with people with the age and real experience on these matters only hurts the shooting community because without the participation of knowledgeable members we all lose.


I know the Colt and the colonel really knows his stuff. But even if that weren't the case, I've been shooting competitively for more than 20 years and my family runs a gun shop with range. No Rapid fire is becoming the standard because range operators want to limit damages and avoid legal liability. That's the on topic answer.

I feel like this is just becoming a pissing contest of "experience" and this conversation has lost context. Firstly, Koko Head tops my list of shooting ranges for being most restrictive. Secondly, the matter of "rapid fire." What is rapid fire? Presumably rapid fire is not allowed in the name of safety. The slower you shoot the more in control you are, you might say. Fair enough, but this is arbitrary and cannot be equally applied. What is better said than "rapid fire" is "controlled fire." If you are in control, you are being safe. That has been my experience at other ranges, and have been told as much by RO's.

For example: lets shoot a .357 DAO snub nose at the bullseye range. At 25 yards most people are going to be all over the place regardless of how fast they shoot with a snubby .357. While shooting a snubby is perfectly acceptable per KHSC's rules, is it safe? I've seen many shots impact no where near the back berm in similar, real-life examples at KHSC. Just look at the cinder blocks lining the path way to the targets; they have been peppered with bullets. Another example: an Open Division shooter shooting at 25 yards. An open shooter with just modest ability can run decently fast splits at 25 yards while being totally in control and totally safe. However, the speed at which this person would be shooting would be far in excess of the "rapid fire" rule despite it being much safer than our first example.

It is also naive and backwards to suggest that talking about these matters hurts the shooting community. I am sharing my experiences and observations and they have been largely, if not totally, dismissed. Open discussion and dialog is always a good thing. Especially when a like-minded community has differing experiences or opinions on a topic.

The real thing here that is hurting the shooting community is arbitrary policies curtailing our ability to exercise our rights such as no "rapid fire". From my own observations and experiences, "no rapid fire" is more a product of Liberal state thinking bent on trying to control gun owners, and less a product born of safety. 

You can always do rabid fire in the action bays. I hear it at least once a month. Reserve it then shoot as fast as you can. Don't reserve it then don't grumble.
But if you want to on the  general public rifle side there is always
https://www.change.org/

Personally, I'm glad there's no "rapid fire" at Kokohead rifle side.

Free and public.

Have you seen some of the knuckleheads who occasionally show up there, often with group of inexperienced friends in tow ?
Oblivious to their brass, the neighboring targets, the yellow line, etc...

I would hate for them to see an experienced shooter next to them run a rapid fire string and them going,
"Yeah baby, let's buckaloose !"
"Check me out, I'm John Wick."

But that's just me. 

Can always go HDF Open shoot.

You can always do rabid fire in the action bays. I hear it at least once a month. Reserve it then shoot as fast as you can. Don't reserve it then don't grumble.
But if you want to on the  general public rifle side there is always
https://www.change.org/

It's more than just rapid fire, and you can't really just reserve those bays. And I do participate in the matches that go on there and I encourage everyone here to do so as well. It is a tremendous amount of fun. HPS's schedule was posted in a topic not that long ago and I can post the other clubs' schedules if desired. Cheers

Schofield allows you to rabid fire.
It's entertaining.
A guy and his two female friends in tow set up some bowling pins about 15 yards out.
Then do mag dumps and changes with ARs against the squad of bowling pins.
About 2 mags into it and the pins are still standing.

If we can get through just ONE day without the ROs reminding people to not step over the yellow line and not touch anything on the bench during a cease fire I think they may allow rabid fire.
How many of you read the rules?

I think we have come to a point of being such a nanny state, with so many rules is because there were people ahead of us that made mistakes and kept making them.

Schofield allows you to rabid fire.
It's entertaining.
A guy and his two female friends in tow set up some bowling pins about 15 yards out.
Then do mag dumps and changes with ARs against the squad of bowling pins.
About 2 mags into it and the pins are still standing.

Unless you have great control, rabid fire is just a waste of good ammo. And you sometimes end up picking up bad habits. I practice double taps at the range. I am so slow in between shots the RSO's don't realize I am double tapping. 

Jerry Miculek I'm not.

don't get me wrong I love rabid firing - I just can't afford to do it often.




'MERICA!

Schofield allows you to rabid fire.
It's entertaining.
A guy and his two female friends in tow set up some bowling pins about 15 yards out.
Then do mag dumps and changes with ARs against the squad of bowling pins.
About 2 mags into it and the pins are still standing.

If we can get through just ONE day without the ROs reminding people to not step over the yellow line and not touch anything on the bench during a cease fire I think they may allow rabid fire.
How many of you read the rules?

I think we have come to a point of being such a nanny state, with so many rules is because there were people ahead of us that made mistakes and kept making them.

I think that is really useful and insightful commentary. The ranges I have been to provide much more oversight and instruction for new shooters. In my experience at KHSC the only time new shooters get instruction from RSO's is when they are being yelled at after making a mistake. I think if RSO's or the Koko Head community in general was more proactive in providing/offering instruction before a new shooter starts shooting that will solve a great many issues. Indeed, I have personally offered help to people that *stick out* as new shooters. If you're not a jerk about it, they tend to be gracious for the help. 

Something as simple as having printed rules for people to pick up when they sign the log book might go a long way. At one of the ranges I frequented on the mainland new shooters had to watch a safety video and if it had been a few months you'd have to watch it again (the video is also on YouTube I believe). All this is not unlike what they do at Hanauma Bay before you can go out in the water.

I heard you can rapid fire and shoot from a holster at Honolulu Firearms' range.  You do have to buy their ammo so I can see it getting pretty expensive.  How is it at X-Ring's new range?