NCJ Number
51764
Journal
Security World Volume: 15 Issue: 6 Dated: (JUNE 1978) Pages: 22-24
Date Published
1978
Length
3 pages
Annotation
THIS SECOND PART OF A SERIES ON RANGE FACILITIES AND WEAPONS TRAINING SYSTEMS DISCUSSES RANGE EQUIPMENT, TARGETS, SHOOTING BOOTHS, RANGE CONTROLS, AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS.
Abstract
THE BULLET TRAP, WHICH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF RANGE EQUIPMENT, MUST STOP AND CONTAIN EVEY ROUND FIRED. THE TWO BASIC TYPES OF BULLET TRAPS ARE THE MULTIBAFFLE OR VENETIAN BLIND, WITH A SERIES OF STEEL PLATES ANGLED DOWNWARD TO MINIMIZE BACKSPLATTER AND TAPERED LEADING EDGE ATTACHMENTS; AND THE ESCALATOR, WITH ROWS OF PLATES ANGLED UPWARD ELIMINATING THE NEED FOR LEADING EDGE ATTACHMENTS. THE BULLET TRAP MUST BE MADE OF ABRASION-RESISTANT STEEL AND THE IMPACT PLATES AND THE LEADING EDGES SHOULD BE INTERCHANGABLE AND/OR REVERSIBLE. A TRAP RATED FOR AMMUNITION WITH MUZZLE VELOCITY OF 2400 FEET PER SECOND OR LESS IS ADEQUATE. TARGETS CAN BE THE BULLSEYE, SILHOUETTE, OR COMBAT TYPE. THERE ARE FOUR PRIMARY TYPES OF CONVEYOR SYSTEMS THAT ARE USED TO INCREASE RANGE EFFICIENCY AND SAFETY-THE MANUAL TROLLEY WIRE, THE ELECTRIC TROLLEY WIRE, HEAVY-DUTY MONORAIL SYSTEMS, AND THE BRIDGE CRANE TARGET CONVEYORS. A SHOOTING BOOTH IS USED TO ORGANIZED FIRING LINES INTO LANES PROVIDING EACH SHOOTER WITH A CLEARLY DEFINED AREA AND TO INSURE SAFETY. SAFETY SHOULD BE THE PRIME CONCERN IN SELECTING A BOOTH. A BOOTH FREQUENTLY CONTAINS AN INDIVIDUAL CONTROL UNIT, A MOVABLE SHELF, INDIVIDUAL LIGHTING, AND A SWING-OUT BARRICADE. THE TRADITIONAL TYPE OF BOOTH CONSISTS OF RECTANGULAR PANELS ATTACHED TO A STEEL FRAME ENCASED IN AN ACOUSTICAL MATERIAL AND COVERED WITH PERFORATED METAL. THE PYLONTYPE BOOTH IS A NEWER DESIGN WITH A PLASTIC OUTER SKIN. RANGE CONTROL SYSTEMS INCLUDE THOSE WITH MASTER CONTROLS OPERATED BY THE RANGEMASTER, AND THOSE OPERATED BY THE INDIVIDUAL SHOOTER (USED WHEN GROUP TRAINING IS NOT IN PROGRESS). MASTER CONTROLS SHOULD PROVIDE CONTROL OVER THE FOLLOWING VITAL FUNCTIONS: TARGET DISTANCE, LENGTH OF TIME A TARGET WILL BE EDGED AND FACED, NUMBER OF CYCLES AT A GIVEN SHOOTING DISTANCE, AND THE OPTIONS OF RELEASING OR RETURNING TO MASTER CONTROL ANY INDIVIDUAL CONTROL UNIT ON THE LINE. THE FOLLOWING COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF VERBAL CONTACTS BETWEEN THE RANGEMASTER AND ALL SHOOTERS ARE EXAMINED: (1) WALL-MOUNTED TWO-WAY SPEAKERS FOR EACH SHOOTING LANE; (2) TWO-WAY SPEAKERS MOUNTED IN EACH SHOOTING BOOTH; (3) PLUG-IN WIRED HEADSETS; AND (4) WIRELESS HEADSETS. (JCP)