Anonymous wrote:YES - light the indoor range properly.
I agree with lighting the range properly. I would also have to ask what is proper? My personal preference would be having bright targets and more subdued lighting (if any) to the firing points, and then some not so bright lights at the firing points...
A cheap light meter will cost you $50.00 - $75.00 (google light meters) and makes all the difference. You want better than 1100 lums on the target face. You can get that by placing a spot light (350w) closer than 7 feet or (350w - 500w) a halogen at 10 feet or less. It's pretty easy and relatively cheap to fix the lighting issue. Electricity can be pricy if you leave it on for longer than actually needed, depending on kilowatt hours...
One where a dad and his 13 year old son that is serious about smallbore is allowed to shoot.Why does NRA sanction clubs that are member only 19yrs or older.
ky99 wrote:One where a dad and his 13 year old son that is serious about smallbore is allowed to shoot.Why does NRA sanction clubs that are member only 19yrs or older.
I suspect you may have tried the wrong club(s)...I started shooting 40+ years ago when I was 12. The club had a junior program, as do may clubs today. The club and junior program I learned with was recognized by the NRA. Even today, I see numerous clubs with NRA sanctioned programs for juniors. Don't give up looking for a club that has a program that suits the needs the two of you have. Good luck. You will find something.
Analysis w/ a light meter is a good idea. Low light is a problem, but so is glare from surfaces near the target a/o shooter.
For instance, a local club wanted to improve the illumination in their indoor range so they painted the walls white - a bright white. This resulted in a pronounced glare behind the targets which made it difficult to keep the target in focus. I'm not sure of what the optical affect is call, but the glare made the target look smaller. Eventually they painted the rear wall a buff color, which is ideal.
6.3.15.4 Indoor 10 m ranges must have artificial illumination providing the necessary amount of light without glare or distracting shadows on the targets or firing points. The entire area must be evenly illuminated with no less than 300 lux. Targets must be illuminated evenly with no less than 1500 lux. The background area behind the targets must be a non-reflecting, light even neutral color.
my emphasis,
and I still like durant7's comment - for a day at the club, the company is often more important than the facilities
one more thing. the color of the backdrop should not be too disturbing. i've once been to a range where the wall, where the target is, is a shade of dark purple.
i lose track of my sights when i raise my gun up. black sights against dark purple background = can't see a single thing. (until the sights reaches the card, though)
furthermore, the lighting of that particular range is not adequate, making the target appear dimmer.
thus, i think that you can ignore having a quality carrier system, and superb ventilation. focus on the lighting. the lighting directly affects how well you shoot/ aim in the range.