Range Heating

[Local lad]

Hi, has anyone any advise on the best and most economic method of heating an indoor range.
Basically the firing point so both the shooter and his gun are warm in the winter months.
Not worried about down range just the firing point.
Have been advised that IR heaters are the best option, but also been told these just heat up organic martial so the shooter would be warm but his gun, spotting scope etc would still be cold.

 

[Local lad]

Well here we are in December and freezing my butt of at our range.
Anyone any advise on the best, cost effective heaters for the firing point?

 

[Will the chippy]

We use infra red heaters in our large spray booth. They work well heating objects not the air around. So when we switch on the big extractor all the heat is not lost.
Same sort of heaters used in large village halls and warehouses. Couple of Clarke ones from machine mart are just the trick.

 

[Local lad]

Many thanks for that. Will look into it and as you mention no heat lost when extractor on.

Thanks again
Iain

 

[timbrayford]

Well here we are in December and freezing my butt of at our range.
Anyone any advise on the best, cost effective heaters for the firing point?

Thermal underwear?

 

[Local lad]

Cheers, but even with my thermals on its a wee bit chilly!!!

 

[finnbear270]

All the ranges we ever visited were heated with those that glow dull red IR.

 

[Pedro]

IR heaters are indeed probably the best. Depends on how wind proof the firing points are and are they used all day or just when some people turn up to shoot. I suppose heated jackets/gilets could also be a suggestion. And as for heating up firearms, probably the best way is to keep making them go bang. Although the type of firearm/ammo will dictate how economical that could be.

 

[Donkey Basher]

As it’s an indoor range have you thought about putting a barrier between firing point & the rest of the range? Very common in Scandinavian countries to put a screen with just a slit wide enough to shoot through in front of the shooter on outdoor ranges with covered firing points. Have seen this incorporating a ply outer skin on a frame backed with fibreglass roof insulation held in place with chicken wire stapled onto the frame.

 

[Westley]

Try hiring the type of heater you are contemplating. That way you could likely avoid expensive mistakes.

 

[Local lad]

Thanks for the above, all valid simple ideas.
In the Baltic this evening so will mention tonight!!

 

[mealiejimmy]

Infra red heaters will warm up guns and scopes if they are predominantly dark coloured with a matt finish

Cheers

Bruce

 

[Heym SR20]

I know a couple of tunnel ranges that have log burners at the firing point.

Indeed one has a leather sofa, full reloading gear plus a coffee machine. It’s a proper little gentleman’s den, with a window into the tunnel.

 

[gixer1]

How about one of these? Pipe the exhaust outside and it can be run for 36 hours on a gallon of derv….the YouTube vids seem to really rate them.

 

[grandad of the woods]

As above maybe a diesel heater

 

[Martiniblack577]

If the firing point is open to tunnel (which it will be) heat will rise and sail on down the range. You can reduce the loss in the bench area by making and insulating firing point windows so less heat escapes. It just means standing up/prone are off the menu. I suspect you’re also going to have big fans hoovering up any warm air as they clear cartridge fumes. So maybe, shooters could try plug in waistcoats same as many bikers wear who ride all year.

 

[Bell308]

We have one of these above the firing point feed by a propane gas bottle etc works very well to heat the club room / firing point.

RSCA Series - Gas-Fired Ceramic Infrared Tube Heaters

Space Ray's RSCA Series is among the best ceramic heaters available in the market. Our radiant infrared heaters are available in natural or propane gas.

spaceray.com

 

[grandad of the woods]

Maybe possibly post a picture of the range giv.epeople a better idea of being hat you need