Information regarding the use of HME Rifles (High muzzle energy)
The current requirements for the use of HME rifles at MOD Ranges are as follows:
At least one week before the shoot, the Club must formally make a request to Landmarc/MOD for a Static frame target to be erected at the range on the day.
The cost of this is added to the range hire.
This static target is placed at 200m for the standard HME zeroing procedure.
The HME RCO will conduct a zeroing party shoot on this static frame with the special HME Target.
This to prove that the HME rifle is adequately sighted in and does not pose an additional danger on the range, ie. a fired round travelling outside the danger area.
Both the RCO and the shooter(s) using HME rifle(s) will sign off the target.
Notification to the Club: Lydd Ranges
The club requires that anyone wishing to shoot HME as above, advises the Club Secretary a minimum of two weeks before hand so this can be arranged.
An HME RCO is required to sign off the zeroing targets. We have a limited number of RCO’s with this qualification, so it may be difficult to arrange a shoot with the necessary RCO.
Hythe Range: The HME Rules at Serial 10 are as follows:
HME zeroing procedure on serial 10 is shot at 200m.
The HME RCO on the day must ensure that all HME shooter(s) zero to the required HME standard.
The HME RCO will conduct a zeroing party at 200m, the shooter(s) after a sighting shot will be required to put 4 consecutive shots in the box of the HME target, the target will be marked, and then both the HME RCO and the shooter(s) using HME rifle(s) will sign off the target.
Once this zeroing procedure is completed general shooting by all members can then commence from 100m, out to 600m.
Notification to the Club: Hythe Range
The club requires that anyone wishing to shoot HME as noted above, needs to advise the Club Secretary a minimum of two weeks in advance so this can be arranged (an HME RCO is required to sign off the zeroing target(s)) and to allow time to advise all other members that shooting will commence only on completion of the satisfactory zeroing procedure.
For those who intend to use HME it would seem sensible to have the use of a barrel mounted or other chronograph for any loads you use, as that will be the final say on what the round is actually doing in terms of velocity and Joule rating. Some members/HME shooters already have these.
It is incumbent on those using HME rifles and HME capable loads to ensure that they do not exceed the HME limits of use as defined in Range Standing Orders.
The proving of home loading data is not restricted to HME - it is now and always has been a requirement of all the ranges that we as a club use (via Range Standing Orders) and the clubs own requirement.
We have recently been advised that the MOD on both ranges might specifically ask for load data of HME users, and might chronograph HME capable rifles at any time that they see fit to do so.
For the record, they have always been able to ask and check load data at any point as noted in Range Orders.
