I don't believe you need worry about that. Unless you're firing tracers, the chance of starting a fire is nil. The hot case won't do it.

 

You're good nothing to worry about. I've shot thousands of rounds at a farm and never had a problem. Now if you reload... you might have a problem finding the spent brass!!

 

Thank you all!

 

Sparks from unburned powder might be a more likely source of ignition. I would say black powder weapons would be far more likely than a hot 1911 case.

My $0.02
Grumpy

 

You have realized just how good those cases hide among the leaves, grass, and forest litter? Cheap disposable tarp to stand on might be worth getting.

Grumpy

 

I have started grass smoldering from burning patches out of black powder rifle and pistol but never out of cartridge guns. I have to say I'd worry about it out of the AR, but I generally use a Caldwell brass catcher for it.

 

I would say keep an eye on your brass. Story time.

I was shooting my 22 at an indoor range. Surrounded by concrete, one would think no risk of fire, right? Well...

It had a failure to eject, likely due to the round being fairly low power. It likes higher power .22 rounds, not so much low power blazer stuff. So I immediately racked the slide and kicked out the empty case. Which flipped end over end into a pile of other cases on the opposite side of the shooting bench. Which also had unburned powder from all of those cases. Which caught fire from what I suspect was an ember left smoldering in that .22 LR case.

Can it happen? Yes. Will it? Probably a once in a lifetime event.

Just keep an eye on your brass pile for anything smoldering.

 

Agee not very likely to start a forest fire with ejected cartridge cases.
However, been at the range with female wearing a V-Neck shirt - eye protection/ ear protection but you guessed it
ejected cartridge case went down front of her shirt! 🔥💥

 

Some indoor ranges have a clip-on garment that they require cleavage-baring female shooters to wear when they rent a lane. It's not being sexist... a shooting newbie surprised by a hot case going down her front can cause a deadly accident with the loaded gun that's still in her hand.

Anyway, in early July there was a small forest fire at the local shooting hole I often go to. Naturally shooters were blamed for it. The hippies who showed up on July 4th weekend with illegal fireworks were never considered.

 

Yes it is pretty remote about hot cases starting a fire. But a spark or ember could. But if you are firing a military cartridge where some of those use a steel core that can generate a sparks off of some types of rocks. Think of the old steel striker and flint fire starter kits.

 

As others have indicated, unlikely but possible. Temp, humidity and fuel type should be a consideration when shooting outdoors in particular. Extremely HOT metal can and will start a fire, however brass does cool down rather quickly unless it is "baking" in the sun.

 

I suppose it's possible to happen to somebody, somewhere at some time, but people have been hunting in the woods with all sorts of firearms and calibers for centuries.

I don't recall starting a forest fire with a gun being a regular topic of discussion. Especially, as others have said, since the dawn of self contained cartridges.

 

Don't shoot tracers in dry woods.

I was shooting Highpower Rifle with a Civilian Rifle Club at a National Guard Range, and the area had been in a drought. There was a Guard Unit on the right shooting their 5.56 SAWS fully auto. Really rocking and rolling, looked like fun. Seems they had not told Range Control that they were shooting tracers. Oppsie, Fire Trucks came barreling in!

We civilians were lucky that we and the Nat Guard Unit were still there when the woods caught on fire, as the military Range Control were looking to scapegoat us for the fire. As it was, we were kicked off the range for the day. It is axomatic that negative civilian Chi disturbes harmonious military Feng Shui.

 

Weird no outfit has measured the temp of ejecting brass. Dried grass will burn at 135 degrees.
Someone with a laser thermometer take one to the range next time.

 

Thanks all.
I figured it was probably not a problem, but having been burned by ejected semi auto cases in past I wanted to rule out the concern never having shot a semi auto pistol except at the indoor range.
The brass does cool considerably. I always dump the .38s out of my sixgun into my hand, they are cool to the touch I guess they cool fast.

Never had a prob with black powder either but I usually use light target loads, I could see higher charges sending burning powder downrange.

 

I haven't gave it much concerns until last few weeks. Where I live in South Mississippi we and Louisiana have burn bands. We haven't had rain for a while the temperature has been 100 plus with just a few days under 100. The interstate I10 has been closed because two different fires. Our grass makes sounds when we walk on it.
But our outdoor range has concrete where we shoot so it's a non issue but still checking for brass that might get on the leaves and grass.
I do know that my 10mm will leave burns when my grandson catches them in mid flight 😁 he only caught one.
We also have fire extinguishers at each shooting lanes.

But on regular times non issue it's hot and very dry here.

 

 

the only time i've heard of this is a couple who were shooting at tanerite targets with ars' and posted the videos. they got in some deep trouble.