Range behavior rants

[CPO15]

I've been going to the gym just about every day for 35 years. Folks there do things that mildly tick me off, I generally ignore it and try not to do stuff to irritate others. I don't have the same level of experience at the range, so I'm wondering, other than safety issues; what yanks your chain while shooting with others? I'm trying to be a good neighbor and not be "that guy".

[jocko]

I try to shoot alone if possable. we have no indoor ranges within a 100 miles.

[Thunder71]

If there's anyone else at the range I usually get back on my golf cart and head back home for 15-30 minutes and try back.

I love living in a small town. :)

[jocko]

I shoot at our local Izaak Walton range which is ouotside, now when I shoot I pullup a copuple of chars at 10 yards and under and do my shooting, so if anyone else comes with a long gun they realy can't shoot while I am out ther ein front of them, even though off to one side. so when anyone shows up to shoot, I just leave and come back another time But beng retired I can go to this range ay day of the week and have it allto myself. I stay away at weekends. works pretty nice to.

[houdini]

If not realy crowded I have my revolver and a semi with me, I still shoot, but watch whats around me.

[Barth]

I try to go on Mondays and show up when the range opens at 10AM.
It's usually almost empty.
So I can relax and squeeze off a few rounds without being interpreted.
Or having someone leering over my shoulder watching me shoot.

When I'm shooting, I'm really focusing on the task at hand.
For me it's serious business.

Some folks seem to act like their in a bowling ally, or golfing, or something?
Wanting to watch and socialize with with strangers.
For me it's not the time or place for that.

I really prefer shooting alone.

[lowroad]

a few key notables from my last couple public range trips:

A large muscley tranvestite in a short skirt, lacey tank top, and heels, being filmed while shooting large caliber revolvers. Not sure what was going on there, but you know...take it somewhere else.

The guy. flamed cowboy boots, flamed leather vest, metal poking out all over his face, tiger head belt buckle, some sort of skull/death T-shirt, balding w/ponytail, terminator sunglasses. Just trying SO hard. Brought a saiga 12 gauage with an absolutely ridiculous banana mag. Must have been 30 rounds of 12 gauge, and he is trying to bench shoot it off a sand bag. Of course the magazine was far to large and why anyone would try to bench shoot a combat style shotgun I have no idea. Neither did he. Oh, the bandolier, I forgot he was also wearing a bandolier.

There is always one that just cracks me up. I know this doesn't help the OP, I'm just sayin..

[jocko]

humm: sounds like a honda rider. just sayin:popcorn::popcorn:

[O'Dell]

humm: sounds like a honda rider. just sayin:popcorn::popcorn:

I beg your pardon!!!!!!!!!!!

[Bawanna]

Goggles in place folks! I know they are funnin each other here but it never hurts to drop some flame retardant once in awhile to prevent forum fires.

Don't worry the retardant, not to be confused with the retard (me) is not know to cause cancer in Ohio. It's marangue like on your lemon pie. Kind of fun to wallow around in once you get into it.

Enjoy, I do this as a public service.

[ripley16]

what yanks your chain while shooting with others?

* I shoot with alot of LEOs. one on one they are fine, but in a group there is a lot of testosterone induced pud-wagging and foul language. Makes no difference whoever else is in the area; women, kids, fat, dumpy old farts. It riles me to hear this from supposed responsible people.

* New people scare me because they are usually less safe and poor shots. We were all new at one time, but I've seen enough new people mistakes over the years to scare me. Having a loaded gun pointed at me usually ruins my outting.

* I dislike people with huge guns shooting near the people with little target guns. They don't go together.

* I do not mind people asking questions or being friendly.

* I look askance at nimrods that don't police their brass.

[O'Dell]

My range has become crowded most of the time. I'd go somewhere else except that it's two miles from my house and I shoot free. It's especially bad when Gwinnett County has it's police qualifications - four or five deep at every lane. Right now I'd be happy if the right wing would heal to the point that I can shoot. I haven't fired a pistol since mid-January.

[Longitude Zero]

A persons manner of dress concerns me, an educated man, not one whit. I do not care if they are tatted up or have thousands of peircings. I am SINGULARILY concerned with how they behave. Obey the rules of safety and you are okay with me. Case Closed.

[lowroad]

that was hardly the point, but ok. :)

[QuercusMax]

I try to shoot alone if possable. we have no indoor ranges within a 100 miles.

Sounds like my situation.

There are a lot of things I don't like doing in the presence of others. (We'll skip the obvious ones.) Shooting is one of them, except with friends. Any kind of exercise is another - whether using any kind of equipment, or even a good long hike up the mountainside. I'm always happy to do those things alone or with friends, but not with others.

That's why I like living "out here" now.

[Longitude Zero]

that was hardly the point, but ok. :)

Really???, it is all OK.

[johnh]

Man I love private ranges. The transvestite comment made me think about how much I love private ranges. I just love private ranges.

:)

I sure have seen some winners at the public ones though. One guy had a couple young ladies with him, and I guess was trying to show off. So he would load up a gun and dump the entire magazine into the ground at high speed, aimed about 45 degrees down towards the ground a few feet in front of him. Reload, repeat....

I left. Not sure if any of them survived that or not. They were rather young and I figured Darwin deserved a chance to rise from the grave before they reproduced.... :(

[AIRret]

O'Dell, switch to the left hand. I had to do that in November and it is actually working out just fine.

[chipD]

a few key notables from my last couple public range trips:

A large muscley tranvestite in a short skirt, lacey tank top, and heels, being filmed while shooting large caliber revolvers. Not sure what was going on there, but you know...take it somewhere else.

The guy. flamed cowboy boots, flamed leather vest, metal poking out all over his face, tiger head belt buckle, some sort of skull/death T-shirt, balding w/ponytail, terminator sunglasses. Just trying SO hard. Brought a saiga 12 gauage with an absolutely ridiculous banana mag. Must have been 30 rounds of 12 gauge, and he is trying to bench shoot it off a sand bag. Of course the magazine was far to large and why anyone would try to bench shoot a combat style shotgun I have no idea. Neither did he. Oh, the bandolier, I forgot he was also wearing a bandolier.

There is always one that just cracks me up. I know this doesn't help the OP, I'm just sayin..

Ya sure that wasn't Dawg the bounty hunter and his wife?

[Bawanna]

Ya sure that wasn't Dawg the bounty hunter and his wife?

The description sounds very close but I don't think the Dawg is allowed to carry a gun? Maybe only when he's bounty hunting.

[jocko]

Ya sure that wasn't Dawg the bounty hunter and his wife?

cannot visualize laying my head on Dawgs wife's busom:popcorn: I wanna be her cars steering wheel:behindsofa:

[Longitude Zero]

The description sounds very close but I don't think the Dawg is allowed to carry a gun?

From what I understand he earned his criminal record that prevents him from even touching a firearm. His program is another scripted poser show. Friends in the business tell me he would not make it in the real world of tried and true Bail Enforement Agents.

[jocko]

he sure has made alot of moey in being a pooser!! His wife doesn't look like a pooser. Those puppies are as real as a Mcdonalds cheeseburger or a hardees double whooper. Just saying.

damn I gotta get some help here, those twins on his wife is blocking my thought process which was not good in the first placej. I know why Dawg's brother hangs around him and her all the time. He ain't shi-tin ol jocko:popcorn:

seen a sign in the tatoo shop that said: "Jeffrey Dauhmer likes my tatoos best":popcorn:


well I gotta get of fhere and watch Kentucky clobber IU

[Bawanna]

From what I understand he earned his criminal record that prevents him from even touching a firearm. His program is another scripted poser show. Friends in the business tell me he would not make it in the real world of tried and true Bail Enforement Agents.

I've spoken to a couple LA guys who claim he was a completely normal easy to get along with Bail Enforcer, short hair, suit and tie kind of guy until they started the show. They used to get along just fine with him until the show. Other than their statements I have nothing to back that up with.

[mightymouse]

...so back to the original post, not drooling over some big has been cow udders :boink:

I won't go to any local indoor range anymore as they are frequented by advice giving old guys with big bellies and dental problems, spouting their political views and large caliber choices and really unsavory guys with their large brimmed baseball hats on crooked holding guns at a funny angle. "Range Masters" That won't let you practice "real" defensive shooting. Rapid point and shoot, draw and shoot, etc. Less than 1/ second... puleeeese. I can empty a 10 round mag in less than 2. If you can't do this then why even go?
Where I usually shoot, not anything on two legs for tens of miles, but I still hate it when the prong horns roll on their backs, kicking up their hooves, obviously laughing at me when the paper still looks fresh after a couple of mags.

[Cokeman]

I love people who want to shoot right by me sending ricochets over my head.

One idiot showed up with his wife and small kids. He seemed mad that I was there already. They set up porcelain plates behind me and to my left. He was going to stand behind me and to the right and shoot across my back until I told him he couldn't. His bullets would have been passing within 5 feet of me. I asked him if he wanted to shoot in another spot that would have put our backs facing each other. He seemed pissed and said "we're not going to shoot yet" like he was going to wait for me to leave. I said "it's getting dark soon" meaning that I was going to stay until dark. Like an a-hole he said "I know that". I kept shooting and he kept glaring at me and giving me dirty looks. They had parked their minivan between me and my car. I thought that was weird and hoped that none of my shots ricocheted into their van which was very close to me. They finally moved to the spot that I recommended and kept giving me dirty looks. They didn't take their plates, but they were only 30 feet away from me. I didn't hurry, and shot until dark. I should have shot their plates.

[O'Dell]

O'Dell, switch to the left hand. I had to do that in November and it is actually working out just fine.

I can't even brush my teeth left handed, let alone shoot. Not to mention racking the slide, which I couldn't do a few weeks ago. Anyway, I'm nine weeks from the surgery and should be cleared soon - I'm going back to work Monday. I can't believe that I went back to work 10 days after open heart surgery, one week after leaving the hospital, and this stupid shoulder has kept me inactive for 9 weeks.

[TriggerMan]

I shoot at CQT indoors. Two days are generally unavailable due to the County Sheriffs reserving it one day and another agency the second day. There are good Range Officers who actually watch what's going on and are not distracted by phones, sales or customer questions.

I have occasionally had to stop someone from handling a weapon behind the firing line. Usually minutes after they were instructed to uncase and case guns only at the shooting station.

If you have been there at least once before, you can rapid fire. Fast draw is allowed if you can demonstrate safey before you start. A good place to shoot. Still, newbies renting Glocks put me on high alert.

http://cqtusa.com/main/default.aspx

[AIRret]

Hey O'Dell I'm sorry to hear that even your left hand is not an option.
My husband and I were at brown bear range (on 21 and gratiot in Chesterfield MI) when a guy's 1917 revolver blew up. He was shooting 20yr old 45 reloads that His dad made.
No one was hurt but the gun was a mess. The cylinder was splayed open and the frame was bent.
By the way we joined brown bear because we can shoot free tuesday and Wednesday and a six month membership is $200 for the two of us.

[JimC]

I belong to a small private club here in Central FL.

Eustis Gun Club (http://www.eustisgunclub.com/)

We have a range officer on site every day and for as long as the range is open. No one is allowed to shoot alone, for safety reasons.

Safety is the main focus of attention and does not interfer with the members having a good shooting experience.

I've belonged to a lot of gun clubs during my shooting days and have run into a lot of idiots with guns which prompted me to drop out of some of those clubs. This club is just the opposite.

Private is definitely the way to go.

[lowroad]

Really???, it is all OK.
ok.

[kgturner]

My local indoor range is about 3 miles from my house so it's super convenient. It's just five indoor lanes about 25 yards long. He doesn't allow shotguns or rifles obviously, but basically any handgun round is good to go. My dad and I went there last weekend and he brought along his Ruger Red Hawk .44 mag. Standing in the lane beside me, I could feel the concussion from the muzzle blast. That was a little un-nerving.

There's no range officer in there and the owner of the place makes you fill out a form before he'll let you shoot. The only question he ever asked me is "Do you know how to be safe with a gun?". The interior walls on both sides of the range are completely chewed up. The most unsettling thing I've seen in there is a bullet hole running between the lane dividers. The hole goes through three dividers.

Kevin T

[TheTman]

Some nut job came into the range I frequent and rented a gun and blew his brains out. Now I'm leery of copy cats coming in and doing the same thing, only maybe taking a few with him.

[O'Dell]

Some nut job came into the range I frequent and rented a gun and blew his brains out. Now I'm leery of copy cats coming in and doing the same thing, only maybe taking a few with him.

The same thing happened at my range/gun store last month. I'm sure Randy, the owner, was pretty shaken since he rented the guy the pistol. He wasn't a regular there, but had been in a few times. I understand that he had been involved in an auto accident where two people were killed. He was being charged with vehicular Manslaughter and couldn't handle it.

[Cokeman]

That happens more than you think.

[SpecK]

I recently ended my membership at the indoor Bass Pro range. The guys working there are preoccupied with customers and tuning scopes, good guys, just too busy to keep it real safe. Ive WATCHED people put bullet holes in the ceiling, shooting tables, and dividers. Part of that probably is that its also a public range you can pay by the half hour for, or if you buy a new gun from BPro, they give you a free half hour on the range. Seen plenty of first timers walk in with brand new pistols from the gun counter and not even know how to load it. Thats when i pack up.

I like the Missouri Converservation outdoor ranges but here are my peeves:

Giving me advice on my stance/grip/anything really -- i dont know sh** from shiola about you, just stay away from me and quit waving your gun around.

Those wanna-bes that will un-chamber a round by racking the slide and moving the gun upward so they can catch that round-- thats just stupidity, no round is expensive enough to not hit the floor- just let it drop

And crossing my or anyone elses body (unless its your own) with the muzzle -- FOR THE LAST TIME I DONT CARE IF ITS NOT LOADED --my cousin didnt think his .22 was loaded...he's dead now

I usually just go out to the farm but if Im at a range with friends and see something i dont like, i dont risk the confrontation of trying to educate or correct them, i just pack it up and head on home

[Barth]

I usually just go out to the farm but if Im at a range with friends and see something i dont like, i dont risk the confrontation of trying to educate or correct them, i just pack it up and head on home

I've found that no matter how respectfully and carefully I try to talk to folks
about unsafe practices it always seems to go badly.

I too now just walk away.

As for ridiculous advice by strangers?
LGS, Range or the gym.
If I ignore them, they go away.

[jocko]

thats why I shoot by myself..

[TheTman]

After a friend got upset about a little talk on gun safety, I'm not about to approach some stranger on unsafe practices, unless it's affecting me directly.

[TriggerMan]

My local indoor range is about 3 miles from my house so it's super convenient. It's just five indoor lanes about 25 yards long. He doesn't allow shotguns or rifles obviously, but basically any handgun round is good to go. My dad and I went there last weekend and he brought along his Ruger Red Hawk .44 mag. Standing in the lane beside me, I could feel the concussion from the muzzle blast. That was a little un-nerving.

There's no range officer in there and the owner of the place makes you fill out a form before he'll let you shoot. The only question he ever asked me is "Do you know how to be safe with a gun?". The interior walls on both sides of the range are completely chewed up. The most unsettling thing I've seen in there is a bullet hole running between the lane dividers. The hole goes through three dividers.

Kevin TI am told my range has bullet proof dividers between stations. I can attest none of them have holes.

[TriggerMan]

I've found that no matter how respectfully and carefully I try to talk to folks
about unsafe practices it always seems to go badly.

I too now just walk away.

As for ridiculous advice by strangers?
LGS, Range or the gym.
If I ignore them, they go away. I'm doing about 1 bad experience versus 8 good ones. The one guy told me to go f myself. I no longer shoot there as too many times I had to call people on safety violations. No real RO. Just a clerk selling stuff and answering phones.

[TriggerMan]

I recently ended my membership at the indoor Bass Pro range. The guys working there are preoccupied with customers and tuning scopes, good guys, just too busy to keep it real safe. Ive WATCHED people put bullet holes in the ceiling, shooting tables, and dividers. Part of that probably is that its also a public range you can pay by the half hour for, or if you buy a new gun from BPro, they give you a free half hour on the range. Seen plenty of first timers walk in with brand new pistols from the gun counter and not even know how to load it. Thats when i pack up.

I like the Missouri Converservation outdoor ranges but here are my peeves:

Giving me advice on my stance/grip/anything really -- i dont know sh** from shiola about you, just stay away from me and quit waving your gun around.

Those wanna-bes that will un-chamber a round by racking the slide and moving the gun upward so they can catch that round-- thats just stupidity, no round is expensive enough to not hit the floor- just let it drop

And crossing my or anyone elses body (unless its your own) with the muzzle -- FOR THE LAST TIME I DONT CARE IF ITS NOT LOADED --my cousin didnt think his .22 was loaded...he's dead now

I usually just go out to the farm but if Im at a range with friends and see something i dont like, i dont risk the confrontation of trying to educate or correct them, i just pack it up and head on homeMy experience at Bass Pro Shop is same as yours. I wrote the Manager and advised him of what I had seen at EVERY trip there. His defense was that the Rules were posted (they are, IF you can read in the near dark and like small fonts).

[tv_racin_fan]

My local indoor range is about 3 miles from my house so it's super convenient. It's just five indoor lanes about 25 yards long. He doesn't allow shotguns or rifles obviously, but basically any handgun round is good to go. My dad and I went there last weekend and he brought along his Ruger Red Hawk .44 mag. Standing in the lane beside me, I could feel the concussion from the muzzle blast. That was a little un-nerving.

There's no range officer in there and the owner of the place makes you fill out a form before he'll let you shoot. The only question he ever asked me is "Do you know how to be safe with a gun?". The interior walls on both sides of the range are completely chewed up. The most unsettling thing I've seen in there is a bullet hole running between the lane dividers. The hole goes through three dividers.

Kevin T

Don't think I would shoot there myself...

My wife was a bit miffed at herself one time. Said she couldn't hit what she was aiming at. I pulled her target in and told her to look at it, and count the holes. Every round she had fired was on paper (in fact every round was in the torso of her zombie). Then I told her to look at the hanger and the ceiling and walls and even the partition, which that particular one has a bullet strike (if the round had gone thru the partition I would have packed bags and left right then I think). These guys are not on you like white on rice BUT they have come out and spoken to us a time or two (once I was trying to use the shelf like a rest and apparently was shooting awful close to the target appartus at the far end of the range, he didn't tell me to stop only that if I hit that apparatus and broke it I had to pay for it.. I believe he spoke to the wife once about shooting head shots for the same reason).

[Cokeman]

I've found that no matter how respectfully and carefully I try to talk to folks
about unsafe practices it always seems to go badly.

I too now just walk away.

As for ridiculous advice by strangers?
LGS, Range or the gym.
If I ignore them, they go away.

That time.

Hopefully they learn something, especially if it happens to them more than one time.

[SpecK]

My experience at Bass Pro Shop is same as yours. I wrote the Manager and advised him of what I had seen at EVERY trip there. His defense was that the Rules were posted (they are, IF you can read in the near dark and like small fonts).

HA! So that crappy "rule" board is a company standard. Nice.

Like I said, I just find it hard to say much cause the guys that work there are really nice, just like the rest of us overworked and underpaid.

[jg rider]

I belong to a great gun club. Different ranges like Bulls eye range, skeet & trap, black powder range, 100 yd. rimfire range, 100, 200, 300 yd. rifle range, indoor rimfire range, action shooting range that you need to be certified to shoot on, etc. There's always a R.O. patrolling. Members also police any stupid actions

http://www.tcgc.org/

The only personal gripe I have is the action range. It's is open to L.E. to train on most weekdays. It's usually booked heavily. There's a total of 13 bays and 7 of them are usually being used by some agency, cities, counties, state, federal. Of the remaining bays only 2 can be used to practice steel shooting. Members show up to shoot but they can't so they turn around and go home.

Most weekends are another can of worms. There's usually some kind of competition going on, IPSC, IDPA, 3 gun, Cowboy action, PPC, Tactical rifle, Steel plate