public range safety

[spencerhenry]

i have seen quite a lot of unsafe gun handling at public ranges. today was no exception. there were the usual point the gun sideways across the range while trying to unload a live round, the loading of guns while people are downrange, and stuff like that. when it was time to leave i loaded all my stuff in the truck and got in. there were 3 guys at the pistol range where i was parked, as the one guy got done shooting he did the usual swing around with his gun pointed the opposite of downrange. i rolled down my window and said "could you please point that thing somewhere other than at me, like downrange not opposite downrange." he says back "what thing?" i respond with "THE GUN IN YOUR HAND". the slide was locked back, but he still had his finger on the trigger and was not paying any attention to where he was pointing his pistol. i think he got the point, or i at least i hope he got the point.

[cstone]

Which range?

It would be so easy for me to become a range Nazi. Safety is the first lesson that needs to be learned with our hobby and there is little to no room for leniency. People can very easily be hurt or killed.

The balancing part of the equation is the method you use to communicate the point of the lesson.

Public ranges, with lots of people of varying degrees of experience and training makes for a difficult problem on how to keep everyone safe, while not turning the "enjoyable" part of the hobby into a block of instruction in boot camp. Added to this is the fact that while everyone at the range may be responsible for safety, in reality, no one is responsible for anyone but their self and the two or thee people they are directly observing. Unless the shooters have a good deal of experience and a common training background, range officers are hard pressed to directly observe more than four shooters at a time. Even watching four shooters can sometimes be difficult, especially if they are all firing different weapons.

I'm glad you pointed out the unsafe handling of the firearm to the man as you drove by. Maybe the lesson will sink in and it won't happen again. Some sponges soak up more information at a faster rate than others. Some sponges never learn [Coffee]

[ray1970]

The general public are pretty much idiots. That is why I won't go to a public shooting range. Not to say this kind of thing can't happen at a private facility, but usually if a member is shown to be habitually careless he soon finds he is no longer a member.

[Mazin]

I agree with ray, i avoid public ranges as much as possable because of the unsafe practices of people. But im lucky since my brother in law sits on 40 acres in hudson. Even on private land though in our sport safety has to be number one.

[alxone]

you guys wouldn't believe the things i have seen being out at the open space ranges this year. hell last week a damn dirt shooter decided to unload pretty much right at me (about 10 feet or less) and even after i yell "STOP SHOOTING! " he took a pause and began blasting away !!!! he was not shooting at the back stop witch in this case was a damn mountain but was shooting across the firing line into the trees (where i was ). i guess he thought i was a deer with a rifle and a trash bag .stupid dirt shooters !

[Byte Stryke]

The general public are pretty much idiots. That is why I won't go to a public shooting range. Not to say this kind of thing can't happen at a private facility, but usually if a member is shown to be habitually careless he soon finds he is no longer a member.


granted not all, but most private places will jump you pretty quick and show you the door.

[Mazin]

you guys wouldn't believe the things i have seen being out at the open space ranges this year. hell last week a damn dirt shooter decided to unload pretty much right at me (about 10 feet or less) and even after i yell "STOP SHOOTING! " he took a pause and began blasting away !!!! he was not shooting at the back stop witch in this case was a damn mountain but was shooting across the firing line into the trees (where i was ). i guess he thought i was a deer with a rifle and a trash bag .stupid dirt shooters !

Man it would have been hard for me not to beat some sense into him, well when i had use of both arms. Thats why i love it when im around like minded shooters, just because we are not at a official range does not mean all saftey needs to be put into the wind.

[stevelkinevil]

you guys wouldn't believe the things i have seen being out at the open space ranges this year. hell last week a damn dirt shooter decided to unload pretty much right at me (about 10 feet or less) and even after i yell "STOP SHOOTING! " he took a pause and began blasting away !!!! he was not shooting at the back stop witch in this case was a damn mountain but was shooting across the firing line into the trees (where i was ). i guess he thought i was a deer with a rifle and a trash bag .stupid dirt shooters !

I hear ya there man, thats why I always go out on a Monday, and even then I am hesitant to take my sons with me. it never ceases to amaze me that folks will go buy a deadly piece of hardware and not bother to take the time to learn how to properly and safely use it. Had that happened to me and especially with my sons around im not sure he would have left there under his own power. Was this at left hand or south site?

[alxone]

I hear ya there man, thats why I always go out on a Monday, and even then I am hesitant to take my sons with me. it never ceases to amaze me that folks will go buy a deadly piece of hardware and not bother to take the time to learn how to properly and safely use it. Had that happened to me and especially with my sons around im not sure he would have left there under his own power. Was this at left hand or south site?unfortunately it was squaw , a bunch of dirt shooters showed up and one was a leo !! it just goes to show that even alll the training in the world does no good if you dont use it .

[StagLefty]

Being an NRA Instructor for 17 years has made me extremely uncomfortable on public ranges where too many folks have no idea about muzzle discipline. The few I've tried to talk to just look at you with a blank look on their face and will probably never understand the concept of gun safety or why.

[ray1970]

Being an NRA Instructor for 17 years has made me extremely uncomfortable on public ranges where too many folks have no idea about muzzle discipline. The few I've tried to talk to just look at you with a blank look on their face and will probably never understand the concept of gun safety or why.

Agreed. Bicycle helmets and airbags have interfered with the process of natural selection for too many years now.

[sneakerd]

Good one.[ROFL1]

[Singlestack]

Finally got around to reading "In the Gravest Extreme" by Mas Ayoob. In it, he advocates for more stringent training for a CCW permit, including a written test on the law. Although I interpret the 2nd Amendment pretty strictly on gun ownership, I am coming around to believe at least the CCW permit ought to have more serious requirements - including the need to re-qualify when the permit expires. Way too many stupid or unsafe people running around with handguns.

Singlestack

[rocktot]

LoL, 'Dirt Shooters', - Mud poppers,

[Ronin13]

unfortunately it was squaw , a bunch of dirt shooters showed up and one was a leo !! it just goes to show that even alll the training in the world does no good if you dont use it .

I probably would have had a lot of explaining to do... I would have said to stop shooting as well and if bullets were coming too close for comfort I would have let my military training take over and well, let's just say I wouldn't feel threatened any more.
Too often I see it, guys sweeping each other with their barrels, fingers on triggers when not pointing downrange, and worse of all, not paying attention to what's beyond the target- Squaw Pass back in May I heard the distinct sound of a bullet that had passed through a 2 liter bottle and then impact a rock at an angle that sent the bullet God knows where. Ricochet's may sound cool, but when you know a guy who took a ricochet to the shin... well let's just leave it at stupid people scare the living crap out of me the way they handle firearms.

[strm_trpr]

I usualy wear my level IIa vest at public ranges :)

[alxone]

I probably would have had a lot of explaining to do... I would have said to stop shooting as well and if bullets were coming too close for comfort I would have let my military training take over and well, let's just say I wouldn't feel threatened any more.
Too often I see it, guys sweeping each other with their barrels, fingers on triggers when not pointing downrange, and worse of all, not paying attention to what's beyond the target- Squaw Pass back in May I heard the distinct sound of a bullet that had passed through a 2 liter bottle and then impact a rock at an angle that sent the bullet God knows where. Ricochet's may sound cool, but when you know a guy who took a ricochet to the shin... well let's just leave it at stupid people scare the living crap out of me the way they handle firearms.
the funny thing is i have not had any training and i still understand the projectile comes out of the front of your firearm. so i never point at anything i dont plan on killin and im a target killin fool [LOL]. but on the serious tip , if you see something unsafe at a public range what the hell are you supposed to do ? really if a jack ass has a loaded gun and is wild with it chances are ill just leave till they are gone no need to piss of an idiot with a gun .

[ray1970]

I usualy wear my level IIa vest at public ranges :)

Not a bad idea. I would probably opt for some kind of helmet too. [Coffee]

[ray1970]

no need to piss of an idiot with a gun .

Hopefully the idiot with the gun at least has enough common sense to realize the guy he has pissed off with his carelessness is also armed. [Beer]

Of course, maybe he doesn't have that kind of common sense in the first place.

[BlasterBob]

At least we seldom see any confrontations or any fist fights at target ranges or gun shows. Of course we shooters do know why! [AR15]

[cstone]

At least we seldom see any confrontations or any fist fights at target ranges or gun shows. Of course we shooters do know why! [AR15]


I've always been kind of a pacifist. When I was a kid, my father told me, "Never hit anyone in anger, unless you're absolutely sure you can get away with it." I don't know what kind of soldier I'm gonna make, but I want you guys to know that if we ever get into real heavy combat... I'll be right behind you guys. Every step of the way.
[ROFL2]

[spencerhenry]

last winter i was at the range getting ready to leave when i heard two guys at the pistol range arguing. since i used to volunteer for the DOW to keep the range clean and such, i went to see what the deal was. guy 2 was pissed off at guy 1 because guy 1 had pointed out guy 2's unsafe shooting and gun handling. i stepped in and told them that if they were not going to handle their weapons in a safe manner that they should not come there to shoot. guy 2 went so far as to threaten to kill guy 1. that is when i told him he could either leave right now or the sheriff would handle it.
amazing to me, with handgun in hand, threatens to kill someone. i am no legal scholar but i think that could be a serious offense, one that ultimately could take away his legal gun ownership.

[alxone]

last winter i was at the range getting ready to leave when i heard two guys at the pistol range arguing. since i used to volunteer for the DOW to keep the range clean and such, i went to see what the deal was. guy 2 was pissed off at guy 1 because guy 1 had pointed out guy 2's unsafe shooting and gun handling. i stepped in and told them that if they were not going to handle their weapons in a safe manner that they should not come there to shoot. guy 2 went so far as to threaten to kill guy 1. that is when i told him he could either leave right now or the sheriff would handle it.
amazing to me, with handgun in hand, threatens to kill someone. i am no legal scholar but i think that could be a serious offense, one that ultimately could take away his legal gun ownership.
wow. i know if someone threatened me in that manner they would have one hell of a fight on there hands , friend or not .

[Byte Stryke]

Finally got around to reading "In the Gravest Extreme" by Mas Ayoob. In it, he advocates for more stringent training for a CCW permit, including a written test on the law. Although I interpret the 2nd Amendment pretty strictly on gun ownership, I am coming around to believe at least the CCW permit ought to have more serious requirements - including the need to re-qualify when the permit expires. Way too many stupid or unsafe people running around with handguns.

Singlestack

While the theory is sound, it has but one fatal flaw.
You cannot teach common sense.

[alxone]

While the theory is sound, it has but one fatal flaw.
You cannot teach common sense.
gun about 500 dollars
gas to range about 25 bucks
common sense priceless
[LOL]

[Ronin13]

I've had to yell at people before, even though I knew the gun was empty and the slide locked to the rear you should never point it at anything you don't plan to destroy. Well some homeboy finished going through a magazine up at squaw with his little beretta and as he turned he flagged me with the barrel. I immediately said "Hey, you wanna point that in a safe direction? I don't like guns pointed at me." He shot back with "it's empty," sounding like some half-retarded stoner. "I don't care if it's made of wood, I don't like guns pointed at me. I might take that as a threatening gesture and defend myself." Que avert eye contact and walk away... he'll think next time.

[DD977GM2]

Reasons such as all you have mentioned are reasons I do not go to a public range. If i happen to, I leave my CCW in that way I always have a loaded and ready to go firearm in the event something terrible happens, especially for theft or robbery.