Are You Fed Up with Bad Behavior at Shooting Ranges?

[Mercury]

As with anything, it's a good idea to keep aware of whats' going on around you.

When I shoot at a pistol range and there are others present, I try to get the point that is all the way to the right because most people are right-handed and when they have an issue with a handgun, they tend to point it left, while still holding it in their right-hand and sometimes while their finger is still on the trigger. They end up pointing it at everyone that's on the line to their left.

This seems to be more likely with new shooters....but not always.

 

[Golddollar]

The most aggravating thing is in the target house there is a sign with bold lettering. Remove all staples from target stakes, cardboard backing and clean up and dispose of old targets. This is rarely done. I usually go early mornings on weekdays and usually am there by myself. I often spend a half hour sweeping up 22 cases on the line and pulling staples.
Some people just never seem to get the idea of courtesy and safety.

At least until they snag their hand on a staple in the target board.

 

[Faulkner]

I have been told that the current generation thinks we Boomers are too uptight about things like rules and protocols and our expectations of others.

 

[6string]

As with anything, it's a good idea to keep aware of whats' going on around you.

When I shoot at a pistol range and there are others present, I try to get the point that is all the way to the right because most people are right-handed and when they have an issue with a handgun, they tend to point it left, while still holding it in their right-hand and sometimes while their finger is still on the trigger. They end up pointing it at everyone that's on the line to their left.

This seems to be more likely with new shooters....but not always.

I do the same thing.

 

[6string]

I see lots of crazy stuff. Some of the craziest happens during the winter when daylight time is shorter.
These ranges all close at dusk/dark.
Makes sense, right?
Well, a developing trend involves guys with lasers, piccatinny mounted lights, or night sights showing up at precisely that time. It is very scary to see red or green laser beams jerking around randomly, while hearing voices from people you can't see mixed in with live fire. (Just imagine being the guy who goes out to change a target!)
I've witnessed this from the roadside on several occasions, driving by when these ranges are supposedly closed.

 

[pharmer]

Triple N is run by Florida Fish and Game. Bad behavior is not allowed. RSO's are nice and leave you alone if you follow rules. Occasionally a couple, group or family will show up without any "background." RSO's will spend all their time "schooling" and watching. In 6 years I don't think there are half a dozen "accidental" bullet holes in the fixtures. Joe

 

[AJ]

We are very lucky to have a County Range that is staffed with very good range officers. No targets other than paper are allowed. No tomfoolery is allowed. Weapons are only allowed to be loaded on the firing point. They put up with no guff. Violation of a range rule is meant with a short discussion by the Range Officer. A second violation is you are told to leave. Sometimes the first violation will have the same results if bad enough. When targets are being worked with, those still at the firing line are moved back about 4-5 feet behind the firing line. Some do not like it as they feel it is to strict. I feel comfortable........

There is another private club range about 25 miles north of us. Visited their range once. On their unsupervised rifle range their shooters do pretty much what they want. You have to get all the shooters to agree to call the line cold to change or work on a target. While you are downrange, the other shooters are doing whatever they want up to and including aiming in on targets while you are downrange. Shot there once and never again.......

 

[GypsmJim]

I have been told that the current generation thinks we Boomers are too uptight about things like rules and protocols and our expectations of others.

Our private club is located next to a county park that is used for hiking and cross country skiing. All the park trials are clearly marked and don't go anywhere near our property. The club has been in existence for 80 years, and longer than the park. All the firing ranges are directed at a mountain, and away from the park.
Posted n very conspicuous places along the boundary are no trespass signs.

Last year 2 snooty old women decided that they were going to leave the trail and explore on their own thru the woods. They came across a sign and said that nobody could tell them what to do.

They went uphill and exited in a nice clearing and saw a big board but didn't know what it was. It was the backstop to the 300 yard rifle range. It was in use.

Of course the 2 shooters made their rifles safe, but walked down to point out their errors. I said snooty because THEY got mad that rifles were pointed at them. The State Police gave them a talking to.

We have cameras around the property. A picture of them sure looked like they were boomers. I guess all generations have a few $%^$#.

 

[Doug M.]

I rarely shoot outside due to the fire risk and the risk if meeting bad folks who think that is a great place to steal a gun. That said, last time I did, the behavior was just fine.

Most of the time I shoot at a commercial range about 35 miles from here. They have rules, standards and expectations, and enough RSOs monitoring to enforce them (and it is not cheap, which is how they have the amenities and reduce the riffraff). The wort thing I have seen is the folks who have relatively large/loud rifles coming to test them before hunting season, and that is allowed up to a certain caliber.

 

[pantannojack]

I consider that any one with a gun in possession is knowledgeable of safety RULES, and that if they violate those rules it is INTENTIONAL and shall be responded to as a illegal violator. That means "IN THEIR FACE". Sweeping the area is Assault with a WEAPON. They need to shamed before their family. I support what the poster wrote about the one mulligan. A fist in the face would be an appropriate second warning. Unsafe handling should be treated as at the very least serious traffic violations such as texting while driving or drunk driving.

 

[swsig]

My range (indoor) is owned by a former LEO, and many of the employees are former LEOs as well. Needless to say, it is very well run. In the nine years I've been shooting there, I have only experienced one bad behavior, and it was more odd than bad. I had stopped shooting and was loading my magazines, when I felt a bump against the back of my legs. I looked down, and there was an obviously desperate reloader scuffling around in my stall on his hands and knees picking up empties. I was so astonished, I couldn't think of anything to say. The R.O. was advising some other shooters, so he didn't see it. I stepped out of the stall so he could finish his scuffling. He he was polite enough to thank me, though. In retrospect it was more amusing than dangerous, but if I'd fallen backwards over him, it could have been a problem. So, a lesson for reloaders: No surprise scuffling in other shooters' stalls!

 

[Muss Muggins]

Drunk driving is a “very least serious traffic violation?”

Asking for a friend . . .

I consider that any one with a gun in possession is knowledgeable of safety RULES, and that if they violate those rules it is INTENTIONAL and shall be responded to as a illegal violator. That means "IN THEIR FACE". Sweeping the area is Assault with a WEAPON. They need to shamed before their family. I support what the poster wrote about the one mulligan. A fist in the face would be an appropriate second warning. Unsafe handling should be treated as at the very least serious traffic violations such as texting while driving or drunk driving.

 

[Jebus35745]

We could use a 6-string at the club bgrafsr mentioned above, North Olmsted Spokesman Club. I believe you were living in Akron Oh at one point, simple answer, move to Ohio!! We would welcome you at the Tuesday morning old guys open shooting.

We even host the **NE Ohio Bunch** twice a year. I Did it for 12 years twice a year.

You can have your choice of a winter bullseye league, a 2 month summer bullseye league, double action pistol shooting league for 8 weeks (Dirty Harry), IDPA modified for a 50’ range every week, a club special shoot, a Glock shoot of some sort, a .22 pin shoot, trap every other Sunday and archery. Sometimes they shoot an 1800 on a Saturday or pellet pistol. Every other Sunday in a supervised kids shoot.

I only shoot on Tuesday morning with the old guys. I started that 7 years ago when I retired. Whew. I’m tired now, gonna head for bed. Larry

PS. If you make a mistake you will be told by the range officer and if bad enough reviewed by the trustees. Next step is out the door!!

 

[AJ]

We could use a 6-string at the club bgrafsr mentioned above, North Olmsted Spokesman Club. I believe you were living in Akron Oh at one point, simple answer, move to Ohio!! We would welcome you at the Tuesday morning old guys open shooting.

We even host the **NE Ohio Bunch** twice a year. I Did it for 12 years twice a year.

You can have your choice of a winter bullseye league, a 2 month summer bullseye league, double action pistol shooting league for 8 weeks (Dirty Harry), IDPA modified for a 50’ range every week, a club special shoot, a Glock shoot of some sort, a .22 pin shoot, trap every other Sunday and archery. Sometimes they shoot an 1800 on a Saturday or pellet pistol. Every other Sunday in a supervised kids shoot.

I only shoot on Tuesday morning with the old guys. I started that 7 years ago when I retired. Whew. I’m tired now, gonna head for bed. Larry

PS. If you make a mistake you will be told by the range officer and if bad enough reviewed by the trustees. Next step is out the door!!

No real matches here. However, we can shoot 365 here in shorts and t-shirts.

 

[6string]

We could use a 6-string at the club bgrafsr mentioned above, North Olmsted Spokesman Club. I believe you were living in Akron Oh at one point, simple answer, move to Ohio!! We would welcome you at the Tuesday morning old guys open shooting.

We even host the **NE Ohio Bunch** twice a year. I Did it for 12 years twice a year.

You can have your choice of a winter bullseye league, a 2 month summer bullseye league, double action pistol shooting league for 8 weeks (Dirty Harry), IDPA modified for a 50’ range every week, a club special shoot, a Glock shoot of some sort, a .22 pin shoot, trap every other Sunday and archery. Sometimes they shoot an 1800 on a Saturday or pellet pistol. Every other Sunday in a supervised kids shoot.

I only shoot on Tuesday morning with the old guys. I started that 7 years ago when I retired. Whew. I’m tired now, gonna head for bed. Larry

PS. If you make a mistake you will be told by the range officer and if bad enough reviewed by the trustees. Next step is out the door!!

I like established clubs that adopt formal target shooting to their membership. It's a good way to keep things informal in a friendly way, yet still shoot with the objective of precision marksmanship.

Weekday evening Bullseye leagues, or a morning or afternoon weekend shoot with friends from your club is a lot of fun and a productive way to keep up your skills.
And, in keeping with the thread topic, it's reassuring to know that the guys to either side of you can be trusted to know how to safely handle their firearms.

 

[RobertJ.]

At my range, there is absolutely no nonsense allowed. Of course, I'm the only one there. In all the years I've shot here, there has only been one other person who showed up to shoot while I was there. He came out to pattern his turkey gun, and had driven further than I had, so I took a break (since I was there for the whole afternoon) to let him do that.

There is evidence that other people use this range also, but I've never seen them, and they apparently have the same distaste for trash that I do.

I am so thankful I don't have to use public ranges.

 

[jc2721]

The Koko Head shooting range is the only public rifle and pistol range on Oahu and it's free to the public. It's a City park so it is staffed by paid, albeit part time RSOs and in my opinion they do an excellent job of monitoring and enforcing the posted safety rules.

Whenever new shooters show up the RSOs generally talk to them about safety and they watch them like hawks while they're shooting. If someone I don't know is shooting next to, or near me I will usually sit back a few minutes into the session and observe their gun handling. If it's bad I'll move but not before speaking to an RSO (if they haven't already caught the safety violations)

Recently, the only time I've had to speak to someone about handling firearms safely was in my favorite LGS. A new shooter (I'm guessing he was a newb) was looking at a few handguns but he kept inadvertently pointing them in my direction. The clerk apparently didn't notice what was going on, so after about the 3rd time I counted to ten then politely asked the guy to not point guns at me. He was apologetic and everything worked out OK but it took a while for my blood pressure to subside.

 

[robrossk]

After reading these stories I'm glad I belong to the private range I do. No one can go down range to change a target without the permission of everyone else on the range. The "cold range" flashing lights are turned on and a buzzer sounds. (the lights stay on the whole time). All actions have to be open and everyone has to step away from their bench. We used to allow cleaning on a cold range but encountered some problems so now no one can touch a gun on a cold range. The range cannot go "hot" until all shooters are informed. Some might say that's over organized but it works.
I think there were some problems with "tacticool" shooters a couple of years ago but they are gone now.

I have been a guest at the range mentioned above. Really nice and one of the few that has a 1,000 yard range. I only wish it was closer. There is a public range run by the Missouri Dept of Natural Resources fairly close that is also first class. Best public outdoor range I have ever been to and very strict on safety and rules in general. Regarding safety in general, I only go to the indoor range on weekdays and usually in the morning. NEVER in the evening or on weekends. Too much crazy stuff. And we also have some unsupervised public ranges. For the most part my experience has been good but again only during morning and weekdays.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

I shoot about weekly and supervise (as RSO) weekly at a private range. There used to be an unsupervised public range range around here, but it ran into some complex legal issues which are slowly being resolved. Or not. Nobody I know cares which. There are numerous private ranges in the area, far more than in the parts of FL or VA where I have lived.

At our club, there is always a small amount of ignorance that can be corrected. As far as actual attitude problems, I have not yet encountered any, although I know for a fact that there have been at least two within the last few decades, probably more.

Not surprisingly, I have concluded that if we do our jobs properly, we can control at least the private clubs with which we associate ourselves.

 

[crankyoldlady]

Is this the price we all must pay in a society where noticing or calling out bad behavior is considered worse than the bad behavior itself???

We now live in a society where calling out someone else's behavior can get you beat up. Or worse!