Carrying at the range?

[VaTom]

The Miami Shootout robbers ,Platt & Matix, were known to acquire firearms by ambushing people who were target practicing all alone out in the Everglades.

About 10 years ago a THR member was murdered on a BLM range where he'd gone shooting alone. Police speculate that he was killed for his guns. As far as I know the murder was never solved.

When I go to the range I have a concealed gun on me at all times and my wife and I make it a point that at least one of the guns that we're there to shoot that day is loaded at all times.

I shoot at National Forest Ranges that are located right far out. No rules about carrying. I go during the weekdays when there are few if any others tbere. I open carry when at the range unusually a .38 Smith or Colt. Being remote I don't want to be surprised by such a situation however unlikely it might be. An ounce of prevention is a good thing.

 

[max503]

Both clubs I belong to allow concealed carry. (I can't imagine them not.) Neither allows open carry or drawing from the holster. We have strict safety procedures which I 100% approve.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

My club has 3 ranges for rifle/ pistol. A 50 yard and 100 yard outdoor range. And a 25 yard outside range with a pistol house. 22 LR and non-magnum handguns only.

How you carry has never been an issue. Safety Always is!

The Pistol house is shoot from "Standing or seated, gun up position" only.

I informed the President, that I would have the ladies from church practicing with their handguns on the 100 yard range (from 10 yards). The focus for the season was draw and fire from their daily concealment position; ankle, purse, waist, flash-bang or whatever! He looked at me surprised and said he had never once thought to practice draw and firing. The 5 women that attended over the 13 weeks we did this got very good and some changed methods of carry to more concealment as their confidence grew. (Nobody had a flash-bang bra holster! at least that they would admit.) 2 of the women liked their 1911 variants, but couldn't find a method they liked (they didn't even consider a purse an option!) But they all borrowed and tried several methods for every pistol the owned. They all liked a small caliber (22 or 32 BUG) on the ankle, but had only practiced in shorts and were not sure they wanted to buy clothes to go with that system!

Ivan

 

[SC_Mike]

If the local indoor range/LGS adopted this policy they'd be laughed out of business.

 

[hoc9sw]

I go to three ranges. All allow CC with appropriate license, none allow open carry unless you are an employee or LEO in uniform.

None allow removing your CC weapon on the range. They do all allow going with a range officer to a designated location to unholster / unload the pistol to carry it in a case back to the firing line.

There are exceptions for advanced training, but that will be on a bay closed the the public, with an RO with each shooter.

 

[nachogrande]

CHURCH LADIES.

WELL ISN'T THAT SPECIAL. No walker mounted holsters? Must be a special kind of LADY & a sight to behold. Red hat day must be a gas.

 

[prairieviper]

Indoor range here allows concealed and open carry but no drawing from holster while shooting.

It's the same at all the ranges that I attend.

 

[Nasty Ned]

Our range will allow drawing from a holster,but, only with a unloaded gun that has just been checked by our range officer. I can go along with this.

 

[Smoke]

I wouldn't waste my time at a range that didn't allow me to draw from concealment. If you ever have to defend yourself with a handgun that's kinda gonna be a critical skill

 

[NYlakesider]

Many years back at my large gun club, I was a officer and RO and instructor.

At that time due to the small amount of people that had pistol permits, (needed just to own a handgun in NYS) there was not much said about carrying loaded if you were safe. That was either open or concealed.

We did allow none members to shoot with a nominal fee to the club. The club was about 3/8 mile off road and many times during the traditional work day you had the range to yourself or perhaps one other shooter.

I always carried there and many time openly.

All was well till one day a lone member was shooting 2 nice rifles and he went down the 100 yards to check his target. When he got back up range his two rifles and ammo was gone. No car or person was seen, they must have showed up "got lucky" and took his things and then left fast!

I normally used a good spotting scope and bullet holes were easy to see at the 100 yards, in fact you could tell what was what if you were shooting different calibers. That meant I only went down to set up or retrieve target, not a trip every few shots.

When I did target set and retrieve if I was alone I left my guns locked in car unless another shooter was there to keep a eye on things. As stated most time I stayed up range and kept a eye on things. I got in the habit of turning around and looking back on the trip down range a couple times after that stolen gun incident.

 

[nachogrande]

WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?

I avoid weekends & around hunting season at the public allowed section of our range. I've seen & felt unsafe with some of the antics witnessed at our "overly strict" range. If some of these yahoo's were drawing from concealment, AYE CARRUMBA. All about the time/place/& type of shooters nearby???

 

[AJ]

Our county range does not allow concealed carry for anyone including Law Enforcement. No drawing from the holster at all. No handling of firearms until the range is called "Hot" and then only on the front bench where all firing is done. Very safe range, generally two range officers on the line.

 

[HorizontalMike]

Many years back at my large gun club, I was a officer and RO and instructor...

...All was well till one day a lone member was shooting 2 nice rifles and he went down the 100 yards to check his target. When he got back up range his two rifles and ammo was gone. No car or person was seen, they must have showed up "got lucky" and took his things and then left fast!

I normally used a good spotting scope and bullet holes were easy to see at the 100 yards, in fact you could tell what was what if you were shooting different calibers. That meant I only went down to set up or retrieve target, not a trip every few shots.

When I did target set and retrieve if I was alone I left my guns locked in car unless another shooter was there to keep a eye on things. As stated most time I stayed up range and kept a eye on things. I got in the habit of turning around and looking back on the trip down range a couple times after that stolen gun incident.

Boy I hear ya'!

I take the better half with me on days I want to shoot rifles on the 200yd range. My local rifle range has 20 stations. Even so, my senses get on edge when many/most stations are occupied and we get the all-clear to go change/check our targets at 200yd. Just impossible to watch on your own, and that is why I'll take a partner every time. PLUS... I always try to get one of the very last stations at the end (#18-20).

 

[fredj338]

The Miami Shootout robbers ,Platt & Matix, were known to acquire firearms by ambushing people who were target practicing all alone out in the Everglades.

About 10 years ago a THR member was murdered on a BLM range where he'd gone shooting alone. Police speculate that he was killed for his guns. As far as I know the murder was never solved.

When I go to the range I have a concealed gun on me at all times and my wife and I make it a point that at least one of the guns that we're there to shoot that day is loaded at all times.

One of the reasons I ccw. One of the clubs I shoot is up a canyon road, the road only goes to the range. No cell service up the canyon so anyone could block the road out & ambush the people legally carrying guns locked in their trunks per Kalif law, without a ccw.

 

[fredj338]

I avoid weekends & around hunting season at the public allowed section of our range. I've seen & felt unsafe with some of the antics witnessed at our "overly strict" range. If some of these yahoo's were drawing from concealment, AYE CARRUMBA. All about the time/place/& type of shooters nearby???

As I noted, avg gun owner is poorly skilled, little to no professional training & virtually no practice but once or twice a year. Come to think of it, that applies to most LEO too.

 

[Whitwabit]

Many years back at my large gun club, I was a officer and RO and instructor.

All was well till one day a lone member was shooting 2 nice rifles and he went down the 100 yards to check his target. When he got back up range his two rifles and ammo was gone. No car or person was seen, they must have showed up "got lucky" and took his things and then left fast!

That happened 2 years ago at a range near me .. guy was shooting an AR and went to put up another target 100 yards down range .. his AR was gone when he got back to the bench ..

A couple of kids got caught with it and last I heard were in some kind of detention .. both under age ..

 

[Smoke]

After hearing about some of your clubs and seeing the pictures I realize how lucky I really am to have the club I have.

I think our club is about 400 acres. We have Skeet, Trap, Archery, a 200 yard rifle range, a 100/50 yard range, 5 pistol ranges and 2 open bays for "tactical" shooting. Each pistol bay is about an acre. We have a clubhouse with a seating area for classes and a kitchen. They provide steel targets on most of the pistol bays and each bay (except the open bays) has a concrete floor, over head cover, benches to sit on and a table to put your guns on.

We pay $142.00 a year for membership fees and a $7.00 range fee per person every time we go to the range.

No specific rule against concealed or open carry
No rule against drawing
No rule against moving while you're shooting as long as you're the only person in that bay.

 

[Bamabred]

My range doesn't allow concealed carry or open carry. Guns must be unloaded unless you are in a shooting station. I think they allow for drawing from the holster in certain areas for members only.

 

[nachogrande]

When shooting bolt actions.

I pull the bolt at the cease fire & pocket it when going down range. It MAY NOT PREVENT a theft, but at least they won't get a functioning rifle.

 

[fredj338]

I pull the bolt at the cease fire & pocket it when going won't down range. It MAY NOT PREVENT a theft, but at least they won't get a functioning rifle.

Sad you have to even think that now days.