People at the Gun Range

[cochise]

Things sure are different today compared to years back. I don't want or mean my post to be insulting but just saying what I observed. The people I saw shooting were only using Automatics, and smaller calibars. .25 auto, .380, .32 acp, and one .40 cal. I took the time to pick up the spent casings. They ALL had the paper targets up close 5 to 10 feet, not yds. They never hit a 10 ring. Most couldn't hit the paper with a full magazine. One fellow had his target within 1 foot of his out stretched gun hand and his shots were in the 8 ring or WORSE if you can imagine missing so close.

When I was young, I went with a .22 asked for help from a range supervisor if I had trouble with the sights. Everyone was friendly and would talk guns and even share their handgun to let you feel a "new" one. I slowly moved up in calibar when I kept the majority of shots on the paper at 2/3 of the distance of the range. I would see mostly 1911's or .38 special revolvers in use back then.

I would have offered help but I didn't speak their lanquage and a few others looked too scary to me to even help show them anything. I think there still are places to shoot like the old days, I just need to look some more.

 

[50 target]

Jim, it is part of th enew age/culture when looks and style are everything. The part that I hate is when the macho gals show up and want to outdo the men. They are a hoot. Don't know squat but they have looks, tude and style. Don't wanta know anything about how to be a better shot or safe careful gun handling. Our range is the Sheriff's Dept training facility and it is open on the 2nd. Sat to the public. Word has gotten around that unsafe gun handling, bad attitudes and general diahhrea of the mouth is not welcome and one time is generally enough for them. I saw this past Sat. what you are speaking of. It's OK to get her sighted in at 7-10 yds. Get used to the trigger but 25 yds is where it's at unless you have a pocket pistol and with enough practice they can perform quite well at 25 yds. But for the most part, they are wonderful cheap entertainment. We all could wite books about'em. Be safe

 

[BE Mike]

I think that more people who buy handguns for personal defense actually take them out and shoot them than in the past. In decades past, most people would buy a handgun, load it and put it in the nightstand. Back in the late 60's I bought a used .25 auto for home defense from a fellow worker. I was pretty ignorant, but it gave my wife some comfort on those many nights she was alone. I did take her out and we learned how to operate it and shoot it. We've both come a long way in our shooting skill, knowledge, and firearm selection, but I can understand someone now just starting out without anyone to help them. I've been there and done that. Most folks don't realize just how difficult it is to shoot a handgun accurately, even at extreme close range. Without some instruction on the basics, it is not unusual that someone wouldn't be able to hit a target with a small handgun.

Most young people who don't know any better only consider a semi-auto because that's what they see in the movies or on tv. Even those who served in the military recently, probably never saw a revolver. Revolvers simply aren't cool.

As far as looks go, I can tell you, having worked with the public, that one shouldn't try to judge a book by it's cover. I don't have tattoos, piercings or long hair, but I've dealt with some real nice folks with a lot of the aforementioned. I've also met some real jerks who wore short hair and were devoid of tats and piercings.

 

[Rule3]

When I used to shoot at the public range, you learned to never ever go the weekend of the traveling gun show. Back when ammo was cheap you would see carloads of Dillweeds pull up with their Wal Mart bags full of 100 round value packs. Load up a bunch of magazines rip through them in a few minutes and they were done. It was even more fun when they were shooting at those close distances with a laser

They have Range officers now and keep it under control.

Where I shoot now is mostly older responsible folks who will help anyone anytime. Lots of accurate Bullseye shooting.

 

[walter o]

I went to the local indoor range last week to break the winter doldrums . All the lanes were being used and i had to wait for one to empty out . I could have sworn that they were all shooting shotguns from the look of the targets. Holes every wear what a pattern .Don't think anything smaller than a basket ball would have been hit twice as long as it stayed in one place .Decided it was not the place for me ,and went back home.

 

[JohnnieB]

Doing most of my shooting at a range that is open to the general public, I see some "winners" every now and then, but more often I see new and inexperienced shooters willing to learn. I wear a NRA cap with scrambled eggs on the bill at the range, so I sometimes get asked for advice, but if not, I usually don't say anything unless it's a safety issue.

It is very rewarding to see the results from a few simple suggestions about how to hold a handgun, sight alignment and trigger squeeze. I always tell them I'm not an instructor and if they really want to learn how to shoot, they ought to take lessons from someone that is. If they ask for more info, I'll pass out some business cards from some of the local instructors I know and trust.

Good ranges are out there, keep looking and keep safe.

 

[hi-power man]

I've learned to never go to the either of the two local indoor ranges on the weekend or evenings. One is always overrun with AR and AK shooters. One or two single shots typically turns into I want to shoot it like a full auto. The second is primarily pistol shooters but again, everyone seems to want to expend their ammo as quickly as possible. It's also a "I point my loaded handgun everywhere" range.

 

[JamesArthur60]

I can relate to all being said, but I seem to see more shooting way down range, 50-75 feet. The shooters get upset because nothing is near center. Maybe they don't know defensive shootings occur within @ 10 feet. Many first time shooters buying guns with no instructional/teaching advice I believe is the problem. We've all heard new gun buyers at the gun store counter. They haven't a clue what is best for them; it looks neat and here's my plastic charge card. They use that same card to purchase ammo and paper zombie targets. Some stumble loading and working the slide. I also see novice shooters renting AK47's. SCARY! I've actually left my shooting booth and watched from behind a bulletproof glasswindow. Like others, I've been shooting since the 70's, but I don't approach anyone inside the shooting range; who could obviously use some instruction. I don't know them and they have a gun. If it becomes unsafe, I walk out and advise the staff.

 

[H Richard]

I think every (commercial/public) range should be staffed by range officers and at least one instructor that should be able to be identified as an instructor so newbies can ask questions. A couple years ago I visited my daughters family in Denver area, and went to the Cherry Creek state part range. I was impressed that they did have NRA Cert. Instructors on duty, and they ran a good range, (even though the max distance on the pistol range was only 12 yards). It only took a few minutes of conversation to find out there were other ranges and a bullseye club with an indoor range. When I mentioned that there was a possibility of moving there for at least part of the year, I was offered a job for as many days per week as I wanted to work when they were open.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

With fewer people perfoming military service and fewer growing up in two parent families fewer people are growing with firearms or receiving proper instruction when they are young. Hence, movies, TV, etc are too often the primary "instructors". I spend a lot of time at my range sessions helping others, it's worth it to me to give up a few minutes of shooting to get a new shooter on the right path.

 

[Bullseye Smith]

Things sure are different today compared to years back. I don't want or mean my post to be insulting but just saying what I observed. The people I saw shooting were only using Automatics, and smaller calibars. .25 auto, .380, .32 acp, and one .40 cal. I took the time to pick up the spent casings. They ALL had the paper targets up close 5 to 10 feet, not yds. They never hit a 10 ring. Most couldn't hit the paper with a full magazine. One fellow had his target within 1 foot of his out stretched gun hand and his shots were in the 8 ring or WORSE if you can imagine missing so close.

Know what you mean, plus alot of our police officers are the same way (God forbid). People at indoor ranges scare me sometimes, I can put a target out at 25 yrds and have a nice big hole in the center, those with 19 rounds shoot at 25 feet and empty the mag and only have two or three holes in the target. Makes me feel good when I out shoot them, then I feel sad that if they had to fight that they will depend on the old men to keep them alive.

 

[OK Hog Shooter]

The last time I was at one of our indoor ranges to shoot a couple of 20 something young-uns came in and wanted to rent a "silver" one. I packed up and left. Thank the Good Lord I can shoot at the farm. I like being a dinosaur. I"m just not sure which one I picture myself as...

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Wasn't me.... I shot my new Rem 700 .308 SPS Tactical AAC SD for the first time today. 100yds .5in center to center. Very pleased for an out of the box rifle. Will be lots of fun with a can...

Sorry to hear so many are not pleased where and who they shoot with. Chattanooga Rifle Club is great. Hixon Sportsman Indoor Club is great too. I can't even imagine going to some of the places you guys talk about.

 

[ldausmc1369]

Dinosaurs

Had a relative newcomer, a youngster with an Ivy League MBA, who has only been in my industry for about 5 years proclaim on a recent visit where I had my boss, the COB of a Fortune 500 with me on the call proclaim "anyone who has been in the business for more than 10 years is a dinosaur and that you ( meaning me) are one of the biggest dinosaurs in the business." Told him I might be a dinosaur, but to always remember I'm a Tyrannosaurus Rex (T-REX), which was the biggest and bad a--ed dinosaur to ever live! My boss, the COB, after we left the customer's office, about split a seam laughing at my come back! And, on the next visit to this sage institution of commercial finance, I learned this young man had recently left "to explore other opportunities" corporate speak for he was fired!
I, too, always offer help to new shooters when asked and am very quick to point out any and all safety violations without being asked.

 

[Will Carry]

I will not go to a public shooting range on weekends. It's to dangerous even with a range officer. I have seen too many inexperienced shooters do stupid things at shooting ranges. I go during the week when it ain't crowded with cowboys and ganstas. I like wheel guns. When I pull out my .357 people notice. You'd think it was a hand cannon or something.

 

[imjin138]

I went to Shooter's this morning I had to wait a few minutes for a lane same thing happened last 2 times I went. See a lot more women there not sure i would go on a weekend to busy and to many people I don't know.

I usually go on my days of or before or after work depending on what shift i work. ran into a few County Deputies doing the same thing on Friday.


I shoot about 200 to 300 rounds from different handguns and leave. This Saturday is a machinegun shoot.

 

[Armyphotog]

I guess I've got it made. When I lived in Tennessee, I only saw controlled ranges where I fired, and everything was okay. You couldn't actually see what anyone else was doing unless you stepped back behind the line to observe. But when I moved to Mississippi, the only range here seems to cater to shotgun shooters, trap and skeet, and seem to discourage anything else. Consequently, when I go to the pistol range, I am usually by myself. Very nice, and laid back.

 

[Bullseye 2620]

The only thing I miss about moving out of the D.C. area is the number of fine pistol ranges there -- 12th Precinct, Fairfax Rod & Gun, the Ikes range in Poolesville, Quantico, and of course the range in the basement of the NRA. All supervised, and with no foolishness tolerated. I went to one range down here, and got oohs and aahs when I posted a bullseye target at 25 yards and proceeded to score a 99-8X (timed fire). The boys, and I mean boys, from the Virginia Tech Gun Club with their Glocks, and AKs, etc., burned a lot of ammo and did not appear as a group to be able to hit the broad side of a barn in bright daylight at that distance. I guess the operative paradigm is "the sound of multiple discharges, if they occur close enough together, will cause your opponent to die of fright or from hemorrhaged ear drums, or something." One trip, that was all it took. Now, I go over to a neighbor's field, away from my horses and his cows, and do my thing there. Not exactly regulation bullseye, but I have good time.


Bullseye


P.S.: Phil, that's one sweet rifle. What kind of load were you using?

P.P.S.: Didn't someone once say, "you can't miss fast enough to win?" Just sayin'. . .

 

[gregintenn]

I'm happy to shoot here behind the house.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Thanks Bullseye.

Factory 168 Sierra MatchKing. Barrel is 1-10 so I may try something a bit heavier.

 

[scooter123]

I guess that I'm fortunate. I have 2 local indoor ranges that I like to use.

One is only 60 feet but when the range isn't busy they allow me to do some rapid fire drills provided I ask first. Generally at this range I do most of my practicing at 25 to 30 feet. Downside to this range is that in the past the staffing on the range has been spotty, so weekends can sound like a machine gun shoot. In addition it has trapzoidal traps and it's short enough that those who miss the trap will throw debris back to the firing line. However, overheard a conversation yesterday that a shooter managed to shoot 2 fingers off and part of a third finger, as a consequence I noticed that the range was now staffed with 2 RO's.

The other range I like to use has a 50 yard rifle range in addition to a 25 yard pistol range. Normally here I use the 50 yard side and pay pistol rates. I've noticed that at least 70% of the shooters on the 50 yard range are shooting handguns like myself and I have yet to see one shooter that I would consider inexperienced. Downside is that the lighting is poor at 50 yards so I do most of my shooting at 35 yards where the target is well illuminated. They are also quite rigid about a minimum firing rate of 1 shot per second, exceed the firing rate and you get one warning, do it again and your done. They also expect and enforce that every shooter use an area on the target that will assure that rounds downrange will impact the trap, which mean NO head shots under 25 yards, hit the ceiling and you're instantly ejected. I've heard some complain that they're Range Nazi's, that doesn't bother me at all because the effect of that strict enforcement is that I feel perfectly safe shooting there any day of the week.

 

[mkk41]

Hopefully , I will never have to shoot at a public or rental range ever again. Seen to many dangerous clowns who probably shouldn't even own guns. I've got rural private property to go to and I've belonged to a private club for 15yrs and will be a member as long as I live. Ya have to be sponsored by a member in good standing or voted in after an interview by the board of directors and year probationary period.

 

[wheelgun28]

The best one was some guy holding two autos of some kind, one in each hand. He then shot them both bang, bang bang. most are misses not even on the paper.

One guy shows up with a Desert Eagle in 50 ae, shoot 100 rounds as fast as possible and splits.

Some of these guys buy expensive nice targets, skeleton, X-ray and so on. So now I salvage the targets they get rid of, they only have holes on the edges and a few here or there.

 

[MotoShot10R]

I went to Shooter's this morning I had to wait a few minutes for a lane same thing happened last 2 times I went. See a lot more women there not sure i would go on a weekend to busy and to many people I don't know.

I usually go on my days of or before or after work depending on what shift i work. ran into a few County Deputies doing the same thing on Friday.


I shoot about 200 to 300 rounds from different handguns and leave. This Saturday is a machinegun shoot.

I like Shooters and their employees, I bought my first pistol there and have frequented the establishment on and off for years. Having said that, Shooters can get downright scary. It gets too packed on the days I tend to have off (weekends).

10 lanes with up to 2/3/4 people per and each tend to have an accumulation of pistols/rifles/shotguns. Add to that the fact that there is so little room to move around and nowhere to really set up, and it gets bad quick. I love nearly tripping over rifles/pistols/cases/ammo/etc...yikes. As a matter of fact I turned down going there just yesterday...you can't hear yourself think with all the rapid-fire and it just gets downright unsafe in my honest opinion. I do not mean this as a knock against Shooters but I am looking for alternatives.

 

[venomballistics]

Im stuck with the indoor public range option for now.
Ive seen quite a few 10 yard wonders ... the range is 75 long so I quite enjoyed running a target to the back wall and putting some in with a 629 .... I like to think Im helping them to realize guns are capable of so much more.

 

[hsguy]

I am a NRA certified RSO and work once per month at a local range and certainly see a wide cross section of shooters. The majority seem to be quite responsible and safety oriented. I used to think that young males trying to impress their girlfriends were the most dangerous until a group of men from a 55 and older community showed up and were the most undiciplined, dangerous bunch I ever run across in my life. Guns waving around, muzzles pointing all directions etc.. We shut them at once and had a private safety briefing and explained either they follow the rules or would no longer be welcome. Don't believe we have seen them since.

 

[GUNMIKE]

People at the gun range

It is interesting to read the posts here. The indoor range that I frequent is very strict about safety (one small issue "ok" but #2 & your are out). It seems that some have an issue with women shooting, which I have problems understanding. My wife, after shooting her remmington 25-06, decided to try pistols. She started out (her choice) with a 6" S&w model 27 (357 mag) with 38 specials and enjoyed it so much that she traded my brother for it. She enjoys pistol shooting eough that she has five pistols now & if we have not been to the range enough, she ask's to go. Right now she is frustrated because she cannot get the groups that she wants from her glock 19. To me it seems that women take instruction better than men as they do not haave to prove that they already know how to shoot. Well, thats just my two cents worth.

 

[cjw3]

I retired from a facility that had a public range. Some of what we have had:

Muzzle sweeps and handling guns with people downrange: routine.

People going downrange while shooting continues: not too frequent but it does happen. One guy was lingering at his target while the range was called cold, but was not noticed by some goober on the far end of the shelter. That one fired a rifle and a small bullet fragment flew 90 degrees and hit the other guy in the left love handle. He was not happy.

Ceiling shot (with me standing 15 feet away): once. Evidence of it happening other times: many.

Posts of shooting shelter roof shot: 3 or 4, one of which I saw happen. Kid with .22 auto pings 10 rounds into it. I charged him with damaging/destroying Department property and he got buzzed $270 for it. $27/round for .22 LR must be some sort of record.

Blow-ups/injuries:
-Year before last somebody had a Ruger Blackhawk in .45 Colt let go. A piece of the cylinder flew back and hit a bystander in the upper arm, severing the brachial artery. Quick thinking by an off-duty LEO kept the guy from bleeding to death. Another piece of the cylinder was picked out of an 8X8 post. It is thought the top strap made it into low earth orbit.
-I saw a Springfield .45 scatter last year....too much fast powder.
-A few weeks ago, some guy was clearing a jam and managed to put a bullet through his arm/hand. Nobody really knew exactly what he did since he went slinking off to the emergency room on his own.
-Weatherby eyebrows are a perennial favorite, particularly just before hunting season.
-Now and then somebody lets the slide on a semiauto pistol groove the meaty part of their thumb.

Tracers (illegal) have resulted in a few fires on the back side of the berm.

There's more, but those are the highlights , and RETIRED is a good thing.


This place is now staffed with RO's and is safer than it used to be. That said, I only go during the week and typically get there just as it opens, do my thing and then hang out at the range house. I am also nowhere near bashful about calling somebody out when they are doing something dangerous and I watch everybody like a hawk. Thankfully, I also have access to some other property where I can shoot so don't have to use this range exclusively.

 

[Bullseye Smith]

Thanks Bullseye.

Factory 168 Sierra MatchKing. Barrel is 1-10 so I may try something a bit heavier.

That 168 is good for 600 yrds., and if the gun shoots good with it, it will shoot better with some range work on loads. I would prep my cases with primers, take two or three load books, two - three types of power, scales, and the press with adjustable seating die.

 

[BruceHMX]

Guys I have said it before in these threads. I will NEVER again shoot in an indoor range or a range where I feel unsafe. I have sacrificed to have my current home with range off the deck. My next home is going to be a custom log home with range. Started looking at property today. In the mean time if anyone on here is in the Northern Va area and would like to drop by for some casual pistol or rimfire rifle shooting the Caledon Ranch is open. But not only will yo shoot we will fill you up with hot coffee, dutch oven cooked chow and a cold beer/spirits once done on the range.

My son Ed shooting his first reloaded 32 S&W Long ammo

Me with press on the deck I now have a reloading room in basement as well but nice on pretty days to reload and try them out.

With Sebago Son's Son (DJ) Shooting a SIG 226(Ed was 7 then)

With his Lithgow 22 Enfield.

Our firepit off the side of the range.

A mad min with the 30/40 Krag. Being fired with a chamber adapter that shoots 32 S&W (shorts).

After 20 yrs on military ranges and more than that on civilian ones I got tired of them all. Watching a 70yr old guy shoot himself through the calf with a Bersa 32 then a local yahoo blow his fingers off with a Glock(way too much Bullseye) time to shut it down.

Ed is 9 now and much bigger. He is now reloading 44 Specials, 32 S&W's, and his 30-06 with the infamous 10 gr's of Unique with a 100gr Speer Plinker.

Home Ranges Are The BOMB!!!