Range Report Rant and Rate

[pharmer]

Finally got the house empty so took the opportunity to head east to the Triple N Range out in BFE (Holopaw). T shirt weather and at 9:30 am only about 4 points utilized on the 25 yd range, most excellent. So I'm starting to hit pretty good after a hundred or so rounds, Model 15 is making a hole about the size of a quarter. All of a sudden there's a guy 3 feet to my left shooting a Makarov. Every empty is bonking me on the noggin. His dad (maybe grandad) is barking criticisms non-stop. Next cold range as I step behind the yellow line, I look down the firing line. There's maybe 15 shooters and another 50 "spectators." Whole groups, filming for youtube, twitzer, shouting, dancing around- a regular block party. It takes 110% of my attention to shoot safely, not so for others. I packed up before lunch with 150 rds 9mm/.38 spl unspent. As long as folks stay behind the yellow line, might as well break out the hibachi and karaoke machine. Hopefully next week will have folks @ the house nursing hangovers. Joe

 

[J. R. WEEMS]

RANGE

See a lot of this sort of thing although not so many spectators ..
They roll up to the 7 yard line, paste up a target and blast away. Shots all over the place. To each their own I guess but I mostly sit down until they leave or go elsewhere.

 

[Protocall_Design]

At our club, you can pick up all the .223 brass you want from the 10 yd. line WAY back to the 25 yd. line. I don't get how you need a rifle for that distance. Oh well, thanks for the brass...

 

[alwslate]

Yet another reminder of how great it is to be able to shoot in my own
back yard.

 

[THE STEE]

picked up my retirement gift just before xmas, been waiting for 17 months to have it built. six inch long slide caspian recon frame, caspian damascus slide.. at 20 yrds offhand it is the best shooting pistol I have ever owned.. color me happy

 

[Old Corp]

Do feel fortunate to actually have my own place to shoot and access to an outdoor public range where stuff like that doesn't ever seem to happen.

When I worked at a LGS/Indoor Range, I formed the firm idea if that sort of arrangement became the ONLY way I could go shoot, than I'd probably quit altogether.

 

[llowry61]

I am a member at an indoor range and have been for many years. I only go during the week when it is slow. People just make me nervous.

I quit going to the DNR ranges after a couple of incidents. The first one was on the clay range. We were set up and shooting birds when a group came over from the pistol range. They asked if they could try to shoot some birds with their 9mm semi auto's. Needless to say we declined their request. They walked away as if we were jerks because we said no.

The last straw was prior to deer season. I went to the range to sight in the scope on my Thompson Center 50 caliber rifle. All stalls were full, and while I was waiting my turn I was watching the shooters. I glanced at a guy who had just reloaded his muzzleloader and was taking aim. I realized he had failed to remove the range rod after seating the bullet ! Well, before I could say anything, boooooom, he sent that range rod flying. The recoil just about knocked him off his seat. He was looking around stunned and I am sure embarrassed. He saw that I had a muzzleloader and asked me if I thought the gun was ok to fire. I advised that I would not fire it without a thorough examination by a qualified gunsmith. I walked down range with him to set my target and he showed me the RR with a 50 cal bullet fused in the end of it.

That was my last visit to a DNR range. People go out, buy a gun with no idea how to shoot it. He said he had bought the "whole setup" this morning and had never shot one before.

He was lucky. There was another guy who failed to properly seat the breach plug and ended up with it blowing back in his face.

No more crowded public ranges for me.

L

 

[oink]

I want to know how accurate the rod/ball combination was.

 

[sar4937]

We try to discourage video, even pictures, at our range, because we never know how it is being used. It should never be a party at the range, especially at the firing line.

 

[johngalt]

I have had far better experiences at the member-only club compared to the open to the general public and pay by the half-hour range.

 

[rwsmith]

What in the world......???

Finally got the house empty so took the opportunity to head east to the Triple N Range out in BFE (Holopaw). T shirt weather and at 9:30 am only about 4 points utilized on the 25 yd range, most excellent. So I'm starting to hit pretty good after a hundred or so rounds, Model 15 is making a hole about the size of a quarter. All of a sudden there's a guy 3 feet to my left shooting a Makarov. Every empty is bonking me on the noggin. His dad (maybe grandad) is barking criticisms non-stop. Next cold range as I step behind the yellow line, I look down the firing line. There's maybe 15 shooters and another 50 "spectators." Whole groups, filming for youtube, twitzer, shouting, dancing around- a regular block party. It takes 110% of my attention to shoot safely, not so for others. I packed up before lunch with 150 rds 9mm/.38 spl unspent. As long as folks stay behind the yellow line, might as well break out the hibachi and karaoke machine. Hopefully next week will have folks @ the house nursing hangovers. Joe

I don't get this. People coming out to party and watch and video people shooting??? The only 'spectators' I see are people in a group that doesn't want to shoot, but don't mind watching. And they are usually quiet.

Not saying I haven't had some real jerks mess up a range trip. Most people are ok, but if you have a crowd, there's got to be at least on and probably a pair of *** holes.

 

[pharmer]

I want to know how accurate the rod/ball combination was.

They all hit POA. The 130 gr ball and Ranger seemed to shoot an inch or so higher Remember I'm point shooting a Model 15 D/A at 21 ft (They used to allow the shooter to move the target holder) so saying I got a single quarter size hole after a hundred rounds or so ain't much. The Privi did seem more accurate when I shot it by itself. I could see the impacts practically on top of one another. Nicest polished brass too.

I hope I didn't give the impression the range is not well managed. They are all very professional yet accommodating. This is the first time I have seen a crowd and they weren't waving guns around, One guy tied up a striker type gun (Taurus or Springfield maybe) with a live round in the chamber. Couldn't "recock" nor retract the slide. The SRO tried for awhile, pointed it downrange, pulled the trigger and told him to bag it. Same guy helped me knock a live .22lr out of a "new" 25 y/o Ruger MKII last trip.
I like that there are "eyes on" behind me, something more than the camera in the corner of most indoor range firing lines. Joe

 

[El Biblioitecario]

...He said he had bought the "whole setup" this morning and had never shot one before.
L

I hope you encouraged him to go back to the store and ask why they hadn't included a supply of extra rods.

 

[Kanewpadle]

At the range I go to, photos and video are expressly prohibited and enforced.

 

[Abbynormal]

Ain't life beautiful!