I shoot at an outdoor range located in a State owned Wildlife Management Area . It's free and the facilities are pretty good . Separate pistol and rifle ranges .It does attract some jackasses so I NEVER go on a Friday or a weekend . Since I'm retired I can go about 07:30 and I'm done by 11:00 . Most of the time I have the place to myself at least for the first hour or so . If anybody else is there I make sure we have an understanding about going downrange and no handling of firearms while somebody is down there . I keep an eye on any other shooters and communication is key .
Went to the range. Got shot at!
- Thread starter 6string
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VaTom
Member
6string- So glad you are ok. We have public ranges in Va. in the National Forests. Fortunate that I am retired so I can go during the weekdays when few people are there. Weekends and holidays are a no for me. I have also gone to a public range in NE Alabama when visiting my brother. Only once have I left the range when I saw unsafe firearms handling by an older couple.
Walking back from the 100 yd. there are 2 guys one of whom is loading a rifle. The other walks over to chat, didn't give him a chance to say any thing. "What's with your buddy loading with someone down range?". That's a good way to get banned from a range!
My private gun club range (skeet / trap, 25 yard pistol and 100 yard rifle) has range officers on duty on the pistol / rifle range. Benches are forward of a safety line. Range officers clears all firearms before calling cease fire and moving everyone behind the safety line. Yet they are occasional infractions with people moving forward of the line while others down range etc.
Our state has three state run shooting ranges. Two are managed / run by gun clubs contracted by the state to run them. The third is run by state DEP employee range officers of which I was one. Same protocols as above, but there were 3 to 4 range officers plus a supervisor on duty at all times for 10 shooting positions.
Despite all precautions where live firearms are being handled by people you don’t know you obviously have to have eyes in the back of your head and your head on a swivel as this case in point seriously demonstrates.
Our state has three state run shooting ranges. Two are managed / run by gun clubs contracted by the state to run them. The third is run by state DEP employee range officers of which I was one. Same protocols as above, but there were 3 to 4 range officers plus a supervisor on duty at all times for 10 shooting positions.
Despite all precautions where live firearms are being handled by people you don’t know you obviously have to have eyes in the back of your head and your head on a swivel as this case in point seriously demonstrates.
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That’s a pretty shocking experience.
I’ve seen some very poor range etiquette and poor muzzle control. But, nothing quite that egregious. Hard to believe one can be that situationally unaware.
If a range officer had seen that at our club, they’d be banned for life.
I’ve seen some very poor range etiquette and poor muzzle control. But, nothing quite that egregious. Hard to believe one can be that situationally unaware.
If a range officer had seen that at our club, they’d be banned for life.
That's exactly the situation I found myself in as a range officer. I belong to a private club and I was the range officer for a bowling pin shooting match. The pin range is dug into a hill side with high barriers along the sides. The shooter was in mid-string when all of a sudden I get a flash of motion and color in my peripheral vision. I screamed "Cease Fire." Here it was a shooter's two young boys bounding over the berm.
It turned out the two boys were actually behind the firing line when they bounded over the berm but my reaction was bring the proceedings to a halt and sort everything out later. That was decades ago but it's still scary to think about.
I’m not trying to excuse the inexcusable but it sounds like the man was distracted by the three young shooters he was training. Given that he profusely apologized, left a box of ammo as a form of atonement, and departed the area immediately I suspect he has learned his lesson too. Thank God no one was hurt in what could have been a very expensive lesson.
Around here, a lot of shooting is done on forest Service land. No established ranges, no one at the range enforcing rules as there are no rules. Most of the places people shoot are either just off the side of the road or at a gravel pit. One of the spots I used to go to was a series of gravel pits on one of the roads up there. There were 3-4 gravel pits separated by a few hundred yards. The first one you come to is a big one and they get progressively smaller as you go along.
One day, I decided to go shooting. I got to the big pit, and it had several groups shooting there. I passed it up and went higher. The next one had 2 groups at it, so I kept going. At the next one, a couple of guys were collecting cases to sell for scrap prices. They weren't shooters, just people who needed money. As they waited until people had left the shooting area, I felt they performed a service, cleaning the ranges, so, I left them alone and went down one pit to wait my turn to shoot.
When I pulled in there was a young couple in their early 20's shooting a Glock on one side and there were a couple guys, speaking Russian or another Eastern European language, with 3 kids under 10. I noticed the kids were doing kid things, running around and exploring. finding cool rocks and sticks and such. They seemed to understand that they needed to stay behind the vehicle so I just watched.
The men were drinking beer and paying zero attention to the kids. They had a target... excuse me, a cardboard box big enough for one of the old tube TVs that they had set at about 15 yards in front of their SUV. They both had Mosins. One of them was using the gap in the open door for a rest, and the other was kneeling down, at the front wheel on the same side. They were hitting the box at about a 50% rate.
The kids with the Glock packed up and left, but I waited. Something told me to keep an eye on the spectacle. I'm glad I did.
As they were shooting, one of their kids, a girl about 6-8 years old, Found a particularly interesting rock and wanted to show it to her daddy. She starts down the opposite side of the car to come around the front to show her daddy, who's the one kneeling by the wheel. Keep in mind, daddy's muzzle was behind the front of the car and about even with little missy's head.
They have no idea she's coming as they have basically ignored the children the whole time. As the girl gets to the front of the car, I yelled something. I don't even remember what it was, but it did get them to stop and raise up off the guns to look at me. The girl came around the front as they were staring at me and actually pushed the muzzle of daddy's gun aside to go up to him. At that point they both pointed the barrels to the sky, thank God. They didn't acknowledge me in any way except to throw some "hard" looks my way.
About that time, the brass scavengers passed by, going back down the hill. I just drove back to where they were and shot there. After I finished shaking.
One day, I decided to go shooting. I got to the big pit, and it had several groups shooting there. I passed it up and went higher. The next one had 2 groups at it, so I kept going. At the next one, a couple of guys were collecting cases to sell for scrap prices. They weren't shooters, just people who needed money. As they waited until people had left the shooting area, I felt they performed a service, cleaning the ranges, so, I left them alone and went down one pit to wait my turn to shoot.
When I pulled in there was a young couple in their early 20's shooting a Glock on one side and there were a couple guys, speaking Russian or another Eastern European language, with 3 kids under 10. I noticed the kids were doing kid things, running around and exploring. finding cool rocks and sticks and such. They seemed to understand that they needed to stay behind the vehicle so I just watched.
The men were drinking beer and paying zero attention to the kids. They had a target... excuse me, a cardboard box big enough for one of the old tube TVs that they had set at about 15 yards in front of their SUV. They both had Mosins. One of them was using the gap in the open door for a rest, and the other was kneeling down, at the front wheel on the same side. They were hitting the box at about a 50% rate.
The kids with the Glock packed up and left, but I waited. Something told me to keep an eye on the spectacle. I'm glad I did.
As they were shooting, one of their kids, a girl about 6-8 years old, Found a particularly interesting rock and wanted to show it to her daddy. She starts down the opposite side of the car to come around the front to show her daddy, who's the one kneeling by the wheel. Keep in mind, daddy's muzzle was behind the front of the car and about even with little missy's head.
They have no idea she's coming as they have basically ignored the children the whole time. As the girl gets to the front of the car, I yelled something. I don't even remember what it was, but it did get them to stop and raise up off the guns to look at me. The girl came around the front as they were staring at me and actually pushed the muzzle of daddy's gun aside to go up to him. At that point they both pointed the barrels to the sky, thank God. They didn't acknowledge me in any way except to throw some "hard" looks my way.
About that time, the brass scavengers passed by, going back down the hill. I just drove back to where they were and shot there. After I finished shaking.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Occasionally in life there are opportunities to do something truly "angelic"
Occasionally in life there are opportunities to do something truly "angelic"
AJ
US Veteran
The next city north of us has some nice ranges. But from what I have seen they have at least one rifle/pistol range that is unsupervised as is the .22 LR range that I saw. Will not go back. Did not get shot at, but on a cold line for target repair there were folks at the firing point doing things with rifles. The County Range here is supervised by at least one if not two range officers on each the pistol and the rifle ranges. When the line is cold, no one is allowed at the firing points or to handle any firearms. Still even then accidents happen and folks have been shot (usually by themselves doing stupid things). Did have one guy shoot another with a rimfire lever rifle. When the line is being called cold, the shooters are told to fire their guns until empty ("fire what you have in your firearm, but do not reload"), then to leave the action open and step back behind a red line. The guy with the lever rifle left the lever down and the range officer saw the chamber was empty. He was told he could move his rifle back and put it in his case. preparing to go home. Well he did that and closed the lever and pulled the trigger to let the hammer down. Of course there was a round still in the tube magazine and the lifter brought it up and chambered it in the process. You guessed it "Bang" it went and some poor guy two lanes down said I have been shot! Several new range rules became effective immediately. The first of which is there must be a range flag in the chamber at all times when not actually shooting.......
AJ
US Veteran
If he could not keep track of himself how could he ever truly safely teach others to shoot. When I teach I do not shoot at all. Did this just last week with a Nephew.
I had to almost constantly remind my older brother who shot 249/250 at Parris Island and wanted to be a sniper, to get his finger off the trigger until his rifle was pointed towards the target at a highly supervised range in York County, Lafayette gun club. My oldest surviving brother works there today as a range officer. First born died of terminal brain cancer at almost the same age I am today.
I go to an indoor range that has live photo supervision and get a thumbs up from the video observer every time I walk back to the front of the shop-store.
Hands aren't stable, vision is not that great, but they get the job done.
I go to an indoor range that has live photo supervision and get a thumbs up from the video observer every time I walk back to the front of the shop-store.
Hands aren't stable, vision is not that great, but they get the job done.
I would have beat the brakes off of him when I returned to the firing line. His kids would have had to drive him home . . .
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At my outdoor range they have a Range Master...
When the firing line is "clear" those who need to change or adjust targets and go downrange.
Those who do not go downrange must empty weapons, open the breach, and leave the weapons on the table assigned to them and they must stand 10 feet behind the table with no weapons. Every station has this printed in big letters and posted.....if you don't abide by these instructions you are banned from this range for 6 months....
The Range Master sees that this is done in all instances.....
Might want to make some suggestions to your range owner....
When the firing line is "clear" those who need to change or adjust targets and go downrange.
Those who do not go downrange must empty weapons, open the breach, and leave the weapons on the table assigned to them and they must stand 10 feet behind the table with no weapons. Every station has this printed in big letters and posted.....if you don't abide by these instructions you are banned from this range for 6 months....
The Range Master sees that this is done in all instances.....
Might want to make some suggestions to your range owner....
besshoudini
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If you where at gun club I would get his name if you have a sign in sheet give it to the club officer to get talking too. He needs to be educated on range rules.
6string, that's a scary incident.
I had a similar incident at a local public range that I no longer visit. Never any range officer, no local State Forest officers.
I set up to shoot my 10-22, ten bays, about seven occupied. I was two from the last one far left. Shooting had settled down, and a guy pulled up in a hot rod Ford, and pulled a big bag from his trunk. He started setting up in the last bay, left of me, and I asked an "all clear?" to go set up a stand and some paper targets. Got waves from every bay.
I'm 25-ish yards down range, pounding my stand down into the hard earth with a hammer, and I hear a KABOOM behind me to the left. The idiot wasn't even shooting at a target, he was just trying out his new 300 Blackout to see if they worked, shooting at the hillside about 150 yards away.
I turned and ran back and started screaming invectives at him, and noticed most of the other shooters had come up behind me to stand. I didn't have a handgun that day, but several of them did, and they were showing them in a "protective" stance.
He never said a word. He packed his stuff and drove off. I only ever visited the range one more time, and it was equally unattractive, just not dangerous like before. I don't go back, and never recommend it.
I had a similar incident at a local public range that I no longer visit. Never any range officer, no local State Forest officers.
I set up to shoot my 10-22, ten bays, about seven occupied. I was two from the last one far left. Shooting had settled down, and a guy pulled up in a hot rod Ford, and pulled a big bag from his trunk. He started setting up in the last bay, left of me, and I asked an "all clear?" to go set up a stand and some paper targets. Got waves from every bay.
I'm 25-ish yards down range, pounding my stand down into the hard earth with a hammer, and I hear a KABOOM behind me to the left. The idiot wasn't even shooting at a target, he was just trying out his new 300 Blackout to see if they worked, shooting at the hillside about 150 yards away.
I turned and ran back and started screaming invectives at him, and noticed most of the other shooters had come up behind me to stand. I didn't have a handgun that day, but several of them did, and they were showing them in a "protective" stance.
He never said a word. He packed his stuff and drove off. I only ever visited the range one more time, and it was equally unattractive, just not dangerous like before. I don't go back, and never recommend it.
GypsmJim
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My club has several ranges. All have a safe line 6 feet behind the bench. We have no range officer.
When you want to go downrange, everyone has to clear their weapon, open the breach put a plastic yellow flag in the barrel and then move to behind the line.
It is customary for the person going down range to walk the bench, check for flags and then make sure everyone is behind the line.
Any violation would be reported to Club Management. Most likely handling a gun when someone is downrange would cause a warning and loss of benefits for a month. Shooting while someone is downrange would be automatic termination.
If that happened at my club I would have asked for the person's membership card and he would have been reported.
If I was at a club that did not have such safety procedures I would not belong there.
When you want to go downrange, everyone has to clear their weapon, open the breach put a plastic yellow flag in the barrel and then move to behind the line.
It is customary for the person going down range to walk the bench, check for flags and then make sure everyone is behind the line.
Any violation would be reported to Club Management. Most likely handling a gun when someone is downrange would cause a warning and loss of benefits for a month. Shooting while someone is downrange would be automatic termination.
If that happened at my club I would have asked for the person's membership card and he would have been reported.
If I was at a club that did not have such safety procedures I would not belong there.
Sadly. this range is totally public. No membership, and seemingly, no rules.
OP
It’s difficult to put a “Like” on an excellent post when the description is of an unfortunate or horrific incident.
Of course, the thought of someone pulling the trigger without muzzle awareness is sickening.
I wonder about some of these incidents from the standpoint of liability.
I guess that could be a subject of its own!
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