Your worst day at the range?

Retired LTC USAR

Retired LTC USAR

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Mine was in the mid-late 90's.

Was in a Reserve Unit in West Virginia. Going to Fort Knox for range qualification. Since I lived in Lexington, I told my CO I would meet them at there (RHIP). I believe it was in August.

That Saturday had to be one of the hottest days of the summer. It must have been in the high 90's that Saturday. No clouds or wind. Everything was HOT to the touch. Luckily they had brought sleeping pads to fire the prone portion....gravel was extremely hot. Leave your weapon in the sun for more than 15 minutes, it almost burnt your hand when you picked it up. On the range all day.

I was told on the bus ride back to WV, numerous soldiers were given IV's to combat dehydration.

I stayed behind to help clear post. The one full-timer who was spending the night (to turn in ammo/brass the next morning) went out for dinner. During dinner, had a least 6 glasses of tea. Drove the 1 1/5 hours back to Lexington and didn't have to stop and pee once. That's how dehydrated I was that day. Had to be the worst day I ever spent on the range.

Yours?
 
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Most of my range experiences were positive, but one session ended with disappointment, although nowhere near as bad as OP's. I had just bought my 2" 64. I had inspected it and saw nothing unusual. I cleaned it before taking it to the range. At the range, things started out fine. Then the thumb latch fell off. No big deal. I keep a screwdriver in my range bag for such things.

Except the latch didn't just fall off. The stud the latch screws onto had sheared off the bolt. I had to call a RO over as I didn't know how to open the cylinder (live rounds were still inside). He had to take it back to the office to get it open and returned with the gun and ammo. That ended my session for the day.

Fortunately, I was able to order a replacement bolt from Numrich and fix the issue. The gun was fine after that.
 
I think my worst range day was shooting with a Mosin Nagant M44. Every case stuck in the breech, now matter how much I scrubbed down the bore (sticky bolt syndrome could not have been a factor at that point). I finally had one stuck so badly I had to kick the bolt open. Intensely frustrating!

In the end, I learned the rifle had a really aggressive burr in the chamber that would hang up whatever cartridge was inserted after I pulled the trigger. I liked the rifle, and I like Mosins in general, but I positively hated shooting it.
 
My worst day at the range was a few years back. I had just purchased a 500 round box of Winchester Super X from Cabela's. The one that comes with the wooden box with 10 cardboard boxes of 50 inside. Loaded up my 10 round 10/22 mags and was preparing for a fun day at the range.

Well, that Winchester Super X was having none of it. Averaged 3-4 malfunctions with every 10 round mag. Must have been a bad lot of ammo because I could here the variation in sound between the rounds. It was quite frustrating. My heretofore totally reliable 10/22 was choking on about 40% of the rounds. Fortunately, I had other 22 ammo with me, so it wasn't a total loss.

I thought maybe it was just a fluke, but the next range trip gave me the same problems. Thing is, my Mark I shot them just fine. Recently tried them in my S&W 22 Compact...no go there. Offered them to another guy at the range shooting his LCP 22 and his gun wouldn't shoot them either.
 
Short of blowing up a gun, I can't imagine having a really bad range day.
Only negatives I remember were related to my 9mm Shield. A hot brass case ejecting down my blouse front, on the first magazine I shot through it. Ouch! And, when the Shields RSA failed, jamming the slide tight.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk
 
I think my worst day was also my best day.

Scenario: 1991, stationed at Ramstein AB during Desert Storm. The event was a Schutzensnur qualification, must have been 100 guys there. In those days, there were two required weapons to qualify with to earn the German Bundeswehr badge/rope, which could be worn on the US uniform while stationed in that country.

The first was the P-1 Walther P-38. 2 rounds fired from standing, one hand, no support; 2 rounds kneeling, one hand, no support; and 2 rounds sitting, two hands. That was no problem, all the rounds just had to hit body mass in a silhouette target from 25 meters.

Second was the MG-42. 15 rounds fired from prone with the gun on a sandbagged bipod. Target was a multi-bullseye, each bull was I think 8 inches and there were 5 or 6 on a sheet at 100 meters (it's been a looong time ago). All you had to do was get the rounds somewhere in any of the 8 inch circles. 9 of the 15 qualified for Bronze, 11 for silver and 14 or 15 for gold, best I can remember. The bipod rocked back and forth, so when getting in position you had to lean into the gun to take the play out of the bipod. You only got a 15 round segment of belt, and only one attempt. What made it my worst day at the range was that I got 8 rounds on target, missed bronze by one lousy 7.92mm round. I really wanted that "shooting rope". There were only 3 or 4 people who qualified for Gold out of all who were there, the base commander being one of them.

What made it my best day at the range was just getting the opportunity to shoot that beast of a gun (MG-42). It's no wonder the guys during WWII were so afraid of hearing it. There is no single-shot capability. The best you can do is to have your finger on the edge of the trigger, start pulling until you start feeling it break, and slip your finger off as it breaks, You'll fire two rounds that way. Rate of fire is over 1600 rpm cyclic. Picture of the Schutzensnur award:
Sch%C3%BCtzenschnurGold%28Montage%29.jpg
 
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At the Ft. Worth Rifle and Pistol Club my Valmet 76 went full auto. The non-spring loaded firing pin was coked up causing massive slam fires. Luckily all rounds were fully chambered before detonation, except the fourth. No damage to the rifle but every one around was surprised. I couldn't get my finger off the trigger fast enough.
 
Not truly a "bad" day but interesting to say the least. I had cataract surgery on one eye but not the other yet. Went from right eye dominate to left. Couldn't focus on anything. Ended up being a practice in point shooting and didn't do too bad at it.

Bozz10mm,
I think I had some of that same batch of ammo, no go in the 10/22. Worked fine in my Browning Buckmark.
 
Two come to mind
1. Shooting Rem 700, Win .270, 130 gr soft point. In a fit of youthful ignorance, I put a piece of 3/8" steel plate about 25 yds down range, shot it. Nice, clean 3/8" hole through the plate, like I'd done it with a drill. Cool! Do it again. Well, the first impact shifted the steel, and instead of a hole on the second shot, I got a ricochet back to my thigh. It didn't penetrate, but buckled my knees and left a bruise the size of my hand that had a knot like a walnut in its center.
2. Shooting bullseye one handed with Mod 29. All was going well this hot summer day, until I felt a bug crawling on my neck. I swatted at it and came back with a very bloody hand. Turns out, the thing had gone out of time, shaved lead, and one of the shavings bounced off the back of the barrel/frame and went through my ear. I was wearing ear plugs, not muffs, so no protection there. Funny I hadn't felt a thing except the blood running down my neck.
Lesson learned: ear plugs and ear muffs are better than ear plugs alone, and eye protection, which I was wearing, really is an absolute necessity.
 
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My worst day turned out to be good.

We had to qualify at the academy with the average of three scores, back to back, on the combat pistol range. We shot the issued Smith model 64 with the standard grips.

It was pouring down rain the morning we were scheduled to qualify. I made the mistake (in front of the class) of asking the instructor if we were going to postpone the range because of the weather.

I received an arse chewing and realized I was going to be the focus of his attention for the rest of the day. You see, we weren't issued any rain gear and could only wear the uniform-of-the-day, which was PT sweats.

At the range, it was like being in a hurricane and raining sideways. "Ready on the left. Ready on the right. Ready on the firing range!" Then the wet whistle, blurbing and squeaking.

I couldn't see ****. My safety glasses held the rain and even more rain was running off the cap brim. It was like looking through the windshield in a car wash!

I'm soaked to the bone. My hands are wet. When I squeezed the wooden revolver grips, the pistol would jump up, like shooting a wet watermelon seed between you fingers.

On the last fifty-round course, we were out there for two-hours, I pre-counted my ammo and my box had six extra rounds. I called that instructor over and told him. He gave me another arse chewing for bothering him. I was in a pickle because you had better not have any rounds left over at the end as they would count them against your score. Of course he let me know all this as he snatched the six rounds from me. He was thinking that I was stupid or something because nobody ever pre-counted their rounds. I guess he thought I couldn't count to fifty.

Well, somehow, I shot Expert with my three scores averaging 97.5%.

Yes, I believe in God!
 
It's Not Even Questionable

It was in 1988, I was stationed at Peden Barracks Germany. I was selected for an M16 qualification with night fire in Vilsek or maybe Wildflicken.

We left post at approximately 4AM and arrived at the range at 8AM or so. Four hours in the back of A Duece and a half in a German winter.

By the time we got to the range we were in a blizzard. The targets past 50 yards were invisible. Since everything in the Army takes longer than expected they decided to keep us there overnight. We had no tents and no sleeping bags.

The next morning, the battalion commander decided that instead if bringing us back he was going to send the rest of the battalion down and do all small arms qualifications at once.

We ended up staying there for 5 days. My roommate brought my sleeping bag but I had no change of socks, no wet weather gear, no shaving kit (and believe me they expected us to shave daily) none of the comforts of home.

I never left post again without an overnight bag at a minimum.
 
First time with Rem. BDL in 30.06.
I mounted a $50 Barska variable, bore sited on the Toyota grill logo across the street and had 165 gr. factory boattail loads.
First time everything, high power scoped rifle off a cheap plastic rest on a shaky bench.
Reminded me of the first time waterskiing or diving with tanks, a general idea of what I'm doing but focused on not killing myself or injuring others.
Concentrating on what I was seeing I neglected a good shoulder lock and fired the first round with the butt of the rifle firmly planted on my shoulder joint.
Ouch.
I stuffed a hand towel under my shirt, peered downrange thru the scope and saw I was dead on but 3-4 inches low. Since I wasn't too sure what happened I touched off a second and the round followed the first.
Didn't hurt too much and with the help of my buddy we dialed it in at 100 yds. While he was in the next lane dialing in his 300 WinMag reloads thru a muzzle brake I fired another 20 or so rounds including some of his .06 185 gr. reloads until I could take no more.
After I got home and a few barley pops I noticed a lump just as if someone had sliced a quarter of a baseball and stuck it to my shoulder.
All in all not a bad day...
 
We used to do our semi-annual firearms qualifications at the local level and our district borrowed a local Sheriff's Dept range. We qualified in the uniform of the day and we never cancelled qualifications because of weather. The range itself was in an area that was in a low lying area off to the side of a runway.
For days approaching our appointed range day it had rained and rained and rained. Everything in our area had water standing and we knew the range was going to be a mess. There were 3 of us travelling in one cruiser and we stopped along the way to the range at a little 5 & dime store and the Sergeant ran in and bought one of those little kids fishing poles that came with the yellow, green and orange plastic fish. At the range we had to line up in ranks on the range, which was under water, for a formal inspection and the Sergeant formed up with our squad and when we were called to attention, he "deployed" the fishing rod with one of the fish on the hook. Our District Captain was not amused!
We spent the entire day wading around and lying prone firing in ankle deep standing water and mud. At the end of the day everybody was caked in mud, soaked to the skin and our uniforms and leather gear were destroyed, requiring replacements. Luckily our uniforms & gear were provided by the Division but it took weeks for some of us to get our uniforms and leather gear replaced.
 
Bozz10mm said:
My worst day at the range was a few years back. I had just purchased a 500 round box of Winchester Super X from Cabela's. The one that comes with the wooden box with 10 cardboard boxes of 50 inside. Loaded up my 10 round 10/22 mags and was preparing for a fun day at the range.

Well, that Winchester Super X was having none of it. Averaged 3-4 malfunctions with every 10 round mag. Must have been a bad lot of ammo because I could here the variation in sound between the rounds. It was quite frustrating. My heretofore totally reliable 10/22 was choking on about 40% of the rounds. Fortunately, I had other 22 ammo with me, so it wasn't a total loss.

I thought maybe it was just a fluke, but the next range trip gave me the same problems. Thing is, my Mark I shot them just fine. Recently tried them in my S&W 22 Compact...no go there. Offered them to another guy at the range shooting his LCP 22 and his gun wouldn't shoot them either.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I made the mistake of buying a couple of those, too. The only good news is it shot okay (mostly) in a revolver.
 
My Ruger MKIII went full auto once. I inserted a full magazine, pulled back the bolt to charge it and heard a brrrrrrap sound.

My range buddy and I were shocked. He watched me and knew that my finger was off the trigger the whole time. Nobody was hurt and no damage done to other gear because I was following the 4rules and was pointed downrange.

The gun was jammed up and with some difficulty I was able to get the magazine out and it still had 3 or 4 rounds in it. We were both in shock and decided to end the range trip then and there.

Gun was returned to Ruger and it was determined that the sear had broken, hence the gun going full auto for the majority of a magazine. They fixed it and all has been well since.

The 4 Rules were already instilled in me but that trip cemented them.

I am one of the rare birds who can claim an accidental discharge, no negligence on my part.
 
Smoke said:
It was in 1988, I was stationed at Peden Barracks Germany. I was selected for an M16 qualification with night fire in Vilsek or maybe Wildflicken.

We left post at approximately 4AM and arrived at the range at 8AM or so. Four hours in the back of A Duece and a half in a German winter.

By the time we got to the range we were in a blizzard. The targets past 50 yards were invisible. Since everything in the Army takes longer than expected they decided to keep us there overnight. We had no tents and no sleeping bags.

The next morning, the battalion commander decided that instead if bringing us back he was going to send the rest of the battalion down and do all small arms qualifications at once.

We ended up staying there for 5 days. My roommate brought my sleeping bag but I had no change of socks, no wet weather gear, no shaving kit (and believe me they expected us to shave daily) none of the comforts of home.

I never left post again without an overnight bag at a minimum.
Click to expand...

I don't see how anyone tops this experience. I also don't see how you kept from dying from exposure.
 
About 6 weeks ago I decided to go to the National Forest Range about 45 miles from my house. Would be my first time since late last spring. Not being a hunter I don't keep up with the hunting seasons that closely.

Get to the range, parking lot full and hear lots of loud booms as getting out of the car! Suddenly realize it is the Friday before black powder season opener the next day. All the folks were sighting in their rifles. More people arriving. I decide it was no place for me today.

Nice fall drive into the country.
 
I took my M1 Garand rifle and drove over 100 miles to get to the range. I unload all my stuff and loaded a stripper clip with the ammo from the plastic bag I grabbed as I left. I go to put the loaded clip into the gun and it doesn't "look" right. I then discover I had grabbed a bag of 8mm Mauser ammo, not the .30-'06 ammo! Loaded everything back in the vehicle and drive the 100 miles back home, very disappointed.
 
Qualification with bad ammo. The department reloader was down. RO got some cheap reloads. No one got through a 60 round run with out at least 10 bad rounds. Fire fire did not fire get cleaning rod and insert down the muzzle and push the wad cutter back into the cylinder.
Another time an idiot rookie decided to drop full prone then draw his revolver as he pulled it out of the holster with finger on the trigger. He discharged one round and shot a trench the length of his right buttocks. A ten year range safety record ended.


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I was at the range one day with my M1 Garand. I had loaded up rounds that were medium velocity and increased the load half a grain from there. I was nowhere near a max load with any of the bullet/powder combinations.

I had just finished shooting the medium velocity stuff and chambered the first round that was half a grain more. When I pulled the trigger that round kicked like I had fired it out of a bolt gun, not a Garand. I stopped immediately and tried to unload the clip.

There was smoke coming out of the chamber, and I had to tap the op rod handle with a plastic hammer to eject the empty case. The primer dropped out of the pocket and you could see the imprint of the ejector channel/bolt on the base of the case.

I called it quits for the day, packed up and went home to pull the bullets on the rest of the loads; all were within spec. I took the rifle to a gunsmith and had them check the chamber with a go/no go gauge. The chamber was fine.

I still don't know what caused it.
 
My worst day on the range was the first time I went after my shooting partner died!


Best day: They really are all good! But I had a stroke 10/5/10, I have a miraculous recovery and on MLK day 2011 (1/15?) I went with the guys. I was shooting my 338 Lapua mag Savage 110BA. I was shooting well and call out that I was going for the cigarette pack sized gong on the 500 yard line. It was the January Thaw and several people had pounded that target already, but I got it in my scope, on target and squeezed the trigger. I looked to Jim Bragg, spotting on my right and he was just lying there prone and shaking. "Did I hit it?" He told me to look at it. I got back into the scope, but couldn't find the gong...….or the post...….or the base! I started looking around the area, and finally found it; ripped out of the ground and thrown up the hill about 15 yards! I knew I was back into the sport again!

Ivan
 
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Mine wasn't wrong ammo or broken gun, it was the manager of the Firing Line indoor range.
I asked at check-in if I could take a chair into the range and was told fine.
After setting up, the next thing I know this absolute jerk is screaming at me for using the chair. He was about as dangerous as I have ever seen anyone, standing there so angry he was shaking. And of course, everyone has a loaded weapon in their hand. I cleared mine and laid it down.
I kept my cool and explained that I had asked at the desk. That just made him madder as he went into how he ran this place and those other people didn't count. I immediately smiled and said I was sorry and that I would remove the chair, trying to de-escalate the situation.
At just about that same instant, several cops who were firing on the line started telling the manager to calm down. Of course, that took him up another notch.
Finally one of the cops identified himself and told the manager if he reported what he had just seen, the manager would loose his license and perhaps even his ability to own a firearm. I didn't wait for a response.

By that time, I was packed up and headed out. I was scared. Guns and anger don't mix well. It looked like it could turn South at any moment.

I shoot solo in the backcountry about 90% of the time.
I really dislike indoor ranges.

Prescut
 
Went to the range with my first loads off my Dillon 550B. Load was approx 200gr SWC over 3.8gr Bullseye. Fired through my magnificent PC 5" 1911.

First shot stung my hand. Fired 5 rounds total. Stopped. Something is wrong here.

Got home and checked setup on Dillon. Everything seemed okay. Checked my RCBS scale that I set it up with. WHOA! Weight block on beam was set on 5, not 0. Load was not 3.8 Bullseye; it was 8.8 Bullseye (!). Yikes! More than double charge!

Gun seemed to be okay. But that's no way to treat a fine target pistol.

Worst day at range II:

Got to range. Half hour drive. Realized I forgot something. Well ****!

Ever since then, I have had rangelist.doc on computer, which I check before I go. Twice.
 
Worst day at the range you ask......

Getting shot in the leg at a Service Rifle match......308 from 900 yards off the target upright still sucked!!

I was in pits pulling targets when it happened.

Randy
 
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