Ever leave the range due to unsafe shooters?

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

I try to avoid ranges at any busy times. Usually I go to Deer Creek on weekday mornings, or parabellum at lunch times.*
I haven't witnessed anything expressly unsafe at parabellum but I'm not comfortable being there with someone renting a gun and having explained to them how a SA firearm works. Saw a young man who clearly didn't know how it worked being explained to at the counter as I was leaving.

That's one of the things I like about Farmland. I'm usually alone. If there's any one else there, as often as not it'll be a board member or one of the old guys. Zero safety problems.

 

[fullmetaljesus]

Why are some of you guys ok with disarming before entering a range but not before entering Walmart?

 

[rhino]

Why are some of you guys ok with disarming before entering a range but not before entering Walmart?

rhino is not okay with either.

 

[HEADKNOCKER]

I'm with the INdiGO Rhino..

Been to the range many times & left due to unsafe people
Had to drive 30 minutes each way too
I've been there & had guys trying to catch my brass before it hit the ground & stepping out in front of the line of fire to steal my brass, I told a guy a while back that if He stepped in front of me again while the line was hot He'd get whatever happened to him & That Brass is MINE till I leave.. Get it.. That's my money.. Not You 'res..
Wish I had my own range..

 

[Ndavid45]

Probably directed to my post. Could've been worded better. I always do pick one to carry, just that that one is not shot on that trip. I was talking about the guns being brought to the range to be shot being unloaded entering and exiting.

 

[Methane Herder]

When Atterbury was just dirt berms and unmanned, we left several times due to unsafe idiots.

It always seemed worse right after/during the 1500.

MH

 

[Twangbanger]

Right about this time of year (Sep.-Oct.) is a very "sporty" time at trap and skeet ranges. There are a whole lot of hunting shotguns that stay in closets all year, to be brought out for a "couple rounds of practice" before going hunting. Clay target ranges are different from the types of ranges most are talking about here, in that handling of guns anywhere on the premises is explicitly allowed, as long as the gun is open and unloaded. My bad experiences have mostly involved people abusing the situation by stuffing their magazine full of shells, and perhaps even racking a round, then walking around with the gun in-hand prior to shooting. My wife and I have both been muzzled by loaded shotguns at close range, more times than we can remember, by these once-a-year hunter types who flock to the clay target ranges in the fall. At the distances involved, if we'd been hit, we could have literally fallen into the arms of a surgeon on an operating table that very instant, and he wouldn't have been able to save us from the blood loss.

Unfortunately I have to say, when I approached these individuals, I learned two things. 1) I didn't always handle it as well as I could have, due to the excitement of being shotgun-muzzled at close distance, and 2) regardless of how well it's handled, most of these types of individuals will offer some type of resistance to your corrective action, usually of the "I had the safety on like grandpa taught me" or "I never touched the trigger" variety. We most often had to end our day of shooting, and turn it into an early dinner date.

I got tired of fighting the fight, and stopped shooting any kind of clay target practice during September or October at public venues.

Oh yeah, I remember the Bad Old Days of Atterbury, too. The kind where you're down checking your target, and hear "bang!" And you jump a little bit and your hair stands up...good times

This is probably a whole different thread: but how about an actual, flat-out negligent discharge at a gun show or other event? Happened to me at a Bill Goodman show in Ohio in the 90s. The crowd behavior was fascinating. There was about 5 seconds of dead, utter, complete silence, while people listen for screaming or yelling. Then from 5~10 seconds of murmuring...then back to full normal crowd noise. Then full applause, when the organizer came over the loud speaker and announced the perpetrator had been escorted out and would not be allowed to re-enter. It unfortunately turns out there's a reason they check your guns at a table when you enter gun shows. The front lobby of the venue had a 12-gauge hole in a ceiling air duct, that wasn't present when we went in...

 

[Trapper Jim]

Right about this time of year (Sep.-Oct.) is a very "sporty" time at trap and skeet ranges. There are a whole lot of hunting shotguns that stay in closets all year, to be brought out for a "couple rounds of practice" before going hunting. Clay target ranges are different from the types of ranges most are talking about here, in that handling of guns anywhere on the premises is explicitly allowed, as long as the gun is open and unloaded. My bad experiences have mostly involved people abusing the situation by stuffing their magazine full of shells, and perhaps even racking a round, then walking around with the gun in-hand prior to shooting. My wife and I have both been muzzled by loaded shotguns at close range, more times than we can remember, by these once-a-year hunter types who flock to the clay target ranges in the fall. At the distances involved, if we'd been hit, we could have literally fallen into the arms of a surgeon on an operating table that very instant, and he wouldn't have been able to save us from the blood loss.



Unfortunately I have to say, when I approached these individuals, I learned two things. 1) I didn't always handle it as well as I could have, due to the excitement of being shotgun-muzzled at close distance, and 2) regardless of how well it's handled, most of these types of individuals will offer some type of resistance to your corrective action, usually of the "I had the safety on like grandpa taught me" or "I never touched the trigger" variety. We most often had to end our day of shooting, and turn it into an early dinner date.

I got tired of fighting the fight, and stopped shooting any kind of clay target practice during September or October at public venues.

Oh yeah, I remember the Bad Old Days of Atterbury, too. The kind where you're down checking your target, and hear "bang!" And you jump a little bit and your hair stands up...good times

This is probably a whole different thread: but how about an actual, flat-out negligent discharge at a gun show or other event? Happened to me at a Bill Goodman show in Ohio in the 90s. The crowd behavior was fascinating. There was about 5 seconds of dead, utter, complete silence, while people listen for screaming or yelling. Then from 5~10 seconds of murmuring...then back to full normal crowd noise. Then full applause, when the organizer came over the loud speaker and announced the perpetrator had been escorted out and would not be allowed to re-enter. It unfortunately turns out there's a reason they check your guns at a table when you enter gun shows. The front lobby of the venue had a 12-gauge hole in a ceiling air duct, that wasn't present when we went in...

Yep. got hundreds of stories like this. I trust the guns but not always the people handling them.

 

[Jzim]

Little bit Opposite side of the spectrum. Went to a local gun store and range that doesnÂ’t allow bottle neck ammo. Bought a .30 carbine rifle while i was there. Per local custom, Sales guy (owner) handed me a box of bullets, targets, and ear plugs and walked a friend and I right into the range.

Only one group of 2 people at the range. Shot the first few rounds and the other party went LIVID. Cussing us up and down about how stupid we were and couldnÂ’t shoot that in here. Explained said scenario to them politely. Said if he felt uncomfortable he should check with the RO.

Didnt matter. He used to be a RO 10 years ago and new the rules. We needed to get the hell out of there before he made us.

We we packed our stuff up and let the salesmen know.

Waited 10 minutes while they got escorted out. Unless itÂ’s winter, I much much prefer shooting at home.

 

[fullmetaljesus]

Little bit Opposite side of the spectrum. Went to a local gun store and range that doesnÂ’t allow bottle neck ammo. Bought a .30 carbine rifle while i was there. Per local custom, Sales guy (owner) handed me a box of bullets, targets, and ear plugs and walked a friend and I right into the range.

Only one group of 2 people at the range. Shot the first few rounds and the other party went LIVID. Cussing us up and down about how stupid we were and couldnÂ’t shoot that in here. Explained said scenario to them politely. Said if he felt uncomfortable he should check with the RO.

Didnt matter. He used to be a RO 10 years ago and new the rules. We needed to get the hell out of there before he made us.

We we packed our stuff up and let the salesmen know.

Waited 10 minutes while they got escorted out. Unless itÂ’s winter, I much much prefer shooting at home.

What was he going to do to make you leave?

 

[Jzim]

Didn’t bother waiting long enough to find out. I’d much rather remove from myself from a confrontation of that nature than let it play out.

 

[Morgan88]

Here in TN I was at Prentiss Cooper WMA. Seems to be a very new range. Noticed a big whole in the roof of the shooting stall next to me. Didn't happen while I was there but just reminded me. Yikes!

 

[churchmouse]

What was he going to do to make you leave?

That was my thought. I usually invite them to try. In any situation. Call me silly but handling idiots like that usually takes max effort not to throat punch them. Repeatedly. But I usually dont. But I want to. I know of 2 RO's I would love to happen across out in the real. Just saying.

But I have never made a mistake () so you know.......

 

[churchmouse]

Didn’t bother waiting long enough to find out. I’d much rather remove from myself from a confrontation of that nature than let it play out.

You are probably the wiser for it.

 

[jsharmon7]

Never had to leave a range, because the problem was addressed. A few I’ve seen though:

Mutually agreed upon cease fire at Wilber Wright about 15 years ago. As myself and another shooter turn around to head back to the shooting line after changing targets we see a young guy aggressively struggling with the bolt on his Mosin that he was pointing at us. The other shooter lost his mind on the kid and got the “it ain’t loaded” response.

Someone who was my friend’s guest finished shooting one of my pistols proceeded to turn toward us with the gun in his hand as he yelled “man that’s awesome!” He was directed back downrange with the muzzle, but I kept my eye on him after that.

Older lady who seemed to have no experience with firearms got some slide bite from a bad grip. RSO gave her a bandaid and a little advice, but she didn’t do much better. I had some new shooters with me so I didn’t feel like I could help her much.

 

[Wolfhound]

At a DNR range in Alabama a while back a guy in the next lane had an AK-47 tucked between his knees with magazine inserted and was aggressively pulling back on the bolt with the muzzle pointed right at me. I assume the safety was on and blocking the bolt from coming back but I left immediately. Guy was an idiot.

 

[johntheplinker]

There's plenty of reasons I will not shoot at a range. Drunks, poor muzzle discipline, just plain stupidity among others. And since one of the big things I wanted when buying a place was room for a range, I don't have to anymore.

 

[omegahunter]

Left the range a couple weeks ago right after pulling in. Three guys were taking turns running tactical drills on three targets that were positioned so that it looked like at least the far left target would cause rounds to bounce out of the range. Just turned around and got my butt out of there.

 

[femurphy77]

I told the clown next to me at Atterbury that if he swept me and mine one more time with his finger on the trigger of his loaded weapon that I'd be forced to shoot him out of fear for my life. He and several others with him were ultimately sent packing by the RSO's.

 

[EGParatrooper]

I've never hesitated to leave public ranges when there is an idiot infestation. I don't even take time to retrieve my target, I just gather my brass, my equipment, and get out of there alive.