A day at the range....AGGHHHHH

[VirginiaShooter]

Anyone who shows up to a gun range wearing full tactifool wear is asking to be laughed at.

I mean, isn't gun ownership about preparedness for these people? Do they think that when someone breaks into their home and 3 a.m. they are going to have time to slip on their black clothes, gloves and kneepads?

 

[Rachen]

Anyone who shows up to a gun range wearing full tactifool wear is asking to be laughed at.

I mean, isn't gun ownership about preparedness for these people? Do they think that when someone breaks into their home and 3 a.m. they are going to have time to slip on their black clothes, gloves and kneepads?

What if they showed up decked out in extra trauma plates, one duct taped to their back, and driving modified electric transportation carts? What if they even wore the special boots that you can climb walls with, and is a master of three martial arts, including ninjutsu?

 

[rainbowbob]

Maybe its all karma.

Yeah...victims of abuse, rudeness, and even criminal threats are usually to blame. It MUST have been the way he was dressed, or something he said or did. Bullies don't just behave badly for no reason.

 

[JWarren]

Okiecruffler wrote:

Quote:
You repeatedly called the first set of people "yahoos" and I didnt' see anything that they did wrong other than setting a target in such a manner that it interfered with you..... and then made an effort to rectify it.



Sitting up a target at the wrong angle is not a problem, I've done it myself from time to time. But to continue shooting, knocking your neighbor's target off his stand is another thing entirely. If you see this as perfectly Okie dokie then you are a better man than I and you'll get a better seat in heaven.
Let's see if I can divulge my entire conversation with the fella before the situation. I believe I said "Good morning" then offered to let him use my ink dobber when I saw he was drawing a target on his box with a ball point pen. Which he used by the way. Well, reading it now I see your point, I'd have been pissed too.

I think you failed to grasp my point.

I am still trying to see where they have earned your derogatory description.


Was it the targets? Can't be. You just said that you've made that mistake before as well.

You suggest that it was that they kept doing it. In your first post, you said that they said they'd fix the problem as soon as they went back down. To me, that sounds reasonable-- depending of course on the time frame we are talking about.

Was it the fact that he used an ink pen to draw targets. I hope not. I'd done that quite a few times in my life.

So you spoke to him and offered him a marker. That is great. However, I don't think a kindness on your part gives license to disparage him later.


rainbowbob wrote:

Quote:
Maybe its all karma.

Yeah...victims of abuse, rudeness, and even criminal threats are usually to blame. It MUST have been the way he was dressed, or something he said or did. Bullies don't just behave badly for no reason.

I think you realize the context that I wrote in. Don't be so literal.



-- John

 

[2TransAms]

Is it just me, or is the shooting world becoming more antisocial. I got into shooting at ranges in the early 90s and seldom had a problem with anyone. Or saw anyone have a problem. Maybe I was just lucky.

No,I still say the range is one of the friendliest places I've been. Lots of nice people...some of the old fellas are too helpful. Not that I don't appreciate it.

I guess this operator didn't know that line is hot=guns go boom. Can't fix chumps...I just ignore 'em,and Okie did a darn fine job of handling the situation.

 

[OAKVILLE SHOOTER]

Okay, first person who says a bad day at the range beats a good day at work owes me a new spotting scope.

O.K., I won't say it, but I was at work today, and you were at the range. I would have traded with you.

 

[KelVarnson]

So I just said, "You keep up that mindset friend and you'll be famous."

That is a great line, I'd like to add that to my repertoire, if you don't mind. A very classy way of putting someone in their place.

 

[rainbowbob]

JWarren wrote:

I'm wondering what you left out of the story...

Perhaps your interaction with the next guy is indicative of some manner of communication that you have failed to divulge...

And...

I think you realize the context that I wrote in. Don't be so literal.

Sorry...but the context you wrote it in still reads like "blame the victim" to me. Either I'm missing something - or I'm simply incapable of being anything but "literal." Admittedly - either is possible.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

He has the range etiquette confused with the bowling alley ettiquette.

I like your responses to him - great job!

Most mall ninjas I meet are friendly, FWIW...

On the subject of bad range days - yeeeeaaaaaah, they do happen. Fairly often. There's always something....

 

[Funderb]

Quote:
"No, I'm just waiting to see when you're going to let me shoot."




I am extremely confused.
Was his objection actually the sound of other folk's gunfire?

I suppose in all that tac gear he's also going to wait for the assailants to stop shooting and present themselves so he can calmly pount 93 rounds into them with his glock.

 

[yesit'sloaded]

I've shown up at the range in full camo and a ghillie suit. I was wanting to shoot my rifle from hunting conditions because I don't hunt from a benchrest. Thats a little different from the all black SWAT look though. I hate to think that a SWAT team member can't shoot accurately or at all when there is gunfire next to him. Might want to reconsider your line of work there buddy.

 

[JWarren]

rainbowbob,

I mentioned karma. I really don't believe that calling a guy a yahoo in any context somehow faciliates later breaking your spotting scope. Therefore, my context was figurative.

Maybe some buy into karma, but I'm really not one of those people. I've met far too many people who never get what's coming to them to believe in some cosmic force of poetic justice.

What I am posing the possibility of (and not making the assertion of, mind you) that sometimes there is an undertone to our communications that translate into reactions. A vast majority of communications is non-verbal, and is integral to communication.

In my opinion, the later re-telling describing the persons who quite possibly were oblivious to the situation until it was pointed out-- and then made an effort to correct it-- as yahoos (a degoratory description) seems to suggest the *possibility* of a predisposed attitude that day.

If one existed or developed, one should not be suprised to see a deterioration in interactions.

I've been there. I've had bad days and let it show in my attitudes before. At some point, you realize that you become part of your own problem and its best to take a step away for a bit.

I am suggesting that this condition MAY have presented itself. But come on--- as I said before, it didn't break a spotting scope. Well, on second thought maybe.... I've also let myself get annoyed enough that I've gotten careless before, as well. So who knows....


My view was that the first set probably didn't deserve the assessment that they got, and I took it as potentially an indication of the mood.


-- John

 

[yhtomit]

What kind of range is this, exactly? Anything posted to explain the conventions of it, so Mr. Tactical needn't have suffered quite so much?

The public (that is to say, tax-payer supported, no-fee) range I've been to the most in PA has a pretty good list of rules and regs posted; it doesn't that I recall give anyone instructions as to shooting-order protocol, but sounds like this is the kind of guy who intends to be a jerk and whaddya know turns out to succeed.

Hope you have a better 4th than 3d

timothy

 

[ProguninTN]

Volume

Hmmm. I haven't had that type of conflict before. I have draw attention, though. Once while shooting .357 Mag loads. People a few lanes over, wanted to know what the loud gun I was shooting. I told them, let them take a few shots with my gun, and that was the end of that.

 

[pyle]

JWarren:

I mentioned karma. I really don't believe that calling a guy a yahoo in any context somehow faciliates later breaking your spotting scope. Therefore, my context was figurative.

Maybe some buy into karma, but I'm really not one of those people. I've met far too many people who never get what's coming to them to believe in some cosmic force of poetic justice.

What I am posing the possibility of (and not making the assertion of, mind you) that sometimes there is an undertone to our communications that translate into reactions. A vast majority of communications is non-verbal, and is integral to communication.

In my opinion, the later re-telling describing the persons who quite possibly were oblivious to the situation until it was pointed out-- and then made an effort to correct it-- as yahoos (a degoratory description) seems to suggest the *possibility* of a predisposed attitude that day.

If one existed or developed, one should not be suprised to see a deterioration in interactions.

I've been there. I've had bad days and let it show in my attitudes before. At some point, you realize that you become part of your own problem and its best to take a step away for a bit.

I am suggesting that this condition MAY have presented itself. But come on--- as I said before, it didn't break a spotting scope. Well, on second thought maybe.... I've also let myself get annoyed enough that I've gotten careless before, as well. So who knows....


My view was that the first set probably didn't deserve the assessment that they got, and I took it as potentially an indication of the mood.


-- John

Why are you nitpicking him? Anyone who has had a day at the range like he did is going to describe the situation in a "colorful" manner. I'm surprised it wasn't even more colorful. You're looking for a cause-and-effect relationship that simply isn't there.....

 

[HB]

I've shown up at the range in full camo and a ghillie suit

I wondered why the burning bush started talking to me (I haven't been to church in months)

 

[JWarren]

Why are you nitpicking him? Anyone who has had a day at the range like he did is going to describe the situation in a "colorful" manner. I'm surprised it wasn't even more colorful. You're looking for a cause-and-effect relationship that simply isn't there.....

Yeah, I probably am. He had a crappy day, and came to tell about it. Been there on occassion.

I made a comment that I didn't think that the description of the first group probably merited the assessement he gave them, and somehow I find that we are analyzing it in depth. I stand by my view on the assessment, however.

I'll accept that he's blowing off steam.


-- John

 

[Eyesac]

I'm about to give up on public ranges all together

Yeah, me too, it's all the people that screw it up for me.

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

But I've never yet seen one where anybody has asked my permission to shoot once the range went hot.

I have. My son and I were shooting at a local range when a man in his 40s and his son, maybe 15, showed up. They had brand new Savage rifles, the father's in 30-06, and the son's in .308.

They got all set up while the range was cold, and then when we went hot, the father asked me if I would give the command to fire. I told him there was no command, just fire when ready.

Then my son asked if they had hearing protection. The father said he didn't think they would need it. I dug some plugs out of my truck and assured them that they would.

Other than the boy developing a bad flinch, I think they had a reasonably good range experience. I'm just sorry I didn't have a 22 for the boy to try.

Okie, you did fine. Some days are just better than others.

 

[rainbowbob]

I've been there. I've had bad days and let it show in my attitudes before. At some point, you realize that you become part of your own problem and its best to take a step away for a bit.

Sure...that happens. We've all been there. But the description of the problems with the range bully did not sound like anything other than bad manners, lack of knowledge of "normal" range etiquette, and words and behavior that were at least borderline threatening. I contend that none of that had anything to do with the OP's "mood" - or "karma."

 

[plinky]

Okie, It's too bad about your scope. Otherwise though, just the usual mixed bag. Loads gone wrong, tools left at home and a chance to meet a unique individual. Mostly par for the course, although your individual may be the most unique I've ever heard of. I'm glad that sharp words did not turn to violence but since they did not, the encounter has a funny side. Tactical guy was clearly the epitome of cluelessness.

It would be nice to think of a friendly way to bring this guy into the fold but he is probably using a different Operating System than most of us and would be hard to reach. Your approach brought an acceptable outcome... Maybe it will dawn on him that you are not there to be his audience.

In many years of public range shooting I have only come close to butting heads once. I was testing different bullet weights in one gun so I put my targets on a 4 X 4 sheet of cardboard to be sure of catching all shots. A guy and his little boy were plinking up close at the next bench. The little guy asked him why my target was so big. Dad says really loud that it's because I can't shoot. He may have said it several times before it registered with me. I flared up a bit inside but ignored him. Since then, I've thought that I should have invited him to punch some paper, for money or on whatever terms he wished. But I'm not a confrontational type and I doubt that any outcome would have been especially satifying for me. He was clueless. I'm sure he has progressed since then.

I have truly met many fine people at the public range, almost without exception. Tomorrow I'm going to hopefully join a private club. The range is a bit better but mostly it's a lot closer to home saving time and gas. I will actually miss the people that I've met at the public range. Most of them anyway.

 

[justin 561]

In the process of packing up I knock my spotting scope off the bench and manage to crack the lens

WOW, now that REALLY was a bad day.

 

[GlowinPontiac]

At the range i go to if you shoot up your target stand they will charge you to replace it. So if somebody is taking chunks out of my frame im going to ask them politely to stop. If they continue i'm going to go inform the RO what is happening. They dont charge much if your frame is ruined, but its rather annoying when some doofus decides to fire off his semi auto shotgun full of slugs as fast as he can and destroys both target frames in the lanes on either side of him while missing his own target entirely. if the RO sees something like this they will make the offender pay to replace your stand that he trashed but if the RO isn't looking you end up with the bill.

several fights have almost started because of people who deliberately snipe others target frames for laughs. Everybody knows this rule and some use it to get revenge if they have an issue with you.

 

[bsf]

Sorry to here about your non-ideal range experience. I do not believe I have I have ever been subjected to any serious a**hattery while at a public or private range. Granted, I only use public ranges very infrequently and have just recently joined a private club/range. I generally keep to myself, but the vast majority of times I have struck up conversations w/ people at ranges I would say they seemed like polite, nice people. An occasional person has come off as a little bit of a know-it-all, but their overestimation of their skill and knowledge has not been a problem for me. The worst safety violation I have ever seen was an adult pointing my M4gery at his gut while I let him check it out. I did not correct him because prior conversation with another individual indicated this guy should know better, and it was not my gut he was endangering. I have met some older individuals who were about as polite, friendly, and interesting as a person could be. One older guy insisted I shoot his 44mag revolver to check out his trigger job as I commented on how crappy my M4gery’s trigger was. Man, I have never in my life used a gun with a smoother trigger pull; just awesome. If I ever have to deal with the likes of the mall ninja mentioned, I hope I will remain calm. Hopefully I could manage the situation to achieve a peaceful outcome and avoid having my life threatened. Some people are just jerks though.

 

[WNTFW]

The story would have been better if you didn't have any problems and shot the beer out of the guys hand.

I know the guy didn't have a beer.
That's how I'm picturing it anyway.
And hot chicks picking up your brass for you.