Crazy Things

[David Hoback]

We had a fella off himself at one of our local ranges a couple years ago (with his own gun, not a rental). Gotta say that is a very douchebag move to do it in somebody's place of business when you could just as easily do it at home or in an open field somewhere. Not only does it shut down their business for a time, it gives them bad publicity AND they have to clean it up- or pay big $$ to have a service come in and do it. Not to mention the possibility of little kids and other folks being around and getting traumatized- or even worse being injured by shrapnel or a ricochet.

Im all for free will and individuals rights to do whatever they want with their lives, but killing yourself at a gun range is really weak tea.

I agree! Likewise, a suicide happened at my range shortly before I started there. But I got the stories from those who were there. One of them talking about cleaning up brain matter & whatnot.

Yup! Absolutely one of the weakest minded things someone can do.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

I was shooting at an indoor range. They had some massive metal gadget to hold the targets. So it came down almost to the top of a B-27 head. I was practicing one handed with my off hand. Decided to do a head shot. It was high and caught the bottom edge of the metal holder. A fragment cut the target in half and a spark set the target on fire. The guy next to me - said WOW, what kind of round was that? Obviously, it was a Hornady Flaming Bisecting Self-defense round.

Hahah, they could totally sell those!

I had a supernaturally good string going once at 50yds with my 03A3 and had my buddy convinced that they were top-secret DARPA .30-06 surplus guided rounds........

 

[Mikhail Weiss]

Hmm. I once met two lovely older women who were shooting a .38 revolver and a Jennings .380. They were pals and the revolver shooter knew what she was doing but could not offer much assistance to the Jennings shooter who had experienced a double-feed.

Since I was in the lane next to them, they asked for assistance. When I stepped near, the Jennings owner turned to me with the pistol slightly out of battery, barrel pointed at me, her finger on the trigger, as she puzzled over the double-feed. I said something like, “Finger off the trigger, point the gun downrange,” at which point she seemed amazed that, yes, her finger was on the trigger and, yes, the gun was pointed at me, at least until I physically directed things otherwise.

Once she was safety compliant, I explained the malfunction type and how to safely clear it. She struggled a little getting the magazine out and I corrected her once or twice before she let the muzzle wander unsafely or, to get a better grip, she put her finger on the trigger again. Once the magazine was removed, she managed to safely work the slide and remove the round that had been stuck there. We briefly reviewed the kinds of mechanical malfunctions she might encounter in the future and what to do about them.

It was clear that she was new to shooting, new to the pistol, nervous, and not happy with where her rounds were goin on the target – kind of all over the place. We spoke a little more and I gave her a little more basic shooting instruction which greatly helped her accuracy and confidence level. When that magazine was empty she picked up a box to reload but was puzzled that she had 9mm, which didn’t fit. So with a little more explanation I also encouraged her to take some classes offered by the range. Here's hoping she did.

 

[buck460XVR]

Some had no business carrying a gun. A few had no business owning a gun based on their responses in class.

While I hafta agree, unfortunately, the 2nd gives them just as much right as the rest of us. As such, also unfortunately, we hafta support them and try to guide them in the direction of responsible gun ownership. For some folks, that never happens.

Few years back I was set up at my local Sportsmen's Club target range. Was during the week when I generally have the place to myself. Given that, I usually take my own shooting bench and set up 40-50 yards from the berm to shoot my handguns. About an hour in, I finally notice two young gents standing behind me with pistol cases in their hands. Knowing that they probably wouldn't be there that long I offered to stop my shooting and let them shoot. I told them they could use my bench where it was, move it closer or shoot off one of the wire spools set up for benches. They politely said they'd wait and I told them I was probably going to be there for a coupla hours yet. They told me okay, just go on shooting till we get ready. A few minutes later I could hear thru my muffs the sound of several mag dumps. Thinking they were shooting at the berm past me I quickly turned to see them shooting at cans, setting on top of the roof of one of the trap houses. Not only were they making a mess of the roof, they were shooting directly at a busy state highway, that was 90 degrees to the berm. When I yelled at them to stop, I became the jerk. when I asked to see their membership card/range pass they told me they didn't have one.....so what? I told them they were trespassing and had to leave. They refused and kept shooting. Wasn't till I got on my phone with the county sheriff they quickly packed up and left. Sheriff caught up with them about a mile down the road. He brought them back and documented the damage to the traphouse and wrote them up. For the longest time afterwards, until I traded off that truck, I watched my back.

 

[Reloadron]

When you are around guns long enough you generally will see a mishap or two. My scariest and most memorable was maybe 25 years ago at an indoor range I shoot at.

Early on a Sunday morning which I always liked since things were quiet. The range is divided with one side of 10 stalls for members and police cadet training sessions, the division includes a concrete wall. There were also a few classrooms in the place. I had been jaw jacking with Emery the range attendant beside a register at the counter. A group of cadets finished live fire and filed out off the range around us and into a classroom. Then came the bang followed by a dead silence as Emery and I looked at each other with dropped jaws. Finally Emery yells "are you guys OK in there"? Next sounds were an instructor going full ballistic. The negligent discharge happened at the back of the classroom traveling up between two rows of heads, through a chalkboard and wall in front of the classroom, through an office and logged in a wall stud on the far side of the office space. To this day I recall it perfectly and the sinking feeling in my gut when that bang happened.

Something else I have noticed on several indoor ranges open to the public is when you walk into a stall and see bullet holes in the ceiling, the counter top looking down and in the Plexiglas dividers extending a few feet forward on the right and left. Makes you wonder where those bullets ended up or how they took that path in the first place?

Ron

 

[Mikhail Weiss]

Once visited a range where it seem a busload of Japanese tourists had dropped in to fire a few rounds. Looked like college-aged kids. In any event, one of the girls was very giggly and kept lowering a revolver to her side, finger on the trigger, twisting and turning and giggling and chatting with her chums, all of whom seemed oblivious to being swept by the muzzle. The range officer quickly dashed in and corrected that behavior.

 

[Highland Lofts]

A cl9se one for me happened about thirty years ago while deer hunting with two of my brothers in Northern Pennsylvaia.
It was at the end of the day and we were walking down the road to get back to our trucks.i was on the left, my brother Mike was in the middle and my brotjer Jim was on the right. Me and Jim had bolt actions rifles with magazines. We unloaded and were about fifteen feet ahead of Mike. He had a Savage model 99 in 300 Savage.
He was cycleing his rounds and must of had his booger hook in the triger guardn that round hit the road between me and my brother Jim.


I was at two gun shows where shots were fired.
When that happens everything STOPS and you can hear a PIN DROP.

The first shot happened wher a older guy, probably in his mid to late seventies had a table set up. Another older guy stopped and was looking at a pistol to pocket carry. The guy whao had the table said he should get whatever gun he carries. While taking it out of his pocket it went off.
Security got there and shut his table down, made him leave the building and packed his stuff out to his truck. He was banned for the Washington Arms Collectots club.

The second discharge happed at the otjer gun show site. Another older guy had five tables set up with a bunch of old stuff with vary little value.
He had a few old worn out long guns tittling on the end cap table. A guy picked up a 22lr rifle and pulled the trigger and it went off. It was very busy there at the time. I was sitting on a bench straight ahead of the action.
Same action taken. Security was there really quick, escorted him out of the building and packed his stuff up and took it out side. Another member banned for life.
Like I said before when the shot goes off everything stops and you could hear a pin drop.

About sixty years ago my two older brothers were about thirteen or fourteen andcwere up to the family farm and was going to hunt for woodchucks. They had a old Stevens 22lr rifle that you had to pull the knob back to cock the gun.
They seen a woodchuck so my oldest brother cocked the gun. The woodchuck ran down it's hole. My oldest brother was decocking the 22 and the knob slipped out of his finger & thumb. The bullet struck my other brother in his big toe.


There are two indoor gun ranger here locally. When you buy a gun they give you a free range pass.
I never used one, I gave them all away.
To many mishaps at the indoor ranges. Talk to any range officer and you will get to hear of alot of stories of morons that alway go there.
No thanks.

 

[David Hoback]

That reminds me of another one. Though not at an indoor range. This was when I lived in Arizona & my back yard was the range! (The Desert). A friend & I are out in his truck. We were going varmint hunting. We pul up to a dried pond we’d come to find, and I jump out, lean on the front grill of the truck & start glassing. Next thing I hear “BANG!”, and then feel gravel hit the back of my feet/lower legs. Takes me a few seconds to put together what had happened. My friend had his rifle in between us in the truck. It was in a case. The muzzle was pointed towards the front floorboard. He unzipped the case and retrieved the rifle with a normal grip, but had his finger on the trigger. It was loaded, though he could not remember having it that way. The bullet went through the right most front portion of the driver side floor board and hit the ground just a foot or two behind me. (Hence the gravel that was sprayed on my legs).

This was a Winchester 223WSSM with 90 grain A-max pills & loaded hot. When the realized the complete gravity of what transpired, I was quite shaken. Had to sit down for a bit and collect myself. My friend came over and sat on the ground next to me...feeling awe full! He then says, “I’m sorry buddy.... I don’t blame you if ya never want to shoot with me again.”

We ended up having a great day. And went out hundreds more times after until I moved across the country. He is still one of my closest friends to this day.

 

[mjsdwash]

this is a positive story. Craziest thing I ever way, a woman came in VERY angry at the "junk" pistol they sold here. It was a .40 S/W, the smallest I have ever seen, about the size of a P3AT, though i don't remember the model. She wanted to return it because it was so inaccurate. One of the sales guys asked to try it, put up a target, ran it to 15-20 yards (yes really) and put the magazine into a single hole, with no fliers, over about 10 seconds. We were all impressed. She accepted that the gun was not the problem and everyone left happy. It turned out that range guy was a semi-pro, and sponsored, but still, that was the best shooting I have ever seen.

 

[Highland Lofts]

I do 99% of.my shooting at a forest service gravel pitn About 7 or 8 years ago i was shooting with a friend , he was shooting av45 caliber black powder revolver at one of them plastic targets. The target was about sixty feet out. He was doing a good job of hitting it. One of the 44 caliber balls rickichaded and came back & hit my leg. It didn't do anything, but with more powder it might of done some damage.

Any one who does a lot of shooting will see stuff that could be fatal.

 

[CapnMac]

Do stuff for long enough you will see stuff.
There's one that still sticks out.
Was some random Fall Saturday, so, the line was full, the 25 yard pistol line, the 50 yard line, the 100, and even the last two sports for the 200 & 300 yard. And, it was a long stretch between cease fires as a result.

So, a buddy and I are sharing a table (that's how crowded it is). And, we're waiting on a cease fire as our targets are a bit shot up. Enough of us have been to silhouette shooting that that we all park about 10 yards back of the line, so there's a pretty obvious line of vehicles back there.

So, up zooms a corvette, and he parks it like this is a 7-11, so there's two foot of stingray over the back of the line. (No one is getting down the back of the line now.) Dude gets out, walks up to the next position from me, only one with an empty chair. He raises up the revolver he's taken with him from the corvette, aims vaguely at one of the targets 25 yards down range, and blasts off six shots.
First one is about 10 yards out in the dirt, #2 is in the dirt below the targets, #3 is on the backers somewhere, #4 is over the berm, #5 is at the sky, and #6 is through the corrugated overhead cover about 6" back of the edge. Perhaps 3 seconds elapse, start to finish.
He tips out the 6 empty .45colt cases, gets back in the corvette and drives away to never be seen again.

Virtually the entire line has stopped at this point--even the rifle shooters after the overhead rang from that hit. There's a collective, wordless, *** moment as we all sort out "did that really just happen?"

We call an actual cease fire and targets are sorted out.

A strange day.

 

[MistWolf]

We were shooting at Texas Canyon in California a few years before they shut it down. A van slowly pulls into the shooting area and stops parallel to the shooting line. The side door slides open and the barrel of an AK pokes out and fires a full mag of full auto. The doors slides shut and the van slowly pulls out of the shooting area and back onto the highway and simply drives off.

 

[Mk VII]

Back in 1960 or so, my dad was teaching me how to safely shoot. We were on the Ft. Dix rec range ,a man few yards down was firing a Webley .45(very common gun). On his 2nd cylinder ,the gun went full auto. Two rounds downrange and 2 rounds in the range roof and 2 rounds still in the gun. No one hurt but we were wondering what the ???? happened. TheRange was shut down for a moment, the range officer said this Webley/Fosbery had in done this before with a former owner. My dad was concerned and his 13 year old son wanted that gun.

They have a tendency to do that if the sear is worn , or jammed up with dried grease.

 

[David Hoback]

Do stuff for long enough you will see stuff.
There's one that still sticks out.
Was some random Fall Saturday, so, the line was full, the 25 yard pistol line, the 50 yard line, the 100, and even the last two sports for the 200 & 300 yard. And, it was a long stretch between cease fires as a result.

So, a buddy and I are sharing a table (that's how crowded it is). And, we're waiting on a cease fire as our targets are a bit shot up. Enough of us have been to silhouette shooting that that we all park about 10 yards back of the line, so there's a pretty obvious line of vehicles back there.

So, up zooms a corvette, and he parks it like this is a 7-11, so there's two foot of stingray over the back of the line. (No one is getting down the back of the line now.) Dude gets out, walks up to the next position from me, only one with an empty chair. He raises up the revolver he's taken with him from the corvette, aims vaguely at one of the targets 25 yards down range, and blasts off six shots.
First one is about 10 yards out in the dirt, #2 is in the dirt below the targets, #3 is on the backers somewhere, #4 is over the berm, #5 is at the sky, and #6 is through the corrugated overhead cover about 6" back of the edge. Perhaps 3 seconds elapse, start to finish.
He tips out the 6 empty .45colt cases, gets back in the corvette and drives away to never be seen again.

Virtually the entire line has stopped at this point--even the rifle shooters after the overhead rang from that hit. There's a collective, wordless, *** moment as we all sort out "did that really just happen?"

We call an actual cease fire and targets are sorted out.

A strange day.

Ahhh, you remember that day do ya? I’m sorry I alarmed so many people. Wasn’t my intention. I had just performed an action job to the 45LC and needed to just test it quick as I was selling it.

And I still have the Stingray!

 

[Riomouse911]

I’ve seen a few folks pepper the bejeezus out of the target hangers at my local indoor range, so much so that they banned pistol-grip only or Mossberg/Remington TAC-style shotguns, limited shotguns to buckshot and slugs and banned AR and AK style pistols because people couldn’t keep their rounds/pellets from ruining their stuff.

About the only eye-openers I get are on the line at the sheriffs range at qualifying time. You learn really quickly to head to the left side of the range first, as the AR’s and Minis have a habit of pelting those further to the right. At least once I year I see the “hot brass shimmy” as someone gets a cartridge case dropped inside their vest... usually on the back of their neck .

Stay safe.

 

[GEM]

At a match, a reverend brought out a squad from his flock. All polyester pants and polo shirts. Pieces of crap holsters but expensive guns. The Reverend decided he was going to run the squad, that was shut down. Thought he was tactical Timmy. So one of his guys gets up to shoot. He has a light and laser combo on the gun. Draws from the crap holster. The light falls off and starts to strobe and the laser goes on like a disco. Hilarity ensues. Reverend was talked to, never saw them again. Nothing against reverends, one of our best range officers is one and a great guy. The dude in question was just ridiculous but had to announce his special nature.

 

[mokin]

When you are around guns long enough you generally will see a mishap or two. My scariest and most memorable was maybe 25 years ago at an indoor range I shoot at.

Early on a Sunday morning which I always liked since things were quiet. The range is divided with one side of 10 stalls for members and police cadet training sessions, the division includes a concrete wall. There were also a few classrooms in the place. I had been jaw jacking with Emery the range attendant beside a register at the counter. A group of cadets finished live fire and filed out off the range around us and into a classroom. Then came the bang followed by a dead silence as Emery and I looked at each other with dropped jaws. Finally Emery yells "are you guys OK in there"? Next sounds were an instructor going full ballistic. The negligent discharge happened at the back of the classroom traveling up between two rows of heads, through a chalkboard and wall in front of the classroom, through an office and logged in a wall stud on the far side of the office space. To this day I recall it perfectly and the sinking feeling in my gut when that bang happened.

Something else I have noticed on several indoor ranges open to the public is when you walk into a stall and see bullet holes in the ceiling, the counter top looking down and in the Plexiglas dividers extending a few feet forward on the right and left. Makes you wonder where those bullets ended up or how they took that path in the first place?

Ron

Hopefully that instructor took advantage of the teachable moment.

Fortunately, I haven't had the experiences many of you seem to have had. The worst injury I can recall was seeing a gentleman get hit between the eyes by the scope on his SKS during a hunter sight in. He seemed to be having a rough time with the rifle and we were watching him to make sure he didn't do anything too dangerous. He left after we gave him a bandaid.

Another time I was at the range by myself when two police cars pulled up. The officers got out, grabbed some bags and started setting up on some benches at the other end of the line. I was shooting a 10/22 with an inexpensive bullpup stock. This interested them and they came to look at it. We talked a little then went about shooting. They had homemade hostage rescue targets made from a picture of Shrek and a Cosmo magazine cover. The object being not to hit Shrek. We talked a little during breaks and over the course of the afternoon, l was asked if I had a concealed carry permit. When I said no, they told me how easy it was and I should get one. Those guys were having a good time and they gave me one of their targets when they left.

 

[Ramone]

I noticed that the fellow about two lanes over was having an issue with a Kel-Tec SUB2000. He'd insert a mag, chamber a round, fire, and it'd jam. He'd drop the mag, and rounds would spill out.
I'd had one for a year or two, so I asked him if he wanted some help. He accepted, eagerly, quite frustrated, telling me he'd just bought it that morning.

I put a few rounds in his mag, and put it down on the bench, and it promptly geysered out the rounds. Taking a closer look, I realized that it was a .40S&W magazine, and he had 2 boxes of 9mm. My first thought was that he'd gotten the wrong magazine, but fortunately, I checked the barrel before proceeding on that assumption. It was in fact, a .40 caliber Carbine.

I looked around at the fired brass, and sure enough, it was all belled from firing 9mm in a .40 chamber. The mag would hold the rounds well enough to load it, but a slight bump and they'd all cascade out.

He'd bought the Carbine and the ammo in the same transaction, and was a bit put off that the clerk hadn't noticed or mentioned the discrepancy.

 

[Mk VII]

Found in the trash at the range. .308, I think.

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

In the early 80's the Coast Guard started arming the boat crews so even us "sweet water" sailors at the stations on the Great Lakes needed to get qualified.I recall that I was behind the line and at a slight angle while some of the others were shooting the 45's at the 25 yard B27 targets and I swear you could see the bullets, for just a split second, as they went into the target. Must have had something to do with the late afternoon angle of the sunlight. Sure was weird at the time...

 

[Englishmn]

In the early 80's the Coast Guard started arming the boat crews so even us "sweet water" sailors at the stations on the Great Lakes needed to get qualified.I recall that I was behind the line and at a slight angle while some of the others were shooting the 45's at the 25 yard B27 targets and I swear you could see the bullets, for just a split second, as they went into the target. Must have had something to do with the late afternoon angle of the sunlight. Sure was weird at the time...

45's are easy to see if the sun is right.
When I was a kid I could see 22 bullets.

 

[Reloadron]

Found in the trash at the range. .308, I think.

View attachment 940598

Looks like a .308 Winchester fired in a 30-06 Springfield chamber. If the extractor is able to grab the rim and hang onto it hard enough for the firing pin to get a good strike that is what you end up with. The 30-06 chamber offers about 1/2 inch more headspace.

Ron

 

[mokin]

In the early 80's the Coast Guard started arming the boat crews so even us "sweet water" sailors at the stations on the Great Lakes needed to get qualified.I recall that I was behind the line and at a slight angle while some of the others were shooting the 45's at the 25 yard B27 targets and I swear you could see the bullets, for just a split second, as they went into the target. Must have had something to do with the late afternoon angle of the sunlight. Sure was weird at the time...

My platoon's marksmanship instructor in boot camp told us about being able to watch the bullets as they went downrange. We thought it was just a tall tale.

Years later my brother and I were shooting out in the desert and I noticed I could see the bullets. I told him about it and he could see them too. I've had that happen another time during a hunter sight in as well. It's really cool when that happens.

 

[buck460XVR]

45's are easy to see if the sun is right.
When I was a kid I could see 22 bullets.

If you watch thru a spotting scope when someone else is shooting .45 ACP or cowboy .45 Colt, you can watch them all the way to the target.

 

[David Hoback]

My platoon's marksmanship instructor in boot camp told us about being able to watch the bullets as they went downrange. We thought it was just a tall tale.

Years later my brother and I were shooting out in the desert and I noticed I could see the bullets. I told him about it and he could see them too. I've had that happen another time during a hunter sight in as well. It's really cool when that happens.

Yup We are seeing it as two distinctly different phenomena. More so what is seen is Bullet Trace. This is the distortion of light around the projectile and is seen under the correct lighting conditions. Another condition is seeing the Vapor Trail left as the bullet is creating a low pressure “path” and the moisture in the air condensing around the projectile. Typically seen under hot & humid conditions.

Both of these are typically easily seen in desert environments. I first starting seeing trails when I moved to Tucson Az, shooting in the open desert. And yes, VERY COOL!