Disturbing Incident at a Range I Frequent

[XD Fan]

Last Friday, I had a half-day off work. Obviously, i chose to spend that free time at the range. I headed down to a lovely little range south of my home. It is down in a deep valley in the Ozarks. It is a Conservation Area range without a range saftey officer. I have never experienced anything but great people there.

As I was unloading my gear from the car, a guy came running off the range to the parking lot carrying a small pistol. He jumped in his car and drove off. I thought this was a little strange (perhaps even bothersome). At few moments later, another guy came running of the range. when he got to the parking lot and the other guy was gone, he began to use some potent explitives. i ask what was wrong and he responded that while he had been checking out a target the first guy had picked up his .357 revolver and stolen it.

Unbelievable! I was just stunned. I know that I am naive, but what kind of jerk would do that?

Anyway, it kind of colored the rest of my range time. I enjoyed it, but was a little bothered the whole afternoon.

 

[scrat]

Wow that really sucks

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Lesson....don't leave your guns laying around.

 

[Rachen]

I can be 100 percent SURE that whoever stole the gun was not a fellow shooter. Perhaps a thief or black market dealer who is taking advantage of the lack of a range officer, lurking around like some ghoul, and waiting for an unsuspecting person to leave his/her spot and leave their gear behind.

Ever wonder how so many guns find their way to the black market, and eventually, to the filthy hands of gangbangers and urban streetrats?

 

[abrink]

I dont know what to say other than what the person above me said all ready

 

[Packman]

Good reason to never go alone to an unsupervised range.

Or, if you do go alone, DON'T LEAVE YOUR STUFF ALONE!

 

[Nightwing]

That is total crap. Stuff like that ruins my day, even when it doesn't effect me.
Wish you'd been able to get the guys vehicle description or license

 

[Wildfire]

Good Range.

Hey There:
I belong to a large and very good carefully monitered range. But , I never go out to check a target without my gun or some sort of system. The other thing to do when at a range like that is to take a photo of all cars , trucks etc, Licence plates. Before you do any shooting. I also lock my truck at every move. No matter what.
I have done the photo thing many times. Hate to sound like I don't trust people , But I don't....

 

[SomeKid]

I shoot at a public range, with no RO. I shoot alone. And whenever I go downrange, I keep a loaded gun with me. I will look back and make sure my stuff is not being touched, multiple times - and this is for when going down 25 yards to the pistol targets.

On rifles, I put my targets up, then get guns out, then shoot, put guns up, then go look at targets before I leave.

 

[Rachen]

If it turns out that what I said is true, that ghoul could be tracked down pretty easily.

After all, it seems like he is a professional at whatever he does, and in that case, it would mean that he lurks around that range FREQUENTLY, observing the other patrons, and probably don't even shoot.

And now, there is a strong likelihood he won't show up there again for a long time. The best thing right now is to inform the police, and advise them to interview the other patrons: have they seen someone there ALWAYS lurking around but probably never fires guns, and acts suspiciously. And is that person missing now, and not showing up anymore?

 

[Packman]

The other thing to do when at a range like that is to take a photo of all cars , trucks etc, Licence plates. Before you do any shooting. I also lock my truck at every move. No matter what.
I have done the photo thing many times. Hate to sound like I don't trust people , But I don't....

Uh...Don't be surprised when someone gets up close and personal with you over that. I see where you're coming from, but I'd be downright ticked if I caught someone taking a picture of my license plate and they didn't have a badge and department ID.

I agree with locking your truck, but just warning you, be careful. The last thing you want is an altercation at a gun range that you started by being paranoid.

 

[Rachen]

Uh...Don't be surprised when someone gets up close and personal with you over that. I see where you're coming from, but I'd be downright ticked if I caught someone taking a picture of my license plate and they didn't have a badge and department ID.

I agree with locking your truck, but just warning you, be careful. The last thing you want is an altercation at a gun range that you started by being paranoid.

I completely agree with that. I won't go that far to take pictures of other cars and their plates at an unsupervised range, BUT, I would encourage the owners of the range to have CCTV cameras installed in the parking lots.

 

[robmkivseries70]

I too shoot at a Dept. of Conservation range. I never go down range without my piece in my holster.
Best,
Rob

 

[gunshow]

You gave the cops a description of this guy and his car right?

 

[kingpin008]

Uh...Don't be surprised when someone gets up close and personal with you over that. I see where you're coming from, but I'd be downright ticked if I caught someone taking a picture of my license plate and they didn't have a badge and department ID.

I agree with locking your truck, but just warning you, be careful. The last thing you want is an altercation at a gun range that you started by being paranoid.

I'd agree. While you may not be breaking any laws (if you're in public, expect to have your privacy suspended) but that doesn't mean folks will like it too much if they catch you doing it. Just be careful, ya know? Last thing you need is an angry confrontation wth another fella when you're both armed.

 

[JohnKSa]

The shooters in the Miami FBI shootout were known to go to remote, unattended ranges and steal firearms. The difference is that they typically killed the shooter first.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

Unbelievable! I was just stunned. I know that I am naive, but what kind of jerk would do that?

Well, around here we call that kind of jerk a "T-H-I-E-F"

 

[Rachen]

The difference is that they typically killed the shooter first.

Damn, that is just downright disturbing.

Hardcore psychopaths and anti-social types, they are.

What happened during the Miami shootout? Were the scumbags killed by LEOs?

 

[wristtwister]

Range Design

Our DNR (Department of Natural Resources) pistol range is designed so the shooters are on a covered stand, and the targets are on hangers with chicken wire hanging from ropes that move the targets back and forth up to about 40 yards distance. We have small "stalls" where we're separated from our fellow shooters, but the common walkway where our guns and ammunition are kept is where someone could still stick a piece in their pocket if they were so inclined.

Luckily, I had just the opposite thing happen to me. I left one of my guns on the shelf there, and when I came back, a young man who had just gotten out of the Coast Guard had turned it in to the range officer. I agree that if someone is there to steal, they probably aren't "shooters", they're thieves, and just looking for an opportunity.

We have to sign in and out at the range, and the RO will sometimes make notes of license tags that come in that aren't "regulars" there. His office is right beside the parking lot, and he can see the rifle range, shotgun range and parking lot from his desk. The pistol range is on the opposite side next to an archery range, and not visible to him, but he usually has someone who's a "regular" monitoring what's going on there.

The current range is well designed (was a Scout project by an Eagle Scout) and is being expanded soon with the help of the NRA. One of their considerations was to recommend some kind of lockers or a place to put firearms that weren't being used or could be locked up during "down times" of shooting. This shows me it was a good idea.

WT

 

[HB]

I also shoot at a MDC Range

I also shoot at a MDC range. I try to get there real early an get out before everybody shows up. For the most part there pretty safe, but sometimes there are some real hillbillies that show up. On one occasion I was shooting a .22 at 50 yards but the people next to my started WALKING DOWNRANGE firing their handguns at a box about 25 yards out.
I stoped shooting and they turned around like they expected me to continue....

On another occasion, an old beater Branco II pulled up and about 6 rather large bubbas rolled out and set up. The bubbas didn't really understand gun safety, nor did their daughter. As we were shooting, the daughter was shooting a BB gun an empty pack of cigarettes perpendicular to us (facing down the road). All the sudden Daddy hillbilly yell's indicating that he had been shot. Turns out a BB had bounced off a log and hit him! I also overhead on of them saying how he accidently fired a gun in his house and it almost hit his son. I packed up and got the heck out of there.

I've also heard the "N" word tossed around which makes me extremely uncomfortable coming from those guys.:banghead:

You really got to keep your guard up at ranges like these.

HB

 

[Rachen]

On another occasion, an old beater Branco II pulled up and about 6 rather large bubbas rolled out and set up. The bubbas didn't really understand gun safety, nor did their daughter. As we were shooting, the daughter was shooting a BB gun an empty pack of cigarettes perpendicular to us (facing down the road). All the sudden Daddy hillbilly yell's indicating that he had been shot. Turns out a BB had bounced off a log and hit him! I also overhead on of them saying how he accidently fired a gun in his house and it almost hit his son. I packed up and got the heck out of there.

That would have been a pure Youtube moment. Along with the caption: Gun Owners are responsible for observing ALL SAFETY RULES.

 

[JWarren]

I can be 100 percent SURE that whoever stole the gun was not a fellow shooter.

You have FAR too much faith in our little "fellow shooter's" club.

Being a gun owner does not suddenly give a code of ethic or moral foundation.

I know several "fellow shooters" that I wouldn't turn my back on around anything not nailed down.


It pains me to say that, but as my grandfather used to tell me-- Truth doesn't care if you believe it or not.

-- John

 

[Rachen]

You have FAR too much faith in our little "fellow shooter's" club.

Being a gun owner does not suddenly give a code of ethic or moral foundation.

I know several "fellow shooters" that I wouldn't turn my back on around anything not nailed down.

Well, I know there are certain people out there that I would not trust holding anything deadlier than a cheeseburger dripping with trans fats oils in their hands, but I frequent ranges, gun shops, Civil War skirmishes, etc... all the time and I never witnessed any immoral, criminal, or any unethical behavior.

The majority of us are nice and polite folks, however, I have to agree that there are some bad apples in the orchard.

 

[JohnKSa]

What happened during the Miami shootout? Were the scumbags killed by LEOs?

Yes, but not quickly enough.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1986_FBI_Miami_shootout

 

[JWarren]

Rachen,

I understand your sentiment. However, I grew up -- and live now-- in an area with practically 100% gun ownership.

I assure you that 100% of the people around here are not trustworthy. Sure, there is probably MORE trustworthy people around here than any other place I've lived, but not approaching 100% by any stretch of the imagination.


-- John