Things You Don't Want to See at the Range

[D-Man]

Went to the range yesterday, and the guy in the lane next to me did the following:

1) Was looking over the instruction book of his gun before shooting
2) Had the gun pointed down-range, finger on the trigger, while looking back and talking to his wife/girlfriend
3) Was shooting so far forward against the line barrier that his brass was coming in from the front of the side barrier and into my lane

He did appear somewhat competent, but #2 was pretty dangerous, as while the gun was pointed downrange, he should of just released the gun and talked behind him. But he just turned back around, and fired off a few more shots.

 

[PlayboyPenguin]

These things would not have bothered me personally but we all have our own comfort levels.

1. He was reading the manual. That is a great sign to me. He was actually learning to do something instead of figuring it out the hard way.

2. He kept it pointed down range. he could have put it down to talk but at least we was not moving the gun around.

3. getting hit with other peoples casings is just something I accept when at a range.

The things I do not like seeing are the things I saw at a range a long time ago.

1. A group of bubbas drinking from a flask

2. They were standing with rifles over their shoulders in an almost horizontal position and walking around

3. They were behaving like wildmen. Hooting, hollering, and swearing with every shot.

 

[AJ Dual]

It's the antithesis of the "Attractive young woman in the low-cut shirt doing the hot-brass dance."

"The overweight shooter with saggy pants doing the plumber-butt hot-brass dance."

 

[orangeninja]

The low cut shirt hot brass dance is one of my all time favorites.

 

[redneckrepairs]

roflmao aj that was a mental image i did not need

 

[ball3006]

If his brass is falling in you lane....

free brass.............but, of course, when that happens the brass is not one you reload or is that aluminum stuff....chris3

 

[trickyasafox]

maybe im not picky enough but that wouldnt have bothered me

 

[Azrael256]

While I agree that not paying attention while handling a gun is unwise, I would not mind seeing the particular scenario you described. If he was taking the time to read the manual, he was interested in learning, and if he kept his muzzle pointed downrange all the time, he had safety on his mind.

That is the perfect time to walk over and strike up a conversation about keeping his finger off the trigger. Be real nice, and you'll end up with a shooting buddy. Free advice is worth more than you pay for it when it makes you safer.

 

[scooterthegreat]

I am a RO at a local gun club. Could I tell stories. The most disturbing thing I ever witnessed was an older gentleman who was having a bit of trouble with his rifle. I watched him load 4 rounds. He settled in and pulled the trigger - nothing happened. He cycled a round through, settled in, pulled the trigger and nothing happened. So he started examining his gun. He started by grabbing it with his finger in the trigger, then turned it around, pointing it at the RO shack and looked down the barrel...

We asked him to leave.

 

[spooney]

Other people mainly, nothing like having the range to yourself.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

People--and not necessarily newbies--who get a jam and turn and
muzzle sweep eveyone on the range, Jeez. I have gotten burned
by hot brass on my arm and down the back of my neck but I
kept my gun pointed down range. Fer Cryin Out Loud.

 

[Detritus]

top of MY list and it's on top b/c it happened.....

having the 14 year old in which you've just tried to instill a working knowlege of firearms safety (her first trip to the range ever) forget one of the items you told her (i.e. to put the gun down before "adjusting anything") and suddenly having a loaded, cocked, Single action .22 revolver pointed up your right nostril!!

granted this was mostly MY fault since i did not emphasize the importance of her not using the back of a hand currently wrapped around a pistol to scratch her nose...

the person involved DID learn from the experience and is now safer with firearms than may of the people i see at my local range that have been shooting for 30-40 longer than i have. In addition to a ,22 rifle of her own (which i did promise her, when i can find a left handed one she'd like) she keeps bugging me to get another .22 pistol. since I traded that Bisley in, on something else that is now long gone,about a year later, and haven't had a .22 handgun since then (other priorities).

 

[Stiletto Null]

The only one of those that would have really bugged me would have been #3. I would probably be a little annoyed about the "finger in trigger guard" for #2, but I'd forget about it as soon as I got back to whatever I was shooting. *shrug*

 

[johnnytang24]

The bunch of guys who came to the range with their pants around their knees, one of them pulls a pistol out of his waistband, and starts shooting. Wouldn't be so bad, except he fired off a round when the line was "clear", and there were people down range. Claimed it was a cleaning wad. No range officer preset. I left in a hurry.

 

[real_name]

I'm sure I get flamed for this one but my pet hate,(well, hate is too strong a word) is getting a .50 shooter on the line next to me.
Had one two weeks ago, I was shooting my nice polite .40 and the guy next to me pulled out a Desert Eagle.
I had to wait for him to cycle before I could fire, he was putting me off some .

Then someone came with a full-auto at the other end.
I took 15 minutes out and just watched them, it was fun.

 

[PlayboyPenguin]

real name

I have had similar issues. Most of the ranges I know of ask people to not shoot .50 or .454 without permission and they will usually not give it unless the person can be away from other shooters.

I have been next to guys using their .50 to shoot at targets 10 yards downrange. I have always thought that was funny. C'mon, at least ut the target at 20 yards. At 10 yards if you are attacked you will do as well with a pointy stick.

 

[MechAg94]

If they keep their gun pointed down range, I can forgive a lot of other stuff. That is the first and most important rule IMO.

I have gotten brass inside my safety glasses and I still put the pistol down first. Gun pointing awareness needs to be stressed I guess.

 

[Werewolf]

You guys that are bothered by the .50's, .454's etc are missing an excellent training opportunity. I occasionally look for those guys on the range just to practice what I describe below.

Keep shooting while the big boys are blastin' away and learn to not let the sound bother you.

God forbid you ever get in a real gunfight but if you can hit what yur aim'n at while a .50 is going off 3 feet from you unexpected booms in your ear is one problem you won't have to worry about when the real deal goes down and there's all that noise aimed your way.

Not quite the same as being shot at but it'll go a long way towards easin' up on the go boom flinchies.

 

[Mooseman]

Two things that have mildly annoyed me recently:

1. I was at the range and a gentlemen was showing a group of young folks how to shoot. I know this sounds great but there were 4 of them to one of him. They were dressed in the latest rap fashion and were laughing and jostling each other. I just felt they weren't taking the experience seriously enough which is bad when your handling lethal weapons.

2. I follow the range rules diligently and appreciate someone keeping an eye on things while I'm shooting, but, I really dislike it when someone's gaze is boring into the back of your head while your trying to shoot. If I'm doing something wrong, tell me!

 

[EasternShore]

Things I don't like to see at the range:

Every lane full before I arrived.

I have seen some bad behavior. Depending on how bad depends on weather or not I'll comment. If I am put in direct danger by someones actions I'll comment. If not they are entitled to learn and have fun. If I see someone stuggling with a firearm they are unfamiliar with I'll attempt to help.

As far as hot brass, I can't recall how many times I have been hit. At indoor and outdoor ranges. I had a 1911 throw brass over, yes, over a dividing wall at an indoor range. Rained right down in my face. I paused, waited for the shooter, a friend of mine, to empty his fire arm. I then proceeded to throw the brass at the back of his head and tell to clean the darned thing!

 

[real_name]

Keep shooting while the big boys are blastin' away and learn to not let the sound bother you.

I did foresee getting this particular response, and agree fully. I tried shooting while the .50 and full-auto were being fired but they were distracting for two more reasons than just their noise and 'boom'.
I hadn't seen either in action previously (I am a new shooter).
I was also aware that the whole range dynamic changed and everyone was stopping shooting to watch these guys.

I am aware that I need to practice under many different circumstances and will continue regardless in future if the same situation presents itself.
And surely a little adrenaline when the SHTF would enable most of us to fire under otherwise adverse circumstances?

 

[trickyasafox]

i'll tell ya one thing that i wouldnt say bothered me, but could have been handled better.

wednesday nights in the summer my local range runs sillohette for 22 cal rifles and assorted pistols. they usually dont get a great turn out, most of the time no mare then 4-5 shooters. this one wednesday i forgot the shoot was going on, and the operator asked us to move, we agreed as they did technically have the range and we were happy to comply. No one else showed up, it was just him, shooting by himself. we asked if we could use the range with him because no one else was shooting there. he was determined though that no one else shoot there, and wouldn't allow us to join him. i just felt that he could have shared a 12 bay outdoor pistol range better

 

[HighVelocity]

Things that people do at public ranges that I find annoying

1) 10 empty lanes and they have to setup in the lane to my immediate left. This way they can pelt me with brass in between asking questions about their gun or bragging about the gun they have at home or the one they're saving up for etc.

2) 3 or more guys with ONE gun. (imagine the childrens game "Hot Potato")

3) The smell of liquor. enough said

 

[doggscube]

One time it was a couple of guys firing a Hi-Point carbine with a stance so ridiculous the muzzle was at about the same level as the safety line which all shooters must stand in front of. I said something, they fixed their stance, and then one proceeded to ask me if my J-frame snubby is "better than a Glock." At least they were friendly and cooperative about the rules.

I just recently moved to an area with a public outdoor range. The strangest thing I saw was a pretty girl who distracted everyone with her figure and her weird leaning-back stance. It was as if she was pointing the P22, then adjusting the level of her head rather than the pistol to get her sight picture.

-Jeff

 

[hoghunting]

Two that irritate me:
Someone who is shooting and then turns to talk to people behind them. Turns around with the gun, sweeping everyone with the muzzle.

Jerks who do not take or rent a spotting scope or have a scope with enough power to see holes in the target at 100 yds. They will shoot 5 or 6 rounds and then want everyone to clear the line so they can walk down to check the target. They have to go in groups so they can talk and compare their shots while everyone has to wait for them.