Why dress this way at the range?

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My range wear is usually sorta reminiscent of Bruce Willis about halfway through Die Hard With a Vengance...Sans blood and my OCing is OWB.
 
I've shot a coyote from my back porch :D

in snow,(barefoot), :uhoh:

in my undies :scrutiny: :eek: once upon a time.

I don't get to shoot with other folks very often personally. I generally wear anything from shorts and t shirt to cammo pants and t shirt. whatever is comfy, and that's my only requirement.
 
Safe and unsafe often dress exactly alike.

To each his own !

We were all beginners once. Give a hand and friendly advice when you see it is needed.
 
Aw, I don't care what they wear to the range... hell, wear a Ghillie suit if ya wanna. It's the dumb crap I see folks do that gives me the most chuckle. However when watching the show, a costume does make it better though.:D
 
GAF, I agree with the we were all beginners once... heck, we are all still beginners in one way or another.

It is just hard to bring yourself to help a beginner when they go out of their way to look and act like they are seasoned operators. I think that is the point of this thread... If a guy shows up looking like someone straight out of the service, and he shoots and operates with the same level of professionalism as he/her dresses than it is no big deal.

The problem is when they THINK they are something they are not.... makes it harder to step up and help them.
 
I just laugh at the posers. I retired from a Special Operations MOS & didn't like wearin' that crap for work. The only military gear you'll see me in at the range is my cut-off BDU shorts 'n maybe a boony hat during a match, so I don't fry my dome.
I dunno. I just don't get the mall ninja/wannabe type. If ya wanna be so badly, go sign up & do it for real; otherwise, knock off the tacticool BS.
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LOL, I only own one camo piece of gear (cold mountain stuff), so I agree with the theme of the thread.

However, I don't see how their usage of "gear" automatically makes them wanna-bes.
It's not like they're wearing tridents or something.


ltauer said:
My tactical, ballistic fleece always generates admiring comments and a few complaints from dolts who trip on the extension cord.
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LOL!!! That is fantastic. Please post more often
 
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I have never been very concerned about fashion at the shooting range. My typical attire is worn for practical reasons like weather or to aid with my shooting. I suggest people just do the same and not worry about others.

Alot of new shooters research which firearms are well suited for their needs but forget to research necessary clothing for the sport. Rather than mocking new shooters we should compile a list of helpful/practical clothing for new shooters to wear to the range.

I will give my recommendations and perhaps some other members could help with their own ideas and advice too.

The most commonly overlooked item is a hat. It will keep your head warm or cool depending on the style. If you want to be seen as a serious shooter, you can wear a PROPELLAR BEANIE. This is the style is considered the ONLY type of hat to wear by many experienced marksmen.

WHY?

Simple, it has no brim/bill to prevent you from getting your eye firmly pressed right against your optic/scope. They often have a chin-strap to prevent loss when running drills. Lastly, the propellar itself, can be used to help determine speed and direction of the wind when making adjustments for long range shots.

That is my best insider tip for specialty clothing to bring to the range.

-InkEd
 
It is just hard to bring yourself to help a beginner when they go out of their way to look and act like they are seasoned operators. I think that is the point of this thread... If a guy shows up looking like someone straight out of the service, and he shoots and operates with the same level of professionalism as he/her dresses than it is no big deal.

The problem is when they THINK they are something they are not.... makes it harder to step up and help them.
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So why not make the thread and the question about something objective and relevant like observing how someone shoots and how safe they are while doing it, instead of something subjective and ultimately irrelevant like their style choice?

I've seen bad shooters with the best gear and great shooters wearing just khakis and a t-shirt. I've seen actual SF soldiers using all of that gear they way it is supposed to be used, and seen that it can and does help when you know what you're doing. I've been to Civil War and WWII reenactments, and known people who take part in them. Some were just hobbiests who have never fired a real gun in their lives, and some are current soldiers who I deployed with. I've seen shooters on public land doing whatever they want, at indoor ranges with rules, at tactical shooting courses and beginner CPL classes, on police training ranges, and in live fire combat in Afghanistan.

One thing I've learned seeing all these shooters in all these places is that how they appear and how they shoot have pretty much nothing to do with each other. So when I see other people equating the two, it does kinda get to me.
 
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Sometimes you just run into someone like this that makes you want to bite your tongue or snicker. What I usually do is take them aside where no one can hear and tell them that if they need some instruction, I will help them. In a kind way I try to point out most people don't dress that way, and most people don't behave that way, etc. Usually this happens with a young person that has no one to teach them any better. But, some people you can't help.
 
Carl,
Take a close look at the next mall ninja you happen to run into and ask yourself if they could come close to passing the entry physical.
 
I usually wear cargo shorts with a t-shirt and tennis shoes since the weather is usually mild. I wear my Thermo Scientific hat with the bill facing to the front on nice days and facing to the back when shooting my PSS in hot weather. That's about it for my tactical dress up. :neener:

I usually do use talcum during very hot days to to reduce shooting rash from the wooden seats on the lines. When I go to the range I'm there from opening to closing. :D
 
Come on. Sure, it doesn't matter what others are wearing or doing at the range, as long as they are safe and not messing things up for the other shooters. But, some of the stuff you see crosses the line into being funny. If someone is a new shooter, just having some problems due to inexperience, accepting a little help, great. Most of us have been there. But when you see a guy that dresses and acts like a no it all, special forces, sniper, ninja, with a bad ass attitude, etc. and then can't handle his weapon or shoot it, it's a different story. Plus, they sometimes do things in a way that they do want you to be aware of them being there, they draw attention to themselves. They are hard not to notice. Mark
 
I talked about my local range ninja in a previous thread, but I'll talk abut him again.
First off I don't begrudge this guy what so ever becasue me and my wife go to my truck and laugh our buts off.
He's affectionately known as "happy rounds". He says thats all he shoots, happy rounds.
He wears black hawk tactical pants, a tactical vest and a got sig hat. To complete the look he puts on the black fingerless biker gloves. He'll clear the range and start running and dive onto his stomach, scan right scan left, then fire. He'll also pull the barrels onto the range and set them up and roll from one to the other, coming up on one knee. He's nice as can be off of the range, but on the range he scowls and breathes hard.
But everyones favorite favorite part of his routine is when he's done shooting. He goes to get his target and before he takes it down he practices striking it, with a tactical light that has the reinforced face.
Oh I love it, makes my day everytime I'm lucky enough to see tactical retiree in action.
 
There's nutnfunny about it. He probably read on the internet about the sand spiders that are everywhere and bloused his bloomers just to be safe.
 
Chris-bob said:
Hmm, I see all sorts at our range. I know most of them, so it's easy to know if they are crazy or real. But they are all fairly polite. Me, I wear Carhart double-knee pants, Flannel shirt, Carhart jacket, camo ball cap, and extra-tuufs(16"neoprene boots). I blend in with 90% of the other shooters.
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Hey Chris-Bob, do you guys still shoot at the old quarry north of town? That used to be a popular shooting spot back in the 70s when I lived in Ketchikan.
 
Ragnar- I can tell the difference between a soldier in uniform & a mall ninja. Trust me, I have the utmost respect for those soldiers training on their own time.

Jdh- no doubt. If they'd learned their gun handling skills, traipsin' thru the woods & hunting, as opposed to playing Call of Duty, it'd be a different story, but alas....

My favorites are the tacti-fools who enlisted but got medical'd out for mono or a bum knee :rolleyes:
 
In my world, I TRY to make it as acceptable to dress as one wishes as I do to allow others to think and speak as freely as they would like to. I really DO support freedom.
 
Sometimes you just run into someone like this that makes you want to bite your tongue or snicker. What I usually do is take them aside where no one can hear and tell them that if they need some instruction, I will help them. In a kind way I try to point out most people don't dress that way, and most people don't behave that way, etc. Usually this happens with a young person that has no one to teach them any better. But, some people you can't help.
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So let me get this straight, you're calling aside perfect strangers to tell them you't don't like the way they dress, and you think THEY'RE the ones that need to learn something? :banghead:
 
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