Public Range problems

[Stacks 42]

Yeah, I'm still hanging around here, but I don't have any place to keep my rifles, so I haven't been able to go shooting while I'm here. I just go when I get back to Jacksonville. I'm not taking any summer classes so I'll be getting my fill then before I have to come back for the fall.

 

Also, HOLY SHIT. That wall looks like the aftermath of a crime scene.

[gunfun 3,931]

That range wall looks like a hotel room my dad once tried to book us into while they were putting up the yellow tape.

 

I've seen both ends of the spectrum.

 

If you nitpick the unimportant rules, people will ignore the ones that matter. There are usually several safe ways of doing things, but the people there need to get on the same page and stick to a method.

 

I finally found a decent place to shoot after a few months in a new town. It is public land with rock pits dug out of a hill side, so that there are several clearly separated shooting lanes. I've been there 3 times now with no problems.

 

my experience with public ranges is that there are experienced people, people who don't know better, and reckless idiots. The last group is easy to identify, and the only thing to do is leave if they are around, or ask them to. The people in the first group should invite the people in the second to shoot with them.

 

Then there are people who are experienced but less careful than they ought to be. You can wake up these guys and educate the middle group by making an example of yourself without being a jerk. I find that if I see people who don't know proper safety I can fix that. I make a bit of a demonstration of setting my gun down, walking toward them, Yell "Down range?, Guns Down!" and wait for them to acknowledge. Set up my targets, "Range Clear" and again wait for acknowledgement. They will start doing likewise almost every time and usually we get along fine and maybe compare / share toys.

 

I also find it helps if you just ask new groups that show up to stand about Here and maybe put your targets over There, if you don't mind, because that has a good backdrop. It might seem a bit condescending, but it is easier than asking them to move after they set up to fire across another group, behind them, or in a way that might bother neighboring property. Again, it educates and makes them stop to think about things. Most people want to be safe, but haven't thought very hard about it. You can help get them started by showing them how to evaluate a good back drop, and whatnot. Maybe you will save a strangers life years to come by passing on some good habits. I did this last time I went to shoot. The group more or less rolled their eyes, but they shuffled over a few feet and put their targets where I asked, and it was no big thing.

 

I could have said nothing and they would have been standing about 30 feet behind my firing line firing at about 45*. Some guys would wait until they get swept or have a close call and get all hostile. Like the guy above who said he would pull his sidearm on someone for sweeping him twice. I think a mild confrontation upfront and a firm tone is more effective than letting things slide until you have a big problem.

 

The paper only, 4 sec between fire places can suck the fun out of everything. From what I have seen there are about as many mistakes in safety at those places too.

[Shandlanos 1,470]

 

 

I could have said nothing and they would have been standing about 30 feet behind my firing line firing at about 45*. Some guys would wait until they get swept or have a close call and get all hostile. Like the guy above who said he would pull his sidearm on someone for sweeping him twice. I think a mild confrontation upfront and a firm tone is more effective than letting things slide until you have a big problem.

 

 

That's a better way of handling it. Note, I don't skip straight to pulling a gun on someone the first time, because it was probably an accident and I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. If they sweep me the second time, it's because they're a dangerous idiot and failed to learn the lesson the first time when I yelled my head off at them for pointing a weapon at me. A dangerous idiot with a gun pointed at me = my life is in danger.

[gunfun 3,931]

Probably right there.

If he is careless twice, ask if he would mind if you cover him for a while, then leave.

 

If he did it on purpose the second time to show you that he is BA, then there is danger of an escalation. Leave, note his license plates, and let him explain to the cops why "Assault 1" is no big deal for him. Probably no charges will happen, but that fool will be a good example for anyone else around.

[Shandlanos 1,470]

If someone intentionally points a gun at you, it is unsafe to turn your back on that person - there is a distinct probability that will result in your death. Someone pointing a gun at you intentionally is exactly the situation in which escalation becomes immediate and deadly. Somebody who accidentally points a gun at me the second time is accidentally endangering my life, and I will defend myself against an accidental threat. Somebody intentionally pointing a gun at me is threatening to kill me, placing me in immediate fear for my life. There is only one response to an immediate deadly threat.

[bigdaddyhatty 65]

GunFun:"Again, it educates and makes them stop to think about things. Most people want to be safe, but haven't thought very hard about it. You can help get them started by showing them how to evaluate a good back drop, and whatnot. Maybe you will save a strangers life years to come by passing on some good habits. I did this last time I went to shoot." Amen Brother. Good point that most people want to be safe, you can just help them out a little instead of swelling up on them. Good advice.

Edited April 11, 2012 by bigdaddyhatty

[magsite20 1,664]

IMHO the first problem is there are not enough places to go and shoot public or private clubs.

 

The second issue is when you do have a range it is usually poorly set up to allow different disciplines of shooting safely (not enough berms separating areas).

 

Third while I am not a big fan of the range police on staff at ranges they seem to be a necessary evil to keep some people from endangering the rest of the shooting public. I truly enjoy shooting but would prefer not getting shot while doing it. If someone is unsafe get them the hell off the range.

 

Last thing is it’s my understanding there is no money in running a public range. Most have a store that is the real focus for the owner as an income so the range is not a priority. Sadly this makes sense money wise so at public ranges it’s just luck of the draw on who’s shooting with you that day.

 

some days you feel like the Hanson's have taken up shooting:

Edited April 11, 2012 by 20-Mags

[timy 1,185]

This thread is great! Now I know it isn't considered proper range etiquette to sweep other shooters and spectators even when I'm pretty sure my weapon is empty.

 

Seriously though, the rules have become so nitpicky at my public range that I don't go there often anymore. As has been mentioned by others, the DNR guy seems more intent on telling you what you can't do regarding trivial stuff than allowing responsible people to enjoy their chosen hobby.

[roachtron 49]

The one I have had a membership at and usually visit is all indoor with 15 pistol lanes and a 100 yard underground rifle range. The other is outdoor and indoor with a large selection of distances. Its not bad if you go early on a weekday. There is usually only two or three other people and if you have a membership they place you in a separate room from the public. I've spent some time talking to the range staff and one even let me have extra time since he was jabbering my ear off lol. He told me about a few incendents that he saw. Some women pointed a gun directly at the back of someones head and they forcefully took the gun from her. A few stories later I asked him why they didn't just kick people out and he said to do that he has to go speak with his manager. I was baffled, what a way to handle saftey. Later when I got out the saiga 12 I had him get a beat up backer and he told me to cut it in half. This was the result...

[pyzik 597]

We have a public (free) range like that around hear (actually, near Dinzag, not so close to me). People leave trash, TVs & computers they have shot... A local gun group gets together every once in a while to clean it up.

 

The closest place (where I go most often) for me to go is a DNR staffed range. Very clean, well maintained, staffed. They have a nice little club house with bathrooms, tables and pop & snack machines. But, you have to pay to park (unless you get a sticker for your licence plate when you renew) and it's like $7 per person to shoot. But you can shoot all day if you want. If they are busy they ask you to rotate with other folks and not hog a lane for the whole day.