Scary day at the range.....

[BLAHMAN]

Yesterday, the Leprechaun and I went to Log Cabin to do some shooting in anticipation of the wopping huge 4 day muzzleloading satewide season that the State of Ohio has graced us with. (praise the Lord for small miracles, huh?)

There was this older man (75-80 years) and as we are posting our targets, he starts to load up his inline! We're downrange and he's getting ready to shoot!

Before we went downrange we asked if anyone had a hot load and if anyone was in the process of loading. Then we yelled "Range closed!" and proceeded to post the targets, making sure everybody had heard us.

When we saw that (upon returning to the firing line) and I asked the guy if he was loaded and the reply was "Yes". I told him that we were downrange, "what the hell do you think your doing, loading up when we're downrange?"

"Well I wasn't gonna shoot ya."

I said: "I don't give a damn, you don't load or even think of loading when anybody is downrange, or I'll have you out of here!"

He agrees, after explaining the rules to him, then, I'm getting ready to fire and he kinda starts to meander past the firing line to inspect his[url] target.....again[/url] I have to yell at him about ".....gettin' your butt back here!"

"I just wanna check my target", he says!

We finally chased him away.....thank God!

Stupidity....the modern day scourge!

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Understand your frustration, but.

As you are, he too once was, as he is, you too will be.

 

[brubincam]

WELL SAID

 

[walruskid1]

some people just never figure out that there not the only one at the range.

 

[sniper68]

There was this older man (75-80 years) and as we are posting our targets, he starts to load up his inline! We're downrange and he's getting ready to shoot!

The poor guy was probably between 35-40 years!!! That's just what can happin when ya shoot in-lines
and mess around with wanna-be black powder! :shake: :rotf: :rotf:

 

[musketman]

I am suspecting the choice of gun is not the source of the problem here with this fellow shooter, bad gun ethics is...

I further suspect that he (the inconsiderate shooter) is a member of a different black powder forum and is jealous of the two fine outstanding Muzzleloader Forum members...

It was a grudge loading...

 

[MSW]

i have, from time to time, seen such idiocy on the range. i make it a point to find somewhere else to be.

those witness statements are such a pain in the @#$%@#$% !!

 

[BLAHMAN]

I really think he (the old man) wasn't inconsiderate on purpose, he just wasn't saftey orientated.

I don't think that he ever shot at a range where there were people who asked if anyone had a 'hot' load, is anybody loaded, is everybody empty, range closed, range open, so forth and so on.

This was probably a new experiance to him.

I just don't feel comfortable being at the spot where targets are posted and seeing an elderly gent getting ready to fire in my direction.

 

[TexiKan]

I really think he (the old man) wasn't inconsiderate on purpose, he just wasn't saftey orientated.

I don't think that he ever shot at a range where there were people who asked if anyone had a 'hot' load, is anybody loaded, is everybody empty, range closed, range open, so forth and so on.

This was probably a new experiance to him.

VERY true! I have long advocated that a Range Master (or others on the range) need not be confrontational or nasty to the uninformed new person. They have not learned the accepted procedures or safety concerns that are expected. So, the new person comes in and starts shooting, and without knowing any better, does something inappropriate. He gets jumped on and then looses interest.

This has been a continued problem! I've been a member of our club since 1977 and not once.......repeat....not once.......at our range or at ANY range have I ever seen a newbie go over the range rules. A couple of years ago, when I was Range Master, I noticed some of the newbies would come for the first time and never come back. When asked, it seems there were range issues. They didn't know some safety issues and was chastised in a demeaning manner by someone on the line.

No one is going to stand there, reading a set of range rules. Even after reading all of them, or having someone rattle them[url] off.......things[/url] will be forgotten.

I recommend that any newbie on the range is assigned a member to help and do so in an appropriate manner. The newbie then makes a friend, learns the accepted procedures, and isn't jumped on by others. It's a win-win situation.

Just a thought for future situations!

TexiKan

 

[mikelange]

Blahman, "I just don't feel comfortable...." is the understatement of the century. I think you're being way more gracious than the situation calls for -- more so than I would have been, particularly if I'd had one of my nephews or nieces with me. Of course, the fact that the person I'm getting angry with is holding a gun might tend to make me choose my words and attitude a bit more carefully....

In most areas of our lives, lack of common sense, and even more so a lack of education, can be forgiven -- or at least tolerated. Up to a point, that's the case with shooting. However, someone loading up with other shooters downrange (and it doesn't make a bit of difference whether or not a cease-fire of any kind has been called), or obliviously taking a stroll downrange while the others are shooting, indicates a mentality that would be better re-directed toward some pasttime that doesn't involve the potential for someone getting killed.

Incidentally, though I am adamantly opposed to any version of that form of government regulation which we are wisely forbidden to mention on this site, this incident demonstrates that, subject to their failure to immediately correct their behavior, some people SHOULD NOT be allowed to own, use, look at, think about, or even be aware of the existence of firearms. Obviously, given my opposition to said form of regulation, and that natural selection doesn't seem to work all the time, some people who shouldn't, are going to -- but they still shouldn't.

 

[AZ-Robert]

I recommend that any newbie on the range is assigned a member to help and do so in an appropriate manner. The newbie then makes a friend, learns the accepted procedures, and isn't jumped on by others. It's a win-win situation.

Yeah, this works. It also frees the rangemaster up to attend to his duties while someone else helps the new guy over the learning curve. That can be surprisingly steep sometimes.

About a year ago I was asked to help out a new guy, as we were the only ones on the pistol end of the range. Turned out this guy, aged late 40s or early 50s, had never used a gun of any sort in his life. That didn't keep him from plunking down about $500 for a nice autoloader that he needed LOTS of help learning to shoot. Started with safety rules and range rules, then identifying the parts of the pistol and what role they played, then moved on to loading the magazine. After demonstrating on my own pistol, I said, "Okay, let's get yours loaded up. Where's the magazine?"

Poor guy had to drive home (about 30 miles) to get his magazine. But he did come back. Needless to say, it was an interesting day. If he had been elderly, it probably would have been a lot worse (Blahman, I feel your pain!)

I don't know, but am willing to wager, that most of the guys on this forum have been around guns (of some sort) most of their lives. I know my own background causes me to assume that most guys know how to handle a gun. Every once in a while I get reminded that is not the case.

 

[silverfox]

Your right. But for my part having been around guns since before I could pick one up I can still say (I don't have any knowledge about Semi/or automatic pistols) I own one but have never shot it. I did have a 1911 handed to me on the range about 6 months ago was asked to shoot it. I did and, had much better target than the owner. Guess all weapons have there place.
Range problems are everywhere and always need somebody watching out for safety violations. We always assign one person per session to be the range officer, That way everybody gets their chance to see what's going on.
Merry Christmas
Fox :thumbsup:

 

[BLAHMAN]

The thing is, we asked if there were any hot loads or if anyone was intending to shoot before we started to walk out to post targets. We got a "No" from everyone.

Our backs were turned to the firing line, so I got to believe that the guy loaded up while we were there at the target boards.

When we got back I see him produce a cap to install on the gun and my mind suddenly starts to calculate as to how did he load so fast? Then the wheels start to turn and I quickly understood that he was loading while we were posting.

Thankfully, he waited to start to put a cap on when we got back.....it could also have been that we got back faster than he could have put a cap on!

 

[CrackStock]

As you are, he too once was, as he is, you too will be.

TANSTAAFL,

Would you be meaning that we will all be old or stupid?

I know stupid young people and I know smart old people. I have also known those who will never be old.

CS

 

[freeonthree]

Was He your father inlaw.
That might have been the problem. :rotf:

I have had the same problem when shooting In the back forty with a couple friends well one of them is no longer wellcome to the smoke parties in the back forty.

Keep em smoken Freeonthree

 

[bamamarine]

Got to this one late but it reminded me of a group I ran into a few years ago. I was at an indoor range shooting a hand gun. I was back in the sales area watching a buddy of mine shoot when I saw two guys and a girl, all in their early 20's, shooting and AK-47. Guess they thought it was a "cool gun" because none of them could shoot at all. Watching my buddy I started noticing flashes out of the couner of my eye. I looked closer and about every third shot of thiers was ricocheing off the wall about 5 feet down from these young people. They was actually shooting at the wall. When I pointed this out to the range operators they politely and quickly asked them to leave. They didn't look very happy but they left without any trouble. I've seen other dangerous shooters but that group was the most blatent. The rifle was a rental so, luckily, they didn't get to leave with it.