Biggest Newbie Mistake at Range?

[brashboy]

What gives away the newbie shooter at the range more than anything else? Is it something he/she says or asks? Is it the gun used or the way the gun is brought in?

What say you?

At a range in Denver once, a guy brought in a scoped rifle from his car wrapped in a moving blanket.

 

[ZeSpectre]

Gun, no ammo.
or even more often Gun, wrong ammo.
Guy couldn't figure out how to load his .357 Magnum. Actually it was a Glock 32 (in .357 SIG) and yup, he had bought a box of .357 Magnum rounds.

And of course a complete lack of "four rules".

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

Pointing the muzzle in every which direction as he tries to load, unload, inspect, talk, whatever.

 

[Black Adder LXX]

Covering people with the muzzle of his gun with that 'blank' look... you know... the one that says "what???"

 

[El Tejon]

Not following the Four Rules.

Of course, I've had Cleduses tell me "I've been around guns all my life . . . *bang!*. . . owww, Uncle Dad, I'm hit . . . sorry, Billy Ray."

 

[esheato]

Of course the four rules. I would say we could assume that those always come first, but common sense isn't all that common.

Next up would be knowing when to ask for help. Whether its range policies, marksmanship, or reloading, most gunnies are really nice and would love to help/mentor a new shooter. You just have to get up the guts to ask.

Ed

 

[tinygnat219]

Not putting on hearing or eye protection.
Not following the four rules.
Asking neighborly shooters to not be so loud (happened to me once!)
Looking VERY surprised at the number of people shooting pistols or rifles.

 

[CountGlockula]

Newbies always look around a lot!

 

[kermit315]

well, i look around a lot too, but that is just to admire the , er, uhm....scenery...haha

 

[Sistema1927]

Not following range procedures.

Poor muzzle control.

Trigger, trigger, trigger!!!!

No ears or eyes.

 

[MaterDei]

If somebody comes to the range and seems uncomfortable about their own weapons, then they are newbies. It is the job of those of us who shoot more frequently to help these people into the gun culture.

 

[win71]

Ring eye

The guy that shows up and tries to look like everybody else shooting off a bench. The eyebrow bleeding usually stops by the time he can find his car..........

 

[Feanaro]

Gun, no ammo.

Newbies ain't the only ones who make that mistake. I showed up at a rifle shoot with the wrong ammo box. Embarassing.

 

[CountGlockula]

Oh the best one was when I saw blood drops on the floor of my indoor range. Newbie got his finger caught in the chamber opening when forwarded the slide.

 

[sharkhunter2018]

Gun but no ammo, been there done that...and to make matters worse, i even forgot the magazines...:banghead::banghead:

 

[jim314]

Gun, no ammo.

I did that a couple of weeks ago. Had to by rounds at the range.

 

[yongxingfreesty]

forgot the magazine, i've had that happen to me once. :banghead:

 

[orionengnr]

well, I look around a lot too, but that is just to admire the , er, uhm....scenery...haha

or, to make sure no-one is pointing a barrel my way...

Yup, it happens.

 

[lacoochee]

I don't know about newbies, they generally look a little "shell shocked" after a few minutes of the intense noise. I do know to leave the range when anyone claiming to be a retired New Jersey Police Chief walks in with his wife/new GF? to teach her how to shoot... True story never been swept so many times by a loaded pistol in my life...and it wasn't the one being taught...thought I was going to die. Happened to me on Fowler Avenue at Shooting Straight last year.

 

[Dannavyret]

Wondering why someone said the range was cold? Heard that once.

 

[Bazooka Joe71]

I am always forgetting my eyes...I don't know how they get out of my bag, but it seems like they are missing out of there way too often.

I've forgot targets a couple of times too.

 

[Pilgrim]

Arrives at the range and expects an immediate cease fire so he can put up his targets.

Has no pins or staple gun to put up his targets, so he has to borrow from his neighbor.

Didn't bring a spotting scope, so he either wants an immediate cease fire after three rounds or wants to borrow his neighbor's scope.

Failing to borrow a spotting scope, he causes an immediate cease fire by walking down a hot range.

Is mystified when his newly installed scope is not on the paper at 100 yards. After throwing away his twenty rounds and failing to zero his scope, he wants to borrow or buy ammunition from his neighbors.

It goes on.

Pilgrim

 

[brashboy]

Pilgrim, ROFLMAO

 

[sharkhunter2018]

Handling/touching your firearm during a cease fire.

Not locking the bolt in the open postion during cease fire.

At the range a few days ago, the moron 2 lanes down from me not only handled his gun during cease fire but also proceeded to lock one in the tube. RO gave him and ear full for that. The same guy also took a few shots at MY paper, but i didnt say anything.

 

[aerod1]

He is usually the dummy getting an ass chewing from the range officer for going to, or touching his bench during a cease fire.