It's over, we've lost

[BozemanMT]

Putting on a riflery clinic
1 week before the event, we get this "brand new" set of rules FROM A GUN RANGE.

1. When your group arrives be aware that the words Militia or paramilitary may not be used while at our range.

2. While an individual might show up wearing cammos, the entire group may not be so attired as it would indicate a paramilitary type organization.

3. No silhouette targets of ANY style may be used. (We have allowed these in the past and we've taken a lot of flak from both non-members and members using our range.)

4. No military style training, as a group, is allowed.

From a gun range!!!!
It's over, we lost
Unbelievable
Cuz you know, Hunters don't wear camo
Those are bad words that may not be uttered (hell, if a gun range doesn't care about the 2nd, why should they care about the 1st?)
And obviously the 2nd is only for hunting.

This is not in England, this is a range in the United States (and not in one of the states you would think)

 

[50 Shooter]

You know what you have to do right?

 

[Declaration Day]

I would not spend one more dime there, if it were my local range.

I'm one of those Militia guys, and while I don't wear camo to the range, it offends me that my organization, or any representation of it, would be frowned upon there.

My local DNR-operated range does not allow silhouette targets.

4. No military style training, as a group, is allowed.

Could somebody please tell me how military-style training could be done at a gun range? You know, 'cuz when THEY come to get us, we'll all have convenient benches to shoot from!

 

[High Planes Drifter]

Boycot time.

 

[Zundfolge]

So what range is this (that I might avoid spending any money there)?

 

[ZeSpectre]

It's only over if you GIVE UP.

Write a formal letter of complaint
Get others to write a formal letter of complaint
Find another range
Encourage others to find another range
Pool a group and START your own range (hey, it's been done before)
I came up with those options in 30 seconds. Given some time I'm sure I could find more.

 

[JesseL]

It's awfully silly to let your behavior be controlled by the opinions of people who disagree with your most basic principles. Why would anyone willingly take the first step onto that teflon incline?

 

[bender]

I would definately never go there again.

 

[Blackfork]

I'd do it anyway.

You weren't going to do any of that stuff anyway. Camo isn't camo, really, it's "Desert Pixelated attire". You can get it at Abercrombie and Fitch. Those e-silhouettes aren't people. At least I haven't seen anyone that looks like that. And riflery is riflery. You aren't going to be doing bayonet charges.

 

[MrTuffPaws]

Well, I would gladly give up wearing cammo if they would get rid of the other stupid rules at the local ranges.

 

[50 Shooter]

You guys aren't thinking the right way!

I would get all my friends together and dress up in our cammies, go to the range, shout "wolverines" and say that we belong to a para-military group (Eagle Scouts). Bring targets that are silhouettes of people (those training ones you see) mostly bad guy holding hostage and have everyone do training drills on them.

If you're going to get kicked out, go out in style!

 

[Thefabulousfink]

JCSA? Who are these guys and why should they care if you shoot at silhouette targets?


I suppose a proper response would go something like this:

"Our organization represents responsible firarms ownership as well as the responsible exercise of the freedoms and liberties that make this country great. I see from you communication that our group would be a hinderance to the opperation of you range, therefore we have decided not to trouble you by holding our event there. You will also be excited to know that our members have decided not to trouble your business at any point in the future.

Thank you,"

That should get the message across.

 

[dracphelan]

1. Place the name of the range here on other forums.
2. Call them and let them know that you are helping spread the word of their new rules. Also inform them that you will no longer be using their range.
3. Find a new range.

Things are not as bad in Texas as I thought. I don't know of a single range in the Dallas area with these silly rules.

 

[strat81]

Isn't camouflage relative to your surroundings? Arctic camo for all! Or, if you're tacticool, wear "Urban" camo, especially if it's a wooded area. And what about animal silhouettes? Turkey, deer, squirrel...

And just to be safe, don't wear combat boots. They're for COMBAT! :banghead:

Sorry to hear about your range.

 

[Lonestar]

Funny thing is Al Qaeda members usually train in regular clothes. All its hurting is a bunch of guys who want to play soldier.

There is no outdoor range within a 50 mile radius from my house that allows human like silhouettes anymore.

 

[1911JMB]

This is why I go to a sand pit on state land with no rules other than Jeff Coopers 4. Keep in mind that its a private facility. If they don't want certain behavior at their range its fine to complain, but its private property and they do have that right.

 

[heypete]

*shrugs* Private property, right? They can regulate what is or is not said or done on their property.

If you don't like it, don't go. Vote with your dollars, and make it known what you're doing (by writing a formal complaint).

Personally, I refrain from that behavior anyway -- I find it much more pleasing for myself and my guests when I go to the range to avoid dressing in camouflage, talking about black helicopters, etc. Individuals dressed in camo, talking about "blue helmets" and "black helicopters", conspiracies, and whatnot have been talking near myself and a new shooter, and have really turned off the new shooter from the activity. Indeed, that person left with a very negative impression of shooters as a whole, as the incident reinforced their stereotypes of "crazy militia survivalist gun owners".

I can see that a range might want to make themselves seem a bit more "family friendly", particularly in areas that might be considering legal restrictions on certain activities at ranges, not renewing leases of ranges, etc. It's sad, but it's a reality of many places these days -- a local range near where I used to live in California has restrictions on targets (circular bullseye targets or steel falling-plate animal shaped ones only), which I find to be personally distasteful, but I can understand that it's one of the few things which the range can bring up in its defense every year when the county board of supervisors attempts (as they have for about 20 years now) to close the range down.

Of course, that's a county-owned range and they have to justify their existence to the county. The local privately-owned indoor range allows targets of any shape, and has many human-silhouette targets for sale.

Here in Arizona, you can shoot pretty much whatever targets your heart desires.

 

[wolf_from_wv]

Someone (group?) here in WV drug what looked like 2 4x8 sheets of plywood with a picture of bin laden painted on them down to the 100 yd berm last summer at the DNR range.

 

[MatthewVanitas]

Wow, took a lot of posts until I found one I agree with. Good on heypete!


I fail to see how "we" have lost because some range wants to have a more mainstream image.

The funniest part of the whole thing: you're crying "treason" against a range for discriminating against you on cosmetic grounds, saying that cosmetics don't matter or are deceptive.

If that's the case, then why not be smart, employ Situational Camoflauge, and show up in jeans, bring bullseye targets, and get on with your training?

How is your training any less effective for shooting at a non-humanoid target (which better represents an obscured person in the dark than some photo-target does), or wearing the street clothing that you would actually wear in an insurgency?

Smart insurgents don't wear uniforms, they employ Situational Camoflauge and blend in with their surroundings. You think the Evil UN Overlords won't find your cammies in your trunk at a roadblock, maybe wonder why you have contraband clothing and send you to an internment camp?

Go undercover! Nod, smile politely, and know that you got one over on these range owners who only _think_ that they're holding you back, as you practice your revolutionary skills.



As a side-note, it's dang silly to try to drive a shooting range out of business over something this small. Not exactly a surplus of shooting ranges even in Texas.

-MV

 

[Mainsail]

Did the owner of the gun range start his business to make a statement or to make a profit? If it’s a business, he’ll do whatever he has to to protect his business. We can wax idealistic all we want, but ideals aren’t going to put food in his table or pay his mortgage.

 

[BozemanMT]

It's private property, the range can do what it wants.
And personally (as anyone who's been around me can attest) i always wear blue jeans, a button down and a hat. Always.

that's not the point.

The point is that if a GUN RANGE thinks that by not allowing "so called bizzare behavior" related to guns (not unsafe, just what it thinks isn't mainstream) then pretty soon, it will all not be mainstream. (see England if you don't think this is true)

Personally I'm kinda amazed that they allow firearms.

We stand together, or we soon fall.

I've seen which way this GUN RANGE leans, and I will withhold my business. HOwever, the clinic will have to go on because people have commitments, but if this is the way that the GUN RANGES lean, well, we have no hope, none at all.

 

[280PLUS]

Gun ranges are doing whatever it takes to look PC these days. Mostly because it only takes a few (OR JUST ONE) to object and start the legal battles. I know of one (Metacon) in CT that has had their very extensive treasury balance reduced to nothing and members assessed mercilessly all to pay the lawyers to fight for it's very existence. I suspect your range is merely doing whatever it can to cover it's a$$. If you boycott etc, what will you have when it's gone?

 

[Manedwolf]

There is no outdoor range within a 50 mile radius from my house that allows human like silhouettes anymore.

Every one I've seen here does. What, is that supposed to be some psychological thing? If you run into someone wearing all black with numbered rings on their chest, you might shoot at them?

 

[kfranz]

It's private property, the range can do what it wants.
And personally (as anyone who's been around me can attest) i always wear blue jeans, a button down and a hat. Always.

that's not the point.

The point is that if a GUN RANGE thinks that by not allowing "so called bizzare behavior" related to guns (not unsafe, just what it thinks isn't mainstream) then pretty soon, it will all not be mainstream. (see England if you don't think this is true)

Personally I'm kinda amazed that they allow firearms.

We stand together, or we soon fall.

I've seen which way this GUN RANGE leans, and I will withhold my business. HOwever, the clinic will have to go on because people have commitments, but if this is the way that the GUN RANGES lean, well, we have no hope, none at all.

You're the one saying "so called bizzare behavior", not them. Is this a for profit range, or a private club type range?

 

[Prince Yamato]

I'm going with HeyPete on this one. Camo and military fatigues... not very inviting to new shooters. You are free to form a milita but a lot of "militias" I've seen are just as described, a bunch of folks in mil-surp camos talking about end of the world scenarios that are inevitable and how "they're going to resist and die fighting". I don't agree with the removal of silhouetted targets, but honestly, a militia doesn't have to wear camo. The founding fathers certainly didn't, they wore their work clothes. If you must be in some form of camo, let it be your work clothes. With a jacket and tie, no one will guess that you are lethal. In effect, you're in "urban camo" when you're at work.