Two sides to each story
The group who shot at Pioneer was comprised of 1 Pioneer Member and 10 guests. When the member arrived and indicated he had several guests, he was informed that he would be held responsible for the actions of his guests, asked if he was familiar with club rules about target placement and general gun safety (condition of longuns not in use is to be facing down range, action open, unloaded), handguns are to be similarly on the bench or holstered with empty magwell. Roundguns have empty cylinders when not in use. Every effort was made to make this group feel welcome and assist their efforts to have a safe day of shooting. I personally assisted this crew with obtaining target stands for their use and GAVE them targets from my own inventory.
The rules are clearly articulated in the club materials when a member joins. That member was accountable to be aware of those rules, to comply with them, and to make sure his guests comply.
Statements made in this thread about the Pioneer Board Member who ejected this group do not square with my eyewitness account of these events. The Board Member requested a couple members join him because he felt better being accompanied when 11 individuals with guns were violating club rules and needed to be ejected. I was proud to watch his back.
There was no frothing at the mouth by anyone, guest or member. To be fair, the host member was respectful and polite. The majority of his guests were similarly polite or quietly upset but largely respectful. Unfortunately, two of his guests behaved poorly and made belligerent remarks toward the Board Member and did not help this member's chances of retaining his membership. He will have a fair hearing before the full board.
The action that was most troublesome by this group (there were others to include target placement, leaving loaded guns on the table when people were downrange, and the handling of guns when people were downrange) was the unsighted firing of a belt fed semi-automatic weapon at a berm which if fired over, will result in the round landing in a neighborhood. The guest with this weapon was seated on a blanket with a bi-pod, not a tri-pod. The rules of the club are clear about unsighted fire. We observed this weapon being fired in this manner with rounds climbing the berm as the muzzle climbed.
Like the rules or not, this member was accountable for compliance with them and to ensure that his guests complied with them. Everyone on a firing line is accountable for safety. You are your brother's keeper (e.g. if a group member is taping or replacing targets, and someone is handling a gun, ANYONE in the group should instruct that person to refrain from handling a gun when someone is downrange).
Pioneer is a good club with an active defensive shooting program. However, incidents in the past which led to suspension of shooting activities resulted in the implementation of rules for the benefit of all, members and their guests to ensure that the club stays open.
I will not engage in debate on this manner with other THR members. I only thought that the those who are familiar with Pioneer in NH should get to hear the other side of the story.
Stay safe, know the rules of the club where you shoot, and abide by them. If you don't, expect to be ejected, likely to face a suspension or permanent ban from that club. Safety can't be compromised.
CZ52 OUT