Range horror. I hope you're sitting down for this, I've never seen anything like it.

[Potatohead]

I am in agreement with what a earlier poster mentioned about a sticky or even
a forum dedicated to range protocol and etiquette. I am fortunate that I have
private land to shoot on but I have been invited by my friends on several
occasions to shoot at firing ranges and I have been shy about going with them.
I wouldn't want to do anything unknowingly that would embarrass myself or
the party that was kind enough to invite me. I learned basic gun safety at an
early age but ranges have rules and higher standards (most of them at least)
and I don't want to look like the village idiot if I do decide to accept one of
these invitations.

Glad to know im not the only one....

Im looking for land right now myself, but so far haven't found exactly what im loking for. Can't wait to get off of the public ranges!

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I've never witnessed anything at my range, but at the 100 yd rifle line, there's a perfect hole of at least .30 caliber in the tin roof above bench #2. I'd like to know the story behind that one.

 

[Blackstone]

A range I shoot at regularly has holes in the cover above and BEHIND the firing point. Fortunately it's an air pistol range, but it's still worrying and inexcusable.

 

[Certaindeaf]

A range I shoot at regularly has holes in the cover above and BEHIND the firing point. Fortunately it's an air pistol range, but it's still worrying and inexcusable.

Tempest in a teapot. lolz

 

[Blackstone]

Well, if you can do it with an air pistol, you can do it with something that packs a bit more punch!

 

[Certaindeaf]

Well I understand. It was just a play on the fine British Tempest air pistol. Humor and all like that.

 

[Blackstone]

Ah I see, I'm a little too young to have got that reference

 

[Certaindeaf]

Yep, I shot a moose with mine just last week.. well, it was actually a mouse. good pistol anyways

 

[TrickyDick]

unbelievable.

 

[coloradokevin]

Some people just don't have much sense. A good friend of mine from growing up is like that, and though I hunted with him throughout childhood, I really don't like to go shooting with him anymore. He has a feeling of invincibility, and also tends to handle his firearms like accidents just can't happen to him. I've seen him walk down range on his own home range while a group of friends were shooting. When we gave him the "What the &%*$ are you doing???", he just said: "you guys know how to shoot, you won't hit me".

 

[Shultzhaus]

At our club range there is a red flag on a pole in front of the firing shed. When someone is down range, the flag must be up. When the person returns he is required to make sure no one else is still in field, and removes the flag. Also there is a farm field right next to our range. The farmer also has a flag to put up when he is working that field. Any violation of these procedures is immediate expulsion.

 

[JustinJ]

I am in agreement with what a earlier poster mentioned about a sticky or even
a forum dedicated to range protocol and etiquette.

Very hard to do as there is a wide range of different protocols at various different ranges. Yeah, there are some rules that are universal but these are essentially just safe gun handling rules in general.

 

[JRH6856]

Also there is a farm field right next to our range. The farmer also has a flag to put up when he is working that field. Any violation of this procedure is immediate expulsion.

So if he forgets the flag, the farmer gets kicked out of his own field?

 

[Sam1911]

I agree with Justin. It is difficult to write down a universal list of range protocols.

However, you could start with:
1) Never handle a firearm if there is anyone downrange of you.
2) ANY person on the line may call "Cease Fire" at any moment if they notice an unsafe situation develop.
3) Eye and Ear protection must be worn on the line at all times the line is "hot."

Beyond that and the basic "4 Rules" everything else seems to have variations in practice depending on the range and the type of shooting being done.

It is ultimately the responsibility of the shooter to assess every motion s/he makes to ensure complete safety at all times. Scary thought!

 

[JRH6856]

It is ultimately the responsibility of the shooter to assess every motion s/he makes to ensure complete safety at all times. Scary thought!

A lot of antis have that scary thought all the time. It's really a problem for those that don't really believe in personal responsibility.

 

[Potatohead]

) Never handle a firearm if there is anyone downrange of you.

So if someone is down range, dont handle any of your guns at all? even if pointed in a safe direction?

 

[Certaindeaf]

So if someone is down range, dont handle any of your guns at all? even if pointed in a safe direction?

Yes. Don't handle guns with people downrange. That means uncasing/casing, dicking around with a "broken" firearm, etc, etc.

 

[Sam1911]

So if someone is down range, dont handle any of your guns at all? even if pointed in a safe direction?

Exactly.

If it's holstered, leave it holstered. If it's on the bench, leave it on the bench. Don't lay a finger on it until everyone's back behind the firing line and the command is given, "Range is Hot." (Or, in some instances, until everyone is behind the safe line and the Safety Officer instructs you to "Load and Make Ready.")

 

[Kristensdaddy]

At our range it mean you do not touch, handle, fondle, pack, unpack, fix, load, clean or otherwise while someone is down range.

 

[Arizona_Mike]

I have seen some horrible things at the self-policed range in Ocala National Forest (in the '90s--no idea if it still there).

One time there were a couple people trying to manage a group of 6 or 7 special-needs children (admirable but the instructor to student ratio should have been closer to 1:1).

I was changing my target at 100 yards when shots rang out. I hit the dirt and was about to run for the trees lining the range when one of the adults intervened.

Another time I was getting struck in the face and neck by lead foil from a new shooter with an antique revolver with a major timing problem.

Then there was the time my fiance and I arrived at an empty range with a fresh red blood trail leading from the pistol bench to the parking lot. Rumor later was that it was a severe .45 beaver-tail bite but it looked like too much blood.

Mike

 

[JustinJ]

However, you could start with:
1) Never handle a firearm if there is anyone downrange of you.
2) ANY person on the line may call "Cease Fire" at any moment if they notice an unsafe situation develop.
3) Eye and Ear protection must be worn on the line at all times the line is "hot."

I would probably add that a range should never be treated as cold until all people at the line acknowledge the call. Also, all guns should be unloaded before a range is to be considered cold.

There is a range in central TX near New Braunfels that has what i consider to be a very poor set up in terms of safety. There is no fixed line at the pistol range. Instead, there is a fixed target line. After a cold range the shooting line is deteremined by the first person to get into position. All others shooters must line up with him or her. Luckily the range does have an attendant at all times but all it takes is a momentary distraction for something to go wrong. It also prevents all but the first shooter to line from being able to determine at what distance they wish to shoot.

 

[scaatylobo]

Idiot

I too am NRA lifer and was LEO & R.O.

That kind of behavior would have me yelling to SAFE ALL GUNS - at the very least.

I dont care if he was 'insulted' .

And if they dont suspend him then the club has too many faults for me.

 

[Al Thompson]

At almost 100 replies, I think we can tag this one as "asked and answered"...