Rude guy at the range....third time.

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I will call on Monday and talk to the president elect. There is NO signage showing that the 200 yrd range is shutdown. I'll see what he says.

Also this is a private club and on the honor system. With me being there first I am designated "range officer" at THAT particular range unless I give up duties or leave.

We were shooting from the prone position. You are also allowed to shoot sitting and standing at the 200yard range. (300/600 yard range is PRONE ONLY)

Regarding my weight, I am 6'3 and 300 lbs. I realize that I am overweight but I'm not "portly" by any means. The GUY was more overweight than myself and I believe he was just trying to get me frustrated and do SOMETHING stupid to HIM.


It just leaves me sour, there is a "old boys club" clique at the range. Two years ago at the annual meeting a member (joined same year as me about 12 years ago) volunteered as "member-at-large" and was voted by hand YES. The Membership secretary stood up and thanked him but the club needed "someone" with more experiece with the club.

This club has the nicest range (up to 600yrds) within a 2+ hour drive. I believe they have 700 members and the range is usually not very busy as long as a match is not in progress. So I'm not just going to pack up and quit for ONE difficult person and the typical politics.
 
The best battle is the one you don't have to fight. I've been "carded" by Joe Nobodies at the range...usually over something stupid like wearing reading glasses before I had my prescription shooting glasses. I don't play "show me yours too!" I just say no. I have even had them voluntarily show me theirs and RE-demand I show them mine...I still say no. Sometimes I laugh too. Don't argue with idiots.
 
Jaybird78,
I don't know your club or its rules but at my club we have another shooting range to the left and a river to the right so crossfiring is strictly forbidden. All members must pass a firearms safety test and receive a RO badge in order to use the ranges. Any member may request to see the credentials of anyone on our ranges at any time - and it is understood by the membership
that compliance is mandatory and non-compliance will be dealt with by the B.O.D

Shoot Safe & Often
 
It is too late for this incident, but considering how many "pocket-sized" video cameras are on the market for less than $100 (many for less than $50), maybe a camcorder slipped in a shirt pocket to record at least the audio portion would put his own words against him.
Just a thought. *weg*
 
Every gun club has one of these clowns, including mine. It isn't uncommon for them to hold minor positions of authority. I had one launch into a purple-in-the-face rant at me a couple years back over my signing in on the "wrong clipboard." I asked around about him and found that he wasn't really well liked but did volunteer to do stuff like be RO on days the range was open to the public. I was also told his age and health issues make him grouchy.
I haven't been bothered by him since, so his finding out I was just asking questions about him might have been enough. YMMV.
 
I would invite him to settle this man to man. if all else fails. Just a good old ass wooping. You may loose, but chances are he won't bother you again. and don't be suprised if he trys to get out of it and become your buddy. Usually the hollow log makes the most noise. I would ask whoever is in chatge if it is ok with them. They will probablly be fine with it. Just tell him that he is a blowhard and you don't plan on listening to his crap unless it has to do with a violation you commited, otherwise ride on cowboy. Some times we all have to take a beating to preservre our self respect. I bet you can take him.
And that is high road, up front and to the point, he's abusing you.
 
would invite him to settle this man to man. if all else fails. Just a good old ass wooping. You may loose, but chances are he won't bother you again. and don't be suprised if he trys to get out of it and become your buddy. Usually the hollow log makes the most noise. I would ask whoever is in chatge if it is ok with them. They will probablly be fine with it. Just tell him that he is a blowhard and you don't plan on listening to his crap unless it has to do with a violation you commited, otherwise ride on cowboy. Some times we all have to take a beating to preservre our self respect. I bet you can take him.
And that is high road, up front and to the point, he's abusing you.
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That is absolutely ridiculous. Suggesting that they resort to violence to solve this issue is immature at best and reckless at worst. Fighting around guns is more than foolish. In fact if I go any further in critiquing your post I am afraid that i will violate the TOS and get myself in trouble.

OP violence will not solve it, this isnt the wild west and that path will surely lead to expulsion from the club at best and a violent felony on your record at worst, resulting in a loss of gun rights.
 
At our gun club range, if not a visitor, you have to wear an ID badge at all times, on the front of jacket/shirt. Even if everyone knows you, if you forget it, home you go!
 
The guy had a problem with how you were shooting.
How you were shooting made sense to you. How you were shooting violated convention (not designated spot) and made him feel it was wrong.

He let you know how he felt.
You didn't wish to change.
He wanted to know who you were at a membership only range.


Personally besides his possible attitude I don't really see anything wrong up to that point.

You may have good points and what you were doing may have been fine, but it certainly wasn't conventional.
It made him feel it was a problem.
Any range where people do shoot in an unsafe way can result in closure of the range, and so it certainly is every members' business when someone else is felt to be jeopardizing that.


He may not have had a valid point, but he felt he did, and if someone feels they have a valid safety concern there is nothing wrong with voicing it, especially at a private members only range.
You were rude when he wanted to see the details of who you are, and he became rude.
Both sides show immaturity at that point with name calling and swearing. He leaves, clearly not getting what he wanted but not willing to escalate the situation any further.

Much of the board here agrees with you because you are the one telling the story with only your point of view, and you are a member here.




What you were doing may have been entirely safe, and he could have just been being ridiculous, but some people are only comfortable with exactly by the book or feel anything else poses a danger, and where you were shooting from was not by the book.
Two people disagree as members of a club. The proper action would seem to be getting someone else involved or reporting the issue to someone else so some manager or others could resolve the situation. Yet you specifically don't give him your information to readily take the issue to someone else.
Childish name calling swearing and hostility on a firing range with guns present is certainly not an ideal situation.

I could just have agreed with your perspective like many other posters, but a different perspective could be more beneficial.


To play devil's advocate:
Allowing some to 'break the rules', even when safe, can also invite others to break the rules because they saw someone else doing it, and they may not do it in such a safe manner. So stopping all things done unconventionally sometimes really is the best option.
The next guy that comes along shooting to one side of the berm may choose a worse angle or otherwise really pose a safety concern, but they see no problem with it because they saw you or others doing what they feel is the same thing.
While you may not be such an individual, I do know there is people that take severe offense to anyone having the nerve to question anything they are doing. Taking any critique as a personal attack and becoming defensive.
There is a whole bunch of people out there for example that interpret the honking of a vehicle horn as a personal attack, no different than swearing at them, perhaps because that is how they use the horn. Yet I have used the horn just to let people know I am there when it looks like someone is changing lanes or turning into my area and doesn't see me.
Perspective can play a big role, and there is many people out there that have such a bitter perspective they feel any correction from others is a personal attack or challenge, but not everyone sees things in that manner.
 
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I would first suggest you ignore any suggestions of behaving like a schoolboy settling some 'score' out back in the yard.

Second, every range I've been to (not that many, admittedly) had a rule that anyone could demand to see anyone elses range card. Heck, at one range that was in the middle of nowhere, the cops would stop by, and if you were not familiar, they would chat you up after checking out your card. I asked to see theirs, they showed me theirs, and explained how it was convinient for the town and the range that they stop by to check in if they were nearby and heard anyone shooting. (They were all members, and there had been problems before, so that, and a couple cameras on a usually empty range were good security)

I am also quite sure I don't have a very good mental image of the lay of the land, however seeing how easily ranges have been temporarily or permanently closed due to the actions of a very few, good, solid self-policing is indeed in order. How many times do posters here complain about idiots being unsafe at ranges?

Handle it like an adult would; discuss the situation with whatever group runs the range.
 
Joe Demko:

Being treated like that due to scribbles of ink on the wrong clipboard?!

I would have told that guy that he owed me an apology, for whatever reason he got mad, Especially for something that is small chicken ****.
Note-my problem is that it might take me a while to think of the words to use in a proper, coherent response, even hours, as I learned years ago to let things bounce off.
But then I don't see the person again for a while, after choosing the proper words and mood for an encounter.

He would not be allowed to work at the private club MSSA, near Memphis.
 
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There is nothinhg wrong with two men who cannot come to terms with each other engaging in in an argument settling boxing match, where the worse thing that happens is someone gets a bloody nose, Ot go to a guy and settle it with gloves and head gear on. If it bothered you enough to post it. You even said he ws trying to get you to do something stupid. So instead do something smart. Have a sanctioned match. It's no more rediculous than putting it up for discussion in a forum with folks you don't know.
People like the guy you mentioned prey on the weak, if he get's away wit it he's going to keep needling you. He will most likelly back down once he sees that you are prepared to stand your ground. You are the only one who can help yourself. It seems he has insulted you in public and in front of your son, there are times when a man must take a stand, and not be afraid of a bully. Good luck, he's not going away, can tell you that from studying the human psycology with bullies for many years. And "telling" on him will only fuel the fire. Now he will attempt to embarass you even more. I am rarelly wrong about people and this is a sterotypical bully you have encountered. Remove the guns and you will see a man alone with his fear.
 
21 years at 'my' private club;
always had 1 jerk/ PIA. he was tolerated as has been mentioned--ran a league ( bullseye in this case) and volunteered for everyting till he was default At-Large BOG member.
time passes and 'they' find each other.
and than vote each other small positions--at first.
3 years ago was the tipping point and now the nit-picking puffed chest bunch run the place to suit themselves; have even been caught re-writing rules to validate their actions.
fight or flight........i'm packing up with springs arrival.

if its worth doing something--sooner works cause later may be too late.

only up side to learning about how BOG's operate is its preparing me for condo assosiations...sigh
 
engaging in in an argument settling boxing match
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I like the way you think.

The annual club picnic is in June, the ranges are closed; could set up a rudimentary boxing ring, couple pair of gloves, some headgear, and mouth pieces... it would assure quiet for the entire rest of the year.

Sounds much more 'grown up' than having folks moaning "mommy, he looking at me!!"

Suggest it to your range, maybe they could sell tickets for Wraslen on the 200yd Range Night.
 
Joe Demko:

Being treated like that due to scribbles of ink on the wrong clipboard?!

I would have told that guy that he owed me an apology, for whatever reason he got mad, Especially for something that is small chicken ****.

He would not be allowed to work at the private club MSSA, near Memphis.
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At the time the incident happened, I told him in a normal conversational voice, twice, to please stop shouting. That got him down to just a rolling boil. I then signed in on the "right clipboard." He demanded to see my card (legitimate request) and then checked to see if I had paid the fees for my guests (legitimate). He wanted to carp at me some more, but I asked him in a normal conversational tone of voice just what it was_exactly_he wanted me to do. He kind of flounced off in a huff at that point.
Some folks can't handle any power at all. Other guys think that because there were guns in basic training and DI's scream at people, that any kind of rule enforcement involving guns requires screaming. Just because those people act like jerks doesn't mean I have to also.
 
Yes, as mentioned go talk to the range management about this guy. He has some problems well beyond his dislike of what you were doing.

I probably would have verbally tore into him over the personal attacks...that's completely uncalled for in any circumstance if he is who he claims he is.

My guess is he's a nobody who's trying to grandstand...in that case I'd hope he gets permanently removed.
 
What a piece of work, complain about his demeanor. Him huffing about running certain events and being unprofessional towards you does not represent the club properly, let them know.
 
There is nothinhg wrong with two men who cannot come to terms with each other engaging in in an argument settling boxing match, where the worse thing that happens is someone gets a bloody nose, Ot go to a guy and settle it with gloves and head gear on. If it bothered you enough to post it. You even said he ws trying to get you to do something stupid. So instead do something smart. Have a sanctioned match. It's no more rediculous than putting it up for discussion in a forum with folks you don't know.
People like the guy you mentioned prey on the weak, if he get's away wit it he's going to keep needling you. He will most likelly back down once he sees that you are prepared to stand your ground. You are the only one who can help yourself. It seems he has insulted you in public and in front of your son, there are times when a man must take a stand, and not be afraid of a bully. Good luck, he's not going away, can tell you that from studying the human psycology with bullies for many years. And "telling" on him will only fuel the fire. Now he will attempt to embarass you even more. I am rarelly wrong about people and this is a sterotypical bully you have encountered. Remove the guns and you will see a man alone with his fear
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Once again, felony charge = loss of firearm rights. Stupid idea.
 
go to mgmt, explain what happened, your feelings about the situation, provide witness info in case they want to verify your statements and volunteer to take over his duties if they think he's too much of a problem and keep him just because there's no one else to do it. Here's your chance to get into the inner circle (if you can.). And... smile when you say that.
 
Joe:

It was sort of difficult for me to use a calm voice with my ex-wife (20 years ago), as she spoke almost every time in a very ugly tone during multiple phone calls.
The more often I put the phone down (quietly, on a soft surface) and walked away, the less she could try to spoil my day. Somehow I never lowered myself to screaming or even raising my voice with her.

Reflecting back on that time, it appears that you did the right thing, and kept your breathing under control etc, considering that you were probably unprepared for such treatment, as any of us might be, depending on previous encounters.

These type of people often live by what Shakespeare said: "Misery loves company", and always remembering this statement was my policy with the ex. That's all that these people really want to do, by way of trying to bully, if that motivation applies to the very rude jerk (I could be wrong). Many of those types have felt very small (mentally) for a while-maybe for their entire life.
 
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Small update

My brother-in-law called me Sunday night. He went to the range with a few of his friends (ex military) Sunday afternoon. They drove past a few guys shooting from the same spot at the 200 yard range. He then noticed the plates on one of the vechicles has the LAST name of a different match director (but not on committee).

I asked if he stopped and talked to them but he said no, he had to get his friends back home. He brought up the idea of calling this match director and get his opinion on the 200yard range being open or closed.

He knew exactly what member I was talking about. He said he has seen others shoot from the disputed position and that he was out there on Sunday but he wasn't shooting. He mentioned that it is a GRAY area concerning the 200yrd range on it's present condition. He made it sound like it's been brought up before but he can't recall a decision being made if the 200 yard is closed or not.

I asked him if I should bring up the "incident" or the range question with someone higher up on the committee. He said "No, I will make some calls and get the answers, I would like to know myself and a decision needs to be made on the range." He said he would try to call back in a few days and let me know any information.

[OP, are you the same Jaybird on SBN?/QUOTE] No, I don't know what SBN is. :)

Some one else asked about what club I'm at. I don't want to "slander" the club for one rude guy but the two that you mentioned are NOT it.

I'm sure I will be back this next weekend, I will try to remember to bring a camera for picks. Biggest problem will be getting them downloaded to the forum as I'm not computer savy at all.
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I would call management for the range.

The guy probably has a closer interaction with them on a more routine basis is he runs shoots there. Politics might go against you in this, and there are politics everywhere. I would get on the phone ASAP.
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This!!! ^^^^^^
 
This is the same guy we all run into at the gas station, super market, barber shop,bar,street corner and work. There's always one in every crowd. I would speak to the clubs officers. With the attitude you describe, he has probably had run ins with others. If enough people come forward, maybe they'll revoke his membership.
 
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