Had a lively day at the indoor range today

.38 Special said:

Well, all those holes in the ceiling didn't get there by themselves.

Click to expand...

Long ago I worked at the LGS that had an indoor range. I was astounded at the number of divots in the walls, floor, and holes in the ceiling. Most disturbing were the bullet holes in the plywood barriers between the shooters

I will be visiting the indoor range when they open hoping to beat the crowd of crazies.
But even with all the scare stories, I will not feel as exposed as I was coming home from yesterday's match, the drivers were wild.

Indoor ranges have been the norm for me. At one I visit a middle aged Oriental gentleman backed out of his booth with an AR-15. I was on him in a flash, the RSOs thanked me for that.

My local range is an outdoor one, founded something like a hundred years ago, when there was nothing else there. In the meantime, the area was building up. At some point, they decided to put housing developments downrange of it.

It is now one of the nearest ranges to Chicago, as the indoor ranges have been closing one by one. (blue state, urban sprawl, you know the drill)

The city newbies have been coming up more and more. One day, there was word the range was having legal issues. Seems that someone a couple miles downrange found a bullet in his deck, as someone had shot above the 20' high berm. The range's position was intially: "We have been here 100 years; why did you build houses downrange inside of 4 miles?" But they decided to build these massive, ugly deflector shields at a cost of many thousands of dollars.

One shooter is an enthusiast.
Two shooters bear watching
Three shooters are trouble.

Here in NJ I can only shoot handguns indoors, unless I join a private club for $100s a year ( there is an outdoor range that is reasonable at Ft. Dix though). I well remember my first time and how apprehensive I felt. I usually get there during the middle of the week when they open. Have rarely seen more than a few others, and the RSOs on duty are good. I have also reluctantly left a few times before going in when I felt it was crowded.

Bennj said:

Here in NJ I can only shoot handguns indoors, unless I join a private club for $100s a year ( there is an outdoor range that is reasonable at Ft. Dix though). I well remember my first time and how apprehensive I felt. I usually get there during the middle of the week when they open. Have rarely seen more than a few others, and the RSOs on duty are good. I have also reluctantly left a few times before going in when I felt it was crowded.

Click to expand...

Trying to be considerate of other people's financial status. However, $100/year sounds like a bargan. Our local in-door range is $22/day (and most people only shoot for 1-2 hours) so that is 100/22=~5 visits a year.
FWIW, My club fees are $100 application fee (one time) and $75/year plus one work day per year unless you are older than dirt (which I am). Open seven days a week, 600 meter rifle, 0 to 200 yard pistol/rifle, two skeet, two trap, & one archery. Downside is in the summer the temps reach 100F and in the winters quite cold. So we get about 6 months good weather and 6 months of maybe yes, maybe no weather. I average about 24 to 30 trips/year and that is equivelent to $600 (@$22) to the local in-door range. And the people are nicer. And on Thursdays I am often one or two shooters on the entire range.

redneck2 said:

Most disturbing were the bullet holes in the plywood barriers between the shooters

Click to expand...

Years ago I was at a indoor range that had four 100 yard lanes. I was alone until a guy showed up with an AR with a laser. I was packing up and all the sudden I see a red dot on the wall to my right just a few inches in front of me. I look to my left to see this guy messing with something on his AR with the muzzle pointed in my direction. No RSO on that range so I just left. Said something at the front desk as I was leaving.

Another time there was an older man with a couple of late teen boys. They proceeded to step back several feet from the firing line to shoot some rifles offhand. I did say something about that to them. Same range, no RSOs.

Needless to say, I don't go to that range anymore.

Riomouse911 said:

I still flinch, too. Drives me nuts. I know the gun isn’t going to hurt me, I know the proper mechanics and techniques to shoot well…and I still catch myself flinching occasionally.

That’s what keeps me in the land of good, but not great, shooters.

Stay safe.

Click to expand...

I revisited this thread today and just found, to my astonishment, that not all internet shooter's are experts. At least some admit to that fact.

I never understand why people freak out over full auto fire.

I have seen thus happen multiple times on ranges and everyone is always locked into a fear like trance.

Your holding the gun in a safe direction with a certified back stop....... just ride it out and have fun.

I always have this conversation when I bring a subgun with a suppressor and sub loads. If it doesn't lock the bolt back and it runs away SMILE AND RIDE

I've only seen a handful of unsafe people at the indoor ranges I go to but at the larges public range I've seen more idiots that I care to count. I was a Range Officer for about 5 years there until I got fed up with all the violations. It use to be that when someone did something so stupid they'd be asked to watch the safety briefing or lose their rights to come to the range.

As time went by with the liberals it became impossible for the Range Officers to do anything except briefly explain the rules.

Last week I was shooting next to an old man. Yes I can say old because I'm 70 and he was about 85 - 90 and it scared me to death watching him. At one point he held his .357 revolver in the palm of his hand with his finger and half his palm being covered by the cylinder gap. He fired a couple of rounds that way before I go the Range Master to intervene. I've seen videos of guys blowing their fingers off and doing great disfigurement to
themselves.

What really got me to leave was when he pointed his gun at me while getting ready for his next volley. At this point the RM nicely told him what he did wrong but didn't do anything. I think a "Time Out" needed to be called and make him leave the range for the day.

At least at the indoor range each lane is protected by a bullet proof wall.

Well, I would just have said a person somewhat older than I but the older you become the more everyone looks down on your abilities. Personally I have witnessed a great deal more stupid tricks out of younger folks than the older where I shoot. I have actually packed up and left a few times because of young people being idiots with guns but never with the older generations. That said, I would have become somewhat upset with having a loaded or even unloaded gun pointed at me.

Scout21 said:

I also try to go when it's likely to be empty. I've found that going when it's raining or threatening to rain is best at outdoor ranges. Sure, you and your stuff may get a little wet, but after some scary close calls I'll take being wet from rain over being wet with blood any day of the week.

Click to expand...

Yep, I'm the same way. People tend to stay away when the weather is a lil crummy and I don't really own or shoot guns that can't stand the get a lil wet. They can all get wiped down and lubed and the benefits of having the range to yourself are worth it.

I have seen some stupid stuff at the range and go through the trouble of waiting or coming back when I can be alone or I'll observe who is there and see if they look like they know what they are doing, in which case I'll join them and have met a couple interesting people too.

I don't think I would particularly care for belonging to a range with RSO's on staff. Not a big fan of being observed in any context, but I understand why they are there.

I continue to be contrary. I belong to an indoor range, 15 minute drive in city traffic, and usually spend an hour there twice a week, slow fire with my beloved S&Ws. I enjoy watching others shoot at the same time, male, female, young, old, all skill levels. I try to set a good example; smiling, acknowledging the others when I arrive and leave. I sweep brass from my lane and any unoccupied lanes, so newbies can see that it’s not the RO’s responsibility. If a neighbor has shot his target to ribbons I offer some stick-ons to give him a fresh aim point. I enjoy surveying the line, looking for unusual guns and engaging the owners in brief conversations. I actually learn a few things that way. I have noticed a few who were spraying and praying who began shooting more deliberately when they saw the groups I was making.

I am not a do-gooder or a Pollyanna. I’m an antisocial introvert. I leave if I ever feel unsafe. But gun owners are my kind of people. Maybe I can provide a role model for those with less experience. It’s better than bitching about them.

Does this seems to happen far less often with women?

I have No idea, but the female Ego seems to accept actual training- whether casual or formal- more willingly.

Ignition Override said:

Does this seems to happen far less often with women?

I have No idea, but the female Ego seems to accept actual training- whether casual or formal- more willingly.

Click to expand...

ABSOLUTELY
As long as it isn't their husband doing the instruction.

I much prefer teaching wimmens. The male of the species already knows everything.

Seedy Character: You so Fun-nay !

And many of those husbands want their wives to be equipped with a twin ZSU 23 mm AAA gun.

A friend ran the Police Academy indoor range. He had obtained permission to hold some civilian "beginner wimmens" classes and asked me to help.

2 nights / 3 hours each. We had the class of 16 filled and set up.

I was at the door, checking firearms. A 68 yo woman comes up. Tells me she doesn't have a gun, has never shot , has never held a gun. Though, her husband had tried to get her interested for years. He had passed, 6 months ago, the neighborhood had deteriorated and her children had convinced her to sign up. I welcomed her in, the Academy had several loaners.

The 1st night was SAFETY, different actions, SAFETY, cartridges, SAFETY, inspection, SAFETY, cleaning, SAFETY and storage.

2nd night, SAFETY review and onto the range. We had 8 at a time on the firing line.
The widow stuck close by me. I started her off with a S&W 17 .22LR. She listened intently, wasn't nervous and was focused.
She shot and asked if I had something bigger(?).
Moved her to a M10 .38Spl.
She asked about 9mm?
Showed her a Beretta M92.
She asked what I shot? I showed her my 1911. She lit up, that's what my husband had, can I shoot that one?
She emptied a mag and giggling like a school girl, "I like this one."

Wanting to add a little more adrenaline (standing there, punching holes in paper can get boring after 2 hours)
I tell the shooters to load and make safe, place gun on the lane table, take 2 steps back and clasp the hands behind their back.
I tell Ron to run the targets to the back wall, 33 yards. Turn off all lights.
When he is ready, no warning, activate target returns and turn on back wall lights to half dim.
He waited what thought was an eternity and then the targets started back and lights barely illuminated the target.

I was standing directly behind the widow. She stepped up, picked my .45 and 4 shots.
There was one woman that didn't get a shot off. 2 had targets with no holes.
The widow is looking at her target and a woman snickered.
I tell the widow to explain her target. (Standard B52 silhouette)
She points to a hole, this is 1st shot (2" from left ear)
This is 2nd shot (clipped bottom edge, centered, family jewels gone)
Shots 3 and 4, right between the eyes.

You would have thought she had just thrown a SuperBowl TD pass, from the cheers.

1 of the women that had fired 3 shots and didn't have a hit, asked "how did you do that?"

I tell Ron to turn the lights off and show them the Trijicon night sights on my 1911.

Seedy Character said:

A friend ran the Police Academy indoor range. He had obtained permission to hold some civilian "beginner wimmens" classes and asked me to help.

2 nights / 3 hours each. We had the class of 16 filled and set up.

I was at the door, checking firearms. A 68 yo woman comes up. Tells me she doesn't have a gun, has never shot , has never held a gun. Though, her husband had tried to get her interested for years. He had passed, 6 months ago, the neighborhood had deteriorated and her children had convinced her to sign up. I welcomed her in, the Academy had several loaners.

The 1st night was SAFETY, different actions, SAFETY, cartridges, SAFETY, inspection, SAFETY, cleaning, SAFETY and storage.

2nd night, SAFETY review and onto the range. We had 8 at a time on the firing line.
The widow stuck close by me. I started her off with a S&W 17 .22LR. She listened intently, wasn't nervous and was focused.
She shot and asked if I had something bigger(?).
Moved her to a M10 .38Spl.
She asked about 9mm?
Showed her a Beretta M92.
She asked what I shot? I showed her my 1911. She lit up, that's what my husband had, can I shoot that one?
She emptied a mag and giggling like a school girl, "I like this one."

Wanting to add a little more adrenaline (standing there, punching holes in paper can get boring after 2 hours)
I tell the shooters to load and make safe, place gun on the lane table, take 2 steps back and clasp the hands behind their back.
I tell Ron to run the targets to the back wall, 33 yards. Turn off all lights.
When he is ready, no warning, activate target returns and turn on back wall lights to half dim.
He waited what thought was an eternity and then the targets started back and lights barely illuminated the target.

I was standing directly behind the widow. She stepped up, picked my .45 and 4 shots.
There was one woman that didn't get a shot off. 2 had targets with no holes.
The widow is looking at her target and a woman snickered.
I tell the widow to explain her target. (Standard B52 silhouette)
She points to a hole, this is 1st shot (2" from left ear)
This is 2nd shot (clipped bottom edge, centered, family jewels gone)
Shots 3 and 4, right between the eyes.

You would have thought she had just thrown a SuperBowl TD pass, from the cheers.

1 of the women that had fired 3 shots and didn't have a hit, asked "how did you do that?"

I tell Ron to turn the lights off and show them the Trijicon night sights on my 1911.

Click to expand...

That kind of adrenaline for the aged widow sure has to beat the pants off a BINGO! I like to think she has a gun of her own now and comes in every once in a while to stretch the legs on her Combat Commander 1911

DustyGmt said:

That kind of adrenaline for the aged widow sure has to beat the pants off a BINGO! I like to think she has a gun of her own now and comes in every once in a while to stretch the legs on her Combat Commander 1911

Click to expand...

Seeing as it was in 1988, I don't see it happening.

She did buy a Colt Combat Commander and have night sights installed.