The most annoying man at the gun range.

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The folks I meet at the range are pretty good sports. I have not had a problem, at a public or private range. Others are interested in shooting, but don't mind carrying on a short conversation.
Some insist I fire their weapon, and I mean empty the clip/mag, I oblige, and enjoy the differences. I had never fired a lever action longarm before, but a .22lr, doesn't even seem you're shooting! I thank 'em, and offer the same. These fellas decided against trying my Mosin-Nagant M44, tho.
I've learned a few things, and maybe I have passed along some insight.
 
I go to the range to shoot, not to visit with the guy next to me.
This is why I only go to the range on weekdays, as early as possible. And I avoid the range one week prior to deer season also, when the Walmart gun buyers show up to put 3 rounds through their new deer cannon. "Hey buddy, how far do you think that is to my target?" Uh sir, your target is set up on the 50 yard berm...do you see the 3 berms...25, 50, and 75 yards. Makes you wonder who he'll ask in the woods when Bambi shows up? "Hey Bambi, what range are you standing at?" ;)
And yes, I LOVE the people who show up with BIG revolvers and stand as close as they can to you (we have open lanes). It's not the noise, it's the concussion which is so pleasant. Then there is the guy who shortened his Mosin Nagant barrel to 16.25". And last week was the guy who likes to shoot his AK on the pistol range (because he can't hit a target with it past 15 yards apparently).
Stalker? There was a guy at a private muzzle loader range a few years back who was there every Saturday morning right after I got there. I'd go there early, open up, and try to enjoy being by myself for awhile. Then he'd come along and just want to talk. I'm trying to concentrate on loading, he's yapping. He was always "laid-off" so he never had any powder.

HOWEVER.....there are some decent folks who are enjoyable to talk with and shoot with. One day a guy with a Nighthawk asked to see my Kel-Tec. He shot mine, I shot his...fun. And I must admit that the cut down Mosin was done nicely and was interesting, just loud. But most of the time I just go to shoot. I have limited time for range trips mean I must maximize the time I am there.
 
you know usually it's easy to get rid of someone.. this is my specialty

I know exactly what you mean and I have devised a system that never fails...
Do socially unacceptable things around him.
pick your nose and go to shake his hand or reach in your pants, scratch, and then go to shake his hand or pat/wipe hand on his back. he'll give you a wide berth from then on. Be creative.:evil:
 
I know a guy that hits the brass bucket for scrap. Now I don't have a problem with that it's that when I go shooting if I am shooting any of my handguns or hunting rifles he doesn't show up but let me shot off a mag full from my AR he's johnny on the spot asking if I reload or not. In talking to other club members he's has been known to almost burn his hands getting the brass as soon as it leaves the gun. He's done that to me that last few times I've been to that range and then he wants to talk telling me his life history. Me all I am trying to do is have a relaxing time at the range away from all the day-to-day hassles.
 
Cecil Webb Range, Charlotte County, FL....

What an "interesting" place to shoot!! You've got all of the following, on a daily basis:

1. Talkers. Love to talk about their brand new web gear, camel back, G17 (inevitably), mil-spec boots, glasses, etc. Of course, they always show up to the range dressed up like a friggin' GI Joe. Marksmanship is, shall we say, less than perfect.:barf:

2. Gangbangers. Nothing like setting up at the pistol range, ready to try and nail that bulls eye at 25 yds, only to have an Escalade pull up, two bangers from downtown get out, dump two magazines downrange (pistols held horizontally, of course), get back in the truck, and leave. Of course, they didn't ask if the lanes they were using were free, and weren't even aiming at a target! Also interesting is the collection of girls that seem to always be in the truck (I believe the term is "hood-rat"). Even better is when one shows up at the rifle range with an underfolder AK, and just sprays like mad, then drives off. Couldn't be bothered to police his brass, of course, or even step up to the line before shooting! RO got a little ticked at that guy!:fire: Oh, and I have yet to see a tag on one of these cars that indicate that they paid to get in.

3. Cracker (as in Florida cracker.) Let me start by saying I have NO problem with rural America. When I was a kid growing up in Indiana, my backyard was bordered by a corn field! However, we get some really interesting people showing up at the range. Why do people feel the need to bump fire when I'm trying to target shoot? And how do these people afford to burn 500 rounds of center fire rifle ammo every weekend! I clearly keep picking the wrong careers! There's also the guy that shows up with the muzzle loader, "The instructions say 4 disks is a magnum load, but I can cram 6 in there! Check it out! BOOOM!" I had to leave for that one. And I won't even get into the time when a moron set up his .50 BMG right next to me! Needless to say, he got a little lesson on etiquette as it pertains to muzzle brakes!:banghead: This type is also likely to whip out their AK or AR at the pistol range, and get all indignant and puffed up when someone suggests that they read the sign on the line that says "PISTOLS AND RIMFIRE RIFLES ONLY". D-bags.

4. The final group is the real-estate broker. These guys like to show up with their immaculate, scoped Desert Eagle, and proceed to hit EXACTLY NOTHING with it at 15 yards. This type is generally safe, and tends to keep to themselves (they travel in groups), it just annoys me that they would spend that much on hardware and ammo, and yet be so unconcerned about actually hitting a target.

Despite my obvious disdain for my fellow man, I generally enjoy going to the range and being around fellow shooters. However, I cannot abide stupid people playing with dangerous toys!!!!

Thank god I got into the private range! Went 2 weekends ago, and I was the only one there! It was wonderful!!!
 
My peeve was a guy (this is years ago but I remember) who, on a practically empty range sets up the next station to my right. I'm shooting an FAL from the bench.

As he's setting up, he starts looking at me. I'm ignoring, when finally he says, "Hey, buddy--could you watch your brass--some if it is hitting me on my shoe."

I stopped. Looked at him. Scanned all the empty positions he could have set up in. Looked back at him. Shook my head.

And I moved to one of the empty positions to my left.

Not quite the end of the story. He pulls out a muzzle loader, and eventually, lets loose with some sonic-boom-loud load and his entire position is enveloped in smoke, which slowly drifts right. To the shooter next to him (he had set up between us), who begins to hack. "Je--s, friend, it's an empty range--can't you take that somewhere where it isn't gassing me?"

Some mild discussion follows, he grabs his things--and then sets them down on the bench RIGHT NEXT TO ME again. On my right.

"Come, on, friend--I've moved for you once. Don't set up there unless you want my brass hitting you again."

Now he goes off. Public range, who are you, etc. I suggested he find the range officer and we'd discuss it (it was a large range with several different areas). He throws his stuff back in the truck and speeds off, whether to find the officer or just go to another locale, I'm not sure. Didn't hear any more sonic booms. I shot for another 20 minutes and left.

I didn't live in that area of the country for long, but I'm pretty sure I never went back to that range--really left a bad taste in my mouth.
 
I use the double hearing protection method: foam ear canal inserts and over-the-ear "muffs". I can still chat with my wife when we shoot if I get close and raise my voice, but I can act like I can't hear (or make a big show of taking off my hearing protection) when the guy next to us starts yammering.
 
Learn how to say, "Sorry I don't speak English" in a different language. Then just go along with it. It's 2008 in America, most people don't speak English anyway.
 
There are nerds like that in any hobby. They have some form of Asperger's, or something, and don't have a clue about social graces, and literally can't read when someone's giving them a brush-off.
 
Learn how to say, "Sorry I don't speak English" in a different language. Then just go along with it. It's 2008 in America, most people don't speak English anyway.
Click to expand...

Oooo! I could do that a couple languages and my fiancee could teach me at least three more!...

Unfortunately, I don't look hispanic, japanese, indian, or chinese...

Maybe I should tell them I'm canadian.
 
pretend your deft...
Click to expand...
I don't have to pretend. ;)

People don't often approach me at the range and I do my best not to intrude on other folks' range time.
 
MakAttak said:
Oooo! I could do that a couple languages and my fiancee could teach me at least three more!...

Unfortunately, I don't look hispanic, japanese, indian, or chinese...

Maybe I should tell them I'm canadian.
Click to expand...

French Canadian works. "Désolé, je ne parle pas anglais." Learn it.
 
Every range has one... ours is this German guy that is a super-ultra-tacti-ninja-power-warrior. He practically lives at the range, though I hardly ever see him fire a round. He knows everything there is to know about every gun that was ever made, and he does not hesitate to share endless hoards of "wisdom" with poor unsuspecting prey.

I have learned to just avoid him, and not make eye contact. Once you get him going, there is no stopping him.
 
French Canadian works. "Désolé, je ne parle pas anglais." Learn it.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but when I start in with "Frère Jacques, dormez vous" in order to look like I don't understand them, I'll probably get busted...

(Unh- huh, foie gras, como talle vous, Je m'appelle Henri, and then I'd be done...)
 
Hey Tortuga I used to live in Wauchula so believe me I know all about Crackers. That word was coined to describe the the people there. They have their "Cracker Heritage Festival" and the county highway is the "Cracker Trail".
 
Cecil Webb Range, Charlotte County, FL....

What an "interesting" place to shoot!! You've got all of the following, on a daily basis:

1. Talkers. Love to talk about their brand new web gear, camel back, G17 (inevitably), mil-spec boots, glasses, etc. Of course, they always show up to the range dressed up like a friggin' GI Joe. Marksmanship is, shall we say, less than perfect.

2. Gangbangers. Nothing like setting up at the pistol range, ready to try and nail that bulls eye at 25 yds, only to have an Escalade pull up, two bangers from downtown get out, dump two magazines downrange (pistols held horizontally, of course), get back in the truck, and leave. Of course, they didn't ask if the lanes they were using were free, and weren't even aiming at a target! Also interesting is the collection of girls that seem to always be in the truck (I believe the term is "hood-rat"). Even better is when one shows up at the rifle range with an underfolder AK, and just sprays like mad, then drives off. Couldn't be bothered to police his brass, of course, or even step up to the line before shooting! RO got a little ticked at that guy! Oh, and I have yet to see a tag on one of these cars that indicate that they paid to get in.

3. Cracker (as in Florida cracker.) Let me start by saying I have NO problem with rural America. When I was a kid growing up in Indiana, my backyard was bordered by a corn field! However, we get some really interesting people showing up at the range. Why do people feel the need to bump fire when I'm trying to target shoot? And how do these people afford to burn 500 rounds of center fire rifle ammo every weekend! I clearly keep picking the wrong careers! There's also the guy that shows up with the muzzle loader, "The instructions say 4 disks is a magnum load, but I can cram 6 in there! Check it out! BOOOM!" I had to leave for that one. And I won't even get into the time when a moron set up his .50 BMG right next to me! Needless to say, he got a little lesson on etiquette as it pertains to muzzle brakes! This type is also likely to whip out their AK or AR at the pistol range, and get all indignant and puffed up when someone suggests that they read the sign on the line that says "PISTOLS AND RIMFIRE RIFLES ONLY". D-bags.

4. The final group is the real-estate broker. These guys like to show up with their immaculate, scoped Desert Eagle, and proceed to hit EXACTLY NOTHING with it at 15 yards. This type is generally safe, and tends to keep to themselves (they travel in groups), it just annoys me that they would spend that much on hardware and ammo, and yet be so unconcerned about actually hitting a target.

Despite my obvious disdain for my fellow man, I generally enjoy going to the range and being around fellow shooters. However, I cannot abide stupid people playing with dangerous toys!!!!

Thank god I got into the private range! Went 2 weekends ago, and I was the only one there! It was wonderful!!!
Click to expand...

Have you been out there lately? It's actually not a half bad place to shoot anymore.

The homeys and the hood-rats don't show up anymore. Showing up with anything other than a .22 or handgun at the handgun range WILL get you bounced out of there.

It's actually cleaned up well.

But the guy with the .50 BMG is a complete turd. He was out there a few weeks ago with his maroon H2. The guy is about 4'10" and has the worst Napolean complex I've ever seen. Thinks he's god gift to humanity.
 
I do the same as TAB.. pretend I'm deaf and / or cannot hear the person over the noise of my 30-06 and through my ear muffs.
 
I was at the public range one day. Had just finished installing a new scope and mount and getting a zero at only 100M when I decided to see how far off it was at the 900M gong. I took three good shots all of which missed the gong (of course), but all three hit in the same area below and to the right of the gong. A younger guy beside me was watching me since the rifle looks as trick as it is. He chimes in with Man, with a rifle like that I though you would be able to hit something! I said I had it sighted in at 100m and was shooting it for the first time since building it. He says, yeah but I could hit that gong with that rifle.

I ignored him while zeroing at 300 then shot at the gong again. After compensating for windage and range I shot the gong 5 out of 5 times in fairly raped succession. He looked again and said he could have done that with the AK he was shooting. I laughed, and laid a 50 dollar bill on the bench and said that's yours if you can hit that gong once out of 5 tries....he burned up about 300 rounds of ammo trying unsucesfully to hit the gong, I left before he challenged me to a fistfight....he was that kind of guy. Needless to say, I don't frequent the public range after becoming a member of a private club range!
 
Nah....

I don't go there anymore, I joined the local NRA range. No 300 yard line for my K31 (yet, I've been told it's coming), but I find it a much more peaceful environment.

I have been there since they started staffing it with real RO's, I guess they got rid of the little turd that wore his CCW badge around everywhere.:barf:

I just got tired of the beat up benches, the rednecks shooting out the legs of the forms on purpose, the incessant brass scrounging (yes, I AM going to need all those 7.5x55 cases on the bench right next to my rifle!), and the general lackadaisical attitude towards safety out there. IDK, I grew up out in my dad's wood/metal shop, and I learned from a very early age that basically anything mechanical can ruin your life if you don't treat it with the proper respect, so when I see people who haven't learned that lesson, I tend to shy away.

I will say it's better than when I first got down here. No RO's, it was like the friggin' wild west for a while!!
 
HA!

Lance22,

I can believe it! My first teaching gig was in Fort Meade, just up the road! Man, that was just a little different than central Indiana!
 
This guy must not know that the .44 magnum has lost some of its
"Dirty Harry" mystique~! Yes, its still a wonderful weapon of choice;
but I rarely see anyone shooting one at our local range, and when
they do they are shooting mild .44 Special handloads~! :scrutiny: :uhoh:

FWIW, give it time~! The problem will go away eventually, and you will
become a happy camper.
 
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