Almost Got Kicked Out of the Shooting Range

[entropy]

Precisely why I don't like to shoot at indoor ranges at all, and rarely at outdoor ranges anymore. About the only indoor range around here I'd even think of is Armored Fire, and that's only because they rent FA's. I shoot at the family farm, and can practice '2 COM and 1 to the head', etc. drills as I want, when I want, at what ever distance I want. And I am the RO.

 

[jason10mm]

I remember one time at Blackhawk here in San Antonio. I was sitting on the 100 yard line taking potshots at a can I threw down the lane, just to get my rifle sighted in at close range.

The owner comes down in a huff, yelling at me about shooting before 9 am, violating their rules.

Only problem is that I was shooting a pump-action BB rifle (hence the can target), it was my friend sitting on the other side of the range sighting in his AR-15 that was making all the noise

Guy looked a little disconcerted after figuring that out and never did regain his full head of steam.

I could tell you the story about the vatos twirling their pistols and drawing on each other behind the lines at "A place to shoot", but a search could probably bring that one up.

 

[Hardtarget]

When you do decide to go to another range, be sure the manager knows your name so you can call every time you visit the other place.You can tell him about the business he missed...or something like that.
Mark.

 

[walking arsenal]

One of the few times i thought i was actually going to have to smoke some one was at a public range. The self apointed range master came over and screamed at me and started poking me in the chest for showing another shooter my slide locked open magazine out obviously empty steyr. After stepping back from him three times and having him follow still poking at me i grabbed one of my full mags off the bench, the plan was to apalogize once more and step back, and if he followed slam the mag home and then ask him to back away again. didnt come to that though as he quite when i grabbed the mag.

Dont go back there either, now i go to whatshisname memorial range outside of souptown wis.

 

[Kramer Krazy]

Seems anyone that knows of Shooter's Choice doesn't have a good thing to say about them. I'm surprised they have stayed open as long as they have (I've never bought anything from them other than range time).....Not surprisingly, this is the same shop that had an ex-rental S&W 629 that they were trying to sell as "new".....and it was dirty enough to make it look like it had 500 rounds fired through it since its last cleaning. After pointing out that the gun was obviously used, the salesman insisted it was a new gun. I don't consider a range-rental gun as new. I quit going there in '93 or '94 because of negative experiences. Looks like I'll stay away from there for a while longer.

 

[Missashot]

Kramer, you just need to cool down that itchy trigger finger!
And such a fine price on a new, but "very test fired" gun. What a deal!

 

[Fingolfin]

I almost got kicked out of Shooter's Choice once as well, but not for breaking ANY range rules. I was taking a buddy of mine (who had never shot) and his friend from KS (who had asked me to take him) for their first time. There wasn't anybody else on the range, and I only rented one lane so I could keep an eye on them. Anyway, the guy from KS wanted some pics to document the occasion - no problem. I had CAREFULLY read ALL of the range rules and guess what? No mention of pictures ANYWHERE IN THE BUILDING. I made sure of this before we took any pictures. Anyway, we took several and everything was fine until one time the flash went off and the RO saw it and went ballistic. Told me I knew better than that (they know me in there) and slapped my wrist, whatever. I asked him how I was supposed to know since it wasn't posted anywhere, and he just said again that I should know better

That was the last time I went to that range, and I joined an outdoor club. I go in there just to look at the selection, but I haven't bought anything since that incident. If you're going to yell at me for breaking a non-rule that has NOTHING to do with safety (since there wasn't anyone else there) and insist that I be psychic, you can kiss my hard earned dollars goodbye. Funny, I've bought 2 or 3 guns from Palmetto since then, and ordered a few more.

See, they could have just as easily asked you sternly but politely not to take pictures. Hard hard is that? There is no need to be a jerk about it, especially when safety isn't an issue.

 

[LiquidTension]

fingolfin, that was exactly my feeling; also why I haven't given them any more money.

 

[Arkady]

Usually the guys at Shooter's Choice use the PA system to explain the 'no rapid fire' rule to someone. If you do it again, they'll kick you out--but that does vary a bit depending on who is rangemaster that day. A couple of them aren't as forgiving.

Of course, having shot on their range, and seen the condition of the walls/ceiling, I can't say that I blame them. Not everyone shoots the kind of groups you described. In fact, very few people seem to.

The problem with allowing one guy to shoot rapid fire if he proves he can, and not allowing others to, is that the crappy shots will start doing it. At that point, it's pretty hard to explain why THEY aren't allowed to without embarrassing the customer, and having them speak ill of you from now until eternity.

 

[steveracer]

I have kicked guys out, but not me..

Here in VA Beach, I have asked guys to leave the indoor range for "Ghetto Firing" their guns right into the floor. Sparks flying, bullet fragments flying, no holes in the paper, etc.
The rangemaster here is VERY cool, and if you are a nice person and a conscientious shooter, he's your best friend. Rapid fire is never a problem, unless it's really busy, and the glocksters start their John Woo impressions. Never saw a real shooter have a single problem, but many of them have had other people booted.

 

[Yowza]

Well, I go to Shooter's Choice fairly regularly since it's so convenient to me and I've had good experiences and bad ones. Mainly it depends on who's running the range. Most of the guys there are cool IME and I never have any problems when they're working. One or two don't sit quite as well with me and sometimes I have to fight the urge to turn around and leave when I see them at the RO desk.

I'd have to agree with what Arkady said. They have their rules for a reason and that's because they've seen a lot of crazy stuff going on. I don't necessarily agree with them all (and LT's experience with the camera is just ridiculous in my opinion), but universal enforcement of the rules is a necessity, just to keep the "but you let HIM do it" stuff to a minimum.

Oh, and don't bother EVER taking a rifle to Shooter's Choice. Their rifle range is pretty much worthless.

Rick

 

[Ryder]

That whole rapid fire/slow fire thing is extremely vague.

Those training courses I've taken which give X amount of time to shoot Y amount of bullets have always been a strange experience for me. Seems no matter how slow I try to go I still end up being one of the first to empty the magazine.

Trying to align sights too long (offhand) is acutally detrimental to my accuracy. Best option has to be giving people the freedom to fire at their own natural rate as long as they are experienced and know what they are doing. This rate isn't goverened only by a person's experience however as the reoil of a specific firearm dictates what is right. I have doubts that I could safely fire a 454 casull at a rate of 1 round per second though this would have been allowed?

I wouldn't go to such a range either. I seriously detest anyone trying to impose control on me.

 

[BullfrogKen]

I guess I am real fortunate to have access to the club I shoot at. We can draw from the holster, shoot on the move, have 360 degree ranges; rapid fire shooting is just a non-issue here. Granted, I know of no other club in the greater Harrisburg area that allows such actions, and its really only practiced by the members of the NTI team, but I can't imagine not being able to practice this way.

I belonged to a club in New Freedom, PA, and gave up the membership there. It had a great 200 yard rifle range, with actual butts and all. But it had rules I couldn't stomach: no rapid fire, no drawing from a holster, no shooting humanoid sillouettes for Pete's sake! If I am going to carry concealed, and expect to practice and become proficient using a firearm in self defense applications, I want to practice someplace that affords me that opportunity, dammit.

I guess I forget how good I have it sometimes. Sorry y'all have to put up with such crap.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Kramer, man, all that fluff about fliring, teaching your sister, being such a good shooter, etc., had ZILCH to do with the story. You violated the rapid fire rule, plain and simple. It doesn't matter where your sister is from or how far you live from the range or how good you shoot. You violated the range rules.

 

[walking arsenal]

Good job D, now grab your cane and go yell at those kids out in the street.