and the obligatory range idiot story

[MJRW]

I'm at the NRA range on my typical thursday night shooting my typical bad groups with my typical firearms. A long time friend and shooting friend of the past year or so is about 15 minutes late. Two older gentlemen (using both of those words loosely) arrive. One man sets his case down way toward the back wall, right by the window the the staff/shop area. He takes his lever action out and is holding it horizontally while moving around and rummaging through his stuff. I look at the staff and they are waving at him.

I'm watching this waiting for the staff to come out which I expect any second. Its not my business, in my opinion. My opinion changed when I could see down his barrel. I walk over there and say "sir, please take that to the lane or put it in your case."

"What?"

"Please immediately take that to a lane or put it in your case."

He then ignores me. I have no idea what my next reaction was to be. I've tried being polite about it. And it seems no matter where I move, he ends up pointing it at me or someone. I tried to block the movement of the barrel of the gun by standing in the way of his swing. He was persistent in his stupidity, though. While pondering whether to ask him again politely, getting more forceful, and partially considering grabbing the barrel, a Range Officer made it out there.

The range officer thanked me and in all seriousness, these range officers aren't as mild mannered as they appear. In a very strict and forceful, former LEO, I-will-club-you-with-your-rifle-if-need-be tone, yet not rude tone the Range Officer got him to case it and take it the lane.

Later on, my friend is shooting next to these guys. I am talking to my friend when that damned rifle is pointed at me again but this time he cycles the action. In all seriousness, there have been not been many times when I have wanted to beat the stupid out of someone this much.

Fortunately a range officer had posted himself behind this guy and forced the rifle into the case which was I believe not allowed out again. He was informed that one more infraction would lead to immediate and permanent expulsion from the range. He left in a huff a minute later.

The range staff thanked me again when I was leaving. I told them normally it isn't my business and they do a great job of standing watch and so forth and I wouldn't get involved, but when its pointed at me, it automatically becomes my business.

P.S. The implications of grabbing someone else's barrel is what prevented me from doing so. I was pondering the monstrous stupidity and trying to gauge his reaction to having his barrel grabbed. At what point is it "screw it, this thing needs to stop swinging" acceptable?

 

[dev_null]

I must've left by then. I hope. (Lane 5, the Kimber .45 and SIG .380, from 5:00 - 5:40 pm).

-0-

 

[MJRW]

Yeah, this happened some time between about 6:30 and 8:00. Sorry I can't be more specific =(. It wasn't a very boisterous event, just monumentally stupid.

 

[Smurfslayer]

A couple of weeks back, I was at another local range, which I'd rather not publicly name (it really wasn't their fault). In the next lane were several people, all but 2 of which were obvious newbies. The experienced guy was behind the lane, handling his Glock. Not to the degree of seriousness you describe, however, I got swept once, immediately moved for safer areas. It was quite crowded, and, as a result, loud.

The guy saw me make the obvious move, and I shot him my sternest disappointed look, retook my lane and resumed my 'draw from the holster, 2 aimed shot drills'. He was more careful for the rest of the session, but I did keep an eye on him. Turns out, he was wearing some sort of badge. It should've read 'Incompetent gun handler'.

After I retook my lane, I resolved that if it happened again, I would call a cease fire, and at least try to be polite but firmly ask them to not do that again.

Everyone's there to have a good time, but the good time ends when ignorance or carelessness mixes with gun handling.

 

[soonershooter]

I would hope that if you had to grab his barrel he would be too embarassed to make a scene. Sounds like the range officers would have sorted it out fast enough to keep it from leading to anything else. I would risk the implications of grabbing a barrel rather than risk the "implications" of being shot at close range with a 30/30.

 

[PATH]

You are too polite! I would have used unnecessarilyfoul language
and told him in no uncertain terms that if he pointed his firearm at me again I would use it as a colonic inspection device!

I hate being frightened unnecessarily!

 

[10-Ring]

Man, I hope it's the same guy I saw at the range I frequent! I'd really hate to just imagine that there is more than one idiot out there allowed to possess firearms!

 

[Mike Irwin]

I threatened to shoot a young punk at a range I was at some years ago.

He kept panning me with the muzzle of his LOADED semi-auto. After I told him about it twice, I think it was a game

I kept telling him about it, and I finally just blew a gasket.

The owner/range officer saw it, though, and hustled the kid out.

 

[BerettaNut92]

Man, I hope it's the same guy I saw at the range I frequent! I'd really hate to just imagine that there is more than one idiot out there allowed to possess firearms!

Are these the clowns that were there the night I came up and visited?

Last time at my range, some guy's buddy is shooting so he walks around to check out what other people are shooting, WHILE HOLDING HIS GLOCK IN HIS HAND ARMS CROSSED.

I wasn't CCWd but I had my hand on my knife and him in the corner of my eye the whole time.

 

[larryw]

Had a near Darwinian experience this morning. Was at the rifle range and while chatting with the range officer, a man grabbed the bench between me and the RO. He uncased his rifle, pulled out his ammo and then proceeded to look down the muzzle to check for obstructions.

RO saw me

RO turned around and politely said, "Sir, there's an easier and safer way to do that" and pulled the bolt.

With the RO standing right behind him and me deciding this was a good time to get off the line while my barrel cooled, he shot half-a-dozen rounds and then cleared out. Guess that was enough shooting for this year.

 

[El Tejon]

This happens at private ranges as well. Moron points pistol at MPFreeman and me to show us the frontsight on his Glock. (I did not hurt him, no matter what my brother tells you).

As well, one time, at gun camp, a moron brought a cheap Uncle Mike's holster to skul. He continually kept attempting to use the muzzle of his Glock to reopen the holster. Why one would spend major coin on a class and then bring cheap gear is beyond me. Of course, why morons do not do us the favor of shooting themselves is beyond me as well.

 

[spacemanspiff]

boy i bet ya'll would love to shoot with me in the next lane. i always take things slow, and work very hard to make sure my barrel only ponts downrange.

throughout my life, i've never really cared one way or another what the people around me thought of me, or if they respected me. but since i took up shooting and visiting the range, i've begun to want other gunowners to respect me just like i respect them. and that starts by behaving in a mature, responsible manner.

 

[DVNovum]

Two years ago I was at a large public range here in the Houston area teaching several Boy Scouts how to shoot .22 rifles. There were 3 grownups and 7 boys 11 to 14 years of age in our group. We had been there about 30 minutes when a group of scruffy looking young men of an Asian persuasion in the 18 to 23 year age bracket came up and took over several of the benches next to us. They had several cheap versions of the AK style assault rifles in their position and lots of 30 round mags. As they set up it was obvious that they had very little experience with their firearms. While uncasing the rifles they swung the barrels in all directions. The ever present range master came over and told them to lay the guns on the bench and only point the muzzles down range. They did this for a while. In the mean time we moved our group over about 4 shooting stations. After the next cease fire they posted their targets and when we resumed shooting they proceeded to stand in a line and unload their 30 round mags as fast they could pull the trigger. Needless to say our kids were unable to concentrate on their shooting. The range master once again came over and told them that rapid fire of this nature was prohibited at the range. They laughed at him but began firing in a more reasonable manner. The next time I looked up I noticed one of these hoods standing there cradling his AK in his arms with the barrel pointed in our direction while watching his buddies shoot. I walked over and asked him to either case his gun or lay it on the bench. I won’t repeat what his response was, but when the range master came over I told him what had happened he told the hood to lay the gun on the bench and step away from it. I returned to my bench and we resumed shooting, but I kept a watchful eye on those guys. It wasn’t 10 minutes later when another one of them was standing there with his barrel pointed in our direction. I started over there but the range master beat me to them and he forced that guy to lay his gun on the bench then he came over and told me he would keep an eye on them. I told him that he should ask them to leave because someone was going to get hurt. He agreed but said he had to go the office and report the problems before asking them to leave. I told him that if they pointed a gun in the direction of my kids again they would be looking at the business end of a Kimber .45. He cautioned me not to do anything drastic and left to go to the office. After he left they started making crude jokes about the fat Mexican, me. I ignored them until one of their “stray†rounds hit our target, from 5 shooting positions over. I slowly turned and they stood there laughing at us. I told everyone else in my group to go get in their cars. The shooter stood there with his smoking gun pointed in our general direction as he laughed and sneered what are you gonna do about it old man? Now I was pissed, but I smiled and casually walked in their direction. The shooter stood his ground as his buddies slowly backed up behind him. I walked up to him and looking him in the eye, I grabbed his barrel that was pointing at my legs and shoved it up toward the top of the shooting lane cover. Then before he cold finish asking me, “Hey what the hell do you think you are doing?†I shoved the barrel of my Kimber .45, that I always wear concealed, tightly up under his chin. When I clicked off my thumb safety you could have heard a pin drop because all action at the shooting benches had stopped. Then looking back at his buddies I told them that if they didn’t beat it to their cars or if any of them made the slightest move in the direction of their guns I was gonna decorate the range line with their buddy’s brains. That is when a heard someone behind me say, “And if he doesn’t do the job right we’ll do it for him!†as 2 other shooters that had been shooting their AR15s a little further down the line stepped up next to me with their barrels pointed up at the top of the shooting lanes but leaning towards the hoods. The shooter’s buddies looked at the 3 of us and took off for their cars. I turned to the shooter and asked him, “How brave do you feel? If you’re smart you’ll follow your friends and we will leave these guns at the range office for ya’ll to pick up later.†He let go of the AK and turned to run after his friends. Then they sped off in a cloud of burning tires, exhaust smoke and profanities. We wrote down their license and called the cops. It turned out that every one of the AKs had been stolen and the police were able to pick the car’s owner who later ratted out his friends who admitted to a string of robberies and burglaries in the area.

 

[Loach]

Good gravy DVNovum!!

When it comes to idiots like that, sometime that sort of action is the only thing they'll respond to. I applaud your bravery and control of the situation and I very glad that it all ended well.

 

[Pendragon]

self defense still applies at the range.

reasonable behavior is required, but if you are being swept, that is assault with a deadly weapon.

I would not hesitate to grab a muzzle and twist it down if it was necessary and threatenint and shootng someone is not off the table. I was reading that and going the whole time - very well handled.

 

[BerettaNut92]

Good going, fat Mexican!! If I make it to Texas I owe you a bottle of soju. Thanks for taking out the trash.


--Skunk of the Asian persuasion aged 18-23

 

[Braz]

Don't mess with Tex-Mex! That's the scariest range story I ever hear. Glad everything worked out for the best. Liked the part about teaching kids proper gun handlling too. Whew. Are you a Cop? If not, ballsy. I'd like to have you at my back anythime.

PS: Hit the Space key every once in a while. I usually skip walls of text posts, but yours was a page turner.

 

[mgjohn]

Several years back at a local range I had almost the same thing happen, but with out any range officers. A couple of young guys in their early 20's showed up and was shooting skeet off of a portable thrower. The owner of the shotgun ignored repeated requests to keep the barrel pointed down range. Guy ended up having a AD and almost shooting his friends foot off. I took the shotgun away from him, unloaded it and stripped the barrel off. I then bent it in half and and asked him to leave before I got mad.

 

[Handy]

Consider using caution when grabbing the barrel of a recently rapid-fired weapon.

 

[Keith]

Excellent!

I made the point in another forum that crime in general is prevalent because most people will simply not step up to the plate and confront it when they see it. That thread was about two guys blatantly stealing some game that someone had just shot.
Anyway, I made the point that people like those thieves are able to go about their business because we have been taught to never confront such things - call 911... I said the guy should have confronted them, or at least followed them and ID'd the vehicle.

And just about everyone disagreed with me - ignore it, it ain't worth the risk, call 911, too much testosterone...

This situation is similar. Our friend DVNovum could have chosen to walk away, but he didn't and... some gang bangers are taken off the street. What were they going to do with those AK's? Is someone alive today because one man just said "No"?

Well done!

Keith

 

[HABU]

Another thing to be thankful for: uneventful range sessions!

 

[Travis McGee]

I usually go with the polite "If you sweep me with that gun again, I'm going to shove it up your *** so far you'll need surgery to get it out."

And I'm not kidding either. I would. I don't brook that kind of dangerous idiocy. No second chances. Swee me once, hear the riot act, period.

 

[Travis McGee]

DVNovum:

!!!!You rock Hombre Gordo!!!!

 

[Tamara]

MJRW,

Repeat after me:

(Said in very calm, level, serious tone, with lots of sincere eye contact) "If you laser me with that muzzle one more time, I am going to take your gun away and beat you to death with it."

If you're feeling exceptionally polite, you can add a "Thank you."

 

[St. Gunner]

Used to shoot at a range near here, had a membership and got some special privelages because we shot all the time. So one day we are on the pistol range which stretches to 50yds shooting slugs at silos and some buckshot and such. I have an 870 along that day in sythetic stocks. Some not so nice looking fellows arrive with their pistols, baggy pants, and colors and decide to shoot, we are at one side of the range on the 50yd line and they decide to walk to the 3yd line to shoot. I catch em going that way about 3 round through 7 in the gun and as they are crossing the 15yd line. I ceasfire and asked em what they are doing.

So we decide to be nice we normally have it all to ourselves and decide to shoot up close, so I start practicing headshots with a .22 I was carrying alot at the time. After about ten minutes I turn to see these guys getting ready to open up with an AK from the 50yd line, i'm at the 3yd line. I left posthaste and decide to say something, well they meet me about halfway down the line to see if we could trade out some shooting, me shoot their ak and them my 870. Well the leader is a little rat about 95lbs, so I offer him the 870 first with a 3" 1 1/4oz slug and tell him to put it on the center and squeeze. It may have been the most unpleasant experience of his life, since he held it sorta like you or I would a chipmunk .22 about an inch or two off his shoulder so it wouldn't kick him to bad. Well I caught the gun before he dropped it after the shot, but he went home for the day.

I'm thinking about getting a 10gauge single shot, taking off the pad and keeping it around for when people like that show-up, "here ya go, shoot a man's gun"

I have become anti-social, I don't go to the range, built my own here at the house and just shoot here. I don't have to worry about anyone but me then. If I invite anyone over I just tell em the big pit where I took the dirt for the berm from is a mass grave and if they paint me, they go in it.