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?
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?