Bad Experience @ Unsupervised Shotgun Range

[walteray]

There is a range very close to where I live I wont mention the name becuase the owners are very nice (but very very very old). At this range anyone 21 or older can rent a handgun. The range itself is unsupervised although it is right behing the shop. They will come out and tell you in a heartbeat to stop if you double tap, but, no one noticed when the moron next to you is limp wristing a loading gun in your direction trying to tell his girlfriend about gun safety (even she has a terrified look on her face). I shot there a few times when I first moved to the area before getting a membership at the club on the island. Everytime I went there was someone next to you on the bench sweeping a closed action in your direction and my favorite and the last time I went I had two seperate people on either side of me trying to clean a malfunction on a dirty rental pointed at my direction! Needless to say I havnt been back and take my friends to my club whenever they say they plan to go shoot there

I am not totally innocent though right after obtaining a new membership at my current club, the way the short range is set up is there is an individual berm for the 9,25,50 and 75 yard target boards, one day while shooting and teaching the old lady how to shoot my new 1911 another couple went down to check their target on the 75 and we were on the 9 yard, they must have been down there for 20 minutes or more becuase I completly forgot about them and nearly took a shot when they came walking back up the range, I must have apologized fifty times and left for the rest of the day to get my mind right, now I walk down and look behind each berm prior to shooting and will never make the mistake again.

But getting drunk and walking around on a live range? Thats something so moronic you deserve some bird shot to the thigh.

 

[Ky Larry]

I shoot at an unsupervised rifle and handgun range at Clear Creek Furnace close to Cave Run Lake. It's part of Daniel Boone National Forest. We had a guy start down range while the range was hot. I yelled for a cease fire and all shooting instantly stopped. Turns out the guy was a total newb. Never been to a range or shot a gun in his life. Several of us explained the basic rules of range safety and gave him a crash course in gun safety and shooting technics. Went from a potentially deadly situation to a pleasent morning with a new shooter. As for the posted thread situation, only a complete and total village idiot mixes alcohol and gun powder.

 

[627PCFan]

Ive had a guy walk out 10 feet or so to set up an target frame on an actively firing line. I just looked at him and shook my head. Whats more disturbing, is this guy knew it was wrong. This is the same range that people shoot targets off the top of the berms. Problem is the range is built on the top of a mountain. That didnt work so well in the long run either-

 

[BamAlmighty]

Wow, clay targets are 3-4 cents each. Even if he collected enough to make his effort worth it, he could have lost his life over 4 bucks.

Give that man an award.

 

[Skillet]

I have been out picking up targets when an idiot started shooting downrange in my direction when I was out there before he even arrived to shoot. luckily I was way far to the right of the guy, but It was still unnerving. I immidietely ran back behind the bench to get out of the way. It's ridiculous!

sometimes I bet even God gets suprised at how stupid people can be

 

[merlinfire]

OP, this didn't happen to be Indian Creek did it?

 

[wilkersk]

Bu** heads with shotguns are why I quit building target frames for working party credit at my club.

Bu**heads with high$$ 22 bullseye rifles and big spotting scopes on the pistol range are why I don't like going to the pistol range anymore. Put up a dozen 3" target at 50yds, and then get huffy when the shoot and taper that was there before you is trying to re tape to finish a set of Bill drills. You don't like my timer or my cease fire to retape, go to the rifle range, they have a 50yd line too.

 

[metalhd9034]

- "OP, this didn't happen to be Indian Creek did it?" - Merlinfire
No, this was at one of the ODNR unsupervised trap ranges in NE Ohio.

- "Wow, clay targets are 3-4 cents each. Even if he collected enough to make his effort worth it, he could have lost his life over 4 bucks." - BamAlmighty

I finally told the son that I would happily donate a stack of clays if his Dad would get his ass back behind the firing line, and wait to pick up clays until we left. I wasn't about to spend my afternoon stuck in an indefinite "ceasefire" while he leisurely picked up clays. I understand times are tough, but seriously?! 90 clays are around 6 bucks or so at Wallyworld right? I wonder if this guy re-uses his teabags, or turns his underwear inside out at the end of the week!

 

[metalhd9034]

Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, and enabling me to feel a little less sour about it.
This is just a side note, but running into belligerent people like that really makes me glad that I CCW. This may have to be shuttled to a new post, but in my own experience it seems like ever since I applied for my CCW I've had more "Code Red" incidents where I've met people that were dangerous, or there was a potential for a dangerous situation, and was really thankful that I had my CCW. Do you guys have similar experiences?
I've often wondered though, does having a CCW permit cause a person's "alarm bells" to go off when it really shouldn't? Or alternatively, do you think there really are more ignorant/drunk/dangerous/etc people out there that make you glad you have a CCW? As I've gotten older, I tend to agree with the latter, but I'd be interested in what you guys think.

 

[Sam1911]

I've often wondered though, does having a CCW permit cause a person's "alarm bells" to go off when it really shouldn't? Or alternatively, do you think there really are more ignorant/drunk/dangerous/etc people out there that make you glad you have a CCW?

I think that taking on the weighty responsibility to go armed in public does -- or should -- greatly increase your wariness and habits of observation, and your strategic thinking.

You may be more likely to notice situations that don't seem "right" because, while having a firearm with you most definitely can help save your life, the presence of that weapon could also cause you a world of hurt -- physical, moral, and legal -- in circumstances where you choose the wrong path (and sometimes even the right one).

For example, a little shoving match over a nasty look (or a misunderstanding at a trap range)? Maybe a dangerous situation, maybe not. But when some blowhard pushes you and your shirt flies open, well, now there's a gun involved -- because you are armed. What happens next is anyone's guess, but chances are you're going to spend some time talking to the police one way or another.

You weren't really in less danger before -- maybe that blowhard would have killed you -- maybe just blacked your eye. But the ramifications of YOUR choices and actions all of a sudden are far more serious than before.

So your natural caution is sending you healthy warnings that you need to be in a heightened state of awareness -- always scanning to find the best route away from trouble -- always thinking as though you're about half-a-step from the defendant's chair in a court room.

It's a lot of responsibility. It is better than the alternative, but you cannot look at life the way you did before. Ignorance and folly may be bliss, but you no longer have that luxury.

 

[stonewall308]

"its reasons like that that i avoid the unsupervised range here. first time i went there was a guy ,probably 17yo, doing mag dumps with a full auto ak. i quickly left"


The most dangerous thing I've ever seen happen at a range was not only at a "supervised range," but the several severely negligent acts were committed by the "range supervisor." This included walking up behing a young kid who was wearing earplugs and FIRING A SHOTGUN while standing, grabbing him on the shoulder unexpectedly, and pushing him down onto the bench seat because apparently he was firing from a bench at which you aren't allowed to stand and fire. I was seated directly to the kid's right, so needless to say I didn't appreciate the range supervisor's actions; if that kid had fallen down with his finger on the trigger, who knows what could have happened.

This range had all kinds of junk like lines painted on the ground, a red light and green light above every bench to indicate ceasefire, an loudspeaker system for the range supervisor, etc. etc. The point is, you can't fix stupid. Supervised ranges aren't any safer than unsupervised in my opinion.

 

[metalhd9034]

"It's a lot of responsibility. It is better than the alternative, but you cannot look at life the way you did before. Ignorance and folly may be bliss, but you no longer have that luxury." - Sam

Thanks Sam, ain't that the freakin truth? Well said.

 

[Average Joe]

I would have walked out there, and given him $5 and told him to go home and buy some new clay birds, and for this lousy $5 you are willing to risk your life!