Not being informed before attending.
Not attending with someone else , or not meeting with someone else as prearranged at the range.
As responsible firearm owners, we are not only responsible for ourselves, also in passing forward responsible firearm ownership.
I. Totally New to Firearms.
Before going to the range, sit down with someone you have invited and go over 4 Rules, Safety Eyes, Ears, Clothing (no low cut shirts/blouses, no sandels, etc), and again go over the type of firearm they will be shooting and everything about it works.
Share club/range rules, such as having to sign a Insurance form and pay a day fee for Insurance .
On a Skeet range, no shot sizes over # 7 1/2 allowed, shotguns are to have actions open, and there are gun racks where they can safely put a gun, with the action open - except do expect to see O/U and SxS Shotguns closed in gun racks.
Guns are dangerous. There are a lot of things "to remember".
We don't want a New Person to get more rattled because they did not expect to pay a day rate for insurance.
We don't want them to feel even more "New" by showing up with #6 shot shotgun shells they picked up at a box store and feeling really stupid when they see the signs "No shot larger than # 7 1/2 allowed".
For sure someone pointing this out and hopefully nice about it, still there is always one that has to be a fuss bucket about it and do this rudely.
II. New to Range, Club, or Sport.
Before going to the range:
(a)
Take a Skeet Shooter. They know pretty much how where they usually shoot does things.
They pretty know most Skeet clubs/ranges are run about the same...
Still when they show up at a New Range for a Shoot for the first time, there is an orientation for new folks.
Most times the Club Hosting does this, and members, and those that have shot there before, assist the Folks shootigng a Tournament there for the first time.
Common Courtesy and Respect.
(b) Take that same Skeet Shooter and he/she is going to attend a Bowling Pin Shoot.
Shotguns and Skeet fields they know.
Bowling Pins and all is totally NEW to them!
They may be a State Champion Skeet Shooter, but are totally clueless as to what one needs for a gun, the loadings, any restrictions for the gun and ammo, Safety concerns they have never had to consider.
They KNOW how clays are sharp on incomers and pieces that continue to come in after bit hit, will hurt someone.
They are not used to Bowling Pins "shooting back" [ricochets].
Go over this BEFORE heading to a Bowling Pin shoot, everything about the Sport, the Club, to bring snacks and sodas as the place does not have them, or they have vending machines, a concession, whatever.
WE all started out NEW and we all will continue to be NEW in anything we choose to do , as there is always a "first time".
A lot of "Us vs Them" stems from not accepting this and in order to feed our self esteems, talk down to another and their sport.
There is nothing in the world wrong with saying " Listen, I know nothing about Skeet, so I will show you the ropes about Bowling Pins and someday you can show me the ropes about Skeet".
You get all "huffy and puffy" and start being condescending with a Skeet Shooter , embarrass them in front of others and:
(a) Shotgunner is going to tell everyone how awful and snooty Bowling Pin shooters are.
(b) React, get defensive and start tossing out foreign stuff like pattern boards, LOP, pitch, drop, comb, cast on, cast off, sustained lead, pass through, hold points, LaPorte, White Flyer, Perazzi, Kreifhoff, Brister,...
I don't know - three little words that some are totally afraid to say.
I don't know, I am interested and willing to learn are words of a wise person, even if they do not know come here from sic 'em about guns.
Steve