Carters Country, Spring Range...Someone's Going to Get Shot.

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phantomak47

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I have been to Carters Country in Spring a lot lately and every since I moved to Houston. After they expanded, the place is pretty nice. Their prices are sometimes decent, although there are some overpriced items there .


Then theres the range. Its a decent range, pretty clean, range officers do a decent job. The only complaint I have is that the plywood overhang is way too low, I have shot it a few times. If you over 6ft, good luck not hitting it now and then.


Then theres the people shooting there. I went last sunday and I dont know if I will ever go back. There are way too many clowns there mishandling firearms to the point that after my friend finished shooting his new Glock, we left.


Next to us was some "Gangsters" (straight out of the hood)shooting a tec 9 at 10 yards and along with him his buddy is shooting a cetme(at 25 yds), they decide to switch guns and while they are loaded, they are swining them around like its no big deal pointing the muzzle at people. One of their buddies can barely handle his highpoint 9mm to the point that its literally jumping out of his hand.

Next some people go down range after everyones been called back.
After that someone starts firing before the range officer annoucnes to start firing.

Its just a matter of time until someone gets shot there.
 
Yea, been there seen that. I won't go back if possible for other reasons. I'd love to see a public range open up in Tomball but for the time being, Hotwells is is the closest and fairly laid back.
 
That kind of ignorant activity needs to be addressed before the people are allowed on the line with loaded guns.

I said ignorant because if they don't know they can be taught. Then if that kind of stuff starts...well, they're stupid...and can be led off the range.

The word would get around and the "stupid" just wouldn't show up.

Mark.
 
You're a stronger man than I if you can go to Hotwells on a regular basis. I live about 10 minutes away but drive 30 minutes to get to American instead. Just cannot abide the way they run that place.

Sorry for hijacking the thread, just felt a rant coming on.
 
There is a range, gun club, 200yds rifle, out by the high school. Nice range, they have a reduced course match every month.

Oneshooter
Livin in Texas
 
phantomak47 said:
Then theres the range. Its a decent range, pretty clean, range officers do a decent job.
Click to expand...
Somehow, the statement above strikes me as mutually exclusive of the statement below:

phantomak47 said:
Next to us was some "Gangsters" (straight out of the hood)shooting a tec 9 at 10 yards and along with him his buddy is shooting a cetme(at 25 yds), they decide to switch guns and while they are loaded, they are swining them around like its no big deal pointing the muzzle at people. One of their buddies can barely handle his highpoint 9mm to the point that its literally jumping out of his hand.

Next some people go down range after everyones been called back.
After that someone starts firing before the range officer annoucnes to start firing.

Its just a matter of time until someone gets shot there.
Click to expand...
It doesn't sound to me as though the range officer(s) is (are) doing a good job at all. Sounds like they're letting things run completely out of control, in fact.
 
The problem is that theres well over 100 people there shooting, they need more range officers.
 
Who has shot at the Gun Emporium in Conroe, I know its a bit of a drive, but I havent heard anything negative about it.
 
I've shot at the Gun Emporium and it's pretty decent. It has been awhile since I've shot at the range but in general I never met any trouble-makers. Most of the people there were laid back and relaxed. The shooters handled their own cease-fires and pretty much used the honor-system for everything else. Last I remember they charged by the gun ($6-$7 per gun a few years ago). More than likely it is more expensive now. If it was closer I would make more use of it because I never had a bad experience there.

There's also Shooter's Station off of 105 past loop 336, but it's indoor and looks to have gotten pretty expensive. Last time I shot there you could rent whatever firearms were being sold as "Used" for $20 if I recall. No bad experiences here, either, but it was fairly pricey.

Then there's one off of FM1314 just south of 242 called Thunder Gun Range. They have pistol ranges out to 25yds and rifle ranges out to 300 yds (I think, could be more). They have range officers there that you really don't notice until a cease-fire is called over a PA system, and then only when the shooters on the rifle lanes need to change targets (pistol lanes are on a pully system). They charge about $8 per firearm or shooter, whichever is greater, but you can shoot all day if you want. They do have "No Rapid Fire without Instructors Present" signs posted, but I haven't seen them enforce it unless a shooter cannot control their firearm. This is the range I shoot at since I live about 10 minutes away.
 
Now that I am retired, I can go shoot during the week at Carter's range. There are less problems then. If someone begins acting careless, I don't have any qualms about telling one of the range officers. They will watch such people closely when they are made aware of a potential danger. I don't have any tolerance for stupidity with firearms!

Good shooting and be safe.
LB

ps: I can't abide Hotwells. Their pistol range was terrible and targets even worse the last time I tried to shoot there 3-4 years ago. Very unprofessional.
 
Hotwells doesn't let you post your own paper...that isn't too cool. Plus the staff wasn't too pleasant...the lady there is a nice gal, but the kids working outside...nah...

ASC over by the Addicks Reservoir was a decent enough place..but damn near as dangerous...used to be a range ossifer out there...I got pretty dang scared of some people out there...people stacking up sandbags looking like they are getting ready to take fire from down-range. :eek:

Carters Country wasn't too bad but like another poster said, it was during the week we go...just down the road here at work. :) The RO's there weren't the most receptive...but once they figured out my friend and I weren't eager-innocents it wasn't too bad.


I haven't been to thunder range but I am thinking that will be the next place I visit...that is if I don't get a membership at that gunclub in Pearland...helluva drive, but worth it to stay away from the gansta's and other associated riff-raff...

D
 
You can't assume that the folks next to you know anything about guns anymore... More and more I seem to get stuck next to folks who do not know squat... Grip, loading, shooting, clearing stoppages.... etc...
 
I stopped going to ASC because of the wicked winds when sighting in. My groups became much tighter when I started shooting at Carters. Almost no wind at all!

By the by, those RO's at Carters are all high school or just a bit older kids. I don't put ANY faith in their ability to monitor the range. I think old man Carter just hires them so he doesn't have to pay higher wages to a more experienced, seasoned Range Officer. They have a tendency to congregate near someone shooting a 'neat' rifle, or someone else who brought his pretty girlfriend to shoot. One poor sap nearly took his thumb off trying to 'inspect' my PTR-91. I had it in the rack during a changeover and he picked it up without permission and tried to drop the bolt with his thumb in the way. I had to rip it from his hands before he bled all over it. Word of warning: Guns have a way of walking off at Carters and ASC. Use the buddy system if you can, keep a close eye on your property if you can't.

I have had better experiences with the ROs at ASC, though. They have always been courteous and sharp. They will yell at bubbas acting up, but not without good reason. I only go out there when I absolutely have to, and that is a rarity these days.
 
The only reason why I went to Carters on a weekend was that my bother in law got a Glock 17 and wanted to shoot it for the first time, so thats why we went. I was just surprised how bad it was since that last time I was there on the weekend.


I did notice that after the moron with the cetme started firing at 25 yds, a lot of people started to leave. My policy before was to only go during the week day, as it will be from now on.


On a good note, Carters country seems to have less overpriced handguns, I actually some some guns there that were priced about right.
 
Even I have enough sense to take my PTR 91 to the FAR end of the 100yd. line when shooting...as a courtesy to the rest of the range. That is a loud rifle, and I turned a few heads when I shot.
 
I'm planning to hit the pistol range at Carter's tomorrow morning. Hope all the idiots, bubbas, gangsta's, etc. will be elsewhere spreading their good will while I am shooting.

Good shooting and be safe.
LB
 
What's in your mind?

I'm curious about the reason for posting such a complaint about a local range in the Houston, Texas, area on an Internet forum that has national and international circulation. The best reason I can imagine is to close down that range and suggest to people throughout the world that gun ranges are dangerous places that should be even more thoroughly regulated or closed altogether. A lot of people think that way already.

Is that the reason for posting the message? If it's not, I don't understand why you choose to complain here instead of writing the range owner. If there are problems, the owner would have an opportunity to correct them. If you've already given the owner that opportunity and he has neglected to do so, why not contact your local authorities and ask them to close the range.

But why do it here, where what you say about a local situation--even if it is true--can add fuel to national and international fears about guns and gun owners?
 
Threads like this make me glad i'm a member of a nice gunclub. www.ofgc.org 2 ranges one is a simple 50 and 100 yard rifle range. The other is huge with pistol bays for 30 or so people. A 100 yard rifle range with room for 20 people and a 300 yard rifle range with 10 or 15 target stands but only enough benchs for 3 people. And it's only about $60 a year :neener:
 
looking down the barrel....

of some idiots hi-point the other day,at my local indoor range really had me wondering,as I walked out,wasting 45 minutes of my paid for time....had me wondering about the cost/benefit analysis I was doing....benefit=practice...cost=possible gunshot wound from some hood rat wif gold teeth.
The place used to be nicer,safer,cleaner...now it seems like they just cycle people through as fast as possible,relying on the signed waiver to protect them.No range officer,just a guy on the speaker who might occasionaly watch.I watch for a while before I shoot,I watch the people...that particular day I has some new sights I wanted to test out and decided to shoot with all 12 lanes full...I'm not doing that again.

Each time I go now,it seems like I get "swept" by someone at least once,finger on trigger...loaded or not? I dunno...do they?

Last time I quit for a year after noticing the .44 caliber hollowpoints in the cylinder of the revolver that happened to be pointed at me...its an hour further drive to the peaceful outdoor range,I think it's worth it....Oh I'll go back...but I wont shoot if its crowded,not again,or If I see some low iq stuff going on...

Last time,the guy was forcing his girlfriend to shoot some high brass shells out of his double barrel,she was almost crying,leaning back,barrel wavering all over,shooting 00 buck at a target at 7 yards..."cmon honey,just try it..."after she shot he swept me as he put the shottie on the shelf behind us...did she fire one or two..it was a double...do I feel lucky?
 
Quote: "How about trying somewhere else? http://psc-range.com"

Unfortunately, that range is 50-60 miles of heavy traffic from where I live on the opposite side of Houston. Sure wish we had a similar nice range on the north side of Houston. Wasn't bad at Carter's today. Nice weather too.

Good shooting and be safe.
LB
 
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