My wife and I had to drive 35 miles to an outdoor state-managed range on a 2.4 mile dirt road. As hunting season approaches, the range becomes more dangerous due to lack of supervision and neophyte annual shooters. I bought a membership at an indoor range - they went bust with over six months of my membership left. I joined the FOP Range in Pleasant Grove, AL... shotting mecca. Eight ranges; rifle, pistol, falling plates, rebounding plates, IDPA. An A/C store with fat pills, sodas, ammo, and even reloading supplies - and indoor bathroom! A rangemaster to keep order... paved road, even. Sadly, still 33 miles from here. I spent so much time there, they hired me to help on the public line during pre-hunting season madness.
Many 'annual hunters' will go buy a new currently-in-vogue big buck (neat phrase) rifle - and expensive scope - for that once a year hunt. The little white-tails are impressed by those Weatherby's, etc... but more of them drop annually to a .30-30 than anything else. They bring it out to a range - and expend many $ in ammo trying to 'zero' a poorly mounted scope, often not knowing the basics of shooting/trigger control. We had a 10" steel plate at 110 yd for 'testing' after zeroing on paper. Many would never 'ring' it. I would hand them my 336W .30-30, $269 at a discount store with an $8.99 box of Remington ammo and with a Williams FP peep sight and four out of five would hit the plate on the first round, the holdout usually on the second shot. I would then pick up my 4" 625 (.45ACP) and hit the plate3-4 times out of 6 (Practice helps...), proof that you can hit the plate with anything if you learn to shoot.
I think the best medecine - or lesson - is by our example. Show them what you can do with a proper revolver. Don't worry about high capacity and fast reloads, shoot well. If five rounds in a revolver won't get you out of trouble, you probably needed a crew-served weapon.
Stainz (a reformed/previous bottom-feeder fan)
