WardenWolf
member
I can say right now that I will not be going back to Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Arizona anymore, and my 66-year-old father agrees. The power has gone to their heads, and some of their newly implemented rules and decisions they make on the spot are nothing short of idiotic. One of the things they chose to do yesterday actually dramatically increased the danger.
Saturday, I was shooting my PSL at the range. The PSL is an AK-based rifle that fires the powerful 7.62x54R round. When ceasefire was called but the line was not yet cleared, I attempted to clear the chamber, but the bolt was stuck due to the tight lockup between the bolt carrier and bolt. This is an occasional issue, and the solution is either to simply to fire out the round or to appy some good old-fashioned elbow grease. This in mind, I notified the closest range officer and asked to shoot out the round.
Keep in mind that, at this point, everyone was still behind the red line and the rifle was pointed in a completely safe direction. He told me he would only let me fire it if it was a muzzleloader (they do this because some muzzleloader owners are irresponsible and start loading when they won't have time to finish and shoot, so they let them finish up and clear their gun). I explained the situation,and how to make the rifle safe. He said instead that they'd have to take it to the rangemaster's desk during the break. This involved picking up the rifle with the round chambered (they did not even engage the safety or ask how), carrying it down the line with muzzle up, and then placing it somewhere it could potentially cause harm and storing it loaded while people were downrange. This being totally in violation of range policy that any rifle carried down the line must be empty and locked open. The logical and safe solution would have been to let me clear it, but instead they chose to do something that was decidedly more dangerous. Note that, the previous time I was there, they had that problem with the same muzzleloader guy over and over again, and he was not asked to leave despite the fact that he was repeatedly abusing the ceasefire. Yet my rifle with a single round stuck in the chamber, magazine out, was somehow different?
Then there was the same range employees nitpicking over various ways I was shooting my guns, despite the fact that they all remained perfectly under control and pointed downrange at all times. And all shots hit my target, and nothing but my target.
Then there's the policy change they made last year that any rifles brought to the range must be fully cased, and that slings with bolt open or gunsocks were not acceptable. So instead of being able to visually inspect the safety of someone's rifle (as they did before), a person can now walk up with it fully loaded, round chambered, safety off, with the case being carried horizontally. And uncase it that way at their table. That said, anyone is still allowed to walk up with a fully loaded pistol on their hip, but they still complain if someone is carrying a full-coverage military holster that is no different than a soft case in their hands.
Effectively, the changes they have made have made over the last year have made the range significantly less safe than it was a couple of years ago, and significantly less fun to shoot at. Having range officers harassing you for no good reason instead of watching for unsafe activity is not a good way to get repeat customers, and making decisions that compromise safety instead of giving the shooter a chance to safely resolve a problem show general decision-making flaws.
I can honestly say that I will not be going back to Ben Avery shooting range. My father agrees, despite the fact that we have both been shooting there for many years. We have seen many things go on at this range, but over the last 2 years we have noticed a general decline in overall safety and enjoyment.
Saturday, I was shooting my PSL at the range. The PSL is an AK-based rifle that fires the powerful 7.62x54R round. When ceasefire was called but the line was not yet cleared, I attempted to clear the chamber, but the bolt was stuck due to the tight lockup between the bolt carrier and bolt. This is an occasional issue, and the solution is either to simply to fire out the round or to appy some good old-fashioned elbow grease. This in mind, I notified the closest range officer and asked to shoot out the round.
Keep in mind that, at this point, everyone was still behind the red line and the rifle was pointed in a completely safe direction. He told me he would only let me fire it if it was a muzzleloader (they do this because some muzzleloader owners are irresponsible and start loading when they won't have time to finish and shoot, so they let them finish up and clear their gun). I explained the situation,and how to make the rifle safe. He said instead that they'd have to take it to the rangemaster's desk during the break. This involved picking up the rifle with the round chambered (they did not even engage the safety or ask how), carrying it down the line with muzzle up, and then placing it somewhere it could potentially cause harm and storing it loaded while people were downrange. This being totally in violation of range policy that any rifle carried down the line must be empty and locked open. The logical and safe solution would have been to let me clear it, but instead they chose to do something that was decidedly more dangerous. Note that, the previous time I was there, they had that problem with the same muzzleloader guy over and over again, and he was not asked to leave despite the fact that he was repeatedly abusing the ceasefire. Yet my rifle with a single round stuck in the chamber, magazine out, was somehow different?
Then there was the same range employees nitpicking over various ways I was shooting my guns, despite the fact that they all remained perfectly under control and pointed downrange at all times. And all shots hit my target, and nothing but my target.
Then there's the policy change they made last year that any rifles brought to the range must be fully cased, and that slings with bolt open or gunsocks were not acceptable. So instead of being able to visually inspect the safety of someone's rifle (as they did before), a person can now walk up with it fully loaded, round chambered, safety off, with the case being carried horizontally. And uncase it that way at their table. That said, anyone is still allowed to walk up with a fully loaded pistol on their hip, but they still complain if someone is carrying a full-coverage military holster that is no different than a soft case in their hands.
Effectively, the changes they have made have made over the last year have made the range significantly less safe than it was a couple of years ago, and significantly less fun to shoot at. Having range officers harassing you for no good reason instead of watching for unsafe activity is not a good way to get repeat customers, and making decisions that compromise safety instead of giving the shooter a chance to safely resolve a problem show general decision-making flaws.
I can honestly say that I will not be going back to Ben Avery shooting range. My father agrees, despite the fact that we have both been shooting there for many years. We have seen many things go on at this range, but over the last 2 years we have noticed a general decline in overall safety and enjoyment.
by people with bullhorns at the tiniest misstep. 
