Interesting encounter at the DNR shooting range

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Enough has been said about that a-hat RO, and I agree fully.

My club doesn't allow drawing from holster to shoot in the rifle/pistol house, because we're indoors shooting through portals. A premature discharge could cause damage/injuries.
 
I used to RO at an indoor club range, and I found that sometimes, a shooter would fail to hear my whistle, even though I used the loudest one I could find. When that happened, I approached the shooter from 8:00 and put my right hand on his or her left shoulder (assuming a right handed shooter). That way they could lay the gun on the bench and turn toward me. If they started to turn with the gun, I could bring up my left hand to gently push their arm and gun back downrange.

I never, ever touched a shooter's gun without their permission.

Okay, the guy is a maroon, but the range can still be a good place to shoot if he's gone or corrected. Seems to me, if CCW was not allowed, they'd have it posted as customers came in, and I'd be wondering if it was an actual rule or just his personal policy.

Parker
 
Catspa, That was a well thought out and proper method to reach your objectives. I am sure the job of a RO is tough, with a lot of idiots, uneducated shooters etc. You were able to gain control of the situation in a safe manner, both for you and your customer.

Maybe the NRA or some other organization has a certification program for ROs?
 
1) How would YOU react if someone snuck up behind you unanounced and grabbed your gun from your holster?
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Hard butt stroke with the AR to the face. If I noticed he was a range officer before the stroke, stop then proceed to inform him what a very very bad move that was rather harshly. A curse word would be thrown in.

I don't know about the carrying rule, but I would talk to the owners and inform then about the a$$hat of a range officer. Never seen or heard of an R.O. do something stupid or dangerous. This was both.
 
bad officer

its interesting that as bad as MASS is supposed to be no range I ever was at had all these rules.you could have a pistol in holster.the only one would be drawing from holster and there were no rules as no one did.:rolleyes::uhoh:
 
I tend to agree with a lot of the previous posts! I've gotta say, in my little world here, you don't EVER touch another man's gun without first asking for permission!!
There are better ways for the R.O. to handle the situation than the way he did.
The Range Officer will be lucky if he never gets hurt when doing something like that again. I'd sure as hell chew him a new a$$h*** first and foremost. Second of all, I'd walk with him to the range rules and tell him to show me where it stated that my actions were not allowed. Either that, or he can show me in writing where it says it in Range Bylaws or something. If he couldn't (or if he could), I'd pack up my plunder and head out. Writing a letter to the people who oversee that range would be the least of my actions.
I agree with whomever said to call the cops. I'd be for telling them that an armed individual just took my gun from me and was acting in a hostile manner.
A situation like this wouldn't set too well with me! Some SOB would have a fight on his hands that it would take his handgun and mine to remedy if they tried this.
 
I, in no way, would fault you with what happened. But... how did YOU feel? Were you surprised at how easily your gun was taken? Does it make you rethink how you carry? What went through your mid w/in the first couple seconds?

I don't want to re-start the open vs. concealed debate - there are limitations to each method. But I've never been through what you experienced, but I've wondered how I would handle it. You had the "opportunity" to experience this w/o a threat to your life, and you are probably better prepared because of it. What can you share with the rest of us that might help us?
 
"A%# chewing"? "A curse word would be thrown in"?

In other words, this Range Bully went trolling, and someone bit?

Now...think about what his report will say - and it might say something like this, "Upon taking an action that was neccessary to insure range safety, I was confronted by a man who was hostile and threatening, and was using totally inappropriate language". In other words...you lose before any truth can come out.

Please....think about it.
 
It's not uncommon to have range rules that forbid loaded guns ANYWHERE but on the line, when the line is hot.

This is a safety rule, not a law.

Personally, I'd prefer not to be shot by someone with lax safety practices while at the range, and man it does get close sometimes. So, I respect rules like this. (I make sure that my carry gun stays concealed while at the range:D.)
 
Wow. Just wow.

I would like to know if you are going to contact the range owners/managers? I cannot believe that he would actually grab a gun out of your holster.

My little brothers used to try to do sometihng like this..only they were trying to grab my pocket knife out of my front pocket. I instructed them in no uncertain terms that they are NEVER to touch a man's weapon. Ever.

~Norinco
 
I'd have to agree with the concensus. Whether or not the DNR can post a sign making you Indiana permit null and void on their property is a different topic...and one that I doubt we'd be hearing much about if this knucklehead of a range officer had not behaved in an egregiously bad and unsafe manner.

What an idiot. I mean even if he YELLED at you, that would be 100 times better than snatching you gun from your holster. That is un...gosh_darned... believable!!!

All the posturing and supposing above aside, I think everyone lucky there was not some sort of accident.

I have just started to go to the range at Atterbury and I did find them a little ham fisted but what the heck. None of those guys was carrying either...at least not openly.
 
Kingsbury Shooting Range

I have been to the Kingsbury range several times. There are three older gentlemen rangemasters. Two of the three are great and have even started shooting with me when no one else was there. I would bet the third guy is the one discussed here. He is always on me for something.

Question:

There is a handwritten sign at the registration window that states "It has been determined that it is illegal for Illinois residents to bring a handgun to Indiana for hunting or target practice". Does anyone know if this is true?

The friendly rangemaster told me not to worry about it because he does not check ID to determine where we are from.
 
What an idiot. I mean even if he YELLED at you, that would be 100 times better than snatching you gun from your holster. That is un...gosh_darned... believable!!!
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That's the standard procedure at ranges, anyway.

Verbal warnings can be done from 100 yards away.

I have no problem with a rule that forbids holstered, loaded guns at a "cold" range when people are posting targets. There's a REASON for this rule, and I've seen some things over the years...

But this guy's way of making the range "safe" could have resulted in a serious tragedy.
 
I think there was a good lesson in this. There really is nowhere that you can go Code White when you're carrying. I expect that without malice aforethought I would have reacted physically to that. And I would have sued him for the pain and suffering his face caused my right elbow. I really don't mean that to sound macho or "I'd have beat him up", it would have happened before my conscious mind realized it. That's not always a good thing, but it's ingrained. If I were you, I'd make my complaints to his superiors long and insistent. If he is allowed to continue on like this, one day it's not going to end as well as it did with you. Good luck.....
 
When they call "All Clear/Cease Fire" on the range, does that include any guns on ones' person as well?
 
As stated previously, the range at Kingsbury is owned and operated by the Indiana Department of Natural resources.

I have an update:

early today, I fished around the DNR website until i found a phone number. I called that number and had the operator put me in touch with Major hunter, who is the head of the DNR conservation officers in Indiana. He was in a meeting, so I left him a message.

He called me back around 3PM today, and I had a good conversation with him. I described the incident, and told him that I did not appreciate the officers actions, that they were extreemly dangerous and inapropriate, and that i wanted to file a formal complaint against the man in question.

He agreed with me on all counts. He said that he doubts the man in question is actualy a conservation officer, because they don't normally operate ranges. Major Hunter told me that he would guess the man in question is just a regular joe who is employed by the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

He told me that he would personaly forward the information to the head of the Department of Fish and Wildlife, who would call me back; probably some time tomorrow.

The powers that bee have been notified. We will see if any disiplinary action is taken.
 
I live in a country where the carriage of firearms for personal defence is illegal.

However, I have been required to carry in the past as part of my job.

In that situation, my response (verbal or otherwise) would be somewhat forceful.
 
Grey, i appreciate the update. i planned to go to the range today but fell short on time but please keep us updated...
 
You have to wonder who we are paying to train DNR officers if they truly believe that this is a safe courteous way to deal with a citizen. Being the bully in charge is bad enough but this one has a badge with essentially the same authority as a State Trooper. I hope you reach someone up the ladder with a complaint. This has the potential to become a very dangerous environment if he remains there.
 
after about 3 months of complaints our range officer got fired. funny though, I got offered his job. :D
 
Gray Morel said:
It didn't help that i was wearing ears either: I couldn't hear him walking up, and I don't have eyes in the back of my head. I've been thinking of getting a more secure holster since I started OC'ing. I guess I need to make that a priority and get on it.
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Get a pair of electronic hear protection so you can hear him walking up.
 
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