Jerk at the range

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nosmr2

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Just wanted to get this off my chest. I had about an hour of range time to squeeze in this morning. I thought it would be a good time to see if my AR pistol was functioning properly after some work I had done to it.
I headed out to my membership only, $200 per year, must sit through an orientation range about 10:30. I set up at the 50 yard targets, far left on the rifle range. I start messing with the gun and I'm getting the same problems as before, FTE. So as I'm removing one stuck case the RO comes over to check out what I'm up to. He asks, I show him, then he gives me a hand removing the stuck case. As soon as we finish, another shooter walks down to our end of the line and yells,"mind if we go cold, I need to hang some targets!" I don't look up to acknowledge him or his statement, I pull the charging handle back to lock the bolt, so I can set it down to go cold. Our range ruled states that pistols need to have the bolts locked back and on the bench when the range is cold. Anyway, the guys yells that and I go to lock the bolt back, and not 2 seconds after he yells about getting a cold range he yells, "you ain't gonna answer me partner??!!" I finish with the bolt, not much time at all, but my first priority is not him and his targets but the safety of my gun and making sure it's good. I stand up and he looks real mad, I told him, "I was locking the bolt." He lets out a grumble and heads off to his targets. The RO headed off without saying a word.
I finished up and left that range, I was done with the pistol. I found the RO on the way out and told him that attitudes like that are what causes stupid stuff to escalate. And I didn't appreciate this guy's attitude. He said he understood and I did the right thing.
I suppose I'm thin skinned at times, but eventually this guy will meet someone as big as a jerk as him. The last place an attitude is needed is the firing line.
 
He is probably a miserable human being. Just be glad it is him having to live that way and not you. Thats how I look at it.
 
On the other hand, you could say "Give me a minute. Trying to make this thing safe." That would have headed it off. Ignoring him seems to be rude in the first place.
 
The guy may have escalated it a bit much and his reaction was kind of harsh. But I agree just a quick "one sec. gotta lock my bolt back" may have prevented it.
 
As soon as we finish, another shooter walks down to our end of the line and yells,"mind if we go cold, I need to hang some targets!" I don't look up to acknowledge him or his statement, I pull the charging handle back to lock the bolt, so I can set it down to go cold. Our range ruled states that pistols need to have the bolts locked back and on the bench when the range is cold. Anyway, the guys yells that and I go to lock the bolt back, and not 2 seconds after he yells about getting a cold range he yells, "you ain't gonna answer me partner??!!" I finish with the bolt, not much time at all, but my first priority is not him and his targets but the safety of my gun and making sure it's good. I stand up and he looks real mad, I told him, "I was locking the bolt." He lets out a grumble and heads off to his targets. The RO headed off without saying a word.
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I think you definitely could have handled it better.

Locking the bolt to the rear does not take so much effort that it should render you speechless.
 
He sounded like an ignorant, miserable human being. Imagine what his wife and kids must go through every day. On second thought, don't.

Let it run off your back. You vented here. He vented on you for a slow response. Carry on.
 
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On the other hand, you could say "Give me a minute. Trying to make this thing safe." That would have headed it off. Ignoring him seems to be rude in the first place.
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What I was thinking, also.
Not too hard to just say 2 words, "Sure thing!", and you don't even have to turn around to utter those words.
 
...my first priority is not him and his targets...
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Maybe if you'd just taken a moment to yell, "My first priority is not you and your targets!" he would have gotten the message. Of course, it sounds like he did.

:)

I'll add to the chorus that says, a pleasant word to acknowledge his presence and his request would probably have made that go a little better. I'd imagine he came out to the RO 30 minutes later and said, "Wow, that guy on the line before just ignored me and kept fooling with his gun when I asked to go cold! Wouldn't even speak to me! Guys like that just ruin this place..."

Two sides to every story and we owe it to ourselves to step into the other guy's shoes for just a moment.
 
I agree, The guy asked a simple question. Some sort of reply by you might have been the appropriate thing to do. As you said though you didn't even acknowledge him what so ever. I understand you were having problems but that's no excuse to brush the guy off. Of course the RO isn't going to get involved in something so trivial. I think your right you may be a little thin skinned at times. Chalk it up as a lesson learned and know that although he might be a jerk in your eyes, you just might be a jerk in his.
Nothing to get all upset about,just learn from it,and move on.
 
On the other hand, you could say "Give me a minute. Trying to make this thing safe." That would have headed it off. Ignoring him seems to be rude in the first place.
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Agreed. Verbal acknowledgement of shooter requests (and especially RO commands) is always welcome...
 
I'm an RSO at our local "members only" range and would have wandered down to remind you to promptly acknowledge range commands.


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In the grand scheme of things, such an incident isn't exactly noteworthy, at least to me. Chances are, on any given day, I encounter several jerks. On any given day, through no intent of my own, several other people may see ME as a jerk. If I held on to resentment from each such encounter, I'd be hard pressed to have time to think about anything else....so, I don't!
 
"Failure to extract Buddy! Let me clear this for you and then I will be clear for you!"
I'm so deaf anymore that people have sometimes concluded I'm rude or angry when I just didn't hear or see what they were doing? If that isn't bad enough I talk a little loud(er) just because I can't hear myself.
A simple acknowledgement, a smile and a handshake goes a long way to smooth misunderstandings over.
 
Remember we are all usually walking around with our own unique egotism. We are into what we are into, and often to the exclusion of everybody else and what they are doing. It takes only a little practice to grow out of it and recognize this and the principles of situational awareness will usually follow.

Both parties could have realized they were in a common space, membership required or not, and used some different social tools. Imagine the ROs having to deal with you guys. Good luck.
 
Why do the "jerks" hang out where they shoot modern guns? I been shooting
Muzzleloaders at muzzleloading ranges for over 50 years. Been shooting at
The Nationals for over 25 yrs where there are thousands of shooters. Never
Ran into a "jerk" yet. But I have ran into the nicest kind of people you would
Ever want to meet. Why is that? I did go to a modern range once. Sure enough
A "jerk" was there. I never went back. I'll keep doing what I'm doing.
 
nosmr2-
I sincerely hope that was the worst thing that happened to you all day.

Not trying to be a smart alec. But I am involved in a line of work where I see the worst possible things that happen to people. This past October I was on the way home from a hearing in Hartford CT where I represented a woman in end stage liver failure. Have any idea what that does to a person?
A car (chinese delivery driver) made an illegal u-turn and hit my car while on the way home from this hearing. Everyone reacted as though it was a terrible tragedy that I got hit. I was ok with it. I think the guy who hit me was more upset than I was. I am very lucky that it was probably the worst thing that had happened to me all month. The car got fixed, and now 7 months later it's just a memory.

I know my post isn't exactly on topic for THR, but we often see the saying that an armed society is a polite society. I agree wholeheartedly, but I also think that along with carrying arms, we need to be able to remove ourselves from every situation and look at the big picture. I would argue that it's a necessary life skill, and especially so when one carries a tool capable of projecting deadly force.
 
Why do the "jerks" hang out where they shoot modern guns? I been shooting
Muzzleloaders at muzzleloading ranges for over 50 years. Been shooting at
The Nationals for over 25 yrs where there are thousands of shooters. Never
Ran into a "jerk" yet. But I have ran into the nicest kind of people you would
Ever want to meet. Why is that? I did go to a modern range once. Sure enough
A "jerk" was there. I never went back. I'll keep doing what I'm doing.
Click to expand...

I've noticed the same thing with traditional archery. Nothing but politeness and respect and a great willingness to teach. Maybe the jerks just don't have time for the slower pace of traditional sports.
 
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