Lost My Cool at Range Today

Our range has no rule for racking guns during cold range, but it does require all guns to be made safe with a flag in the chamber. And there's a yellow line painted behind the shooting benches, and nobody can step over it towards their bench while people are downrange.
It doesn't happen very often, but on one occasion the range was called cold, and a flashing red light was turned on while we went to retrieve targets. I happened to look back and a guy was at his bench and appeared to be cleaning his rifle? Since it lined up with the guy who was setting a new target next to me I asked him if he knew the guy, and he said, "Oh, he's just cleaning his gun. It's not loaded."
I told him the rules are posted right at the line, and doesn't matter if the gun is even on the bench, you can't touch anything at the line during a cold line. He got an attitude, and I walked back to the line and told the guy there the rule, and showed him the signs. The member who I spoke to got pissy and began giving me attitude, so I walked over and looked at his badge number, and told him I was done talking, and would pass this along to the club officers. He got worried then, and began to be nice, and apologized, but I told him I was still passing his badge number along.
The club called him in front of the Board at the next board meeting, and suspended him from the club for 30 days, plus told him he couldn't bring guests for the next year. They also reprimanded him for having 5 guests, instead of the maximum 3 guests, and not keeping his guests under control. I got a call later telling me what they had decided, and how they handled this situation.
I would never get mad or fight with someone while we all have firearms. Best to try to warn them, and remind them of the rules. Then report it if they wont change what they're doing.
 
I'm a member at a club range & we all have to take a gun safety instruction before getting our gate entry card. As having taken the safety course we were instructed to call out to all others shooting at that bay to go cold range & have to get a reply that they are cold (guns unloaded)from all other shooters before going downrange. While we are downrange other shooters are to keep their unloaded firearms laying flat with mags out on the shooting tables. They are not allowed to handle their firearms while the range is cold. They are allowed to reload mags but that's about all.
After everyone has come behind the firing line we have to get every shooter to agree to go hot (return to shooting) before the first round is loaded.
 
We don’t have to much of that happen at the range I belong to but it does happen what happened to you I have experienced also . When you become a member at the range I belong to and before you even get your badge you have to go through New Member Orientation class and pass a test. Our range is one way in and one way out when you come in you have to stop at the RSO gate/office and show your badge and identification or you don’t get in. We have multiple RSO’s on duty every day and they patrol the 11 ranges very regularly on UTV’s . Any screwing around , getting belligerent with a RSO, unsafe behavior and your membership is terminated immediately some members think our rules are too strict but I want to come home alive after a day at the range so I am good with that.
 
film495 said:
maybe if there was a club rule that said I was supposed to correct others, like an honor code kind of thing
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That is our club rule - during orientation, we are all told to call cold and address any safety issues. Everyone is charged with being an RSO. I will add this incident occurred on a Sunday. I rarely go to the range on weekends. I usually go Mondays or Fridays and I avoid people altogether which I love!
 
Chief TC said:
That is our club rule - during orientation, we are all told to call cold and address any safety issues. Everyone is charged with being an RSO.
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30 years ago, I belonged to a private range club with 25/50/100 yard pistol/rimfire/rifle range along with separate shotgun range. There was no RSO at any time and members were expected to follow club rules for range operation as whoever got to the range first automatically became the RSO for that particular range along with any other members shooting.

During orientation, it was made clear how the hot range/red flag for each range was to be performed (If red flag was raised, range was hot) and all members were mandated to follow or face losing membership if range rules were violated. While most members were courteous and strictly adhered to range rules, especially hot range/red flag, I did see few that kept violating the range rules and lose their membership.

Since, I have shot at quite a few indoor/outdoor ranges and same rule applied, no handling of firearm and you were expected to step back from shooting table if anyone was forward of the shooting line during "cold" range.

Even at many BLM shooting areas, the underlying rule of safety prevailed and people would walk back from shooting tables to clearly indicate to others checking/setting up targets that no one is handling guns to put them at risk. (When shooting at BLM area, I open carry unloaded pistol with magazine in my pocket and show other shooters empty chamber of pistol before going down range to check/set up targets but that's just me doing "Trust but verify" thing ;))
 
You guys should see the psychos at the range by my house...

First off, it's in a residential neighborhood because the neighborhood grew up around the club.
Ok, that's cool...

However, they've turned it into a psycho, militant training camp.
Rapid fire from open till close almost every nice weather day.
Absolutely zero respect for the neighbors. They've been approached and asked to dial it back a bit, only to be met with more mag dumps.

There have been rounds sent into the park behind the range, and the city and county won't do anything.

It's just a matter of time before someone gets shot. I guarantee it will happen in the next year or so.
No management, and no safety practices.

It's a shame, but no wonder why people hate gun ranges...
 
Sounds similar to the airport issues................build a subdiv. next to one and complain!
 
I understand your point, however, planes aren't A-holes.
The people at this place are.

I'm totally pro 2A, but sometimes we have to check ourselves for the good of the sport.
It's not a super idea to go out of your way to piss off the locals and give them reasons to complain.

Not unlike strapping a dead dear to the hood of your car and then drive through town.

Just a bad idea...
 
I am starting my 4th year working as an RO at a large outdoor range. The things I have personally witnessed and have been thrust upon me would make most ask why they are doing this job. At least once a week I have a muzzle pointed directly at my body. With like others report the response is,"Well it aint loaded!". Many times I feel like pulling out my 45ACP pointing it right back at them and telling them "this is Loaded!". BUT I can't. Then at least one a month I get some fool that thinks they can go down range while the range is hot or hasn't been cleared.

With all this first hand experience dealing with supposedly educated adults that are expected to know basic safe gun handling procedures and then being called the "Range Nazi" when you correct them. It has given me a much greater respect for my fellow Range Officers and has instilled the impression that I will never shoot at an unattended range unless I am the only one there.
 
I belong to a private range that has no RSO since the owner passed, It operates on the honor system.

In the two years I've been a member all the shooters have been safe and courteous.

Until last week. A member of the local Sheriffs office showed up, in uniform, while my wife and I were shooting. He asked for a cold range and went out to place his targets. He called cold a couple of more times, no big deal, and then as I finishing a mag I catch movement out of the corner of my eye.

The deputy is going down range without calling cold range and I have a rifle in my hands. I look at my wife and she is just as wide eyed as I am.

Nothing was said but he should know better
 
.38 Special said:
I recently went through a somewhat similar situation, but from the other side: I was the one engaged in "unsafe" behavior, and the other guy lost his temper and raged at me. Eventually it all got settled down - the range had a rule requiring actions open with a safety flag during ceasefires, and the gentleman was unfamiliar with flintlocks - but it was brought home to me (again) that "tirades" are almost always unproductive.
Click to expand...
Frizzen up, vent hole pick with brightly colored flag inserted? 😉
 
entropy said:
Even though I taught the first one, and sat through the second one innumerable times as the HHD Armorer of a Medical Bn., I'd have no problem with it. Nothing wrong with a good refresher course now and again.
Click to expand...

Like I said I'm glad I don't have to shoot at a range. I wouldn't put up with it.
 
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