Moron at the range...was me.

[Cogster1]

I was reading the “Moron at the Rage” thread and wanted some input.

I don’t frequent indoor ranges often as my father-in-law has some land with a dirt backstop, but I went not long ago for the express purpose of renting a gun I was thinking of purchasing. I was pretty nervous since I’m definitely a beginner and this was my first time at a range.

Well, I filled out all the paperwork and read the range rules and all that. I was given a bucket to hold the pistol and ammo and assigned a lane. There was one other shooter in the area with me and I didn’t see any RO. I placed my bucket on the back counter directly behind my assigned lane. I turned and walked to my lane with the pistol pointing at the ground. I realized I didn’t have any tape for the target so I placed the pistol on the lane counter and grabbed some from the back counter. I taped my target and proceeded to shoot several shots. Someone tapped me on the shoulder and it was the RO. ( I didn’t see him come in.) He told me not to leave the gun on the lane counter. OK – no problem. My mistake. I wanted another target so I took the gun - again pointed at the floor - to the back counter with me while I grabbed a target. I get another tap on the shoulder from same RO –“Please don’t carry the gun back and forth between counters…” I was already nervous from the first tap I got, and that did me in. I packed up and left and haven’t been back. Someone want to tell me what I did wrong? I know I should have stopped and asked him to clarify, but he was not a friendly guy (Probably from having to deal with people like me.)

 

[Stiletto Null]

Hmm...when you left the gun at the firing line, did you leave it loaded? Most ranges I've been to, you're fine as long as you unload and "make clear" (in the case of a pistol, lock the slide open, with mag out).

 

[bdutton]

That's wierd. If you can't set your gun on the lane counter NOR the back counter... where the heck do they expect you to place it?

I would go back to the range and wait for the range officer to be free and ask him what the correct protocol is.

for what it's worth, sound like a stupid rule... so long as the gun is empty and the cylinder or slide is open.

 

[Jim K]

Might you have been a bit too eager to really read the range rules? I suspect that there was something in there about not leaving the gun unattended and carrying it only in the bucket you were given.

You say you were carrying the pistol pointed down, but was it made completely safe at the time (slide locked back, magazine out, or cylinder open/removed if a revolver)? An accidental discharge into the ground outdoors is not too much of a problem, but an AD into the cement floor of an indoor range can be a serious hazard.

I would go back, really read the range rules, and then ask for clarification of anything you don't understand. The RO could have just been going too far, but today all ranges are under a cloud. In many places they operate on sufferance, and all it will take is one accident for the authorities to close them down.

So the range operators are more than a little bit anal about any safety violation, and we should try to understand that rather than criticzing them.

Jim

 

[panzermk2]

as a partime RO it's monday morning QB time!
In situtations like that I always explain why and what the correct course of action was AND find out what/why you were doing so I can provide additional help if needed. My gues is they may have wanted it in the bucket when not being shot or not in your hand.

 

[MT GUNNY]

Did the rules say anthing about carrying pistol back from shooting position
if not they should clairify it in the rules Obviously you had an empty gun when you left the bench right. The guy may have been having a bad day
He should have expaind the unriwiten rules at the first shoulder tap.
NICELY

You can build or buy tagets and have a more injoyable time at your relitives place than governed ranges. Im positive your a safe shooter or else you wouldnt have ask every body here what you did wrong!

find a friend or a acuantice with pistol you intend to buy Im shure they would be more than happy let you shoot it I know i would

 

[Marshall]

If the RO has time to tell you what not to do, he has time to tell you what you should do. Sounds like a man with your typical ego problem you see at a lot of ranges and gun shops.

 

[cmidkiff]

Sounds par for the course...

I try to be as safe as possible whenever I'm shooting, but range nazi's and I rarely get along. Hey, if you're shooting at someone else's range, you follow their rules... without question. However, I avoid many of the indoor ranges and activly managed outdoor ranges in my area, because shooting there just isn't any fun.

I like to plink, practice combat drills, double-taps, draw-and-fire exercises, etc. I shoot military style rifles, pistols, revolvers, shot-guns, and bolt-action target rifles... all on the same day.

The 'nothing but paper target, no rapid fire, one gun on range at a time, no holster use' type range rules just don't work for me.

Follow the 4 rules, keep the muzzle downrange, make sure everyone at the line knows if the range is hot or cold, and don't handle firearms while it's cold, and clean up after yourself... how many more safety rules do you need?

 

[panzermk2]

Sounds like a man with your typical ego problem you see at a lot of ranges and gun shops

isn’t that the truth, I have seen these types literally chase newbie female customers right out of the store with their "personality"

 

[Cogster1]

My mistake

may have been not having the pistol safe - empty with slide locked back. I will be returning to this range and plan on asking for more supervised training. I know the RO was doing his job, and I'm sure it was my fault - I just didn't understand the problem. Thanks for the replies so far.


**edited for spelling

 

[Stiletto Null]

I don't mind the no-paper-targest thing so much in an indoor range (cleanup is a pain otherwise).

My local range ROs get a bit annoyed if you start putting bullets into the floor and walls (concrete/cinderblock) or ceiling (steel deflectors), but other than that, rapid fire is fine. They're also pretty chill about the "one gun" rule—as long as you make clear on everything but the gun you're actively shooting, they don't bother you.

Basically, as long as you're not a moron and you don't mess up the actual facilities, anything goes. (Wake County FETC)

 

[Shweboner]

I tend to avoid those kind of ranges for three reasons.

* Now you have to buy their ammo....

* I enjoy the peace and solitude of shooting in the woods.

* Had an experience where a RO went ballistic on a customer who was obviously not used to shooting at 'retail ranges'. This guy looked so nervous after the incident I wasn't comfortable being there.

Nervous = shaky, shaky+guns+20ft away=no fun

This RO could have gone and talked to this guy w/o shouting like he was a drill instructor.

I was at a local range and this RO was a joke... He was wearing a bright orange vest with a huge patch on the back that read, 'Range Officer', wearing his eye and ear protection and even had a whistle around his neck... all this while wandering around the lobby chewing gum. I asked him if he should be watching the firing line, he just glared at me from behind his amber tinted glasses and didn't respond.

Its worth driving the extra 50 miles to avoid that whole crowd and hit the forest. Only way to go.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Next time go with an exprienced user of that range who can show you the ropes. It'll make it a lot easier. We all start somewhere.

 

[cassandrasdaddy]

not a moron

a moron would not ask for clarification here or even care. there is a learning curve to all things this pusuit just punisheds mistakes so severely we neeeed to be extra careful. i know i did some boneheaded things early on. i wasn't graced with family to teach me. i was blesed with being taken under wing by many folks who showed me what ll i know

 

[Sunray]

"...people like me..." It wasn't you. It was the RO. If the rules didn't tell you what they expect, he should have politely explained them. If the pistol is on the bench with the action open, mag out and the muzzle pointed down range, it's safe and so are you.
Mind you, giving a shooter, any shooter, a rental gun in a bucket is daft. And they lost a customer.
I would suggest that you join a shooting club. You'll meet some great people, have lots of fun and you'll likely not have to rent a gun you want to try ever again. Most shooters will bend over backwards to help a new guy, including letting the FNG try their toys. And you have an asset a lot of shooters don't have. Access to a safe private place to shoot outside.

 

[rangerruck]

at my range, when the lane is hot or cold, you must leave your weapon in one place or the other. if you are on the lane firing, and you pick your weapon up and move it to the back of the line area, you now have a "hot" weapon, behind other people, though are to your left and right, who are in front of you. drop or bump fire a weapon back here, and the bullet goes forward, whichever way the muzzle happens to be pointing.
Same thing when a cease fire is called. You must now put your weapon ,unloaded, where they tell you. you now cannot pick up your weapon, even to bag it , or to leave. Don't sweat it, everybody screws up the first couple of times they go to a range. i certainly did. did it in the Army too, there you will get a little less understanding from the RO'S.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

Did you tuck the pistol into your pants when you walked back from the line? hehe just kidding.
Just make sure whenever you set a weapon down it's action is open and it's unloaded. You might want to call the range and tell them what you said in your first post and find out what you did wrong (or if the RO was just having a bad day).

 

[jhco50]

I read this tread and had left, but came back because some of these people they hire as ROs or morons. I have been shooting for 40 years (I'm 39 in about a month?) and went to an out door range with my son-in-law and grandson. We got there in the middle of a hot range so loaded our guns, opened the actions and pointed them down range. We make sure they are in a safe condition. The line went cold and the Ro had us unload our guns. I suppose that is safer, but with actions open, nothing in the chambers and safety's on, I feel safe. We complied and stepped back. He then cocplained because I was sitting in a chair that was behind the line. I guess it was required that we stand. They charged us $20 each to shoot there and I guess they were trying to earn their money. Next time we will go to the mountains. It takes a lot of fun out of shooting when some 20 year old kid is looking down your neck, scrutinizing every moce you make. I did clean up many of the empty cases for them for my reloading bench.

 

[patent]

Alot of folks on this thread seem to jump to lots of conclusions based on a post from someone who admits he was nervous and didn't understand the rules.

Not to long ago, I was at an indoor range for the first time, and I do recall how clueless, nervous, and confused I was. Likely, the RO's instructions were immediately clear to anyone who shot there before, but that isn't much good to someone who is brand new. I've also worked as an RO, and some days its hard to remember that the newest folks to the range don't know your rules. Once their barrell sweeps across people, I don't give a **** whether they know the rules or not, I have to shut them down.

Cogster1, not your fault that it was a hard trip. You don't sound like you were a real problem, as you were trying to obey the rules. I think most first trips are like that. It gets much, much easier very quickly. Its just that other people get nervous when barrels start swinging around the room, especially if they can't tell if its loaded or not.

Generally, if I'm not working with the gun, I keep it at slide lock with the clip out, and barrell pointed down range at all times. Beyond that, just ask how they want the gun transported to the line, when it can be removed, etc. At the range I'm at most frequently the guns stay cased until they get on the line, and must be cased again before they come off the line. Sounds like your range is different, but just ask at the desk before you go in. Now you know which questions to ask.

I think alot of us want everyone else to be perfect. I know when I've been RO I've never been perfect, not been perfectly clear to everyone nor been perfect at enforcing all the rules all the time. Same when I shoot, I've had ROs have to correct me before when I lose focus. No big deal either way, we are all human. To many people get too up in arms over these things, the original poster has the right attitude, he wants to fix it and keep shooting. I say more power to him.

Have fun.

patent

 

[Cogster1]

Rules

Without going back or calling, it sounds like I did break the rules in that I didn't have the gun empty and slide locked back. I do have to go back to shoot there soon for my CCW class. I definately enjoy shooting "out back" quite a bit more than at the range at this point. I've made several purchases from this range/shop, and have always been treated fairly. Like I said earlier though, it would have been nice to have it explained to me even if I should have asked at the time. Next time, like many said, I'm sure it will be easier. (Thanks for the encouragement and the stories that I'm not the only one to screw up.)