Oh..Ma..Gawd...Range Doofuses, Part 46

[Futo Inu]

At the range Sunday. Quite a few people there. At some point, someone calls for cold range. Needs to set targets. No problem; it's been awhile. I set some targets; am done in approx. 45 seconds. Wait for a host of other people to return, tapping feet (can't touch anything - all you can do is wait). A few minutes later, everyone is done, except for a brand new arrival group. I hear someone say "Go ahead, set your targets". OK, no problem. They go down, then come back within 3-4 more minutes. Alright, time to go to work. But wait....Seems that a trio consisting of an elderly couple, and another elderly gentlemen now want to set targets, even though they were there the whole time. The two men of the trio are wearing blaze orange camo hats, so I suspect they are some of those folks coming in for that once-a-year, sighting-in-for-deer-season range session (as non-paying guests, of course), but who knows for sure....

So off they go downrange. Little bitty tiny great-grandpa steps (no offense to the great-grandpas here). But really, they shoulda had some all-terrain personal movers - it'd-a been faster. So surely they're just going to 50 yards. After all, I doubt they'd have good enough eyesight to take a shot a deer further than that. They reach 50 yards....Are they gonna stop? Hmmmmm..... Nope. Seems they're going on past. Off they go to 100 yards. You get the picture. Are they gonna stop there? Nope. Keep on going to 150. Surely they're gonna stop at 150, and not go all they way to 200. Yes, they stop! So they just have to set their targets and make the excruciatingly slow trip back, then I can resume, right? NO! They commence to DRAGGING the target stand from 150 BACK TO 100 yards. Doh!! You can imagine how long it takes for 3 people who can barely walk (bless their little pointed heads) to drag a large target stand 50 yards. Then they set the targets - not speed demons at that task either; then begin the expedition home to the firing line. This all takes a good 15-20 minutes of our time. Quite a few people besides me are also pacing. It was such a comedy of unbelievables that I was actually laughing at loud and called my friend on the cellphone to pass the time and pass on the story. I love our elderly neighbors and gun ownwers, but SHEESH! Anyone else have a new story?

 

[Chuck Dye]

And all the able bodied stood, watched, and tapped their feet.

 

[dustind]

I would have ran out there and offered assistance.

 

[Futo Inu]

"And all the able bodied stood, watched, and tapped their feet."

Yep. I sure don't want to injure their dignity. Otherwise, I might have offered to help. You REALLY and truly would have gone to the far end of the range, followed them out there, and offered to help them WALK, possibly offending them quite a lot? Hmmm, not me. Plus, they WERE making headway; just very slowly. I doubt helping would have made things any faster. It's kinda comical, and I understand that our elderly citizens need some patience, but surely they could have started their trek almost 10 minutes before when everyone else started downrange. Remember, they held things up an ADDITIONAL 15-20 minutes over and above the 10 minutes that everyone else took, which was in turn about 9 minutes and 15 seconds longer than I took (granted; I only needed new targets at 25 yards at that time). Plus I was urked by the thought they they're probably non-paying guests, and I had very little range time to accomplish all that I had on my list to do. But this may be unfair; they may have been members. Prolly should have title this "Range Frustrations" instead of Range Doofuses, but waiting til everyone else is done before you start down, KNOWING how slow you are, has to constitute a doofus, albeit that they came by honestly, given their age. In any event, it's mostly funny, but a little bit frustrating too, since I didn't finish all that I had gone there to do. I guar-on-damn-tee you when *I* am a snail-paced geezer with old-timer's, the LAST thing on earth I'll forget is how insanely frustrated I was all my life by other incredibly slow, inconsiderate people of all ages, but especially the elderly, whether driving or any other time, and I guarantee I'll respect younger people's time until the day that I die. There is nothing on earth I hate more than a time-stealer. After all, I'll be retired, and have time on my hands to kill at that point, unlike the working generation. This subject does touch on the non-gun-related subject of how incredibly inconsiderate and idiotic drivers of ALL ages are where I live, and generally go under the speed limit in the slow lane, and how people of all ages waste everyone else's time in non-driving situations, but's that a subject for another forum and another time.

 

[Mikul]

This reminds me of the guy who sets up his target, sits down and shoots oh about 5 shots of .223. He calls the range cold so that he can go see his shots. Walks down, comes back, fires 5 more rounds, calls the range cold, etc. Nope, he hasn't got a spotting scope, or binoculars, or the brains to use a white target so he MIGHT be able to see the hits.

I didn't have a scope either, but seeing .44 caliber holes at 25 yards isn't much of a challenge.

Seeing a pattern forming here, when he asked to call it cold again (for the third time in 10 minutes) I said, "OK, just let me finish up what I've got here." Which was about 100 rounds.

 

[WhoKnowsWho]

When I first went to the rifle range, I could have easily been like the guy Mikul was talking about. I brought binoculars, but they were not strong enough to see the 5.56 holes, and they were not hitting the small Shoot-N-C I had pasted up at 100 yards. So I waited... no rush, and I knew someone else would want to call a cold range, no problem.

Now I got a spotting scope... someone needs to create a target that self heals in 10 minutes... hmm...

 

[MJRW]

Well, you could have seen what I saw once. Guy stopping his friend from shooting so he can grab the binoculars to check the target they were shooting at with a scoped AR.

Target was 15 feet away.

 

[Sean Smith]

Saw a guy shoot off sandbags with a Beretta .25 to hit a target wayyyyy out at... 7 yards. And be horribly inaccurate. And tell his poor wife in proud tones how, "That's how you do it, toots."

 

[Carlos Cabeza]

Maybe you should ease up on the older farts Funo Ito, Up until his untimely death in '95, there was nothing my grandfather liked to do more was punch paper. He mightof been a bit slow but he deserved the respect one would normally give a WWII grunt.

 

[RustyHammer]

... Good thing it wasn't a 600 yard range!

 

[semf]

was actually laughing at loud and called my friend on the cellphone to pass the time and

Nope nothing there that would injure their dignity

So off they go downrange. Little bitty tiny great-grandpa steps

You can imagine how long it takes for 3 people who can barely walk (bless their little pointed heads) to

when *I* am a snail-paced geezer with old-timer's, the LAST thing on earth I'll forget is

Why do I get the feeling that you were not really worried about their dignity.

With any luck you will be in that position some day. And his great grandson will not be around to remember how well you protected that man's dignity.

 

[mec]

Local solution is to stay away from the range from october 10- the first week of deer season. The once-a-year shooters are all over the range at that time. They have to bring out all their friends to sight in the deer rifles and then come back after opening day to try to figure out why they missed the deer.

 

[Futo Inu]

semf, you comments are way off the mark, and you obviously didn't read my second post completely, especially this part:

"I guar-on-damn-tee you when *I* am a snail-paced geezer with old-timer's, the LAST thing on earth I'll forget is how insanely frustrated I was all my life by other incredibly slow, inconsiderate people of all ages, but especially the elderly, whether driving or any other time, and I guarantee I'll respect younger people's time until the day that I die. [because] There is nothing on earth I hate more than a time-stealer. After all, I'll be retired, and have time on my hands to kill at that point, unlike the working generation."

Even though you quoted part of it, you obviously don't understand what I'm saying, or just stopped reading it at some point.

What part don't you get? I WILL be considerate at that age, whether during driving, making the decision to drive or not, or any other situation. I wouldn't want any more or less from his offspring then I gave - other than maybe a deserved reminder of how I should be more considerate! The golden rule was being practiced by me, but not by them. Had I not practiced the golden rule, I'd have yelled "Get the lead out, geezers!" I guess you think age exempts you from the golden rule. And I'm sure your friends and family appreciate your high and mighty preachiness.

Inconsiderate is inconsiderate, regardless of age. I will be dead in the ground before I am ever that inconsiderate. I was concerned about their dignity (but only to the extent it factored into whether or not I might help them, that much is true), but the funny part was NOT their infirmity - it was just how many things happened in a row that kept taking longer and longer, when I kept thinking the delay would soon be over - funny in a cute way, not funny like ha ha old man, you're slow. See? Anyway, I didn't explain it very well, I guess, but to be sure, I am not picking on their slowness in and of itself, just their inconsiderate nature of waiting until 2 complete waves of people had gone down and back before they even begin their (incredibly slow) trek down themselves.

 

[DougCxx]

Well you could do without rifle ranges, as I do--because there are no general-public rifle ranges I know of at all in the entire St Louis area. There are private clubs that meet at a certian time each week, but you need to be a member and my current employment doesn't permit much in the way of regular evening events, and even those places are quite a drive to get to (30-45 minutes away).
:/
So I have indoor pistol ranges....
The range I go to uses overhead cable caddies with PVC pipe "T"-target hangers on them that hang on a hook on the cable caddy. They used to have solid copper hangers brazed on, but switched to the plastic pipe because (the range guy told me when I asked) it is cheaper and easier to fix. The first time I saw the plastic hangers, I wondered how often people hit the hangers--because I remembered the copper ones looking all dinged up, but never noticed how often it happened. ....I soon found that if you stay for an hour whenever it's busy, someone in one ot the eight lanes will shoot their target hanger into pieces. Usually with a medium-to-large target on it, usually with the target set less than twenty feet away, and often while doing rapid fire (-otherwise known as "emptying the full magazine").
~

 

[Geezer]

OLD AGE

Futo Inu, I am sorry to be the one to tell you this, but if you survive your encounters with the enemy (check Pogo's description of same) and reach a ripe old age, you are not too likely to remember recent events, and especially not your frustrations and pains.

What you think about are the girls you didn't "kiss", the deer you didn't miss, and wondering, of all the folks you ran with and all the folks you ran against, why are you the one who survived?

Incidentally, check with some other older folks, but apparently it is impossible for a human being to accurately imagine being older. All of it will come as a big shock to you.

And, your experience could have been worse. You might have been behind me going down a narrow flight of stairs. If that ever happens, be sure to bring along something to read.

BTW, whenever I run into a WWII vet, I forget about what I am doing and ask if i can shake their hand and tell them thank you.

God bless and y'all be careful out there.

 

[semf]

Inconsiderate is inconsiderate, regardless of age.

yeah that was pretty much my point

Even though you quoted part of it, you obviously don't understand what I'm saying, or just stopped reading it at some point.

I thought I did but where I come from we call it back pedaling.

If you have seen many of my posts you would gather that discrimination and intoleration are 2 of my pet peeves whether it be racial/ethnic, geographical, gender, appearence or age related. I make exceptions for self inflicted stupidity I've never understood why Americans villify our aged for committing the unforgiveable sin of living.

 

[Detritus]

Local solution is to stay away from the range from october 10- the first week of deer season. The once-a-year shooters are all over the range at that time. They have to bring out all their friends to sight in the deer rifles and then come back after opening day to try to figure out why they missed the deer.

i wish that was completely true of teh range I am a member of right now.... let teh once or twice a year folks dictate how the range is used, the 4-6 weeks either side of opening day or just leave em be...

BUT NOOOO!!! they want everything from Oct. 1st to Dec. 31st! thus killing ALL rifle competition for the three best months of the year to BE on the range (cool enough to shoot but not cold).

personally i think there should be a "this is for sighting in" area that they can go to that won't interfere with the rifle matches when or if they decide that they "can't be bothered to read the newsletter to see when the matches are"

well at least it's not one fo the public acess "for profit" places closer and/or in houston now THOSE are a nightmare.

 

[uglymofo]

Damn.... some folks are just as thick-headed as the geezers the Big Dog described.

Take it from me, Futo, you lose. Ain't no way you're gonna change opinions by posting, nor would your objections illuminate the geezers to the plight of the masses they insist on inflicting their selfishness upon. You hit it on the head, and could have left it alone with:

...but waiting til everyone else is done before you start down, KNOWING how slow you are, has to constitute a doofus...

It does mean that they're a "doofus". Folks like that don't give a damn about anyone else; they're the "excuse me but I'm in a hurry" assbites that never think of anything else but how the world affects them.

This ain't got anythin' to do with "respecting" WWII vets, nor anyone else old enough to be a WWII vet. What's so goddamn special about WWII vets?? What happened to them from Korea, 'Nam, Gitmo, the Berlin Wall, and Iraq I & II?? The decision to join in the fight of WWII was probably the easiest and clearest to make, of all the problems this country's faced since WWI.

Futo Inu's topic isn't about respecting nor his elders nor insulting them. It's about ANYONE who hasn't got the ingrained courtesy to put others' well-being and comfort before their own. Just because they're 'way old and have less time or are more frail doesn't mean they can imposition everyone a else who's younger.

 

[Atticus]

"It's about ANYONE who hasn't got the ingrained courtesy to put others' well-being and comfort before their own."

That might better descibe whoever was shooting next to the oldsters.
Upon seeing their difficulties and lack of speed, I would have offered to run their targets down for them. I doubt that would have hurt their dignity.
And seeing that they moved so slow when walking down range would tell most folks that they were probably equally as slow gathering the targets, etc, to take them down (explaining why they started later than everyone else).

I agree that WWII vets don't deserve any more respect than any other. That's about all I agree with though. If there had been a sixty year old Nam vet there, he would have probably run the targets down for them.

 

[C.R.Sam]

Courtesy Applicable here and at the range.
Let us keep the personal jabs out of this.

Sam

 

[HankL]

Futo, Do you own that range? If so kick their butts off! If not, call a Down Range and help them haul some targets to undetermined ranges from 400 to 1200 meters. I'm not using a walker yet but if I had one I would consider ways of using it as a tool.
Public or private the range should have guidelines about down range times.
We all get in too big of a hurry because time is short. Time is less short if you spend some of it getting to know the old farts that waded through that swamp you are fixin to step into.
Edited to say: I stand on firm ground Sam, Moderate away my friend.

 

[jrhead75]

Yep...inconsiderate people really torque my jaw, regardless of age. But...seems like it would be easier on everybody if somebody more sprightly would step up and help move the process along. Everyone seems to assume that any assitance is an insult...not so...Don't make me break out my "Marine color guard" story here!

 

[Quintin Likely]

My day with buttheads at the range...

A few weekends ago, some friends from work and I decide to consume mass quanitities of ammo in the pursuit of a little stress relief. So we loaded up and headed out to Tuskeegee National Park, where there's a little approx. 100 yard range with a few benches and a big berm to catch stuff flying downrange.

We put on quite a display of force; something along the lines of 16-18 firearms amongst the three of us Anywho, we show up and decide to wait on the far right bench. We brought a lot of different semi autos with us and didn't want to pelt bystanders and fellow shooters with hot brass. Eventually, we got our bench, got to talking with some of the other folks there. There's no official range officer in this place, every now and then a park ranger might show up. We called the line clear to pick/set up some new targets, when a couple of fellas showed up with a few big bore hand cannons and a painfully loud muzzlebraked rifle, what caliber it was, I'm not sure. They walk down and set their targets up, we come back up and call the line hot. About 30 minutes later or so, the guys with the big guns on the far left called the line clear to set up some new targets. We stepped back from the line and chatted a bit with a couple of the other folks there.

Perhaps this was foolish of us, but none of us are wearing our ears at the moment; after all, the line *is* clear, right? Well, wasn't but a few seconds later when a pair of deafening blasts come from the "gentlemen" on the far left, one with the aforementioned braked rifle and the other with a big ol' scoped revolver. All of us, about 6 or so total, glare in their direction, and naturally they act as if they did no harm Okay, we think, no biggie...

...until they did it again...and again...and again...no word or anything from them, hot or clear. Eventually, all of us stood back from the line and waited on the two to finish up before we resumed.

After this incident, I think I've convinced my friends to get memberships at the 500 yard range on Ft. Benning I shoot at, one with real range officers and rules.

Rude people suck.

 

[semf]

Futo Inu's topic isn't about respecting nor his elders nor insulting them.

No, but his post was

Just because they're 'way old and have less time or are more frail doesn't mean they can imposition everyone a else who's younger

I hope you remember that in 50 years or so

I agree that WWII vets don't deserve any more respect than any other. That's about all I agree with though. If there had been a sixty year old Nam vet there, he would have probably run the targets down for them.

I'm a 41 year old peace time vet, and I would have


The most important thing my doddering old Grandfather taught me was that it is the duty of the strong to protect the weak. I try to apply that principle in all things I do large or small.

 

[swingset]

Fotu, I agree with you. 100%

My grandfather was a WWII vet, and didn't get around too good, but I would bet my life's wages if he was at a range he would NOT wait to get downrange on a cold line. He'd have either got it in gear, or let the next session go hot without him. Or, he'd have had me or a younger person do it for him. Guaranteed. He was like that.

It's about manners, not age. I've met courteous older folks, and selfish dolts who have probably been that way for far too long.

And, for those of you who are on your high horse saying you'd have offered to help, let's see you try that a few times at a range on older men with all their pride intact. I've offered many times to help the elderly and handicapped. Know what happens 90% of the time? You get a stern "I'm fine", "I can manage" or "I don't need any help". Then, you feel like a dick because you've offended them. I'm learning that the people who want help usually ask for it, and those that don't do so for a reason.

My .02. Flame away.