Public Range and Etiquette

[Charliefrank]

I live about 8 miles from a public range. I've always belonged to gun club ranges in the past. Due to it's close proximity and completely free of costs I find myself using it quite alot. Range etiquette is almost non existent. They have the typical safety rules posted as you walk into the covered shooting area. The last few times I've gone, I've waited patiently for everyone to be done shooting so I could ask "cold range?" Then go down range to mount some targets.A few seem to know what I'm referring too, but many do not. Once cold range is established I'm used to seeing firearms laid down, typically action open. I must admit I'm a little nervous seeing people still fiddling with their firearms as the rest of us go down range to check/change targets. I see lots of younger folks, early/mid twenties I guess with fully outfitted AR's, AK-47's and various other combat style weapons. They're shooting at 7 yard targets and 15 yard targets with scopes, red dot sights and other electronic sights Im not familiar with. And they're completely missing the target. They're just putting as much firepower down range as their trigger finger will allow. I do see some families shooting together and the usual guy's sighting in their rifles/muzzle loaders. It just seems like more people with little or no firearm experience or training are at the range.
Have public ranges always been like this, or am I just getting old?

 

[Hokie_PhD]

Before I moved, the nearest range was a public one in the National Forest. It was pretty close to a large university. When classes were in session the range would get very crowded. I will say that I’m happy to say that most of the people there were extremely polite and well behaved.

Folks took safty seriously and everyone followed the rules. Well except for the one brass leach who parked in the 10 minute loading/unloading area and would pick up peoples brass as they were shooting without their permission. He didn’t like it when I told him to leave my brass alone as I’d be picking it up as I reload.

 

[ontarget]

Lack of etiquette is probably from lack of education on the subject. If these people fiddling with guns while you are down range were ever near someone when there was an accidental discharge or had one themselves they may think twice. Common sense... You either have it or you don't.
It wouldn't hurt to request the range to add the definition of cold range in bold print on their rule sign. If it is posted then you have every right to point it out to the offenders.
You or anyone else should not have to worry about being shot in the back while posting targets.

 

[Good Ol' Boy]

One reason I've never been fond of public outdoor ranges is the fact that you have to go down range and set up targets. It's the main reason I used to favor indoor ranges.

But alas, I don't have to have to worry about such things anymore as I can shoot on my property now and have a buddy just a few miles away with a range for shooting further out.

 

[sequins]

I wear my vest when I go to the unattended public range on BLM land. It's a great place to shoot but I'll frequently experience "loose" definitions of a firing line that resembles more of a horseshoe spraying lead dang near every direction but the parking lot To be fair I've never seen an incident, nor heard of one, and so it's not like the fears have been realized in the 5 or so years I've been shooting out there but yeah it does make me uncomfortable.

 

[hdwhit]

Charliefrank asked:
Have public ranges always been like this, or am I just getting old?

In my experience at least, it's pretty much always been that way.

 

[Purple Bikerr]

Awhile back I was ammo testing a new bolt action .22. There were 3 guys in their 20's a few lanes to my left.. Outdoor, free public range. No range officer. We are adults and are expected to act like it!!

As I am getting on the gun for my next shot, I noticed these boneheads going downrange to change their target. I am rally glad that I shoot with both eyes open. If not, I never would have seen them. They were about 30 yds downrange when I noticed them, after I had shot at least once.

They didn't say a word about going downrange, just decided that they needed a new target and off they went, with me blasting away.

I understand being responsible for every rd. you shoot, but these morons were asking for it.

 

[herrwalther]

Lack of etiquette is probably from lack of education on the subject. If these people fiddling with guns while you are down range were ever near someone when there was an accidental discharge or had one themselves they may think twice. Common sense... You either have it or you don't.

I disagree. Outside of Basic training, it was very common to adjust the sights on your weapon after checking your target, even if others were still down range doing the same to their targets. Unloaded weapon, actions open, fingers nowhere near triggers, I never felt scared of an accidental discharge from the lanes next to me while marking targets.

As far as lack of etiquette. I taught weapons training for several years, inside and outside of the military. It is very easy for me to tell who has experience with firearms and who doesn't. I can see the difference between the old codger who has become complacent and the late 20 something year old who spent a decade in the military just letting off steam. I have also seen someone who has had weapons training, and should know better make a mistake from not paying attention. Unsafe acts stand out. And I have left ranges because I saw someone do something stupid I didn't like.

 

[CLP]

In my experience at least, it's pretty much always been that way.

Ditto

 

[Bama59]

The public range here is too crowded with Rambos and unsafe people on the weekend. I haven't been in several months but always try to go during the week when LEO's,retirees and responsible shooters are there. Cold and hot range is always made understood and rules followed, I go with one or more shooters on cold range or take break and keep an eye on their equipment.

 

[243winxb]

Public Ranges-

Seen a rifle fired while a guy was down range at the 100 yard targets.

Had a guy go down range while we were firing. Told him to let us know when he wants to change target, we would stop shooting. He said " i will go down when ever i want"

Way to many people handle firearm when people are down range. They dont know any better. Some will get mad when told about it. Not much can be done at a public range.

Private Club- a range officer makes corrections. They have to follow rules or their gone.

 

[hdwhit]

Charliefrank wrote:
Range etiquette is almost non existent.

That's one of the attractions of that sort of range; it's a wild west free for all. You take your life in your hands going there; that's part of the excitement.

...I could ask "cold range?" Then go down range to mount some targets.A few seem to know what I'm referring too, but many do not.

In all honesty, the first time I heard it, I didn't know what it meant, either. But, I just looked around me and saw what others were doing and did the same which made it pretty apparent.

[/QUOTE]
I must admit I'm a little nervous seeing people still fiddling with their firearms as the rest of us go down range to check/change targets.
[/QUOTE]

I would be, too.

But then, truth be told, does anything else really compare with the adrenaline rush you get from seeing a high velocity round impact the berm next to you at about kidney height?

I see lots of younger folks, early/mid twenties I guess with fully outfitted AR's, AK-47's and various other combat style weapons. They're shooting at 7 yard targets and 15 yard targets with scopes, red dot sights and other electronic sights Im not familiar with.

Back in the 1980's the mantra was, "He who dies with the most toys, wins." I actually worked with the guy who copyrighted that. Circumstances caught up with him and he didn't "win".

I think it is also important to note that it wasn't "He who can actually hit the target with any of his toys, wins."

And they're completely missing the target. They're just putting as much firepower down range as their trigger finger will allow.

Well, the current state of civilian marksmanship could be the topic of its own thread.

You want to start one?

Your experience at this range certainly seems to have given you enough material to kick it off.

 

[hdwhit]

243winxb wrote:
Seen a rifle fired while a guy was down range at the 100 yard targets.

Missed me!

Now let's see if you can get off the range before I make it back to my gun.

Had a guy go down range while we were firing. Told him to let us know when he wants to change target, we would stop shooting. He said " i will go down when ever i want"

I think Forest Gump had a saying that would be appropriate here.

Private Club- a range officer makes corrections. They have to follow rules or their gone.

Where's the excitement in that?

 

[FL-NC]

Things like this is why I pay more to be a member of a world class club where all members are vetted.

 

[243winxb]

Where's the excitement in that?

A private club with 1500 menbers , still has plenty of excitement.

 

[entropy]

I live about 8 miles from a public range. I've always belonged to gun club ranges in the past. Due to it's close proximity and completely free of costs I find myself using it quite alot. Range etiquette is almost non existent. They have the typical safety rules posted as you walk into the covered shooting area. The last few times I've gone, I've waited patiently for everyone to be done shooting so I could ask "cold range?" Then go down range to mount some targets.A few seem to know what I'm referring too, but many do not. Once cold range is established I'm used to seeing firearms laid down, typically action open. I must admit I'm a little nervous seeing people still fiddling with their firearms as the rest of us go down range to check/change targets. I see lots of younger folks, early/mid twenties I guess with fully outfitted AR's, AK-47's and various other combat style weapons. They're shooting at 7 yard targets and 15 yard targets with scopes, red dot sights and other electronic sights Im not familiar with. And they're completely missing the target. They're just putting as much firepower down range as their trigger finger will allow. I do see some families shooting together and the usual guy's sighting in their rifles/muzzle loaders. It just seems like more people with little or no firearm experience or training are at the range.
Have public ranges always been like this, or am I just getting old?

No, they've always been that way, and are the reason I don't like to shoot at them. Although stupid crap happens at private ones, too.

Seen a rifle fired while a guy was down range at the 100 yard targets.

My nephew fired my Kel-Tec SUB2000 while I and a friend were downrange checking targets at a range I set up on the farm I rented at. His Dad was, shall we say lackadasical, about watching him. They both got a earful about safety in turn, and the kid was done shooting for the day, and had to pick up all the brass. They both learned a lot about how I run a range when you don't listen......learned it as a range NCO-you got kids with machine guns, you establish control.

 

[Riomouse911]

I've shot at public ranges like the one outside Carson City, Nv. When I went there were maybe two others shooting rifles on the range with me. All communicated and knew what a "cold range" was so there weren't any issues. But...

I've shot at the old "Lytle Creek" range in Southern Ca. A total free for all, there were shooting "lanes" a dozer carved out of brush in a rocky riverbed. You would have gangsters sitting in cars practicing driveby shooting, 36 packs of Budweiser beer being drank up on just about every car and pickup truck, kids and dogs running around, utter chaos. There were literally no rules, so you would regularly hear bullets whanging and pinging off of just about every piece of metal, tree, bush and rock within 1000 yards to the front, side and rear of you. I went there twice, then never went back. It closed years ago and is re-opened as a controlled outdoor range now.

I've also shot at open-shooting BLM land outside of Calico. We always find a small box canyon or really tall bank to shoot into so we are safe, as are the others around us. Most folks get it and do likewise, but sadly there are others who have no clue about guns, bullets, or how easy it is to kill someone accidentally. I've seen people shooting at targets set right below Mule Canyon road as Jeeps drove past 10 feet behind the targets. Heck, one time about five years ago I was leading a group of folks who were offroading with me near the ghost town. I crested a roughly 10' hill while driving on an obvious road in my side-by-side. As I topped it I saw that three guys had set their target stands up right in the middle of the road and were aiming right at me as I came over. They just about crapped their pants, as did I. When they lowered their Ar's I told them that just on the other side of the hill I was on were about 50-60 other people riding around in their OHV's. I suggested they could turn 90 degrees and use the 100' bluff as a backstop instead and led my group out of there. These clowns had no idea what was behind their target stands because they didn't walk the 50 feet further to check it out.

I'll take controlled ranges, or somewhere 100% by myself, from now on!

 

[Glockula]

There are a lot of guns that have been sold in the last 5 years. And a lot of new shooters as well. Even at my local private range people like to fiddle with their guns on a cold range, which I loathe. Sadly most of these individuals are retirees and 15 to 20 years my senior. If someone looks confused or out of place I will kindly say hello and nicely reinforce range rules. I am a frequent shooter and the range master has asked me to be more vocal than that but I don't feel it is my place.

 

[bersaguy]

There is a public range in the Ocala Nat'l Forest in Florida. 98% of the time I see no problems, it's pretty well self regulated. The other 2% make you pucker up pretty tight. Saw a man there with a $2500 clay target thrower, using an easily $1500 semi auto 12ga, turn around and flag every one with a loaded shotgun, twice. I've been up there plenty of times, I have had to leave a few times due to observing unsafe behavior, or just picking up a bad vibe from another shooter. No sense sticking around in those situations.

 

[Axis II]

IMO public ranges get the guy who doesn't own a gun so goes there to rent one, small groups with one gun owner that takes his buddies shooting, etc. I have an indoor public gun range very close to me and would never go there because the guy shooting a 500 s&w right next to me, mag dumps, etc. We had an indoor range open up a few years back and my buddy says lets go there after work and shoot. We walked in and there was bean bag chairs, couches, etc sitting around and people just hanging out, no counter guy and we were asked if we made a reservation? I said reservation for what, to shoot? Now it gets crazy! I see 3 open stalls through the window from the lobby and all of a sudden a guy comes out into the lobby with a 1911 and says its jammed up and he doesn't know what to do. The counter guy appears and brings the gun outside the firing line and starts trying to pry the magazine out with a screw driver. I turned around and walked out. Ohio Division of Wildlife operates several outdoor $5 a day public ranges and this is where I've had the worst issues.

1) one visit its myself, buddy and his wife and we are sighting in deer rifles so we start at 50yards and its crowded. They have a shack that an ODOW range guy sits in and mostly plays on the phone and doesn't care but this day there was 3 of them. I put all my ammo cans on the tables and cases and they call cease fire to change targets and your supposed to be behind a yellow line 6ft from the benches. Well i have arms full of stuff and i set it down on the bench and the one range guy scolds me for it but not too bad. Now another range guy brings out his percussion cap muzzleloader and is shooting it and we call cold range for target change and the range guy is talking with some buddies and starts messing with his rifle. I step forward to grab my bottle of water and he starts screaming at me about the range rules and being behind the line. I said i'm grabbing my bottle of water seeing how we need a cease fire every 5 min i'm thirsty. I told his boss if that guy ever gets in my face again and screams at me i will go to the state and make sure he is fired. I asked why he was nipple picking a rifle and was told he's a range safety officer. Um if i cant step forward to put down 100lbs of ammo cans and gun cases then he better not touch a gun ever again while i'm there and behind the line. Also he was being paid to be a range officer not shoot.

2) Went to another ODOW range and the shack is like 300yards from the firing lines and a group of kids rattling off AR/AK at the 50yard mark and ricocheting all over the place while doing mag dumps and commenting how cool they are with their AR/AK all while driving daddies Benz. I asked them nicely to stop dumping 30rd mags cause there were kids around and it started an argument so they relaxed and then did it again so i packed up and told the RO i was gone seeing how they didn't want to police the range and i would never be back! He threw the kids out right then and there. I was there 2 weeks prior to this shooting at the 200yard mark and it was raining and everyone in their car so i got out and told them i was putting targets down range and shooting seeing how it was an enclosed shelter. I am putting my target up and i hear a shotgun slide close. I walk halfway back and yell for my buddy is that gun chamber closed and he said yep. I asked the guy why the gun was not open and he wasn't behind the line and he said all i did was close the pump. I would put a $100 bill on it there was a slug in that barrel cause why are you putting a pump gun in battery if its empty. We moved back to 100yards and let the idiots finish and I've never been back.

I don't like crowds when it comes to firearms and this is why i joined a private outdoor club. Most the club members are over the age of 40yo and have been doing this along time. If there is more than one person there shooting i just go home but 98% of the time i'm alone and that's how i like it. Usually when we have a cease fire everyone walks downrange together or orange chamber flags. One thing i don't care for when we do pistol competitions is you leave your firearm on a table with everyone else's with a chamber flag. Everyone and their mother has a Glock or M&P so how do you know who's firearm you are picking up. I leave mine in my bag and my bag stays with me the whole time. They also do not allow you to have it loaded and holstered before you hit the firing line which i somewhat agree with. I was scolded at the indoor range for having a loaded 38 on my hip under my shirt. I don't know who any of these people are around me and they have firearms therefore, i want a loaded gun with me at all times incase someone gets a hair up their butt. We had one guy get mad because he thought he was next to shoot and they called me from the roster and he stormed up to the table, grabbed his gun and mags and stormed off mumbling to himself and left. Now i always keep my 38spl in my pocket because once again we are messing with firearms and never know what unstable person is next to us.

Find a private club that has range rules and be done. I will never visit a public range again. Too dangerous.

 

[WestKentucky]

A close friend of mine moved an hour or so away near a public range. We both like to shoot so when I would drive up to visit I usually carried something anticipating a range visit. One day I was testing out an Arsenal AK and a father/son duo came bebopping down the line on the range side of the shooting area. I shot empty just before I noticed them coming my way and decided to stay on the rifle “looking at my target”. They stopped 8 or 10 ft away at a 45 degree angle and asked if they could pass. I raised the rifle vertical and cleared it where they could see it was safe and asked them why they were walking in the danger zone with a shooter on the gun rather than walk on the other side. The teenage kid clearly understood what I was saying. The dad puffed up like I insulted his wife. I saw them a few other times and they stayed in the clear, thanks to a bunch of griping on the part of the kid. I got there once and the dad was standing about 50 yards down range blasting away with a 22 at a steel plate hung at 150. Some people are born to be a tool. Their kids don’t have to follow in their footsteps though.

 

[buck460XVR]

It just seems like more people with little or no firearm experience or training are at the range.
Have public ranges always been like this, or am I just getting old?

What you are seeing is two fold. Increase in folks new to firearms and folks just shooting more. If folks are inexperienced, what better place to get more experience than at a range? While I was introduced to firearms over half a century ago by my dad and grandpa, I still was new and inexperienced. I still l;earn something new everyday. One reason I come to these types of forums is to learn and gain more experience. Instead of ridiculing those new folks, offer to help or guide them and give constructive criticism diplomatically. Places to shoot that are open to the general public are fewer than in the days when one could just walk off into the woods anywhere and shoot.

 

[Mark 40]

I avoid the public range, have not been there in over two years, which coincides with the opening of a local indoor range. The only way I would go to the public range would be perhaps between October and April and at the break of day. The tourists invade on the weekends and it is much like Charliefrank and others have described; many unsafe acts.

 

[ATLDave]

I don't really see any etiquette issues described in the OP. I see safety issues, on the one hand, and style of shooting issues on the other.

People handling firearms while others are downrange is a safety issue, particularly if the muzzles are pointed downrange. There are a variety of different range protocols that approach this in various ways, but I think it is unsafe to be downrange of strangers handling firearms. My preference for avoiding new perforations in my body is not a matter of social manners or class. That's safety. Either get the issue resolved or absent yourself from the vicinity.

Complaining because people are shooting fast is tiresome. You don't know what they're doing or working on. Maybe they are truly just dumping a mag for the thrill of it. Whatever, I don't enjoy that, but as long as the rounds are going downrage, who cares whether they hit the target? But there are lots of other reasons someone would shoot very rapidly, and appear to be having difficulty hitting the target. Maybe they are function-testing some aspect of their gun. Maybe they are trying to see how the dot tracks in their new optic. Maybe they are trying to learn to manage rapid-fire recoil effectively by running the gun hard and learning to hold the gun more still. Maybe they are shooting weak-shouldered and exploring their (in)ability to do so. You don't know, so quit complaining about it, unless it's a safety issue.

 

[Jack B.]

Never been to an uncontrolled range. If there is one near me I'm am unaware of it. From what you guys are saying, going to one sounds like a good way to get shot! I think I would rather pay a few bucks to shoot at a controlled range with RSO's and be able to enjoy the day safely. I'm not risking my life to save a few $