Public Range and Etiquette

[Jack B.]

I don't think I could shoot at a range where people are not following good safety rules. Especially if it is crowded. I'd be to busy watching the other shooters and making sure that no one is pointing a gun at me. If it happened I would leave the range.

 

[herrwalther]

i spent a career in the US Army, retiring in 1979. Troops in that Army did not point rifles downrange while other shooters were checking their targets.

Then you should know there is a world of difference between sitting at the front sight post, using a round or tool to adjust sights, compared to aiming down range where others stand. Anyone who got toward the butt end of a rifle with others down range got quite the derriere chewing. Making adjustments to a rifle that is clearly empty with a) no magazine and b) and bolt locked to the rear was indeed common practice at dozens of military ranges I attended and operated.

 

[Waveski]

Public range ...
A few years back I was hanging out at a deer camp in Northern Wisconsin , aka "Up North". There was an unsupervised public range nearby , thought I would go there for a fun shoot. I encountered a fellow who was in the process of sighting in his deer rifle. His target was a hand painted bullseye on a big piece of cardboard , propped up against a small berm at about 100 yards. The berm was the approximate size and shape of a Volkswagen Beetle. After firing a single shot he paused and yelled "WELL???". That was the cue for his buddy who jumped up from behind the little berm , pointed the the bullet hole and yelled back "High left!". Then the
buddy hunkered down again to await the next shot.
True story


"Up North" etiquette is based on whatever trips your trigger , so long as you do not infringe on the next guy. Or shoot your buddy.

.

 

[entropy]

Not in my neck of NW WI. Of course, I avoid the public ranges like the plague.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Then you should know there is a world of difference between sitting at the front sight post, using a round or tool to adjust sights, compared to aiming down range where others stand. Anyone who got toward the butt end of a rifle with others down range got quite the derriere chewing. Making adjustments to a rifle that is clearly empty with a) no magazine and b) and bolt locked to the rear was indeed common practice at dozens of military ranges I attended and operated.

I got out in 2003 and it every zero range I attended up till that time the shooter got out of the fox hole and put his M16 on the v-notch stake and NO ONE touched their weapon until everyone was back from down range

 

[TeaCoffee.Guy]

I remember a few years ago seeing a serious mistake that someone made a gun range.
This guy was sighting in the scope on his 270 cal.deer rifle.
He was getting more and more frustrated. Suddenly, without waiting for a "Cease Fire" - this guy gets up and starts walking down range.
There were several guns being fired at the targets. Someone yelled "Cease Fire!" as soon as they saw the guy. It was a real close call!

 

[ponchh]

I got out in 2003 and it every zero range I attended up till that time the shooter got out of the fox hole and put his M16 on the v-notch stake and NO ONE touched their weapon until everyone was back from down range

Same in 73

 

[Bfh_auto]

When I used a public range, I took a thermos of coffee and went early Saturday morning when the party crowd was sleeping it off. I only saw other people like me or retired guys who wanted to hangout and shoot a few rounds. It was almost always the same people every weekend.