They closed the range where I used to shoot, so I found another. When I paid my money and was speaking to the cashier, I asked him if there were any special range rules I needed to be aware of. He said no, just the usual, and that they were safety oriented. I said "Good, then basically don't do nuthing stupid". He laughed and said right.
I go to the range and started shooting and after a while they called a halt so folks could go down range. Almost everyone went down range, but I didn't need to, so I opened the bolt to my Mauser stood up and looked around. A guy started talking to me and I responded. Since people were milling around I put my hand on the open received so I'd know if someone was messing with the rifle while my back was turned as I talked. This was the preferred method at my previous range. At the new place, one was supposed to step three feet back and not touch a gun, but I didn't know that. I had asked.
I had my ear plugs in and couldn't hear anyone more than a few feet away. Finally I hear someone yelling and I turn to see ths other shooter that was red-faced screaming and swearing at me. The range master was also looking at me, but was upset at both of us and confused at what to do. I removed an ear plug so I could hear what was going and the guy screamed you blankety-blank get your #$%%^& hand off that gun! Don't you know the *&^%%$# rules!?!?!?!
Remainig calm I stepped away and said sorry, I in fact didn't know the rule against that, and would stay away from the rifle. He continued to scream about getting me kicked off the range and banned from the facility, but I said nothing and just leaned up against the table and relaxed while the range master told him to resume his position. No one else said anything, and I was the last one to my position when the range went hot just so the range master could see that I was trying to cooperate. The guy kept looking aver at me and glaring for another 30 mins as my son told me, but I never looked his way or said anything.
Now, I could have gotten into an argueent for his graceless action and foul mouth, but I was new at the range and don't like negative incidents anyway. The guy finally left, and as I was leaving I asked the range master for a list of the rules. He smiled and handed it over. The only one I hadn't obeyed was the hands off rule when all were down range. I know better now, and I've never seen the guy there again. Everyone there seem to be a great bunch of guys and there have been no problems fitting in. If I'd have reacted in a negative manner, then that might not have been the case.
jim