Range population=buying trends

[Sky]

A lot of pistol shooting around here; range owner says he is going to set up more .22 lanes and targets.

Long range lain of 350 yards still gets use but not like last year.

There has always been the usual ICE and Boarder Patrol guys but on weekends I see many couples and the occasional family doing their thing. Long rifles sales have actually gone down but pistol sales have really been good.

 

[doubleh]

Well said, Sig Bill. I get a kick out of these shooting range threads. Almost everyone thinks that if you are doing anything different than what they do something is wrong with you. As long as you are shooting safely I don't care what your cup of tea is or how old or young you are. If someone is a danger to themselves and others I just load up and leave.

PS: I'm an official old fart but not a helpful one like the OP was commenting on. I mind my own business and expect everyone else to do the same. Last two times at the range I was unfortunate enough to be close to groups that had the loud mouthed expert with them that wouldn't shut up. Both appeared to be about 30 years old. Age has nothing to do with annoying people.

 

[Sig Bill]

Right and as long as everyone follows the safety rules I don't care what they do. Here at my range the rifle ranges is closed due to the lawsuit from the golf course where a golfer was hit with a stray bullet. The pistol, shotgun and the archery ranges are still open and we get a crowd here.

I remember that before, the ROs was nowhere to be seen and now after the lawsuit they're around and watching us closely.

 

[Gtimothy]

Biggest trend I've seen is that the ratio of .223 shooters to .223 reloaders has broadened up by a substantial amount, thus providing me with a virtually endless supply of once-fired .223 brass.

AMEN ^^^ I usually come home with much more brass than I brought. I'm courteous and ask the shooter if he is a re loader and if not would it be OK to police their brass. Usually they are more than happy to let me do the cleanup!

 

[SharkHat]

The last time I went to the indoor range, which permits rifles up to .223, I lost probably 20 minutes of range time due to feeling unsafe next to the people one lane over.

I was on lane 3, and there were two middle aged women, one young woman, and one young guy in his 20's occupying lanes 4 and 5. They were freely moving between lanes with a Taurus Judge, a Glock, and an AR. At no time were they shooting at any distance greater than 5 yards. Even with the AR.

When it came time for the two older women to fire the AR, they refused to shoulder the rifle, since they didn't want their faces next to it. I told my brother-in-law to back off the line and stand back with me. It appeared to me that they were resting the pistol grip on the counter, and they were "aiming" for headshots. At 5 yards, this put their shots directly into ceiling panels. Spray and Pray rapid fire appeared to be their order of the day. After multiple warnings from the range officers, they were finally kicked out and we were able to resume shooting.

 

[X-Rap]

I am blessed to have my own little piece of heaven on which to shoot so I don't get @i(k heads looking down their noses at me and what I shoot. I am a full spectrum offender and enjoy 22's, AR's, handguns of all types, Varmint bolts, and the dreaded large calibers with attached muzzle brake. I shoot fast, slow, short and long and sometimes I care about little groups and sometimes I don't but I always dislike the snide snarky comments I read from people who for some reason think they are in someones head and know exactly what they are trying to do and comment on how wrong poorly they are doing it.
I think the shooting world should start doing a thing like the "People of Walmart" http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/photos/ and quit being so dam uptight and judgemental, I'm sure we would all see ourselves there.

 

[buckhorn_cortez]

I have no idea what other people are doing. I pay no attention to them when I'm shooting. The range I use has action pistol bays. I go to the range at off hours and I setup in one of the action pistol bays so I don't have to interact with the rest of the members.

 

[Fishslayer]

I'm somewhat new myself, but...

The range I go to has been a lot busier lately.

ARs with all the tacticool accessories. Generally can't hit much even with $2K worth of optics and bear close watching. Most of them have no clue about safety. Saw one camo'd up ninja actually argue that sweeping his AR around was OK because "It isn't loaded.":banghead: There ARE exceptions, of course.

Lots of women shooters, and not just "dragalongs" either. A lot of these gals mean business and gots 'emselves some skillz. They're getting trained.