Range time; alone or with a friend?

How do you prefer to spend time at the range?

  • Alone.

    Votes: 74 61.7%

  • With friends or family.

    Votes: 46 38.3%
  • Total voters
    120
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Trey Veston

Trey Veston

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May 30, 2017
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2,712
Location
Idaho/Washington border
Which do you prefer?

I would much rather be alone when shooting 90% of the time. I can concentrate better and have less distractions when I'm alone. Usually, my range time is for testing new loads and trying to sight in optics, so I like to focus on that.

But, when doing drills or plinking, I like to shoot with my dad or brother, since we enjoy trying to outshoot each other and give each other a hard time. They're both cops, so ribbing is all part of range day.

But I really abhor shooting with someone I don't know well, or is just a casual acquaintance.

Curious as to what other folks prefer.
 
I prefer to be alone most of the time, unless I'm shooting with somebody who is experienced. Of course I don't mind taking new shooters and have many times, most of the time it's alright.

I haven't been shooting much alone lately due to some health issues, but hopefully they pass and I can get on with it because I miss it.

It does get old shooting alone though, it's nice to go with people as long as they are the right people. I've gone with people I would never go with again.

I have a couple new shooting buddies from church, just haven't been out with them yet this summer. Me and another guy from church have tentatively planned to try to get on the schedule for a SIG class in Exeter, NH before they're all filled up....
 
I'm with the others, so going for the third option...it depends.
Load development or sighting in that requires adjustments and slow careful fire, alone.
Sending lead downrange and running drills, or introducing others to shooting is a group effort.
 
When my ol' shootin' buddy still lived here, my preference was to go shootin' with just him.

When I've gone shooting with a larger group, the only time that's fun for me is when we are all equally competent.

Going alone is okay, but it's kinda boring. No one to talk to before, during, and after about what we did. Seems like I shoot alone a lot now. Time to play some George Thorogood.
:evil:

 
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I like to go with my 10-year-old son it's awesome bonding with him over outdoor stuff and he got three bucks last year and a Tom.

But there are days when I do like to shoot alone and concentrate especially when sighting in revolvers and new optics
I don't mind shooting alone and did not like shooting in groups larger than three.
 
I used to like going with friends or I took my daughter. She no lingers shoots due to health issues and all my friends are gone, moved away or we’ve grown apart.

I have found I prefer going to the range alone.

Now, if it’s a “fun shoot”, that is different. I am not going to test ammo or drive for speed and accuracy. I am there for fun. You can’t be a stick in the mud trying to test / develop loads when it’s a Fun Shoot! :D

Edit: I forgot to mention taking my grandson. I consider that a “Fun Shoot”. :cool:
 
For the last decade or so with a friend. It’s a twice weekly thing. Breakfast on Mondays then the range, Range on Wednesdays then lunch. Fair weather out doors, rain or cold, indoors on the clubs gallery range.
Winter months I go south and shoot alone. It’s not as enjoyable but I still go.
Of course the shooting is only part of the activity, it’s the before and after prep work like reloading the ammo, caring for the equipment planing which guns to take ect ect.
 
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I generally like to shoot alone or with my son, although it's humbling since he can now outshoot me all day long. When I take friends or family I don't get much shooting time; I'm acting as Range Officer/Gunsmith/Instructor/Mag loader. I don't mind, and I'm always willing to help someone who's interested. It's just a different experience.
We took my son's GF who was staunchly anti-gun and now she's converted. :)
 
I usually go alone to the indoor range, with friends to shoot trap or bench rest shooting outdoors.
 
Depends on what I'm doing. For just target practice or sighting in, I don't mind company.
For ladder or seating tests, I'd rather be alone.
 
Both depending on the purpose. Luckily I own my own range so I get to do both often enough.

IF it's load development/testing/sighting-in or working on a specific drill/practice; alone. Generally these efforts aren't exactly a spectator sport anyway, so this is "me" time. I like setting my own pace.

I also often have group shoots with friends and family and as twarr1 said I normally end up acting as the SO/RO. When I have the guys I shoot matches with come over, then we'll set up mock stages and the SOing is a shared responsibility. I tend to keep the group shoots down to 10-12 (fewer for rifle practice) cause that's about all my range can handle safely.
 
When testing loads/guns I prefer to be alone. When doing long range or doing some steel blasting, it's more fun with friends!
 
I prefer to go alone most of the time. I take my own good time and don't feel any pressure to meet anyone else's schedule. I enjoy just being outdoors and can take hours without expending all that much ammo. Most people don't want to spend that kind of time.
 
I like going with my friend that also loves to shoot like I do, If shooting FA Class 3 always at home mostly alone only as our range does not allow it, my friend shoots much more than I do per session. Also do many walks alone here at home in the woods hunting cans or? From heavy rains we just had.
 
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I prefer shooting by myself unless it's a match, then it's part of the match to deal with others.

I also prefer hunting by myself, and going to gunshows by myself.

Come to that, I'm really pretty much a loner by nature, and prefer to be alone in almost all activities.
It's not that I dislike being around others, it's merely that, at times, it can be exhausting.
 
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