Hazwaste
Member
During a vacation day yesterday I headed to my gun club's range for some R&R. There were four other guys, including a deputy sheriff in uniform (who one would assume would have knowledge of firearms safety), at the rifle range when I arrived. Immediately upon exiting my vehicle, I noticed that none were wearing eye protection per range rules and common sense. I also noticed that one of them walked downrange to patch targets without having told anyone what he was doing, and one of his buddies was still holding the rifle and aiming downrange with his finger on the trigger!!! 
That still small voice said "Run, run away as fast as you can!".
Instead, I set up my gear at my station, and waited for an opportunity to set up my targets. When that time came, I made sure that the line was truly cold. I set up my 50 yard targets, and proceeded to 100 yards to set up a couple more. On my way to 100 yards, the fellow that had walked downrange earlier was again coming back from 100 yards. As he passed me he said, in all sobriety and seriousness "We'll wait until you get back before we start shooting...OK?".
At first, I thought he was joking. I later learned that he was not. I answered "Yeah, I'd appreciate that!" in a joking/sarcastic way.
Once I got back to my station, I finished setting up my station, loaded the M38 and chambered a round. Just as I was drawing a bead on target, I thought "Hmmm, I wonder where that idiot is?" and looked to my right. Sure enough, he was 20 yards downrange on his way back out. Keep in mind that the shooting had started back up since we had gotten back from downrange and 5 or so minutes had passed after the line was called "Hot" and acknowledged by all via voice and hand signals (after I had to get their attention in order to get acknowledgement...they all thought it was real funny that I was asking them to respond to me when I asked if the line was ready to shoot).
The idiots didn't know that people are supposed to stop shooting before someone walks downrange!
I got up, walked over to his buddies and told them that their friend is going to get himself shot. Then when Senor Butthead got back from downrange I told him that he nearly got himself killed and explained why. This was his reaction...
I explained the range rules they had violated, and why those rules exist. In retrospect, I should have said something earlier about the safety glasses, but I suppose I would have had to come back down there for the other violations later. I hated to treat these guys like I was their mother, but I'll be darned if I'm going to stand by and say nothing until someone gets hurt or killed.
So anyway, I went back to my station and did some shooting for about 90 minutes until...yep...dufuss did it again! He walked downrange without telling me he was going. Apparently he thought that only telling his buddies was sufficient. Once again, the fact that I habitually check the line before I shoot saved his sorry rear.
That was it. I packed up my gear and went home. Next month's gun club meeting is going to hear my story.
That still small voice said "Run, run away as fast as you can!".
Instead, I set up my gear at my station, and waited for an opportunity to set up my targets. When that time came, I made sure that the line was truly cold. I set up my 50 yard targets, and proceeded to 100 yards to set up a couple more. On my way to 100 yards, the fellow that had walked downrange earlier was again coming back from 100 yards. As he passed me he said, in all sobriety and seriousness "We'll wait until you get back before we start shooting...OK?".
At first, I thought he was joking. I later learned that he was not. I answered "Yeah, I'd appreciate that!" in a joking/sarcastic way.
Once I got back to my station, I finished setting up my station, loaded the M38 and chambered a round. Just as I was drawing a bead on target, I thought "Hmmm, I wonder where that idiot is?" and looked to my right. Sure enough, he was 20 yards downrange on his way back out. Keep in mind that the shooting had started back up since we had gotten back from downrange and 5 or so minutes had passed after the line was called "Hot" and acknowledged by all via voice and hand signals (after I had to get their attention in order to get acknowledgement...they all thought it was real funny that I was asking them to respond to me when I asked if the line was ready to shoot).
The idiots didn't know that people are supposed to stop shooting before someone walks downrange!
I got up, walked over to his buddies and told them that their friend is going to get himself shot. Then when Senor Butthead got back from downrange I told him that he nearly got himself killed and explained why. This was his reaction...
I explained the range rules they had violated, and why those rules exist. In retrospect, I should have said something earlier about the safety glasses, but I suppose I would have had to come back down there for the other violations later. I hated to treat these guys like I was their mother, but I'll be darned if I'm going to stand by and say nothing until someone gets hurt or killed.
So anyway, I went back to my station and did some shooting for about 90 minutes until...yep...dufuss did it again! He walked downrange without telling me he was going. Apparently he thought that only telling his buddies was sufficient. Once again, the fact that I habitually check the line before I shoot saved his sorry rear.
That was it. I packed up my gear and went home. Next month's gun club meeting is going to hear my story.
