Stupid is as Stupid Does!

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TinCup

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Went to the range today with my wife so she could break in her new .357 Ruger, and saw the stupidest thing I have ever seen in my life.

I had just popped in a fresh mag and was raising up my gun to fire when out of the corner of my eye I see the dumba$$ from two lanes down from me come walking out into the range to pick up his target that fell on the floor!
 
Wow. That's beyond stupid.

I won't even put my hands past the line to retrieve something that's dropped. I use the little squeegee things we keep around to push away brass.
 
Worst I've seen so far...

Last spring, I was shooting pistols at an outdoor range. There was a guy two stations over with a mix of stuff in a range bag. He'd finished firing a Ruger auto, and then brought out a little .25acp. I was just finishing loading up mags when I saw him put in a fresh magazine, chamber a round and try to shoot.

He pulls the trigger. Nothing happens.

He pulls the slide back, but the round won't eject. Later I was to discover that the round was stuck in a dirty chamber and the extractor wasn't functioning. In any event, he then proceeds to flip the gun over so that it is pointed directly at his own navel... the muzzle mere inches from his belly. He starts pulling the slide back and letting it fly, over and over, very fast.

I quickly backpedaled a few feet to make sure I was totally clear, and then yelled for him to stop. After a few anxious seconds, he heard/saw me and stopped what he was doing. I went over and cleared the weapon for him, explaining that if there had been a problem with the firing pin or any number of other mechanical failures, he'd have just shot himself... not to mention the fact that he'd just violated the range rules.

He didn't say much in response, but quietly packed his gear and left. I HOPE that the reality of it sunk in and he understood what could have gone wrong. I also made a point of talking with the guys working the range to keep an eye out for him in case he came back... mostly for his own good.
 
I was at an outdoor range a few years ago with some friends when some Darwin award candidate showed up. We, of course, were following range rules the whole time. This turd unloads his black powder rifle from his car and proceeds to walk downrange to set up his target - while we're firing. He didn't ask, didn't call cease fire, nothing. As soon as I saw him I yelled cease fire, but by that time he was almost at the first ribbon :rolleyes: Giving him the benefit of the doubt, I asked him politely to not do that again. Oh yeah, he put his target up on the post that hold the ribbons up - specifically forbidden by range rules. While we're sitting there during cease-fire, my buddy goes down range to check targets. We're sitting around with ears off because...well it's a cease fire. As my buddy heads back to the benches, previously mentioned turd lets fly a round from his black powder rifle. No warning, didn't wait for everyone to be behind the firing line, didn't care if we had ears on or not. After that, language got a little more harsh. He packed up his rifle, left his target up on the post, and left.

Never saw him again, and I'm not too upset about that.
 
Man........just when you think you've heard or seen all the stupid things people do at a range...........you guys have some unbelievable stories.

That's why I appreciate having my own range here at home..........I almost never go to a public range for practice. I do go to different ranges for various events/shoots, etc........and even when you think you are with experienced guys they do some pretty stupid things.

This wasn't a firearms incident, but I was at a highpower competition recently and had just started preparing to shoot my final string of fire when THE RANGE OFFICER (who was also shooting in one of the events) comes over to my position on the firing line, which was #1 that day and proceeds SHAKE OUT HIS SHOOTING MAT ALL OVER MY EQUIPMENT AND UNCASED AR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :eek: :fire: :cuss: :banghead:

The look on my face must have been one of disbelief b/c my brother who was also shooting that day looked at me with the same look of horror on his face and an additional "don't kill the poor old guy" look after the initial shock of watching him do that snapped us back into reality.

I quickly made my way to my gear, brushed passed him as politely as I could muster at that moment and covered my gear. He just looked at me and KEPT DOING IT! Then when he was through he walked away with a look like, what the hell's your problem????

I thought I was going to blow a gasket and stangle the guy.
 
I was 12 and saw a guy at the black canyon range with a 44 mag shooting single action sitting down. Not a problem, but to cock it he would rotate the revolver so the muzzle was pointed at the top of his head, put his thumb on the hammer then rotate the pistol down and cock it at the same time. I told the range officer and went to the safe/sane side of the range.
 
Back in the early 90's I use to moonlight at a Gun Shop that had 12 indoor shooting lanes. We could watch the customers from the counter area behind the bullet proof glass.

I cannot remember how many times over a two year period watching people that would have a mis-fire, or whatever the reason of the pistol not firing, then point the end of the gun in their face to see why it didn't fire! i.e. click, nothing happens then immediately look down the end of the barrel.
 
This nice think about this Darwinian canidates is often times they will thin themselves out! I hate to see stupid things like that. I have had a few people do stupid stuff at the range. I usually warn them and then take off! I don't want to be around when they kill themselves.
 
Ya, I don't like going to public ranges if I can help it for all the reasons listed above. The controlled conservation ranges are the safest but I've seen some repeated problems there even. Muzzle control seems to be the most common issue.
 
It is stories like these that make me wish there could be some way to mandate a full and total familiarity with the rules of safety. They are after all - totally logical.

OK, we have a right - but with that comes surely a responsibility too - to self and others.

When running a NRA pistol course - as you might expect, the safety angle is top of list - added to which folks know they are off the course real quick if they abuse those rules. It would seem that once instilled, the rules do serve to unconsciously guide, even the new shooter.

If I am RO and see a gross infringement then regardless of how unpopular I may become - I am into some serious reaming ... and if possible banning. As we say so often ... you cannot call a bullet back!
 
Amen to that P95Carry! I once suggested the same thing a long time ago on another board and one of the other members, whose handle will remain anonymous, lit into me like I was promoting total gun control.
 
like I was promoting total gun control.
Click to expand...
Well you were Mike ... but the right sort of gun control ... big difference eh. :)

I cannot help but wonder what most transgressors would think, if they were on the receiving end of muzzle sweep with what they KNEW was a loaded gun. :rolleyes:

Would they really remain so cool - particularly if they saw the shooter's finger on trigger also.? (I am sure most would not - and the few that might? Well, maybe they can make a booking with Darwin and spare the rest of us!)

All that is then required is to translate that into ''a gun is always loaded, and operate it accordingly. Wishful thinking.
 
When I first began shooting CAS, I belonged to a club that shot weekly at an indoor range. One week we had a visitor who wanted to try CAS. As soon as he entered the bay, he begain loading one of his six guns. We firmly advised him that you don't load your weapons anywhere but at the loading table. He pack up his bag and left, never to return.

I think you can tell a true sportsman by how (s)he handles constructive criticism, especially when it comes to safety. Firearm safety is NOT optional. Some folks learn from their mistakes, apologize, and thank the person pointing out their error. :D Others either get embarrased or huffy and just leave. :eek:
 
I went to the range one morning after xmas when a couple of guys showed up with a brand new chronograph. they set it front of the firing line and whlie the owner looked down range over the screens with his rifle , his buddy looked back at the rifle to make sure that is was lined up over the screens. I decided that at it was time to go. I really didn't want to be around if somebody got hurt and spend the rest of the day explaining what happened to the sheriff. I went back to the range the next morning and I didn't seen any bloodstains so I think they survived.
 
I shot PPC competition for several years, anyone who was shooting in those competitions was supposed to be a certified law enforcement officer, qualified with firearms and aware of range safety rules. We were lining up on the firing line for a stage in the competition, our pistols were supposed to be unloaded and in our holsters, not being handled in any way, as we were lining up we heard a pistol discharge on the firing line! A participant 6 or 8 men down the line had a accidental discharge, he was kicked out of the competition. I don't know what happened, I didn't see anything, and nobody was injured, but it was crazy because of the conditions we were under, unloaded and untouched, we weren't even to the point of loading weapons yet! :eek:
 
iamhistory:

This range officer was going to compete against you? Man, what a dirty trick, he totally ruins your concentration and gets your adrenaline pumping. How were your groups after that?

Might have to put in a dedicated range-rug shakeout area.

Bart Noir
 
"We firmly advised him that you don't load your weapons anywhere but at the loading table."

I know that is a rule at some competitions, but have never understood what problem it is supposed to solve. Could someone educate me?

Tim
 
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