Wear Vest At Range?

[Guntalk]

I note a thread here about richochets, and another about an ND in Utah.

I also have talked to a couple of cops who tell me they always wear their ballistic vests when shooting at the range. One of them said he is especially careful when shooting with cops! <grin>

Anyone here wear a vest at the range?

 

[Tom B]

I have a vest that I wear at work (armored truck) that I most times also wear when I go to the range. It is a Stiletto (sp?) brand that was custom fitted and is very comfortable. Its a level 2A.

 

[ACP230]

I knew several competitors at the late, lamented Second Chance Bowling Pin Shoot who wore their vests, Second Chance of course, while on the line at the shoot.

One of these was Massad Ayoob who said the vest helped withstand the recoil of heavy buckshot loads from shotguns during the Three Man Team events. "Three men, 22 pins..."

Since bouncebacks off the pin tables, or the pins themselves, did happen, some competitors wore vests to guard against that. The shooters were generally very safe, but some wore vests in case of NDs.

 

[Greybeard]

When in Austin for last CHL instructor renewal skul in summer of '01, DPS had purchased some special exterior-worn vests for all of the range officers. I understand done at the insistence of head RO, Dan Walker, who has since left the dept. Especially with as many as 30 handgun shooters on the line at once, it made sense to me. One of 'em is certainly on my "want" list. In fact, it should probably get priority over next gun purchase.

 

[justice4all]

Sometimes, not always.

 

[Texas Bob]

I always wear on the range!!! Let's see, do "you" personally know the safety habits of everyone around you?

 

[Kevlarman]

I do. Second Chance Monarch, level II.

Can't be too careful; you don't know how safe the other people at the range are.

 

[blades67]

No.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

If I am at a range where there are a lot of people shooting, especially people I don't know, I wear my vest. It is only at the range where I know I have had loaded guns pointed at me. Most of the time it was because the offending shooter got distracted enough by some thing that they lost proper muzzle discipline.

One of the nice things about wearing the vest is that it is a passive form of protection that will work even when you don't see some other shooting doing something stupid with a gun.

 

[Lone_Gunman]

I have never shot at a public range, and don't think I really ever want to.

 

[Steel]

that's a good idea. I'll dust off my old patrol duty vest.