Who's Never Run Across Range Jerks?

[BerettaNut92]

All these threads about people running into other shoots are the range dissing their gear and new shooter's marksmanship has me curious. I've only been shooting for several years (since my 21st birthday) but have never run across anyone dissing my guns or telling me I suck.

I run across the guys that are a bit unsafe of course, but even the gangsta lookin guys that come in are cordial toward me.

Only negative stuff I ever had happen was at competitions where guys wouldn't tape or the next squad would start doing stage walkthroughs while my squad's guys were at the starting point waiting for them to clear it out and stop picking up brass so we could go hot

 

[tlhelmer]

I have had a lot of good luck at the range. I believe "gun people" are good people in general.

In fact, I have run into more people at the range who offered to let me shoot their interesting guns than anything close to jerk.

 

[Spot77]

Nope....can't think of any bad times at the range like that...

It also helps that I usually shoot with Norton, other THR members, or some new shooter friends that I might bring Keeps at least one lane filled with somebody I know.

 

[sidearm]

Hey there Skunk, I've seen your guns online - they are NICE. I'm sure not many would fun ya about 'em. Except the carbon factor -maybe- hehe. Anyway, did a lot of shooting up at Angeles Shooting Range out of Sunland, and the only weird looks would be from the people that were just starting or getting into shooting. Of course there was the wannbe gansta facta goin' on there too. Other than that most folks into gunning are great.

 

[Holly76201]

Nope, never had a problem at the range we go to most often.
Although we usu go to a friend's ranch instead of the range. It's free. But sometimes we want to shoot and it's too wet to go to the ranch. If it's been raining for a day or two the ground out there is too muddy even for a 4x4.
The only place we shoot in competition is the Dallas Pistol Club. The folks there have always been friendly, courteous and helpful. Just wanted to acknowledge them as a great group of people.

Holly

 

[PlayTheAces]

In some thirty years of hitting ranges I can't honestly recall any jerk type experiences. I've seen some less than safe gun handling, rather bizarre shooting techniques, and interesting marksmanship, but can't recall any confrontations. Most folks I've met have been good people.

I remember running into a guy years back at an open range up in the forest who insisted I try his gew98. After shooting it and rattling my teeth, I took a good look at the gun. You could actually shake it and hear most of the parts rattling around. Then he proceeds to tell me how he rolled his own and liked to "beef them up a little". He was a might strange, but a genuinely nice guy. Now that I'm older and wiser I'm a little more cautious about shooting unknown weapons.

 

[45R]

In the last year that I have been shooting I've run into some major Darwin canidates but no jerks.

 

[HogRider]

Same here. Always had good experiences at the shooting range. The only thing I hate, is when people sneak up from behind and try to pick up MY BRASS. Thank God that has only happened once or twice.

 

[greyhound]

None here either. I tend to go early on the weekends (Continental Arms in Timonium) and its usually just me and one or two others....kinda like it that way. One gentleman is ALWAYS there, working on drawing from a holster, whether on Saturday or Sunday morning.

Only been going for a year, though, so give it time...

 

[MAKOwner]

Closest I've had is a range warden or whatever (official state ranger of some kind) come driving up asking me and buddy if we realized the range was totally closed on Sundays (unsupervised range). When I said yeah I was aware of that (wondering what the heck he was telling me for) he got a little perturbed I could tell. Kinda like "you knew and are doing it anyway, oh boy ticket time *******". Problem was it was Monday, don't know if this guy was drunk on the weekend and lost a day or what but a little explaining to the ranger that it was not Sunday and he got pretty embarrassed, apologized and left, lol... Said he hadn't even showed up at work yet then, lol. That's gotta suck.

I have only been going to these unsupervised ranges for the last couple years. I never encountered any jerks at other ranges, but I grew tired of "only one shot per second" and "no more than 2 rounds loaded at a time" and such similar BS on the ranges I had been going to.

Never run into any actual jerks at the range or anything. I shoot very little, well zero actually, regular hunter type arms. Mostly evil AKs and other military styled rifles yet I am usually met with people asking about my weapons or at most not showing any distain.

 

[BerettaNut92]

Harley, LOL. People at the rifle range must love me because I pick up my brass and give it to the first person who says they reload -06

 

[ChickenHawk]

I've seen a ton of people who have no idea what they are doing, but that's a far cry from being a 'jerk' .

I've never seen anyone at the range that I would consider to be grossly inconsiderate, dangerous, or a jerk.

Cheers,
ChickenHawk

 

[Jack T.]

No range jerks here. . .

But the range I shoot at is a "closed" range. Just me and my wife.

 

[Smokey Joe]

Shooters @ Ranges

Aside from the very occasional unsafe behavior (usually amenable to pleasant correction) my range time is invariably blissful. I mostly inhabit a public range and am generous with use of my spotting 'scope and with shooting and reloading advice (ALWAYS prefaced with a request for permission to advise!). Have learnt a thing or 2 myself in return, and have had enhanced range time as a result, not to mention lots of free brass.

I do avoid the range the week before Deer Season, as that is when the goofuses come out to see if their gun is still sighted in from last deer season, and fret because they are halfway through a 10-year old box of ammo. Even most of those are pleasant people, even if unpracticed shooters.

My conclusion is that gun handling generally, encourages forethought, practice, and courtesy. And it's apparently a little humbling to be using such godlike amounts of power.

 

[Browns Fan]

I have been blessed with some good range experiences, most gun people I know are safe, polite, respectful, and, dare I say it, even humble.

 

[JimJD]

Ooo! Ooo! Me! Me!
*JimJD raises and waves hand frantically*

I've been lucky so far. Hope it stays that way.

 

[ny32182]

I have had a lot of good luck at the range. I believe "gun people" are good people in general.

In fact, I have run into more people at the range who offered to let me shoot their interesting guns than anything close to jerk.

This has been my experience. Never run into any real jerks, and have fired quite a few guns owned by others that I never would have otherwise.

I shot a .45/70 for the first time last week. After reading about some people's experience, I was expecting it to knock my shoulder off, but it wasn't bad at all. Maybe because it was only 300 gr loads. Another guy's 12 guage turkey loads were a different story.

I've got the occasional "what are you going to kill with THAT! " comments from some guys' wives occasionally with regard to a bushy, but other than that, all good experiences.

 

[cool45auto]

I ran into a guy once that told me I needed to get something bigger than my Beretta, like his .45.

Other than that I've seen a lot of carelessness but everyone's pretty friendly.

 

[CAP]

The only bad experiences I have had caused my to scream above the niose "DON'T POINT THAT THING AT ME!" :banghead:

 

[BenW]

Ran into know-it-alls on occasion when I used to go to regular ranges, but they were friendly ones. Nowadays I shoot at a Forest Service spot near where I live. I generally go on a weekday morning so I have the place to myself and don't have to worry about jerks. I've never run into the arrogant class of jerk there, but the unsafe behavior on weekends is a sight to behold. Whenever I do run into weekday morning shooters there, they generally end up being people like me, who just want a safe, uncrowded place to shoot, so we get along quite well.

As a matter of fact I was there this morning and came home with twice the brass I started with, thanks to the weekend leftovers. Don't get me started on the weekend leftovers of TRASH though!

 

[Mark Tyson]

Fortunately I've never run into a real dangerous or arrogant type of range idiot. Sure I've met a few people who think they're God's gift to gun owners, but they weren't really bad people per se, just a laughably wrong. I met one guy who carried a loaded Mini-30 to the range and pointed it the wrong way. I nonchalantly (and very humbly) advised him that it just might be a good idea to correct those mistakes.

 

[Sisco]

I work odd hours so I usually have the range to myself. Have never run into anyone who put down my skills or choice of guns. (not while I was present anyway! )

 

[Beetle Bailey]

I haven't run into any jerks either, only some unsafe gun handling. I've actually had, like some of the other people who've posted, good experiences at the range, but I just never felt the need to start a thread about the guy how taught me how to read the brass disc on my Swedish Mauser, or the guy who built his own flintlock, or the guy who gave my buddy a handful of Enfield stripper clips just because he gave the guy some Enfield advice. Don't get me wrong, I know they (jerks with guns) exist, but it seems to me they are in a small minority.

 

[wardog]

One time I was leisurely shooting my Remington PSS at the local indoor range, and apparently holding up the line for hunters who just wanted to fire 2 shots to make sure they were sighted in. No one said anything but I got sick of all the pacing and muttering, so now I avoid the range just before hunting season. I like to go outside better anyway.

The last time I went to the indoor range, the range master told me I was firing too fast. I was shooting an S&W 6906 9mm, probably about 1 shot per second. I wasn't spraying bullets around wildly, just firing as soon as I could get a decent sight picture. "Uhh, you can do double taps or triple taps if you want" he said. Oh, so I can fire 2 or 3 as fast as I want, but you have a problem with deliberate aimed fire And this from a place that rents (or used to) full auto 9mm's:banghead:

Oh, I do like to look at the number of bullet holes in the ceiling right above the shooting lanes and wonder how they happened.

 

[TallPine]

Have only run into one jerk on the public range, and he is a jerk anywhere you meet him. Actually, he is a really nice guy, all sugar and syrup, who will stab you in the back when he gets the chance.

No, I keep thinking I live in a dream world, because I've never met any of those range jerks that people talk about. Some are more friendly than others, but that's fine too.