Why dress this way at the range?

[ms6852]

At the range today saw this fellow I have never seen there before in my 5 years of being a member there. Dressed in cargo pants bloused to desert boots with a boonie hat. Carried a side arm in a web belt with 3 fixed blades taped to his suspenders and web belt.

He got a little upset when he was told he could not open carry on the rifle range but complied...upset is not the correct word, more like sad he had to take off his side arm. He looked tactical but very funny. Asked him if he had served in the military and replied he had not.

The next thing I know is he takes out this uber super tactical AR-15 and started to unscrew the front rail where you would normally mount a front sight. I asked him why he was taking it apart and replied he was goint to put the rail on the bottom so that he could mount a bipod to the rail. I told him that it would not be possible. He tried turning the rail but met resistance. I told him that he was going to bend the gas tube if he continued to apply more pressure and that would render his rifle useless.

He looked at me like a deer looks when staring at headlights. Needless to say he had no earthly idea about AR-15's. I think I chipped a tooth and bled a little from inside my cheek as I bit down hard trying to keep from laughing out loud. I do not want to discourage this young man but I clearly understand how mother nature now, weeds out the weak and dumb.

 

[Hunterdad]

Every range has at least one of those guys. We had one guy at our range thats about 5'6", 300lbs+ and was practicing barrel rolls on the side of the range....very funny.

 

[4v50 Gary]

A real Range Ranger, the functional equivalent of Bill Mauldin's Canteen Commando.

 

[2zulu1]

No face camo?

 

[XD 45acp]

About 3 years ago at the rifle range, we had a guy show up in the all out S.O.F. garb. When the range went cold he placed his target at about 10 feet away from the bench ( ok to do at our range as the bullet still hits the burm ok ),.. anyway, he gets out an impressive M-4 clone, and when we went hot, he puts 2 rounds into his mag, then fires 2 rounds into the target, drops the rifle onto the bench, reaches into the top of his boot, whips out a dagger and throws it at the target. ( OH.. It gets better )... Then proceeds to walk out and retrieve the dagger... ON a HOT RANGE!!! He was politely asked to leave by the R.O.

 

[mcdonl]

Thats funny.... I am 43, and at my range I am the kid... The most tactical thing you will see at our range are new dentures.

That being said, all of the members shoot everything from AR's to black powder.

Now, when I go to the club in Scarborough for IDPA in the summer time there are always a few range rangers but I guess that is sort ok given the sport.

 

[madcratebuilder]

I am 43, and at my range I am the kid... The most tactical thing you will see at our range are new dentures.

That's tag line material!

 

[Odd Job]

No face camo?

That made me laugh!

I guess the other thing he needs to have is a little bag of talcum powder so he can sprinkle a little of it in the air from time to time, to read the wind.

Oh, and he better have covered his glass with amber flaps or netting otherwise that will give his position away in sunlight...

 

[Sav .250]

You`ve got to start some where!

 

[ultradoc]

Last year at our local range there was a dude dressed in camos,web gear and knee pads. He did have some cool weapons though.

 

[HoosierQ]

I wonder if 30 or 40 years ago you saw stuff like...you know, fringed leather coats, pants tucked into the tall boots...frontier style?

 

[Jaxondog]

Yes and he probably look's at us and think's the same thing.lol

 

[pockets]

Why not dress this way at a range? It's his life and his dime.
Did this mode of dress affect you adversely? Was there a hoodie involved?

Yep, 30-40 years ago you would see more than a few people in 'buckskin' or 'colonial' outfits at a range. The United States Bicentennial during the mid-1970s caused a lot of people to get into muzzle-loaders and historic reenactment.

People have been showing up at the range in military or quasi-military clothing for decades. What's new about it?
Those people probably think my 'Robert Johnson' t-shirt is weird....different streaks for different freaks.

.

 

[fatcat4620]

I will stand up and be proud. I have a chest rig, dtop leg holster, and single point sling!

 

[Ranger30-06]

I am truly amazed at how you guys manage to find the strange people at your ranges.


I don't have a problem with dressing in camo or military clothing, however I think 3 knives and an open handgun will quickly get you questioned by more people than you would care to talk to.

I see camo and tactical gear all the time at my range, but no one is barrel rolling or throwing knives downrange. I can understand testing your equipment to make sure it's comfortable when firing, but unless your doing 3 gun or something, please, save the tactical dance for when it's really neccessary.

 

[JLDickmon]

It's not limited to gun ranges.
We still get "Mr. IBO" guys at our bow club..
portable bow stand on the ground, bino's in a chest harness.. rangefinder on a sling.. towel and full set of target ID cards with the scoring zones outlined.. dip tube of point lube and dip the arrow every shot.. dozen arrows in the quiver, and will pull each arrow and spin & examine them at every target station...
I know there is a time limit during sanctioned shoots, once you glass the target, you have X amount of time to release the shot ( I used to know what it is)...

you get the idea...

 

[FIVETWOSEVEN]

I open carry at my range but that's the extent of it. I don't have a CCW yet and I don't want someone killing me because they want my rifles.

 

[45_auto]

They're pointing a rifle at you and telling you they're taking your guns, and you think you're quick enough to draw your pistol and do something about it?

You'd be much better off looking for another range where the clientele are a little less threatening, or if you can't find another range, make sure you shoot as part of a group so one can provide cover while the others are shooting ....

 

[Kristensdaddy]

I'd hate to know what folks think of me at the range. We have an outdoor club that is five minutes from my office. Pistol, Rifle and Skeet. I shoot in a white shirt and necktie. -Office Tactical maybe???

 

[BullfrogKen]

You know, this is our next generation of shooters.


I'd hate to be the last old guy on the range, proud of having shooed away all the young fools, and find no one left.


We all have done silly things when we were young. Ridicule didn't put an end to them. But someone befriending me, helping me mature, did.

 

[mortablunt]

It's just harmless, let them have their fun. Chances are that they are not really trained or gun educated. It would likely stop if they were mentored by a more experienced member. If I did something like that, I'd just be admittedly trolling and playing it up for irony. I wear camouflage clothing around school partially due to style, partially due to all the pockets, and partially due to having a number of nice milsurp camo jackets. I won't advertise as being military until I've done service.

 

[hso]

Instead of weak and dumb, he might be ignorant needing a mentor to help educate him.

Today most people learn about firearms by themselves watching TV, playing games or browsing the internet instead of with the help of mentors who they can emulate.

If you see him again ask him if he's ever heard of a website TheHighRoad.org and if he'd like to join up where there are people who will try to answer his questions and give him something more than movies and games to look to for guidance. It is a victory for shooters everywhere when we can help someone like this become a mentor themselves some day.

 

[jon86]

You know, this is our next generation of shooters.


I'd hate to be the last old guy on the range

I consider myself young. I dress pretty normal at the range. Jeans and a t shirt.

 

[gp911]

Tactical dentures, LOL! I almost choked on my omelet! The knife thrower guy was pretty funny too. For the OP, that guy definitely needed a mentor and it's good you gave him some tips & kept him from ruining his AR. I chuckle a bit when people try way too hard to fit a certain image like "operator" or "outlaw podiatrist biker" but I don't judge, we didn't all start out as super-cool as we are now, right?

 

[Sam1911]

There's something about every one of us that rubs other people the wrong way.

Maybe you're a tacticool ninja fool. Maybe you're a Fudd. Maybe you're a gangbanger wannabe. Or a poseur biker. Or a suburbanite post-yuppie sheeple. Or one of those beemer-driving jerks with more money than sense. Or one of the "99%-er" trash. Of course you aren't. But what does someone THINK you are at first glance? And, if you looked at YOURSELF, say...15 years ago, what would you think of THAT guy? Probably not a pretty picture.

While you're criticizing the idiot dork on the line next to you, somebody's making a first impression of you, too. Somebody's judging the "silly," "ignorant," or "mall ninja" thing you just did.

And you might be one minute away from someone you'd really enjoy getting to know. And/or someone who could really use a word of encouragement, friendship, and advice.

I hate first impressions and first meetings. I'm not actually much of a "people person." But I've been SOOO wrong, sooo many times, that I try really hard to get over it and give folks every chance to grow on me. I benefit from that, every week, and I like to think it does them some good, too.