Cavi Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 Today I had an experience today at a local range (Nice Shot, Redding, CA) I was shooting in lane 5 and there are 2 other lanes bieng used. Lane 1 is having some sort of problem, and there are two guys sharing that lane. Anyway there is some problem going on, did not know what at that point, soon one of the range manegers comes in and I hear him tell the shooter "the reason your gun is not working is you loaded the magazine backwards, the bullets face forward twords the opening". I finished my rounds and left but the more I thought about it the more it freaked me out. If the guys did not know how to load a magazine they probably did not know how to use the gun or saftey. In other words who knows where they were pointing the #### muzzle, in my direction possibly? I also remembered that I take my kids there to shoot (last time, never again). End result I called the manager and voiced my concerns, he was full of #####, he said there was no problem, his instructor went in and solved the problem, I replied that he may have explained how to load, not handgun saftey. He said they have no way of regulating, they ask if people know how to use the gun but that was all they could do. For me that is the last time my kids will use that range and I am still not sure about myself. Someone who does not know how a gun functions has no buisness handeling a gun, it is a accident waiting to happen. by the way, the dorks were using a range gun, a 1911.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokey Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 I believe that I detect the odor of Troll. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 That's when you hope that 'bulletproof' glass between the stalls really is. At one local range they had some samples they'd shot with various rounds. Made me feel better (a little, anyway). I've actually seen scarier things at outdoor ranges that are less controlled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Boudrie Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 Was the gun an HK USP? Perhaps the shooters had seen this HK catalog cover: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1082670/posts also quoted in http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=193608 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XRe Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 That's when you hope that 'bulletproof' glass between the stalls really is. At one local range they had some samples they'd shot with various rounds. Made me feel better (a little, anyway). I've actually seen scarier things at outdoor ranges that are less controlled. One of my scary stories happened on an indoor range. One of the guys shooting next to me is obviously very new to shooting. I'd finished shooting a string and was loading a mag, and this guy is popping away with a .380 or something puny... I'm watching him go, and out the corner of my eye, I see his buddy load up a .44 Mag Desert Eagle (way behind the firing line...), and walk up and hand it to his buddy, and tells his buddy to shoot it. The warning bells in my head start going off, and I go to sit my mag down on the bench just as the guy lights a round off. His eyes get as big as saucers and he turns around to say "Holy S***" to his buddy behind him. Where do you think his muzzle went, and where was his trigger finger at the same time??? You got it. A .44 caliber barrel appears to somehow morph in size to roughly that of a basketball when you're staring down it.... Forum member/lurker Braxton1 was working at the range at the time, and (IIRC) saw it happen. I got the guy pointed back down range and got him to sit the gun down, then firmly, but politely walked the two guys out to him, and asked him to remove the two, uh, inDUHviduals before they ended up with more holes than God intended for them to have... The other scary story involves a loaded 12 gauge (also with finger on trigger) at the Wolf Creek shooting facility in Atlanta... I can't tell you how much I HATE having guns pointed at me.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Capizzo Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 These kinda of stories are inevitable I'm afraid if you spend much time around firearms. Lord knows, I was probably just as ignorant when I started out. In fact, I know I was. The plus side, at our local outdoor range there is a "competition" only section behind a locked gate. If you've got the combination you can set up whatever you want in those bays, and be far away from the scary folks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intel6 Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 That is why I became a RO at our local range so when I am just out there to shoot I can go over to one of the pistol ranges by myself and don't have to shoot on the pubic range. Neal in AZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianH Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 Years ago Portland was in the process of building a chain of indoor ranges called 'A Place To Shoot'. The coolest thing was the second range went in around the corner from my job. Then a girl went into the North Portland range, rented a gun and offed herself. That was bad enough but the range certainly took it in the shorts and the new range shut down less than a year later and I don't know if they ever recovered. I'm glad a wasn't there. I fell sorry for those who were. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 I heard about that one and another self-offing incident with an adult male somewhere north of here as well over the past some years. Jeez. That kind of nonsense can be very, very off-putting for the clientele and horrible on business. The last kind of ghastly publicity a range facility needs. Fortunately, the only little weirdnesses we've had at our indoor range here are a couple of negligent discharges either in the parking lot (blew a hole in his motorcycle gas tank during that one) and a couple of bangs inside the lounge area or nearby. We did have a guy fumble with his .45ACP in putting it away one day and the bullet-proof glass between the range area and the shop/lounging area took a hit and proved its worth (spider-webbed all to hell but didn't break). That day, indeed, could've been the day a fatality could've occurred. It was sheer luck the gun was pointed more or less away from all the people surrounding it. He just didn't CLEAR his gun in the shooting booth and brought a live round back to his range bag with him. Bang. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Moneypenny Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 I've been there at a number of ranges. My adise is every instructor on earth should own a bullet proof vest. I could never work a counter in a gun store because of guns getting pointed at me. Idiots walking into a gun shop with a gun to pawn.... hey hehe this is a stick up heh..."man why you pointing that gun at me" not a joke it happened at a shop when I was in college. If you are around guns it will happen, not everyone is muzzle conscious. Usually those of us who are safety oriented. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanM Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 I don't know how many times at every indoor range I've ever been to that I've seen absolute nonsense with regard to safety. One range I used to frequent in CA had TWO suicide by rentals in the span of a month. New rules are in place but it still gave me the heebee jeebees being down there. What really worried me were the "homeboys" down there blasting their "Fotays". Way scarry indeed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 It's sad that the public ranges are so lax that all the good shooters do their best to shoot elsewhere, which leaves no good role models for the people stuck on the public range that don't know any better... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ima45dv8 Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 I've been swept by shooters at indoor ranges on several occasions, but have been "muzzled" by employees of gun stores so many times I can't begin to count them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxshooter Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 Same thing happens in Florida. Several years ago a lady rented a pistol and went to the indoor range and offed herself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micah Posted September 10, 2006 Share Posted September 10, 2006 Surgeon Generals Warning: Avoiding indoor ranges with rental guns will prolong your life by 30 or more years! I'm certainly glad to hear that you walked out ok... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanM Posted September 10, 2006 Share Posted September 10, 2006 (edited) It's sad that the public ranges are so lax that all the good shooters do their best to shoot elsewhere, which leaves no good role models for the people stuck on the public range that don't know any better... I've tried to explain to a few people at public ranges about the need for safety and their reaction has been less than responsive too many times to count. Usually they are young, male, early 20's, no common sense what so ever. What would be nice is if everyone who rented a gun at a public range first had to go through some kind of "New Shooter Orientation". Just the basics, point gun downrange, treat it as if it were loaded all the time, drop the hammer and the mag before leaving the line, that kind of stuff. Bah, what am I saying. As soon as I can, I'm going to buy a house with a private range Probably be so gidy with glee I'll have an ND and shoot myself in the foot That guy with the forest of Dillons got me thinking....... Edited September 10, 2006 by DanM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFlowers Posted September 10, 2006 Share Posted September 10, 2006 Between jobs, I have worked at the local gunshop. Its awful easy to get lax about muzzle control when you are pulling guns you "know" are empty from the case day after day. And yes, thats BAD and we all ought to know better. And you can only "control" customers so much, which is why I tried to always hand them open (slide locked back, cylinder open, bolt pulled back, etc) guns. The attached range only makes new shooters watch a 5 minute video. Not much instruction. And I don't know how you would ever stop the "death by rental". Funny story.... I was in Bay B one afternoon. Bay C is easily watched by the desk so that where they put people. A young man who I had seen in the store earlier came into the range with a Glock he had just purchased. He loaded up and rapidly fired 10 rounds (during the Clinton years!). A couple of holes were scattered all over the target. I could hear him cussing as he reloaded. I locked my slide back and moved back to my gunbag which was on the table along the back wall. Watching the guy shoot, he was doing the sideways-hold arm pump style perfected by Hollywood. Frustrated the guy slammed the gun down, now cussing. Since I was wearing the range's shirt, I asked if he needed help. He called the gun several defamating things. I loaded it up and fired a reasonable group. Putting the gun down, I told him I did not see anything wrong with the gun. He grabbed up his stuff and stormed out. Nearly peed my pants I was laughing so hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Gaines Posted September 10, 2006 Share Posted September 10, 2006 We had a guy at one of the local range shoot himself, apparantly was fixing to get a divorce. Fortunately he waited till closing time to do it and turned his head sideways and pulled the trigger sending the bullet downrange. But that got me thinking about the people who shoot at ranges. I've somewhat compiled a list people who shoot for fun, for the love of shooting. People who are hunters, who are sighting in their gun, or making sure its still shoots straight. People who just bought a new gun, and want to shoot their new toy. People who have had a bad day/week, whatever, and feel like destroying something. People who are up to no good people who feel their life maybe threatend, so they shoot, so they can get prepared. People who want to learn how to shoot. People who rely on their weapon for protection of themselves and others. I am sure their is quite a few more, but my point is that we don't know what the guy next to us, what his objecive is. you maybe next to a guy who is going to drive their truck into Lubby's and shoot everyone inside. After that incident, I have been very observant and cautious of the shooters around me, and prefer to shoot alone if all possible, but if I sense trouble I move somewhere else or leave. Just not worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSeevers Posted September 10, 2006 Share Posted September 10, 2006 (edited) Public ranges suck and are scary. Some membership ones are too Edited September 10, 2006 by BSeevers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punkin Chunker Posted September 10, 2006 Share Posted September 10, 2006 I shot with a guy who had his own solution for annoying neighbors on the range. He always took a box of what he called "thunder" loads and his 2" .357 S&W when he went to the range. If the neighboring shooters on the range got annoying, he'd pull them out and load them up. I don't remember the specific load, but it was basically the heaviest possible load of the slowest-burning powder he could use behind the lightest bullet, with just enough crimp to keep the bullets from creeping forward under recoil. Seemed like most of the combustion happened outside the muzzle. Big fireball, really annoying blast, significant concussion. He rarely had to run through more than a cylinder before there were at least 5 clear lanes on both sides of him. I have seen him clear an entire line! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanM Posted September 10, 2006 Share Posted September 10, 2006 I think I just found the justification to go out and buy a small .357 revolver Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted September 10, 2006 Share Posted September 10, 2006 A 9x25 comp gun is pretty good too. As is any comped Contender in a rifle caliber.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XRe Posted September 10, 2006 Share Posted September 10, 2006 My 3" SP-101 is pretty effective at range clearing... Especially w/ 180s loaded up for IHMSA w/ a buttload of AA #9.... heh heh... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianH Posted September 10, 2006 Share Posted September 10, 2006 I shot with a guy who had his own solution for annoying neighbors on the range.He always took a box of what he called "thunder" loads and his 2" .357 S&W when he went to the range. If the neighboring shooters on the range got annoying, he'd pull them out and load them up. I don't remember the specific load..... I'm thinking 125JFP and 10-12 gr. of 296. Out of a 2 inch snub that hurts (YOUR hand and THEIR fillings). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skywalker Posted September 11, 2006 Share Posted September 11, 2006 (edited) Looks like my revo ... 7-shot .357" Mag Taurus, with 2" barrel and 6 port holes: load it with 17.4grs of N110 under a soft point 125 grs (basically I fill the brass with a teaspoon and crimp ... ) I call it the "relocator" for a good reason ... Edited September 11, 2006 by Skywalker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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