Range Loafers

[boz1911]

Shooting yesterday in 95 degree heat and virtually no breeze was a bitch. We had an experienced squad but even then everyone needed a break near the end of the day, me included. The time to reset stages got a little slower on the last few stages but we weren't holding anyone up so it wasn't a big deal.

Sometimes the weather has lot to do with energy levels......

[IronEqualizer]

Yep I know my game fell off a lot yesterday. I just could not get my head into it. My first classifier after making "A" and I zeroed it. After the first 2 strings there was not even a need to shoot the 3rd. The 3rd string was a sub 3 sec bill drill on a no shoot. Hard cover and close no shoots and I know I never saw a stopped sight picture on any of them. Afterward I thought about what I needed to see not before like I should have. Oh crap thread drift........yeah and no one wanted to score or paste my targets because it was so hot. Damn loafers.

AL

Edited June 22, 2009 by IronEqualizer

[ima45dv8]

Boz/Alan -- I just checked weather.com and the 'official' high for the match yesterday was 97 (with about 115% humidity!). Brutal, for a naturally well-insulated man.

Once I had to stop and go sit in the shade with a large glass of cold water to dribble over my head. I was gratified by how concerned everyone was until I realized they probably just didn't want to have to pick me up and carry me anywhere.

Seriously, thanks to everyone on the squad for switching out RO duties.

I'm happy to say the folks I shoot with are not range loafers. The "Ususal Suspects" like and respect each other, are there to have fun and do well, and all do their share. We compete so hard with each other that even pasting targets sometimes becomes a competition. Even at all the majors I've been to this year I've been lucky to land in great squads.

[00bullitt]

Seriously, thanks to everyone on the squad for switching out RO duties.

I'm happy to say the folks I shoot with are not range loafers. The "Ususal Suspects" like and respect each other, are there to have fun and do well, and all do their share. We compete so hard with each other that even pasting targets sometimes becomes a competition. Even at all the majors I've been to this year I've been lucky to land in great squads.

AMEN Brah.....had a good time yesterday with the "Usual Supsects"........always a pleasure

[joecichlid]

Brutal, for a naturally well-insulated man.

I don't care who you are, that there's funny stuff! Heading to the Nats I am taking a CamelBack and will be loading it with ice water before the match every day (said the naturally well-insulated man). ROFL

Joe W.

[Bongo Boy]

What, if anything, can you do with the loafers on your squad who don't patch, don't set steel, and more often than not have to be called to the line to shoot??

I've heard the SO announce that he appreciates the help folks are providing, and that it makes things go faster for everyone if folks help. That's motivated folks I think.

But, now that weather's nice, I've seen upwards of 18-20 folks per squad because we have just 4 stages, so I've seen 4 guys taping, 6 guys policing brass, etc. Getting the work done is fun for me, I like moving my butt and looking alive. I like to think the slugs are losing out on what's an essential part of the game.

What can you do? First, example, naturally. Keep doing the work. Second, in as lighthearted and unemotional a way as possible, yell out 'we need some help here!'. Most folks really aren't jerks, they're just unaware. Leadership is always admired and appreciated...and most folks want to help. Anger and frustration CAN'T show thru, or you're not leading you're just pissing people off.

Like most drivers on the freeway, many folks can't see much beyond the next bumper.

Edited June 28, 2009 by Bongo Boy

[Bongo Boy]

Maybe start by informing them what's expected. Sometimes (not always) people just don't know, particulary in the case of new shooters.

If after being educated they are still not contributing...........different issue altogether.

Uh, yeah. I'm a sociapathic introvert so before showing up at my first match I've studied everything to death to try not to offend anyone. I'm astounded at folks who show up at a match who clearly haven't even looked at the rules (the IDPA shooter with the Tactical Sam SWAT team leg holster, etc). Not everyone is as socially pathetic as me, so I really am trying to give folks some space for 'not knowing'. It's not the kiss of death for most people that it is for the socially ill-equipped.

[Bongo Boy]

I have been to a range where the persons in the hole and deep hole (in the shooting order) must paste and set steel or they shoot last at the next tage and set/paste prior to their own turn.

Wow. There's an idea. My god management is easy, isn't it? Great idea...I like it.

[RickRak2000]

I used to wear loafers on the range, but they got filled up with rocks too fast. Now I wear hi-tops and lace

em snugly.

[Hatchet Jack]

I run a local plate match one day a week for 6 months out of the year. I've noticed that it's always the same few people who pitch in to R/O, reset steel and stay behind at the end to clean up (and they aren't even club members). Where are the members? Out in the back room, shooting the breeze and waiting for me to call them 3 or 4 times to the line before they show up. Very annoying.

I understand that a lot of these folks may not have seen each other for some time and the urge (need?) to catch up can be overwhelming, but some nights I get real close to just scoring the slackers with a loss when they don't cooperate.

This Sunday I am running a shotgun on steel match at our club. I've already decided that the people on deck must reset the steel. We'll see how that works out.

[mountaincoulee]

I've been playing this game for 6 months and would like to make two suggestions regarding range work:

As a new shooter I was left to figure it out for myself; but I sensed that I had to do my part. At first, I set steel AND pasted. That didn't work very well as I got in the way. Later on, having settled into pasting, I pasted one target ahead of the RO (there'd been an RO switch and I didn't notice the new guy was scoring targets in a different order-it was a complicated stage). This resulted in my getting chewed out by a tired and weary RO, plus a re-shoot, to my great embarassment.

Suggestion 1: Before the match starts and when the squad members introduce themselves, the squad leader should state that range work is what keeps things rolling along, and that the work consists of taping, setting steel, and policing brass. Then assign specific tasks to partnered up teams each made of a new shooter and an experienced/hard-working squad member who can act as a mentor. Another good time to do this is when a squad shows up at a stage, ready to shoot. Prior to the verbal stage description and walk through, the RO need only ask the squad leader to assign tasks and to pair up each newby with a hard worker.

Suggestion 2: Tell EVERYONE to paste properly. This means pressing the whole paster or pce of tape onto the target, not just the center. Alligator pasting is my pet peeve as after awhile the target presents a blistered face, with shadows here and there that sometimes look like bullet holes. A blistered target is also harder to score. This means that the stage gets progressively harder over time.

Edited June 30, 2009 by mountaincoulee

[rainbowbob]

[We] often have to do full contact taping or we wind up not having a hole to tape.

I shot my first IDPA match last Saturday. I didn't what was going on half the time, but I knew enough to race around trying to beat other tapers to the holes (without taping unscored holes).

Unfortunately, in my enthusiasm for taping - I found myself at the line without enough ammo to shoot one of the stages!

I was given a newbie do-over and politely told to stand down on the taping and check my gear when I'm on deck.

One thing that I wasn't aware of until reading this thread, is the brass-picking protocols. I thought the folks picking up brass were re-loaders, and I didn't want to interfere with their "treasure hunt."

What should I be doing to help clean up the empties?

[rainbowbob]

[We] often have to do full contact taping or we wind up not having a hole to tape.

I shot my first IDPA match last Saturday. I didn't know what was going on half the time, but I knew enough to race around trying to beat other tapers to the holes (without taping unscored holes).

Unfortunately, in my enthusiasm for taping - I found myself at the line without enough ammo to shoot one of the stages!

I was given a newbie do-over and politely told to stand down on the taping and check my gear when I'm on deck.

One thing that I wasn't aware of until reading this thread, is the brass-picking protocols. I thought the folks picking up brass were re-loaders, and I didn't want to interfere with their "treasure hunt."

What should I be doing to help clean up the empties?

Edited July 26, 2009 by rainbowbob

[CSEMARTIN]

Our squad at the Great Plains Section had one of these lazy asses that didn't paste a single target all day. He would shoot, reload his magazines and park himself in his chair. Stage after stage everyone on the squad helped out---except this guy.

I started getting so annoyed that I asked a buddy of mine if I should say something. "Just let it go man" he says to me. Well.....I couldn't stand it anymore! On top of being lazy, he would sit there and whine, piss and moan about this or that. On the third to last stage, I got in his face. I said, "man, I don't mean to sound like a dick, but why aren't you helping out". "Oh, I just had surgery to remove a tumor from my abdomen. I'm not even supposed to be out here." Sure!! He's ok enough to run around shooting, but not well enough to work.

He did get the point though. On the next stage, I saw him go down and reset the texas star twice. When he was done shooting the last stage, he disappeared. I hope I never see that guy again.

[xcelr8hard]

[We] often have to do full contact taping or we wind up not having a hole to tape.

I shot my first IDPA match last Saturday. I didn't know what was going on half the time, but I knew enough to race around trying to beat other tapers to the holes (without taping unscored holes).

Unfortunately, in my enthusiasm for taping - I found myself at the line without enough ammo to shoot one of the stages!

I was given a newbie do-over and politely told to stand down on the taping and check my gear when I'm on deck.

One thing that I wasn't aware of until reading this thread, is the brass-picking protocols. I thought the folks picking up brass were re-loaders, and I didn't want to interfere with their "treasure hunt."

What should I be doing to help clean up the empties?

Hey Rainbowbob welcome to the Forum.

Usually when you are deck is the time to hang back, solidify your plan and be prepared to shoot.

When you pick up brass, just give it to the person that was shooting. Or when we pick up brass it usually goes on a table or bench and everybody sorts out their own.

Always be busy (except when on deck) and you will never be in the slacker club.

Good Shooting

Butch

[CocoBolo]

Down here we got us a career slacker. He is alergic to tape. Set up, no how, arrives at that last moment before the hammers start falling, tear down, no he just tore outa here. He's a BigDawg, causes lots of delays and his middle name is ReShoot, a mike or a no shoot and its has to be a reshoot.

One club gave him some static so he is boycotting their match. Thats $20 bucks they don't need. I'm going to save that much money in Sun Screen because the match will be over before I'm too darn old to drive home.

Matches are fun and it is more fun when all pitch in and help out.

[Sarge]

Yes I hate them and yes I see them every match. Saw some today as a matter of fact.

[Turboprop]

Our club has a policy of the shooter, the on deck and the person in the hole hang back and get ready to shoot the stage. once you have shot you get one go around to get loaded and back to work. If you slack you are reminded of the rules, If you keep slacking you are politely asked not to return until you can comply with the rules.

If you are healthy enough to come out and shoot you are healthy enough to help out in resetting the stages.

I am in the group who sets up our local match each month, Ro's, Keeps score & tapes, etc. Even when tired I get up and do my part.

My idea of taking a break is driving to another clubs monthly match where I only have to tape and reset steel (on occasion still helping RO & Keep score).

[mildot1]

This is my first season and I have already noticed the loafers.

I think that the on deck shooter , the man in the hole and the last shooter are the only ones that should not be resetting the stage.

I intend to be ready to shoot at my turn and be reloaded and ready for the next stage while the guy following me is shooting.

I'm seeing a lot of the loafers aren't even ready when it's thier turn and hold up the match again.

Yes it suppose to be fun but there is work to be done to make it happen.

[ima45dv8]

Ya know, we have a general rule here, and a specific one in the Hate forum that says if we're going to bitch about shooters at a match, it needs to be directed at ourselves. Even so, we've let this one go for a while because this topic comes up periodically. It's time to tie this one up.

Thanks for playing...