I MEANT Flash hiders, not muzzle brakes.
Personally, I don't see a damn bit of difference between either one.  One is "PC", one isn't.

Do you include running a patch through your rifle as "fondling"? Adjusting your scope? I've gotten into more disagreements with other shooters (mostly shooters who shoot competitively) about this one than any other "range courtesy" rule, especially while running patches through my muzzleloader. Myself, I'm comfortable with others "fondling" of a rifle if the action is obviously broken or the bolt removed, though of course that isn't tolerated at any competition that I know of. I have 2 different comfort modes-one for the informal range setting with no RSO, and one for competitive shoots.

"Two pints to the left of me was a family, Guy, wife/girlfriend, and boy."

I dunno, I think I see the problem here. No one should take their wife AND girlfriend to the range at the same time and hand them guns. I would have backed off at least 10 miles and called it a day. [}:D]