Armory Sponsor
Posted: 10/23/2002 6:12:41 AM EDT
|
I have seen some complaints about bolt gunners lately. I enjoy shooting bolt guns, ARs, hand guns, trap, skeet, hunting, etc etc etc. What I think the major problem is is the attitude. The attitude of I don't give a &*()^% what you think or how my actions affect you, suck it up and tolerate it. For instance, last week I was next to the survivalist type white trash dude and his tag along significant other with his shoddy SKS complete with bayonette and custom hacksawed short stock set up complet with the electrical tape butt plate. We go down range, he puts his target in my lane, I explain to him to count over 2 pipes instead of three, which after 4 explainations he finnally got the picture and put his target stand in the correct spot. We come back from down range, I am trying to put nice neat little holes in tight groups in my target and low and behold he is shooting up my target, his target and the guy on his other sides target! Then, we have another cease fire, we go down range and he moves his target to the 50 yard line, and proceeds to empty magazine after magazine of ammo ignoring the 1 shot every 3 seconds rule all the while shooting hot brass over the partition into my booth, raining hot brass down on my neck, side of head, etc etc. Talk about being a distraction! Notice how I wrote the "description" of the "other guy". I did that on purpose to illistrate a point of judgement of the "us vs them". I didn't make the "other guy" soound so hot did I? And how did it reflect upon me? The story is true but how I handled it is more important. It could very well be this guy just bought this gun, his first firearm that was within his financial relm. So, I asked if he was aware that he had put 9 holes in my target, and 4 in the other guys target on the other side. Of which he apologized. The second time, I again made him aware that I had been dinked in the head twice with his brass as well has had over 30+ pieces of his brass in my booth, could he move his bench foreward or hold his gun upright instead of canted to the side so the brass went in a different direction besides over the partition. Of which he again apologized and complied. Its the attitude of, I don't give a flying #$%^& what you think or how it affects you. I am sorry my friends but this "army of one" attitude will conquer and divide our ranks. While we are all individuals we still have to interact with society, and as fire arm enthusiests we need to act appropriatly towards each other and with each other. Over reacting, or getting nasty puts the other guy on the defensive. I hope my point is taken for what its worth, a call for tolerence among the ranks. We all have a different ideas of what is important in regards to firearms, their usage, kinds, styles, experiences etc etc There is nothing wrong with having ideas and oppinions, however we need to make new friends and get people interested in firearms, retain people who enjoy shooting to keep our sports alive wether its once a year hunter practicing a couple of shots before deer season, to the guy who loves nothing more than to pull the trigger as fast as he possibly can, to the perfectionists who are disatisfied with anything over .25 of an inch, to the guy who like to shoot upland, or trap, or IDPA, the first time female, ...................... Hope my point is taken well. |
|
well said. some people think being courteous is being PC. course, they just come off looking like the asses they are. there are certain things one should expect and accept when visiting the range. doesn't mean it's right and doesn't mean we have to like it. however, if the alternative is causing more rifts between gunowners, i'd rather bitch all the way home to matt. i get to vent about it, he ignores me, and nobody goes home mad at somebody else. |
|
Sounds like you did ok. You were polite and educated him a little at the same time. Hopefully HE didn't take it the wrong way, used it as a learning experience and will be more considerate during his next trip to the range (here's hoping he has more trips to the range--we need more shooters). A little anecdote: My club range is on leased land from the National Forest Service. A public range is also on the property but separated from the private range. Before I joined the private club, I used to shoot at the free, public range. I was always a little nervous there because many of the shooters seemed like amateurs at gun handling and safety as well as shooting in general. The last time I used that range (and I do mean last), I was down range, after calling a cease fire and getting an all clear, setting up new targets. You can guess what came next. Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang----FUCKING CEASE FIRE! MAN DOWN RANGE (waving arms wildly)! After I got back to the firing line, the idiot got pissed at ME! He was at one end of the line and I was at the other far end and seemed to think that I was in no danger and he was ok to shoot. Well, needless to say I was flabbergasted. I didn't even know what to say to that stupidity. I basically told him he was a dumb fuck and he's lucky I didn't return fire and that next time someone was likely to get killed. I also made my way out of there pretty quick. It was shortly thereafter that I joined the proper range--have never had a problem yet and won't. Every members is VERY safety conscious, as they should. Carry on. |
|
I have on occasion in unsafe situations such as described above joined in peer pressure. Said things such as "Hey, I agree with the other guy, stop trying to chamber a bullet while others are down range, we don't want anybody to feel uncomefortable with your actions or worse accidently shot!" Pissy or no pissy, I don't want to have to go to work when I am at play. I don't think that its copping an attitude to tell somebody that unsafe fire arm handling practices at a public range the unsafe practices can be left at home where one will only shoot themselves. If it affects others directly, then it needs to stop! So long as it done from an informative stand point verses "Hey you &*%$# wipe, stop shooting what are some kind of freaking moron?" Although it may very well be true that the guy or gal is a moron. I would joint a club, but the closest club is 40+ minute drive in all directions, the public range is a 10 minute leisure drive and almost free. |
Armory Sponsor