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Posted: 10/31/2004 3:05:52 PM EDT
I hate public ranges. They are great, but they are not very safe. I have now witnessed three occasions of someone firing a weapon while the range was cold, and personnel were down range. Once, it was me down range. This last time, Saturday, some jackass fired a .38 while three people were still checking targets, including a small child.
 Pisses me off, especially when Ft. Campbell used to have a range available to the public before Sept 11. WTF, were terrorists practicing there? Anyway, they have yet to re-open it. 
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Posted: 10/31/2004 3:10:30 PM EDT
[#1]
I'm assuming they were immediately removed, correct?
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Posted: 10/31/2004 3:13:15 PM EDT
[#2]
I wish it were so. I am usually the range nazi, and have been known to yell at morons. But, one of the guys down range was a cop. He was pretty pissed, and yelled at this dude, who just kind of sat there. In fact, everyone at the range was kinda pissed. You would think he would leave after this, but he didn't. But a lot of other people did.
That's the problem with public ranges, no RSOs. So, when we left, he was still shooting. |
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Posted: 10/31/2004 3:17:01 PM EDT
[#3]
There's two sides to firing with a cold range.
As everyone knows, hunting season once a year shooters are dangerous. Last year I was lining up to do some 50 yard revolver shooting at the furthest lane, when I caught a father with his 2 sons giving me a dirty look like I was an idiot. He'd turned on the "people downrange" lights without getting everyone's visual attention first, which is the golden safety rule where I shoot. Everyone makes eye contact with the senior most range guy, who then turns on the lights after they unload and wave to him they're cold. What really cheesed me off was he clearly broke the safety rules, but looked at me like I was the unsafe moron. |
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Posted: 10/31/2004 3:20:15 PM EDT
[#4]
I wouldn't go back there unless it was during the week (no crowd). That's just too dangerous. Sorry to hear it. |
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Posted: 10/31/2004 3:22:50 PM EDT
[#5]
I was RO for a couple hours yesterday at the local range. Right now we have a simple no-tolerance rule that's explained clearly both verbaly and in writing when they sign in at the shop - DON'T TOUCH YOUR RIFLE WHEN PEOPLE ARE DOWNRANGE! No exceptions, no excuses.
I kicked 2 guys out in 2 hours, not to mention reminding folks to keep actions open, weapons pointed downrange, eye and ear protection, etc. Alot of these guys are deer hunters who fire less than a box of ammo a year. You almost need chaperones for each and every one of them. |
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Posted: 10/31/2004 3:27:04 PM EDT
[#6]
I quit my membership at Sand Springs Sportsmen's Club because the ass-clowns over on the skeet range thought they owned the whole damn club. They would routinely fire over the rifle range even when the range was cold. (And pedestrians downrange ALWAYS have right of way anyway
 ) amd I got my car peppered twice with birdshot because some ass-hole would carry their fire passed the clay pidgeon and try to hit it even after it had gone out of bounds. (Probably a poor range layout too)But the straw that broke the camel's back was when yet another skeet shooter fired over the heads of some rifle shooters who had gone down to change targets on a COLD RANGE and the asswipe fired anyway. I yelled at the skeet shooter from about 150 yards away to cease fire as there were people in the line of fire. Asshole yelled back "Then get the f--k out of the way" I went and got one of the elected range officers who DID have a talk with the asshole and also explained that, at 150 yards, he had better be holding something bigger than a 20 gauge loaded with birdshot (and a big mouth) when the others on the rifle range (who he had told to get the f out of the way) were carrying center-fire rifles. I go to Red Castle now and I'm much happier there! 
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Posted: 10/31/2004 3:37:11 PM EDT
[#7]
i belong to 2 nra and cmp affiliated clubs. both are, thankfully, very safety minded and 99.5% of the members appear to have i.q.'s above room temperature.
hunting season, itself, freaks me out more than the deer-a-year guys sighting in. opening day around here sounds like the landing on omaha beach! |
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Posted: 10/31/2004 4:08:54 PM EDT
[#8]
I went to the range this morning. Holy deer hunters! I didn't stay very long.
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Posted: 10/31/2004 4:15:47 PM EDT
[#9]
I've never been to a public range...
From what I hear, I don't think I want to. |
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Posted: 10/31/2004 4:28:56 PM EDT
[#10]
Most of the hunters are happy that they are able to hit a paper plate at 50 yards.
Some can't. They shoot 5 shots if there is a hole in the target good enough, and off they go with a smile. |
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Posted: 10/31/2004 4:35:14 PM EDT
[#11]
This is why I have never been to a public range. I rather pay the outrageous fee the local gun club charges then take some bird shot in ass.
Then again, even at the private gun club range, I've seen some dumb shits do some very dumb things with the guns. |
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Posted: 10/31/2004 4:36:29 PM EDT
[#12]
I'm in a private club and there are some Elmer Fudds in there too. It's ALWAYS the old fart hunters whom we only see once a year. They don't understand when you explain the concept of "muzzle sweep" to them, and don't listen when you tell them to stop fooling with their guns when people are downrange, while they are smoking their pipes and trying to sight in their shotguns.... 
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Posted: 10/31/2004 4:37:46 PM EDT
[#13]
I used to go to a public range. It only cost $12 a year for the key to the gate, but any/every swinging dick in town had a key. It was cheap, but after a couple of eye opening experiences, I chose to join a private club. Life is too short and too valuable, at least mine is. It is a wonder that more accidents don't occur at these places.
No wonder there are so many deer around, they are pretty safe from what deer hunters I have seen sight in their rifles. 
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Posted: 10/31/2004 4:41:29 PM EDT
[#14]
Sounds to me that the "guy" at the gun range is over worked.It is also everyone responsibilty thats around him.Thats how accidents happen!As much thats being said here you would think someone can say,this is probably your first time ,you dont even touch the gun while cold!
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Posted: 10/31/2004 4:42:26 PM EDT
[#15]
I go to the Garland Public Shooting Range. The folks who run this range are pretty strict, especially during the hunting season. They keep it safe. I usually have several rifles sighted in long before hunting season so I normally don't go this time of year.
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Posted: 10/31/2004 4:45:40 PM EDT
[#16]
Our range is 25 yards with an enclosed firing line (open front with benches).
From time to time, an assclown would duck under the bench (no shit) and run down to change targets...during live fire. We had to install a barrier to prevent stupidity. As much as I love shooters and the shooting sports, I have encountered some really stupid people. Thank God most of them are open to safety instruction. |
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Posted: 10/31/2004 4:48:27 PM EDT
[#17]
Yeah, those are the ones voting for sKerry.
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Posted: 10/31/2004 4:55:34 PM EDT
[#18]
I never Heard the Term "muzzle sweep" Before Please Explain
Any Way I dont Hold Back Any more At yelling at people People Should Not Touch Any fire arms when People are going down Range to Change Targets. Correct Me If I am Wrong Here- Wepons Should Not Be facing down Range when People are changing targets. |
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Posted: 10/31/2004 4:56:35 PM EDT
[#19]
i have too use public ranges, i keep one eye on target and one eye one the brain dead.
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Posted: 10/31/2004 5:10:57 PM EDT
[#20]
If I can tell what your bore condition is, you are sweeping me with your muzzle. Never point a firearm at something you do not intend to DESTROY, chambered or not, "safety" or not, finger on the trigger or not. Always be fully aware of where your muzzle (the part of the rifle the bullet comes out of really fast) is pointed. |
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Posted: 10/31/2004 5:12:24 PM EDT
[#21]
Last weekend a couple of frieds of mine were at a DOW range and there is a shed to hand out in out of the weather while you get your equipemnt together and ready to sight in your hunting rifle. Well, my one friend has his to kids there 9 & 11 getting them thier ear and eye protection (they wanted to be with their dad while he sighted in his rifle). This guy cam in with a hunting rifle and instead of clearing the action when he entered the shed, he pulled the trigger and shot a hole in the wall. Luckily, nobody was hurt but my friends two kids were pretty upset. They guy appologized up and down but my friends were pretty pissed. The two kids decided it would be better to wait in the truck while dad and my other friend shot. Nedless to say, they stayed away from the guy.
In my opinion there is "accidents" and then there is just pure carelessness. Pulling the trigger to see if there is a round in the action definatly falls into the carelsessness category as well as the guy who gets one more shot off when the RO calls a cold firing line. Makes me mad because it gives all of us gun owners a bad rap. |
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Posted: 10/31/2004 5:12:32 PM EDT
[#22]
The public range I go to is a real gem, apparently. (Indian River County public range) It has a full time staff of professional RSOs with a MINIMUM of one RSO attending EACH active range plus one in the shop at all times. So there are always at least four RSOs available. The range is run by strict military range protocol, red and yellow lines, and so forth. Rapid fire is by permission only, and it's not hard to get it once the RSOs see that you have a clue and can handle your weapon safely.
Every range is fully shielded by tall berms, except the sporting clays course, which is set up so that it's just about impossible to shoot where you shouldn't. It's really a slightly better range in some respects than the local private gun club's range because in the private club, there are a lot of political maneuvers going on all the time. There are cliques in there that don't like this kind of shooter or that kind of shooter, and some of the membership shouldn't be allowed to shoot a popgun. At the public range, everybody is equal and follows the same rules or they're out on their ass, and that's that. CJ |
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Posted: 10/31/2004 5:13:25 PM EDT
[#23]
Did you airsofters get this?
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Posted: 10/31/2004 5:13:57 PM EDT
[#24]
Muzzle sweep would be when you are not paying any attention and like a total fucking dumbass you "accidentally" point the business end of your weapon at another person. I personally would be quite tempted to either shoot you for that or take you weapon away and keep it since you obviously have not enough sense to not end up hurting some one else due to your sorry ass excuse for negligence. There are no accidental discharges, they are negligent. All guns are to be pointed down range with the actions open whne the range is called "cold" no one is to be handling thier weapons while the range is "cold". Should someone be doing stupid things as explained above the same punishments should apply. I am not very fond of the idea of getting injured because someone else is too damn stupid to follow the rules. Granted the rules are fairly common sense which of course leads to the problem that common sense ain't so common. 
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Posted: 10/31/2004 5:19:58 PM EDT
[#25]
Thankfully my public range experiences have been better. However, the ones I go to are all not publicized and a good drive from any population.
And I avoid em this time of year. |
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Posted: 10/31/2004 5:22:23 PM EDT
[#26]
What range was this? I want to make sure I avoid it like the plague. |
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Posted: 10/31/2004 5:23:16 PM EDT
[#27]
Pay Attention To This Man. He Is Safer With A Gun When Absolutely Fucked Up Than Most People Are Stone Sober. |
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Posted: 10/31/2004 5:23:54 PM EDT
[#28]
And they probably wont; the days of open posts are gone for good. |
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Posted: 10/31/2004 5:33:44 PM EDT
[#29]
Correction. |
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Posted: 10/31/2004 5:40:28 PM EDT
[#30]
 i do know what you are talking about though, they are ALOT more unsafe |
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Posted: 10/31/2004 5:45:01 PM EDT
[#31]
Yes, lack of RSOs is sometimes good  when you have the range to yourself. Disclaimer, though. My buddies and I are well trained at any manuevers we do, and one of us acts as the RSO while the other practices shooting and moving drills. Last time we had the range to ourself we got in trouble, though. Seems we had the range to ourself because they changed the time it opened! The Forest Rangers were cool, though, and told us were to find a local VFW to pass the time. 
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Posted: 10/31/2004 5:53:57 PM EDT
[#32]
yeah where im at the closest range is a public range and there are alot of dumbasses here too.
one time me and the wife was swept with a .22 muzzle in the hands of a child cause his father left him unattended. GUN WAS LOADED when it was taken away form him. he got his gun taken away by the r.o. till he decided to leave. then there are the funny ones. had i guy tell me that the badger ordinance rings on my flattop of an ar was too high, then he pulled his pellet gun out to show me how his scope was mounted then the deer hunters..... bsa scopes on big win mags and 30-06's and they curse all day cause it wont get on paper and when it does it doesnt stay. had one guy hit paper at 100yds and call it a day and say it was good enough... paper was a little over 1.5 sq ft. then you have your thug wannabes with there new pistols........... 
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Posted: 10/31/2004 5:56:11 PM EDT
[#33]
The asshats are why god created Pistol Whiping.
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Posted: 10/31/2004 5:56:47 PM EDT
[#34]
Range 16 was never open to the public. You had to be an ID card holder to use it. At one time it too was uncontrolled. You simply read a range brief, signed a waiver, got a card, signed for the range and did you own thing. Later they banned 50BMG and Class III. Then they put a range guy out there to babysit. I was out at Range Control last month and they don't forsee the range reopening anytime soon. What Range were you at? Cheatam County or Caldwell County by any chance? |
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Posted: 10/31/2004 5:56:52 PM EDT
[#35]
I used to work part time as an RO at a public range in Houston. I have seen shit that would make your skin crawl! Usually, it's the absolute worst just before deer season, although being mentally deficient is not a seasonal condition.
The worst one I ever saw ( I may have told you guys about this before), was this guy who would empty his 1911, then would stick the muzzle up his nose. I approached him and asked what the f#ck his problem was. He said he liked the smell. So ,I told him to go home and do it, as I didn't want to drag a hose over to rinse his brain off of the inside of the roof. I've probably patched a dozen or more self inflicted gunshot/gun related injuries. The saddest was this dumbf#ck deer hunter who thought it would be a good idea to put his 6 year old daughter in his lap, and let her pull the trigger on his 30.06. Her eye was pressed right up to the scope, and - you guessed it-layed her head open.poor kid was screaming and bleeding all over the place. I had a hard time concealing my contempt as I bandaged up his daughter. |
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Posted: 10/31/2004 6:09:29 PM EDT
[#36]
I have seen some dumbasses with guns, but this has to take the cake.....
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