GunTalk-Online.com

So I go to the range yesterday to practice 50' 1 handed shooting with both strong and weak hand.There were only 2 of us there a woman and I. As I was setting up I noticed her walking away from the firing line with her wheel gun in her hand. I reminded her of the range rules that there are no uncased weapons anywhere except at the firing line. She turned to me and stated, " I'm the law!" But not above it I thought. She left 15 min. later. I continued practicing , ran out of home made targets ( printed from MYTARGETS.COM) I went to the rear table where my range bag and store bought "NRA 25yd. slow shoot"were at , but they were gone!! The targets were gone. I looked everywhere! I left the range area and asked the counter guy if I left them there and was told no. Now I'm really feeling my 58 years and wondered what the ....I did with them. So I marked up some used targets with a red marker and shot for 20 more min. and left. As I was leaving the counter guys asks if I found them and I said no. Another employee there ask me which targets I had and then told me the cop woman had my targets in her hand when she left. He thought it was odd because she always gets the full size silhouette targets stating she couldn't put any holes in the much smaller ones. GEEEZE!!! I was ripped off!!!.........Ed

{I moved this post and started a new thread. This one really belongs in its own thread. Bullseye}

How many other instances of poor range etiquette have people experienced? I often wonder about this question. There's always a small few that end up leaving a bad taste in other people's mouths.

This situation is not a usual one. However, some people just seem to act like everything is there for their own personal use. Obviously this person had a bad attitude. That poor behavior may have been made greater by a poor outing at the range. When angry some people just don't think properly. I can't speak to her thinking when she left with your targets, perhaps it was an unintentional mistake and she didn't even realize they were bullseye targets. Frustrated people do strange things some times. It doesn't make them bad, just absent minded at times.

Not all PD folks are shooters. I know a lot of them who only go out just before annual quals to brush up a little. These folks are typically not the best of shooters. This could be one reason why the person you experienced was at the range and why she typically doesn't shoot well on the bullseye style targets. That doesn't excuse the poor behavior or rudeness from this individual.

You've probably already came to this conclusion, but if a person needed those targets so badly as to take them and be on their way - then good riddance. I've heard it said, "If you lend a person $20 and then never see them again, it was money well spent!"

R,
Bullseye

Have an experience to relate in both cases, one just the other day and one many years back

The old one: Young fellow used to work for us had stopped by wanting to borrow 20 bucks, knowing he had a medication and alky problem and wanting to get rid of his begging, gave him the double sawbuck and figured they were both gone forever. Many years later he stopped by and was talking to one of the young guys, I just ignored them and went about my work. He came over and said Hey Oldman here is something I'll bet you never though you would see this again and handed me a twenty, told him I was glad to have the both he and the money back. He had turned his life around and grown up.
The more recent one: Just the other day at the range, we pulled up and there were 2 young guys shooting AR15's? from the 25 yard bench. Let Bear out to the car and he always has to greet everyone and most people really enjoy his attention. This young guy spouts out" That's not a good idea for your dog to come up to me when I have a loaded gun in my hand!!!" Put Bear back in the car and told him I was sorry the dog bothered him and we would leave the range to him and his friend. No sense in arguing with and idiot because shortly after you start there are 2 idiots arguing. Not sure if he was threatening us or just advising us that he was careless with guns? I actually did feel as he was a threat and not wanting to go to jail for shooting a punk had he made a move toward us with AA gun we just moved on. Young guys should learn that you should not try to pick a fight with and old man as he will most likely kill you and not feel bad about it. He probably figured he could push an old man around, when he grows up maybe he will have better manners if he makes it, probably figured an old man does not carry a 1911 in a hip pocket holster.

I have a lot of patience for those who mess with me but very little for someone who messes with my dog or family.

R,
Bullseye

We have had such morons at our National Forrest range, we are in jeopardy of losing it. One clown shot a hole in the overhead and got a destruction of Government property ticket, another time a brass grabber ran in front of me (live and firing) to get some brass before the other nitwit could get it. People bring computers and TV's to shoot at, almost no one cleans up their mess or takes their targets to the trash.

The latest incident was a guy firing a black powder rifle at the 100 yard course, his friend was sitting on a stool less than five feet away from the target. The guy on the stool was calling the shots back to the shooter with a FRS radio.

Bullseye wrote:I have a lot of patience for those who mess with me but very little for someone who messes with my dog or family.

R,
Bullseye

You're that way too, eh? I consider the source and ignore it, but Ma and Bear need my help. People who carry a gun every day usually use a little more intelligence.. Young guy with a black gun, must make him look bad. Wonder if he would have talked the same way had he seen the 1911 in my back pocket. My grandson has an M16 and an M4? and he is a nice kid, also his guns really belong to the Army I believe. He is a Navy Corpsman attached to an Army Hospital unit at Fort Bragg, and next week he will be deployed to Kuwait. He qualified EXPERT with the M by both Army and Navy scoring, shot 232 of 240, but did not do that well with the M. The 300 meter targets brought his score down.
The Greener and I are getting together for a little range session the first part of the week, too bad you can't be here also.

You two have fun. Poke some big holes for me. Greener seems to be getting around a lot for his advanced age. Must be nice to have such a nomadic life. I hope your grandson has a safe deployment to Kuwait.

R,
Bullseye

Bullseye wrote:You two have fun. Poke some big holes for me. Greener seems to be getting around a lot for his advanced age. Must be nice to have such a nomadic life. I hope your grandson has a safe deployment to Kuwait.

R,
Bullseye

Greener is not that old, he still has a regular job. His job gets him around the country a lot to all the scenic retreats, like landfills.He is originally from MI, I believe and has family here in the Kalamazoo area. son is a LEO, SWAT and dive team and a daughter downstate also. We had a great time last year and the weather looks good next week

I'm hoping that greener brings Ms Greener, and that she takes you both to school with a few shooting pointers.

KAZ wrote:I'm hoping that greener brings Ms Greener, and that she takes you both to school with a few shooting pointers.

He leaves her with the kids, so neither one of us has to look bad.

A wise man once said that the only thing worse than arguing with a fool was arguing with a fool with a gun. I've been trying to apply that with range situations other than those that I could end up as the recipient of foolishness. All I do is keep a weather eye open for what other folks are doing.

I'm still a young whippersnapper until I get out of the car after 2-3 hours, then it takes 15-20 steps for the parts to start working properly.

Had a nice, relaxing 14 hours of driving yesterday. Rumor has it that I may be able to walk by 3pm.

I'll mention shooting to SWMBO. She may relent and give is a few lessons. For several years we have been passing a gun shop in Opal, VA, that has looked interesting. Yesterday she allowed me to stop and look around. She seems to be mellowing in my old age.

greener wrote:I'm still a young whippersnapper until I get out of the car after 2-3 hours, then it takes 15-20 steps for the parts to start working properly.

Had a nice, relaxing 14 hours of driving yesterday. Rumor has it that I may be able to walk by 3pm.

I'll mention shooting to SWMBO. She may relent and give is a few lessons. For several years we have been passing a gun shop in Opal, VA, that has looked interesting. Yesterday she allowed me to stop and look around. She seems to be mellowing in my old age.

Know where you are coming from, once them body parts get into a position for several hours, the damn neart want to stay there. Takes a while to loosen up, maybe a hot toub for an hour or so, but don't fall asleep and drown.

I can relate to the old bones not wanting to move... With my bad back it just makes it worst. I can't ride in a car for more than 2hrs. Less if it's a seat that does not agree with me.

I'm lucky that the indoor range where I shoot, shooters must follow the rules or their out. Their very strict and a safety officer is always watching. Most cases they put the regulars on one end, and newbee on the other end. I do help out new shooters when ever I can. You can never be too big on safety.

My brother (twin, not identical) was here last week and I was teaching him how to shoot a pistol. He did pretty good, but it took him a long time to learn how to squeeze the trigger with out pulling it. I had a laser mounted on his gun for dry fire practice. He now knows why he is missing. It does flustrate him when he's pulling the shot. He did not have the problem with my MKIII (SA), he was holding <1.5" groups at 10 yrds, 2 hand grip open sites (I removed my scope). He did have to stop after the 3rd day, his contacts were bothering him and could not see the sights at all. I told him, welcome to my world. His eye site is worst than mine. He's thinking about the new Cristal Lens, implant now....

Most of the ranges I frequent have range officers keeping an eye on things, however there is a National Forest range I go to on occasion that has more than it's fair share of hooligans and misfits. I try to make arrive there on a week day, when its cold and/or rainy. Seems when the weather is poor, only the serious shooters are there.

Anyway, more than once I have looked around to find someone carelessly pointing a firearm in my direction. I tend to keep my mouth shut, but I do watch them very carefully from that point on.

Our sport faces enough threats these days without the clowns adding to the trouble.

And nobody better mess with my dog or the little woman either.

Y