Thankful for good range officers
At a local shoot, standing behind the line to watch, when some kid vaguely aware of his surroundings turns around and points his gun right at me and my friend. We both hastily got out of the way of the muzzle. Then, he did it again. I looked at my friend and said, paraphrasing Tam, I guess to get him to stop pointing a gun at me, I might have to point mine at him. Then, a range officer (wearing a TACSOG shirt), and probably noticing me and my friend hitting the deck, stepped up and had words with the young man. The young man then proceeded to do it again. And the RO stepped in and had some more words for him.
I thanked the RO. He did good work.
November 9th, 2015 at 4:34 pm
He should have been gone the second time… Just sayin…
November 9th, 2015 at 4:41 pm
one of the ranges i trust had a group of guys do this once on a crowded day and they got booted. everyone cleared out anyway, since we were all getting the willies.
November 9th, 2015 at 5:15 pm
Once at my old go-to gun store/range (I’ve since moved), I was next to a, *clears throat*, “gentleman” who was attempting to teach his lady friend how to shoot. Said “gentleman’s” teaching tool of choice was a full-sized Glock of indeterminate caliber. A few minutes after they set up, I happened to glance over into their lane. The “gentleman” was facing up range with his Glock in hand, slide foward, finger on the trigger, *muzzle pointing at me!* I kindly asked him to keep the muzzle pointed downrange. He told me, in no uncertain terms, to mind my own business. Before I had a chance to do anything else, the RSO walked over and told him, politely yet firmly, to keep the muzzle pointed down range. The “Gentleman” agreed, even though he insisted the gun “wasn’t loaded.”
Looked over a minute later, *and he was doing it again!* Facing uprange, slide foward, finger on trigger, muzzle aimed square at my gut. Again, before I had the chance to do anything, RSO *ran* over and said, and I quote, “This is the second time in five minutes I ‘ve seen you point your gun at another shooter! You two are out of here!” Booted ’em off the range right then and there. Found out after the fact that they’d started mouthing off to the front-end staff, so they were each permanently banned from the premises.
That event was one of the reasons I kept on going back there, even though it was the better part of an hour from my house.
November 9th, 2015 at 5:39 pm
So, it’s Sunday morning and I’m at a local range with a married couple I used to go shooting with. We take a break, me with coffee and they with cigarettes and coffee. We’re all sitting on chairs in a row against the wall. They’re talking to a guy to my right who was there when we got there. He’s wearing a brag vest with NRA Life Member prominent at the top. I look over at him and he has a PPK in hand, finger on trigger and pointed to his left. At me. I politely said “I’d appreciate it if you’d point that in some other direction.” He said it was OK, since the safety was on and it wasn’t loaded. The wife observed that the safety was off. He reiterated it ws empty and dropped the magazine. It was full. Possibly trying to salvage something from this, he said the chamber was empty and racked the slide. A live round popped out. I changed seats and we never went back to that range.
November 9th, 2015 at 6:07 pm
Once is bad enough, twice is inexcusable. I don’t give second chances at my sales counter, and here’s why:
When I hand a gun across the glass, it’s with mag out and slide back if autoloader, and cylinder open if revolver. In both cases it is handed over butt first with a quick shorthand of three rules; treat it as if loaded, keep it pointed at the wall, and don’t touch the trigger unless you ask me.
I may know the gun is unloaded and it’s not going to fire, but if I am telling them these simple things while looking them in the eye and talking slowly so they know it’s serious, and they still sweep and go finger on? Then I might be safe but this probably isn’t somebody I want to equip with a device that they’re not ready to be in control of. So I take back my gun, tell them I can’t do business with them at that time, ask them to take this week’s NRA safety course with my friend Tom and tell them if they do I will credit the cost on their future purchase.
In the day of gunbroker, guns are low margin, and it just ain’t worth taking a chance with somebody who won’t listen and follow simple instructions for two minutes.
November 9th, 2015 at 6:30 pm
What Old NFO said. Kids need to learn to listen and do what they’re told!!
November 9th, 2015 at 7:00 pm
when I was in My teens I was taught range safety, by a retired USMC drill instructor friend of My father. About the only thing Ill repeat is.. “Just because you are a kid don’t think I’m going easy on you!”
November 9th, 2015 at 7:22 pm
Should have been gone the *first* time. The rules I’m used to operating under make it clear that you’re expelled for the remainder of the event, no excuses, no 2nd chances.
November 9th, 2015 at 7:43 pm
I’ve taken about half a dozen first time shooters to the range, after a long discussion of safety rules and safe gun handling.
No problem when we start with a single shot .22 rifle.
But when a new shooter takes a .22 pistol and aims it and fires it, (usually hitting dead center of the x-ring because they don’t flinch, they were careful with the aiming and they were squeezing the trigger soooo carefully), the first thing that happens is a huge grin breaks out on their faces. The second thing that happens, essentially at the same moment, is they turn to share the grin with everyone, rotating the firearm along with their faces to point at everyone standing behind them.
This happened the first two times I let new shooters fire a handgun. So they got lectured about muzzle control. The rest I stood real close, with a hand up to block their turn after their first shot. They got the lecture about muzzle control, too, but didn’t sweep the line with their muzzles.
The smiles from that first shot don’t go away, either, even with the warning about muzzle control.
Take a new shooter to the range!
November 10th, 2015 at 1:51 am
Funny. Not ha-ha funny. Just two Sundays ago I visited a somewhat famous sporting goods store (no names as I would hate to shame Cabela’s)located in Mitchell, South Dakota when I spotted the first Rock Island Govt. Model 10mm I had ever seen in the wild. I asked the somewhat young but earnest young clerk if I could hold it. No problem he replied though he might have been somewhat concerned by a biker inquiring about it early in pheasant season. He produced it from the case. Barrel pointed at me. Press checked it with finger near or on the trigger and then handed it towards me. Barrel first. I stepped to the side as I accepted it and then inquired if it was OK for me to drop the mag as I held it to the floor and once again checked the chamber. They are everywhere. I have no desire to cost a man his much needed job, but good god won’t you please train the hired help.
November 10th, 2015 at 3:50 am
First time is the last time.
As RO I have them read the sign again, and escorted out.
November 10th, 2015 at 5:20 am
He did good work
Well, I dunno….I realize RSOs get busy during large events and can’t be everywhere on the line simultaneously (I’m an RSO, BTDT) but after the first time the RSO should have been paying more attention to him, and the second time should have earned him the opportunity to watch everyone else have fun.
November 10th, 2015 at 8:58 am
Standard procedure at the range I RSO at is, first time you sweep the line with a loaded gun, you’re out.
Second time with an unloaded gun you’re out. No excuses, no variations.
A memorable event, on my first day as an RSO was a “gentleman” arrived shortly before closing. He went up to the line with his Glock 40 fully loaded in hand & began stretching exercises, back & forth, up and down front to rear. RSOs scattering like cockroaches in the light. His range time was very short.
November 10th, 2015 at 9:32 am
In one case a guy was having issues with his pistol. I moved out of my booth and politely let him know that I had a similar pistol and would be glad to help him troubleshoot it. Once I had the pistol in my hand and pointed downrange (exercising gun control) I told him in no uncertain terms to point it downrange and not at me.
November 10th, 2015 at 10:55 am
I was at a store that has a range, talking to the owners who are personal friends. A local doctor came in to show his newest purchase and whipped out a revolver and pointed at me. I gave him a stern talking to in the voice I used to scare women, children and small to medium carnivores. It ended with, “If you shoot me by accident, I’ll shoot you on purpose.”
They saw me a couple of weeks later and said the doc was still fuming someone would talk to him like that but he was now very muzzle aware.