Is it just me?...

[Mokumbear]

It was a little crowded at the range I often visit this weekend.

I believe that all firearms should be kept facing downrange.
When I step away from my lane, my gun has been unloaded and is in it's
case,

I saw a guy who had stepped away from his lane with his revolver
in plain view. This made me feel uncomfortable.
Can you see any reason this would be acceptable?

[Yankee Doodle]

If the cylinder is open and unloaded, and weapon pointed down range, I see no problem with leaving the gun on the bench. At my range this is standard procedure.

[Wyosmith]

If he is handling it safely or if it was holstered I see no problem.

Why would there be?
If you see a cop carrying a gun or a hunter or some kids out on a weekend with 22s, do you feel uncomfortable?
Only if they are acting in ways that make them dangerous!
Right?
So why would range safety be any different?

We have no shortage of wanna-be-in-charge-jerks.
Some think they need to make rules just so they can make others obey them and not because the rules make sense. I hope such rules do not exist at your range.

[iMagUdspEllr]

I kinda feel uncomfortable about leaving some of my guns in plain view because, unless the range officer is watching for it, someone could pocket my gun and drive home with it. But, there isn't any safety related reason why you can't leave your gun in plain view. The gun is just as likely to go off by itself out of sight as it is in plain view.

I suppose guns should be unloaded to prevent a hot gun from cooking off a round by itself.

[jglsprings]

Is it just me?...
It was a little crowded at the range I often visit this weekend.

I believe that all firearms should be kept facing downrange.
When I step away from my lane, my gun has been unloaded and is in it's
case,

I saw a guy who had stepped away from his lane with his revolver
in plain view. This made me feel uncomfortable.
Can you see any reason this would be acceptable?

Yep, it's just you.

Unless you can give us more info on what was unsafe or wrong with the situation, I don't see a problem.

[Webleymkv]

As long as the four rules are followed, I see no problem. A revolver can lay in plain view fully loaded on the bench and, so long as nobody touches it, it's no danger to anyone.

[rclark]

Just you . At times most of us have several laying there in plain view. Nope no bother.
Now if I pick one up and cock/point the gun while facing anywhere but downrange ... then there is cause for some concern.

Of course we don't really have a 'lane' concept... more of a common 'bench'.

[kraigwy]

When the line is safe:

Revolvers empty cylinder open
Autos, empty slide back, magazine out

Long guns, empty, bolt open and empty chamber indicator inserted

That is the requirement to any range I run.

[4 Paws]

I kinda feel uncomfortable about leaving some of my guns in plain view because, unless the range officer is watching for it, someone could pocket my gun and drive home with it

You may need to find another range

[Mokumbear]

Allow me to clarify...

It was not an issue of seeing the revolver in plain view, I misworded that.

1) The revolver was NOT on the bench

2) It was NOT pointed downrange, quite the opposite.

3) It was not pointed up or down.

3) The cylinder was not open.

Personally, I thought this was at least poor form and potentially dangerous.

I know that this range doesn't like this.
They had a security cam photo of a guy walking past the lanes
with his handgun pointed straight forward.

I think that if he was ready to step away from his lane, the gun should
have been unloaded and in a case.

When I brought my AK out to cool off, at the staff's suggestion,
the bolt was locked open and the rifle was aiming straight down.

Don't get me wrong, I am all for guns but I am also all for safety.
I didn't say anything to this gentleman and just breezed past.

Just sayin'....

[JohnKSa]

When the firearm leaves the shooting position, it should be unloaded and cased or holstered.

[Deaf Smith]

1) The revolver was NOT on the bench

2) It was NOT pointed downrange, quite the opposite.

3) It was not pointed up or down.

3) The cylinder was not open.

WHERE WAS IT POINTED???

Was it pointed at a wall? A backstop? Or what? Was it unloaded? Was his finger on or off the trigger?

Deaf

[BigJimP]

Most ranges require a gun to be in a holster or in a case ....when it comes off the firing line.

There shouldn't be any weapons...behind the firing line ( with actions closed / cylinders closed )...being carried around, behind the firing line, that are uncased or unholstered in my view - and if they are, you have to assume they're loaded.

[JWT]

If not on table pointed down range, or being fired, it belongs in a case or a holster.

[Aguila Blanca]

Originally Posted by Mokumbear

I saw a guy who had stepped away from his lane with his revolver
in plain view. This made me feel uncomfortable.
Can you see any reason this would be acceptable?

Unacceptable. I have never encountered a range that didn't enforce the rule "MUZZLE MUST ALWAYS POINT DOWNRANGE."

At outdoor ranges where they have to call for a cold range periodically to check/change targets, the rule I have always encountered is

* ALL guns unloaded
* Chamber open
* Gun on bench, muzzle downrange
* Nobody touches a firearm until the range is hot

At the indoor range where I usually shoot, the rule is that muzzles must be pointed downrange at all times. Shooters are allowed to load magazines on the benches behind the shooting stations, but not guns. The only time a gun is allowed off the shooting table is when entering or leaving the stall, and then the gun must be empty, the action open, and no finger inside the trigger guard.

[SaxonPig]

If the action is open it's OK to move freely.

[gyvel]

As long as nobody fires at the moon...

[jmay]

Yikes he should at least had the cylinder open!

[Waspinator]

It's you.

I leave my revolver in plain sight all the time at the range if I have to walk back to my gear bag (for more ammo, targets and what-not). I make sure the barrel is facing down range and the cylinder is open, but I see no reason to hide it away in the case when Im stepping away for 20 seconds or so.

[Mokumbear]

I also leave my gun pointed downrange, on the bench when needed.
No problem there.

>WHERE WAS IT POINTED???

At a wall, totally opposite downrange and in his hand.

>Was it unloaded? Was his finger on or off the trigger?

Well, don't we treat every gun as if it is loaded? (I don't know in this case)

I didn't stick around long enough to see if his finger was on the trigger, I was in the process of leaving the range to let my AK cool off.

Now that more is known, I think the consensus is that "revolver guy"
was not acting in a safe way.

-1

[Dragline45]

I didn't read your followup post so I deleted what I initially wrote.

I have encountered this now and again. The outdoor range I USED TO go to has the bench way too far from the target stands, so 90% of the time there are people walking about halfway downrange to shoot pistols. I have seen a few people walking back to the line with their guns pointed in an unsafe direction, and I have witnessed countless people on the line turn with the gun still in their hand, sweeping half the range, only to turn to the person they were with and give them one of those "YOU SEE THAT" or "THAT WAS AWESOME". <-- Usually new shooters. There is no range safety officer at this range, which at times was awesome when I had the range to myself, but when you get swept with a pistol multiple times by a 10 year old kid all day after asking his father to tell him to keep the muzzle down, it's not a very fun experience. Needless to say I found a new range, I would rather not have on my gravestone "Shot by 10 year old snot nose punk".

Anytime I was walking back to the line when shooting pistols, my slide was locked back and the gun was always pointed at the ground.

When I do step away from the bench and leave my guns, whatever gun I was using is unloaded, placed on the bench with the muzzle pointing down range, and either the bolt or slide locked back.

[skizzums]

I usually have 3 pistols on the bench, all loaded and ready to go. I just make sure that they are pointed down-range. I have never been corrected, and I don't personally see a logical issue with it. that being said, I wouldn't leave it unattended, since the range I go to doesn't have individual booths, just one long table and everyone lines up in front of their target

[KyJim]

At my range, a gun has to be either cased or placed on a hook at the bench with a chamber flag inserted.

[Blindstitch]

At my range cased or chamberflag in is the only thing allowed during a ceasefire.

And if you walk away from the bench without it cased expect to be talked to. I saw a guy waving an AK around like a flag once and the range officer called and immediate cease fire and spoke to him.

My range is mostly made up of ex military of various branches and safety is a the most important thing.

If someone doesn't look like they know what they are doing or need help they are always willing to help them. Most are firearms instructors so it's like getting a free lesson.

[Hook686]

Actually I would feel more uncomfortable with your gun being put out of sight. I have no idea if it is loaded, or unloaded, or which way it is pointed. At my club range the actions are opened, magazines/cylinders unloaded, a breach flag inserted into the chamber and the muzzle pointed down range. The range safety officer walks the line verifying all this before shooters is cleared to go down range.