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Old April 1, 2005, 06:51 PM   #1
Rojoe67
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Open public/private ranges....

If you shoot at a public or private range is there a range offical running it?

If not what do you do? I see very many confused looks when I take charge... often many older folks look a little amazed that some young punk (well, not so young anymore) is taking charge. I challenge all readers to please do the same. You don't have to act like a [color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color], just a person whom wants everyone to operate safe and do nothing dangerous. Most of the time the looks I get change within 20 seconds........ Most folks do want a safe and organized shooting range - even if no range official is hired or working at this range. I even speak loud commands when just myself and a friend might be on a little target hill out back..... It lets him know what I think and plan........He repeats what I said so I know he is on the same sheet of music too...... Real basic stuff but SO very important......

If people refuse to be commanded (which never yet has happened) I would leave.

I keep it simple in commands........ The line is hot (free to fire)
Cease fire (stop and make safe)
Range safe (nobody touch firearms)
Safe to hang targets (nobody touch)
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Old April 1, 2005, 07:20 PM   #2
9mmsnoopy
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at my range we dont need any of that. there are big red lights, around the firing line, if those lights are flashing, you do not touch your gun at all. if someone wants to go down range then one would ask permission from the other shooters to put on the red lights. everyone is cooperative and things work very well.
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Old April 1, 2005, 07:57 PM   #3
Garand Illusion
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At my range we keep a full kevlar suit for anyone who has to go change targets.

You ever been at the golf course driving range and tried to hit the kid driving the golf ball rig?
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Old April 1, 2005, 08:42 PM   #4
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That is why I like to go off into the woods, either by my self or good friends that I know will obey all the rules and have a good time.

I really don't like shooting with strangers or "punk kids" who I wouldn't be surprised to hear one day, "Here, hold my joint and watch this" (about this time, I am ducking and running ).

I also don't like or tolerate the "gun range expert". We've all met him, he's the one that yells about how you're shooting, you're doing it all wrong, hold the gun this way, hold the gun that way, close your eye, open your eye, shoot "gangsta style" because it's the way to do it :barf: (*the last one was a joke to add some humor ). I'm the type of person who can only put up with so much and usually my reply after my last nerve is, "Would you PLEASE just go away. I'm sick and tired of hearing you speak". This is only after many attempts trying to do it politly.

I like the indoor range (pistol only though ). We have our own little stalls and everyone there knows that our stalls, while we are in them, is our world and nobody barges into another persons world unless they are invited.

As for ranges that don't have a compentant RO, I go away quickly. I've sat and watched these places and seen some really scary stuff. Gun muzzles sweeping the line. People with FTF's that turn the gun around and looks into the barrel (I've seen this about 5 times in my life. I do the same as I do when I'm watching a movie, I close my eyes but one stays open just to see what happens next ). I've seen people, when the line was hot, just start wandering down range to their targets to either change them or see how they did. I've seen parents bring all their rugrats to the range and just let them run around, touching other peoples guns, crawling around collecting brass (any brass, not just the parents's) and crawling in front of the muzzle of a shooter who hasn't seen the kid yet.

This is why I love secluded places in the woods/by the river/etc.. I'd rather take my chances out there where a crazed serial killer could be lurking then at a public range, it's much safer.

Wayne
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Old April 1, 2005, 09:31 PM   #5
Stiletto
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^^^

People (especially parents) are often very dumb.

The only ranges I've been to so far have been indoor pistol ranges; we all had partitioned lanes and a powered target holder thingy.
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Old April 1, 2005, 11:14 PM   #6
Shorts
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I second that, parents are often dumb when it comes to shooting with their children. Many of the incidents that were had at our private club range have happened because Dad didn't want to look dumb nfront of his kid

Anyway, at our range (outdoor), everyone is the RO, everyone is the janitor, everyone is the police officer, everyone is... We have a lot of freedoms there, it's our job to take responsibility for it.

Last edited by Shorts; April 2, 2005 at 07:20 PM.
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Old April 1, 2005, 11:52 PM   #7
U.F.O.
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Rojoe67
Quote:
"I see very many confused looks when I take charge.....I challenge all readers to please do the same"
I don't understand your logic here on multiple fronts. What would make you think you're authorized or qualified to "take charge" at any range and command anyone who isn't asking for your leadership?
Quote:
"If people refuse to be commanded (which never yet has happened) I would leave."
At the private shooting club I belong to if you pulled your command act you'd only have the chance to do it once before you were asked to leave. Unless I'm totally misinterpreting what you're saying in your initial post, it sounds like you might have control issues. I'm all for offering strong range advice to the shooter having trouble keeping his muzzle pointing downrange and away from me or telling the guy next to me that he shouldn't be looking down the barrel of a loaded gun to determine if he had a squib, but there's a point where being helpful ends and being arrogantly irritating begins. I would challenge all readers to be more of the helpful and less of the irritating. My experience on unsupervised "hot" ranges is safe operation becomes the responsibility of the collective participants working together, not one "take charge" go-getter. I've seen every shooter at the line, at different times, call for the range to go cold at the next convenient break in fire. Sharing the responsibility helps to keep anyone from "looking confused" and makes the range environment much more enjoyable.

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Last edited by U.F.O.; April 2, 2005 at 01:51 AM.
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Old April 2, 2005, 07:08 PM   #8
Rojoe67
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Ufo

Thanks for responding..... Sorry if you took this out of context? I was putting it simple...... Someone needs to grab the bull by the horns and lead..... That said it depends on your location..... I think your picking this apart just a tad more than it needs to be. My general idea was IF your at a range with more than yourself shooting and nobody takes charge of basic commands then it is a dangerous place....... Don't need to say much more.... I guess I figured some would read too deep and miss the real point.......

That point was Safety............. Sorry to have wasted time and work you up ......... Please don't read so far into it........It was a basic statement....

regards......... Rojoe

My favorite place to shoot is in my private land.......but when I can't be there I do shoot at a stores public outside ranges......limited RO's and they cover 100, 50, 25, 7 and a shotgun pattern 40.... I hear all the above and agree ......... Thanks
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Old April 2, 2005, 07:16 PM   #9
gb_in_ga
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Range Officer? Doesn't apply at the indoor range I shoot at. The guys in the shop can hear if anybody is doing rapid fire, and nobody is allowed in front of the firing line. The targets are on a power driven pulley system. So, you just serve yourself. Step up to your lane, clip on your target, send it down range as far as you want, and fire away. There's very little in the way of supervision. Common sense rules.
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Old April 2, 2005, 10:11 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rojoe67
Thanks for responding..... Sorry if you took this out of context? I was putting it simple...... Someone needs to grab the bull by the horns and lead..... That said it depends on your location..... I think your picking this apart just a tad more than it needs to be.
No, he's not. I got the same impression that he did, and I got it from what you wrote. That's a hint. I have no idea what you actually say to people, but I know what you wrote.

One can diplomatically ensure that proper supervision or cooperation takes place, and one can unilaterally declare himself in charge. The latter is usually fairly stupid, or at best impolite, in a situation involving armed adults.
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Old April 2, 2005, 10:57 PM   #11
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Private club. Rules posted. We police our own.
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Old April 3, 2005, 09:07 AM   #12
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Most of my shooting is done on a range that I have set up at my parents farm. I can shoot out to approx. 300 yards. There are never over 3 or 4 people shooting, and they are all family or close friends.

I have shot at a few public ranges. I am sure that I will again sometime in the future, but not often.
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Old April 3, 2005, 03:54 PM   #13
Rojoe67
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Sorry............let me start all over...........

Did someone miss my point.........? Never mind I guess I have been misunderstood before here.... Sorry I did or didn't say the right thing in the right tone. I think me using the word command(ed) frosted some folks. Wow, sorry I should have used more care in word picking.... I guess as any good leader knows - lead by example and share in communication process and obtain favorable results through group work........ I should have said that too..........sorry guys and girls I guess I wrote that all wrong above.....


Lets pretend I didn't write the first post and upset anyone on the way I wrote my post. I will start over.........

OK...........poooffffff last post is pretend gone and new one follows:



*Does anyone ever find themself on a range with others whom are doing things unsafe or dangerous? If so what do (you) do or not do? I understand that most of the time we can work it out as the group out there. If so do you try to make the move to speak and act responsible first or do you wait on other's to make the move? I tend to act quickly myself and error on safety. This is not the normal operation at MOST ranges but we have to remember a lot of different ranges work in a lot of different ways..... Thanks for your shared imput.... Rojoe67
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Old April 6, 2005, 06:43 PM   #14
sjstill
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I'm an RO at a local public range run by the city Parks Department. My primary function is safety. Have had to ask one bozo in 3 years to leave for gross safety violations. We spell it out pretty clearly when folks sign in. Most all of our customers like the way we do things. We use a whistle to call cold or hot, and have a set "script" of commands.

Now, some of the public ranges run by the state DNR are downright scary. Yeah, they have an "RO" on duty, but it is more of a clerical function. The one I visited just checked for permits, asked what I was shooting and went over safety. He didn't supervise the line at all. Going downrange is by mutual agreement with whomever else is shooting. Just hope like mad no one else comes up to the line and "doesn't see" you down there and open fire.... It HAS happened (not to me) but not in a long while.

I also belong to a private club where everyone is the RO. A pain sometimes, but it works. Again, everyone agrees to call the line cold or hot, shows empty hands, etc.
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Old April 6, 2005, 09:08 PM   #15
Rojoe67
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thanks Steve

Steve, thanks for posting that......... That was what I was trying to get rolling before but said it wrong and upset some folks........ I hear you about being down range.....I hate that feeling too......Hope someday every range will have wire system to send targets back and forth.........It would make life at the range a much safer time........ thanks again for sharing........
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Old April 6, 2005, 09:19 PM   #16
sjstill
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Yeah, the state-run ranges decided to start enforcing no CCW on the line, so when you're downrange, you're nekkid At least before, I could return fire

I try not to go [state] unless I absolutely have to. They're about the only game around for centerfire rifle shooting. Indiana is a pretty decent state, but not much open area left for shooters.
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The primary target is what we call the thoracic triangle. Shots to this area tend to make people FDGB (“fall down go boom”).
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