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Old January 9, 2021, 01:49 AM   #26
zoo
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Double Naught Spy, I’m nothing special and the odds aren’t good but I’ve survived being ambushed. More than once.
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Old January 9, 2021, 01:52 AM   #27
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And no, I would never kill for the sake of property.
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Old January 9, 2021, 04:49 AM   #28
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First only bring enough guns that you can keep track of them. Second, only go to a public range where there is people who sign in and out so you are known to the management. Give them time know and to trust you! Third, don't be a putz. Watch the way people behave and if they are sketchy suckers, leave and make sure you are not followed. Lastly, if you can shoot with people you know or alone in a private area others can't access. Find out when the regular old timers like to shoot and hang out. They will watch your six especially if you are accepted as a regular they know and like. I used to go to a public range regularly and never had any problems but I know others had guns walk off.
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Old January 9, 2021, 09:58 AM   #29
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Double Naught Spy, I’m nothing special and the odds aren’t good but I’ve survived being ambushed. More than once.
Zoo, you are right. Quantitatively, nothing special about surviving ambushes. Lots of people do.

I mean, look at Gerald Curry. He survived being ambushed. He got shot several times, but he survived...
https://youtu.be/sar0mLJk26o

With that said, why are you telling me this? I didn't mention anything about survival. I just said that if somebody wants to ambush you, there isn't anything you can do about it...which has apparently happened to you. More than once.
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Old January 9, 2021, 11:12 AM   #30
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Here's an old story about a shooting range. The range master was walking out and setting up pistol targets for himself as some older shooters that frequent the range was at the line. Some bozo set his target up and without thinking, started shooting. The range master hit the ground. Thinking that he was shot, the old shooters happened to be veterans and picked up their rifles and pointed their guns at the bozo. For the range master, it's good to know their are enough good guys to cover your back.
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Old January 11, 2021, 01:25 PM   #31
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Purely my .02$, but here's a thought. If you have multiple firearms, specifically a long gun and a handgun, why not keep on on the sling and one in the holster? No reason I can see to leave a firearm (whether loaded or unloaded) unsecured. That would make theft very difficult to accomplish. Same logic as the old stories of cowboys keeping a few dollars in the empty chamber of their revolver: "It's hard to separate from the owner". If you are worried about ambushes, then perhaps proceed on the operating rule that you keep at least one magazine loaded at all times while carrying your firearm. Swapping from your target to a thief or attacker would take no more time than a magazine change. Never be caught with an unloaded gun, if you ask me.
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Old January 11, 2021, 01:27 PM   #32
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Protection From Theft/Ambush While At The Range

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sunflowers+Sixguns View Post
Purely my .02$, but here's a thought. If you have multiple firearms, specifically a long gun and a handgun, why not keep on on the sling and one in the holster? No reason I can see to leave a firearm (whether loaded or unloaded) unsecured. That would make theft very difficult to accomplish. Same logic as the old stories of cowboys keeping a few dollars in the empty chamber of their revolver: "It's hard to separate from the owner". If you are worried about ambushes, then perhaps proceed on the operating rule that you keep at least one magazine loaded at all times while carrying your firearm. Swapping from your target to a thief or attacker would take no more time than a magazine change. Never be caught with an unloaded gun, if you ask me.

I bring multiple long guns. Hard to have all of them sling on me at once. In fairness that’s my choice and I make it knowingly.


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Old January 11, 2021, 03:15 PM   #33
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Use modern technology, photograph anyone who looks suspicious, their vehicle, license plate, etc.
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Old January 11, 2021, 11:47 PM   #34
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Use modern technology, photograph anyone who looks suspicious, their vehicle, license plate, etc.
That's a phenomenal way to start a fight
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Old January 12, 2021, 12:23 AM   #35
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At the range your locked car is a better storage container than a rifle rack. Some ranges don't want you carrying guns around on the range. they want you to leave it unloaded with the action open on the bench when the all clear is called.
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Old January 16, 2021, 06:35 PM   #36
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Well, dont go by yourself. If you do go by yourself, only take one gun.
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Old January 17, 2021, 07:29 AM   #37
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Honestly, if you're by yourself, someone could pick you off without you ever being aware of their presence. And it doesn't matter if you've got 10 guns, 1 gun, or no gun. No one would question the gunfire.

Do what you can. No guarantees in life, but death and taxes.
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Old January 17, 2021, 07:40 AM   #38
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Gun ranges check people in and out. The most likely problem at a public range is theft when you turn your back and not being attacked per se. That is most likely if the range is crowded. Going on the slow days you tend to have more of the range to yourself.
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Old January 17, 2021, 09:28 AM   #39
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Honestly, if you're by yourself, someone could pick you off without you ever being aware of their presence. And it doesn't matter if you've got 10 guns, 1 gun, or no gun. No one would question the gunfire.

Do what you can. No guarantees in life, but death and taxes.
Bro.. overwhelmingly, thats not how robberies or thefts go. Sure, there is not much you can do about the scenario you describe. However, if we are to consider a common model.. the one that is most likely to happen; you could help mitigate it by not going alone and by [not] leaving weapons on the bench as you walk 20-30-40-100 yards away to change a target.

These sort of situation are not guarded against by having a mindset of despair, hopelessness or surrender. They are typically guarded against by a belief that "there is something" I can do to better the situation, a willingness to try and actually trying.
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Old January 17, 2021, 11:34 AM   #40
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Originally Posted by FireForged
Bro.. overwhelmingly, thats not how robberies or thefts go. Sure, there is not much you can do about the scenario you describe. However, if we are to consider a common model.. the one that is most likely to happen; you could help mitigate it by not going alone and by [not] leaving weapons on the bench as you walk 20-30-40-100 yards away to change a target.

These sort of situation are not guarded against by having a mindset of despair, hopelessness or surrender. They are typically guarded against by a belief that "there is something" I can do to better the situation, a willingness to try and actually trying.
Overwhelmingly, the odds are that your next airplane flight out of LaGuardia won't end up in the Hudson River, too, but history proves conclusively that the odds aren't zero. The odds also said that my daughter wouldn't be held up at gunpoint in a subway station in a city (and country) where private ownership of firearms is mostly illegal. Again, history proves that the odds weren't zero.

Pointing out what can happen is being realistic, not pessimistic.
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Old January 17, 2021, 11:58 AM   #41
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Originally Posted by rc View Post
Gun ranges check people in and out.
Perhaps that's the case where you live.

WMA ranges here (GA) are just cleared spaces in the woods. Self-policed.
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Old January 17, 2021, 01:21 PM   #42
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Good point. I hadn't considered public areas without a range officer or check in point. Maybe a reason not to go alone if it's out in the boonies. I know I've seen crime documentaries of people ambushed shooting in the boonies by themselves but I do think it's rare.
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Old January 17, 2021, 01:33 PM   #43
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WMA ranges here (GA) are just cleared spaces in the woods. Self-policed.
The same applies to ranges on state game lands in Pennsylvania, and to many shooting areas on BLM land in the western states.
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Old January 17, 2021, 01:38 PM   #44
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Range safety

I belong to a private club and have the ability to park my vehicle right by the pit that I would be shooting in.
It's easy to take out one gun at a time from the locked vehicle a shoot.
I also CCW at the range and do not advertise that fact.
Shooting with a buddy is also an option.
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Old January 17, 2021, 01:40 PM   #45
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All my shooting takes place on my private firing range. i prefer to shoot alone. The primary threat is from large rattlesnakes that inhabit the property.
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Old January 17, 2021, 02:41 PM   #46
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The private club that I am a member of is small scale. It operates on the honor system with the members. There is no RO, no supervision, no cameras, no sign in or sign out. I don't necessarily believe I'm going to get sniped from the woods, but it would be niaive to think it could never happen. That doesn't mean I wear a shirt with a bullseye on it or am willing to lay down and die at at the 1st sign of a threat. I am generally an optimistic person. That personality trait of mine has been strained the last year or two. You do what you can to limit the threat and cover your rear, but you can't be prepared for every scenario.
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Old January 17, 2021, 03:01 PM   #47
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This is something that is rare but it's something that does happen and it's something that I give thought to anytime I go shooting alone
When it happens often enough that you can tick cases off I hesitate to call it rare....
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Old January 17, 2021, 03:15 PM   #48
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My daughter had a strange fellow ask about her guns while she was down range, she responded by stating she was carrying concealed (her 44 Spcl 5-shot revolver) to protect herself and her's. The guy left rapidly - there were others at the range with her. Her friends were relieved to know she had a EDC with her on other activities too.
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Old January 17, 2021, 05:23 PM   #49
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Quote:
Overwhelmingly, the odds are that your next airplane flight out of LaGuardia won't end up in the Hudson River, too, but history proves conclusively that the odds aren't zero. The odds also said that my daughter wouldn't be held up at gunpoint in a subway station in a city (and country) where private ownership of firearms is mostly illegal. Again, history proves that the odds weren't zero.

Pointing out what can happen is being realistic, not pessimistic.
I do not recall anyone suggesting that the odds were zero. I do not recall anyone disputing history or that the scenario in question was unrealistic.

I simply said that this discussion is not really about situation where you have no real recourse, its about taking mitigating steps where you can. The fact that no win situations exist is not in dispute. What may be in dispute is how mentioning such scenarios is likely to help the OP develop his personal safety plan.

I simply consider it more productive to talk about the things you can (perhaps) do something about and go from there.

If someone asks you about your lightning precautions while golfing, you probably do not respond by offering that there are undetectable and unforeseen microbursts of dangerous weather that you can do nothing about. Sure, its realistic but it goes without saying and doesnt really address the subject.

In an effort to remain on topic, I stand by my earlier suggestion to avoid going shooting alone, refraining from leaving eye candy unattended where someone might try to get it and pay close attention to your surroundings.

I often shoot at unregulated outdoor public ranges and have left on several occasions when I did NOT get a good vibe from people. I try not to go alone but since retiring, the best time for me is early in the morning on weekdays. Its hard to find many people who want to go shooting on a Tuesday at 0900.
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Old January 18, 2021, 05:16 PM   #50
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With that said, why are you telling me this? I didn't mention anything about survival. I just said that if somebody wants to ambush you, there isn't anything you can do about it...which has apparently happened to you. More than once.
I am puzzled by your confusion, DNS. Ambushes are in fact about survival if you are the one being ambushed. What you do about it when you are being attacked, along with a lot of luck, is how you survive. Ambushes are about surviving too when you are the one doing the attacking but in that case they are also obviously about taking out that which you are attacking. Nothing personal intended.
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