So I gave my boy a rifle for Christmas and he was obviously dying to shoot it. We rarely shoot at public ranges as we have private land that we are allowed to shoot on. Deer season is in, though, so I try to be considerate and not shoot when I know someone may be hunting. So we drive 2 hours to go to a range as it was the closest 500yd rifle range. First off, let me say that the range owner and employees were really pleasant, the fees were very reasonable, the range is set up well, and most folks there were really nice. If this place wasn't 2 hours away I would probably go at least once a week even though I have a private place to shoot. Anyway, on with the story.
I get there and want to shoot from the prone with bipods. There are numerous bench stations, but only one prone station. The RSO told me that it was currently being used. I asked if I could use it when he's finished, and the RSO responded by saying "of course." So me and the boy go to a bench and we start shooting. I happen to look over at the guy at the prone station from time to time to see if he's about to finish up. I see him shoot like 2, maybe 3 times. More than anything he is talking, showing his rifles off to the girl and other guy that was with him, and walking over (leaving his rifles unattended a couple of times) to the pistol side of the range. At one point the whole group is gone for about 30 minutes so I just go over and set my rifle down next to a shooting mat. I didn't know if the mat was provided by the range or if it was that guys, so I just decide I'm not going to touch it. There was plenty of room for us to shoot next to it anyway. The friend of the guy who had called dibs on the prone station came over in short order, before I can even go grab the spotting scope and ammo. Awesome, I'll ask if that's his friend's shooting mat. He said it was and came and snatched it up with a pretty perturbed look on his face. While he was doing this I told him that I didn't know if it was provided by the range or if it was his, and I didn't want to bother it, so I'm glad he showed up so I could ask. Seeing that he looked pretty perturbed, I asked if it was ok for us to use the prone station for a few minutes. I didn't bring a lot of ammo and it won't take us long. "Sure" is all I got from the guy as he walked away. We hadn't even gotten in the prone with the rifle and spotting scope before all 3 of them were leaning against the wall behind us staring.
I didn't pay them any mind... heck didn't even get annoyed about it until after we left the range. My son and I both burn through the 20 or so (roughly 10 a piece) rounds I had left. It didn't take long, maybe 10 or 15 minutes. I policed my brass, got our stuff up, and moved back to the bench. Mr. "I called dibs on prone" finally decides that he wants to actually shoot now, so he starts ringing the big steel plate at 500 yards repeatedly as if I'm supposed to notice or be impressed. I really wasn't... it was like a 2'x2' piece of steel and not exactly a huge challenge to hit with a good scoped rifle. We only shot at it twice, both hits, and moved on to the smaller targets between 300-500.
Anyway... was I wrong to just go move in the one prone spot when it had been left unattended (but apparently still claimed) for 30 minutes? I guess I could've been, but honestly I didn't care too much as I thought it was inconsiderate to plop your gear down, take up the only prone station of the range, and then proceed to wonder and amaze others with the 10 guns that you brought for a solid 2 hours while only shooting MAYBE 10 rounds. What really got me was the group leaning against the wall staring at us while we were shooting. It's not that it bothered me a ton, but I thought it was rude. How would yall take that?
I get there and want to shoot from the prone with bipods. There are numerous bench stations, but only one prone station. The RSO told me that it was currently being used. I asked if I could use it when he's finished, and the RSO responded by saying "of course." So me and the boy go to a bench and we start shooting. I happen to look over at the guy at the prone station from time to time to see if he's about to finish up. I see him shoot like 2, maybe 3 times. More than anything he is talking, showing his rifles off to the girl and other guy that was with him, and walking over (leaving his rifles unattended a couple of times) to the pistol side of the range. At one point the whole group is gone for about 30 minutes so I just go over and set my rifle down next to a shooting mat. I didn't know if the mat was provided by the range or if it was that guys, so I just decide I'm not going to touch it. There was plenty of room for us to shoot next to it anyway. The friend of the guy who had called dibs on the prone station came over in short order, before I can even go grab the spotting scope and ammo. Awesome, I'll ask if that's his friend's shooting mat. He said it was and came and snatched it up with a pretty perturbed look on his face. While he was doing this I told him that I didn't know if it was provided by the range or if it was his, and I didn't want to bother it, so I'm glad he showed up so I could ask. Seeing that he looked pretty perturbed, I asked if it was ok for us to use the prone station for a few minutes. I didn't bring a lot of ammo and it won't take us long. "Sure" is all I got from the guy as he walked away. We hadn't even gotten in the prone with the rifle and spotting scope before all 3 of them were leaning against the wall behind us staring.
I didn't pay them any mind... heck didn't even get annoyed about it until after we left the range. My son and I both burn through the 20 or so (roughly 10 a piece) rounds I had left. It didn't take long, maybe 10 or 15 minutes. I policed my brass, got our stuff up, and moved back to the bench. Mr. "I called dibs on prone" finally decides that he wants to actually shoot now, so he starts ringing the big steel plate at 500 yards repeatedly as if I'm supposed to notice or be impressed. I really wasn't... it was like a 2'x2' piece of steel and not exactly a huge challenge to hit with a good scoped rifle. We only shot at it twice, both hits, and moved on to the smaller targets between 300-500.
Anyway... was I wrong to just go move in the one prone spot when it had been left unattended (but apparently still claimed) for 30 minutes? I guess I could've been, but honestly I didn't care too much as I thought it was inconsiderate to plop your gear down, take up the only prone station of the range, and then proceed to wonder and amaze others with the 10 guns that you brought for a solid 2 hours while only shooting MAYBE 10 rounds. What really got me was the group leaning against the wall staring at us while we were shooting. It's not that it bothered me a ton, but I thought it was rude. How would yall take that?