Personal Defense At The Range.

Always armed. Always aware. No exceptions.
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Nice thought...a bit simplistic and not workable at many ranges.

Our range is a cold range. It is against the rules to have a loaded gun anywhere on the range except at the range tables or in one of the action pistol bays.

Doesn't matter if you have a concealed carry permit or are a law enforcement officer - no loaded guns unless they're in a case and being carried from your vehicle to the shooting line.

So, you can have a loaded gun in your vehicle - you just can't take it out of the vehicle unless it's in a case. I usually leave my truck gun loaded and in a compartment in the driver's side door - that's normally where I carry it and since I'm not taking it out of the vehicle it's not against the rules to have it loaded.
 
I have a range on my property, and folks can't get to it without coming down my drive or trespassing on other folks land. I used to feel quite safe until the one day when a fellow walks out of the woods from private land and walks right up to us. He was nice enough, but he didn't belong. We've been cautious since and maintained at least one loaded SD firearm, usually more, nearby for future invasions
 
A loaded gun "free zone" on a shooting range is the height of ludicrous thinking. I will carry concealed everywhere legal to do so.
 
If I can insert a few comments here, I do understand people's concerns about their safety. However, all the rules at ranges are about safety to begin with. Accidents happen far more frequently than assaults and robberies and as far as I know, an accidently shot hurts just as much as an intentional one, probably more if it was your own.

It might be worth wearing a bullet-proof vest, too, although I've never seen anyone do that. After all, not every one at the range is as experienced and safety conscious as you are.
 
However, all the rules at ranges are about safety to begin with. Accidents happen far more frequently than assaults and robberies
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So, for 6 and 1/2 days a week im considered to be safe with a handgun carried loaded and concealed but for the couple hours im on the range, suddenly its safer NOT to carry?? All because "accidents happen".

If we accept that theory then no one should carry, ever, or anywhere
There is NO logic behind that argument.
 
There are those that believe that and, yes, accidents happen. I'm sure you're as safe as can be but I'm not so sure about everyone else. It isn't the carrying, it's the handling and the shooting. You aren't responsible for anyone else's safe gun handling practices but the range might think they are, whether or not that actually are. After all, you've already decided that a range is a dangerous place.
 
I agree with Sharkbite,

Why are you safe carrying your CC everywhere else but not at the range.

It might be worth wearing a bullet-proof vest
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That will be the day. I didn't wear one as an infantryman in Vietnam, and most of the time I didn't wear one as a LE officer (except when I got caught in my later years when they became mandatory).

As too the range, I highly doubt.

If I find someone that dangerous I'm taking them aside and providing some one on one training.
 
We said that from now on we will both carry while shooting at the range.
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It's a shame that we have to do that, but it's good, sound policy.

I used to shoot at an unmonitored public range. One day, a bunch of gang-bangers showed up and proceeded to shoot up everything in sight. Picnic tables, trash barrels, etc. were all perforated. It also seemed that their language was limited to 4-letter words. Needless to say, we left, never to return.

I now shoot at another public range which has a much more mellow group of shooters. Even so, I always wear a sidearm. When you have to walk 100+ yards to change targets, carrying a rifle, spotting scope and range bag just isn't practical. If nothing else, having a sidearm gives me peace of mind.
 
I was serious about the bullet-proof vest but it wasn't my idea. That was the suggestion of Massad Ayoob.

No matter how safe you are with a firearm, accidents still happen. Again, I'm not saying you're unsafe or accident prone but those around you might be. And anyway, you don't spend six and a half days amongst people who are shooting. They could put up a "No Accidents" sign to solve the problem, I suppose.
 
It's not uncommon for people to get robbed at or outside gun ranges.

As far as carrying while at the range, I always have a gun on my hip. No different than going anywhere else out in public.

You realize that many ranges BAN loaded firearms behind the shooting points and/or during "people down range" periods?
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What they don't know wont hurt them. That's why I keep mine concealed.
 
"What they don't know wont hurt them. That's why I keep mine concealed."

So, you assume to be "better" than "them", safer than "them", or just above the rules of the range?
This sort of thought process is one reason why I have my own private range.
 
"What they don't know wont hurt them. That's why I keep mine concealed."

So, you assume to be "better" than "them", safer than "them", or just above the rules of the range?
This sort of thought process is one reason why I have my own private range.
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Its not a matter of being "better", but rather Professional. Just like at gunshows, my CCW pistol stays CONCEALED. Its purpose is to protect me and mine. Not to try holsters or anything else.

The same goes on the range. The pistol im carrying is for defense. Not to be whipped out on a lark and shot
 
One of the more risky things I do is if Im wanting to stretch out my rifles more than plinking in my yard . I often go to a remote range alone . Im sighting down thier Sniper range in my bubble and no ones got my 6 . Expensive weapon systems and gear , what ever I have in my pockets at the time . Not a good choice but with my work schedule its not always easy to find someone that has time to go when I do .
 
alone

You realize that many ranges BAN loaded firearms behind the shooting points and/or during "people down range" periods?
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Yes, that is certainly true. When I am at the range (down a rural byway) to which I referred earlier and other shooters are there, then the .44 comes off and sits in my shooting bag. Then I leave my guns on the bench or in the rack when I go down range.
Alone is different.
Pete
 
Doesn't matter if you have a concealed carry permit or are a law enforcement officer - no loaded guns unless they're in a case and being carried from your vehicle to the shooting line.
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So, your pro gun gun range has an anti-gun policy, doesn't trust you with a concealed handgun despite the fact you're probably firing significantly greater firepower... and I assume they pat you down and wand you to ensure you're not carrying. :cool:

Gun store employees carry handguns, don't they? Same thing. Patrons at gun ranges are standing there with tens of thousands of dollars in firearms, scopes, and ammunition. Oh, and keys to nice vehicles. All ripe for the pickings.

I mentioned before, but there are enough incidents of criminal assaults and robberies at ranges to encourage me to carry. What better place for a group of thugs to stock up on guns and ammo than to ambush a range while it's cold, right?

Here's a few real world news examples in the last few years:
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/08/0...ng-range-says-stole-guns-help-overthrow-govt/

A prison guard accused of shooting a lawyer to death at a gun range told police he found the man dead and stole his rifle so it could be used by an extremist group bent on overthrowing the U.S. government, court records show.
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http://www.philly.com/philly/news/C...6-firearms-in-Northeast-gun-shop-robbery.html

A Bonnie and Clyde pair of armed bandits robbed two men and shot one outside a Far Northeast gun shop and range Thursday night, making off with seven stolen firearms and leaving one of the victims critically wounded.
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/C...ast-gun-shop-robbery.html#fVStVehmLuOdKgGl.99
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http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/feb/03/sniper-chris-kyle-shot-dead

Of course, Navy SEAL Chris Kyle and his friend were shot and killed on a range.
Police said Sunday that the body of Chris Kyle was found by officers responding to an incident at the Rough Creek Lodge in Glen Rose the previous evening. Chad Littlefield, a 35-year-old friend of the war veteran and author, was also killed at the scene.
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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1818296/posts

Jeffrey Lane Dudney, 43, of Tampa, was facing attempted murder charges when he went to the shooting range Thursday afternoon intending to steal a firearm and flee the area, Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee said.
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So, be armed and prepared when you're at the range.
 
So, you assume to be "better" than "them", safer than "them", or just above the rules of the range? This sort of thought process is one reason why I have my own private range.
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The only assuming being done is by you sir. If it's not illegal to carry my gun, I am carrying it. The most they can do is ask me to leave the premises, and I am willing to take that risk, personal protection means alot more to me than abiding by a ranges ridiculous rule of banning concealed carry.
 
Another thought is that if they ban LOADED firearms, just sling an unloaded AR on your back and put a couple mags in your back pocket as you walk to change your target. I cannot see how anyone could object since it's clearly unloaded.
 
As a guy who did work more than one range, can I interject one thing here? the reason for bans on carry of loaded firearms on public ranges is the same reason some gun shops ban loaded carry - these are places where you are expected to manipulate your firearm, and the chance of negligent discharges goes up many many percentage points when people are handling loaded firearms instead of carrying them holstered. That's the logic, and yes, it's a lawyer thing, as well.
I also frequent an unmonitored outdoor range which is treated as a hot range by everyone there. It doesn't hurt that when I train at work we maintain a hot range as well. If a place doesn't allow me to carry, (not many here in AZ), and don't provide professional armed security, I tend not to frequent the place.
 
I wonder if the same people who will carry concealed regardless of range rules would carry in states where their CHL is not valid?
 
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