Plinkers Go Home And Stay There!

Status
Not open for further replies.
I live in an area where there's a lot of strip mining going on. In years gone by, some smaller communities used strip mines or "high walls" as dumps. You could sit at the top of these with a ton of ammo and shoot down at everything from bottles to old TV sets, and there were LOTS of rats! Bottles were worth 10 points, but rats were worth 100. Each dump was good for several years of shooting before the coal companies dozed 'em over.

Later, I joined the PD and shooting became... "formal". It was still a challenge, but somehow the fun had gone out of it. I've been shooting "formal" now for decades, and had forgotten just how much fun plinking can be.

Well, yesterday, that changed. I help wrangle horses on a 4200 acre ranch, and I'm good friends with most of the full-time staff. I took a new pistol out to show off a few days ago, and one of the newer staff members took an interest. He suggested a staff shoot at his place, and that happened yesterday.

When I arrived, I was delighted. Turns out he's an avid shooter and has a nice, 200 yard range behind his house with stands for rifle and pistol, and a big, sturdy picnic table to bench off of, which was only a short walk to the house, facilities, and of course, the 'fridge ;) .

Six of us were there, and while the Rules were never mentioned out loud, everyone knew and followed them. Not once did I see anything unsafe.

We had a blast (pardon the pun :D ). We shot everything from .338 Win Mag to .308, .270 Win., and .22 rifles, to .44 mag., .45 ACP, 9mm, .357, and .38 spl. handguns, at everything from silhouette targets to water filled Mountain Dew bottles, to 3" sticky bullseyes at 100 yds. Only thing we didn't have was Tannerite :( .

When it finally got too dark to shoot, the ladies announced that dinner was ready, and we were treated to an outstanding meal. And of course afterward, we sat around debating who was the better shot that day :D .

Folks, that was plinking at its finest. The camaraderie, relaxed atmosphere, and fun made me realize what I've been missing. The "formal" shooting still has its place, but plinking re-lit my fire for shooting.
 
Stop crying Capt Charlie. It's OK to be upset. Your "plinking" experience sounds good because you guys were all on the "SAME PAGE" Duh. And you kissed your hosts butt to get what you wanted. Thanks for sharing.
 
Oh again Capt Charlie you were not shooting at a club that charges you $400.00 a year to join. So when you go to the range and find all the targets frames shot to hell , I guess when that happens next time I shoot the birds out of the air or maybe the chip monks, rabbits, frogs they make good targets right Charlie. Or do you have something else in mine OH watch about the range tower it won't hurt no one. I could go to the store and buy almost anything I guess. How about the puppy store, do dogs make good targets?
 
Your "plinking" experience sounds good because you guys were all on the "SAME PAGE" Duh.
Click to expand...
But it does differentiate between plinkers and the jamokes you're talking about, no?

And you kissed your hosts butt to get what you wanted.
Click to expand...
:confused: What in the world are you talking about?

Oh again Capt Charlie you were not shooting at a club that charges you $400.00 a year to join. So when you go to the range and find all the targets frames shot to hell...
Click to expand...
I think I would be equally upset with the folks running that range that let it happen, more than once. The membership only ranges I'm familiar with would 86 those people in a heartbeat.
 
Plinkers are Stinkers

Fundamentally I totally agree with everyone of you who expressed frustration about range damage done and safety ignorance on the part of many "plinkers". If you consider the situation, however, I think most will agree that this is part of the down side of a Constitution with a 2nd amendment. As free Americans we all share that fundamental right. Often it is a fine line between gun control and deciding who is qualified to own a firearm. We have more morons than this who go out and "plink" with their automobile. In most states all you need do is show up with the money and drive around the block to get a drivers license. Americans kill a whole lot more people by carelessness with a car than with a firearm. First and formost safety should be paramount in all endeavors. If one is at a "public range" and witnesses a running dummy being reckless then without a doubt it should be brought to the attention of the range master immediately if not sooner. If membership at a gun club is required then rules should be in place by which to expel the plinker and/or his member sponsor or both. Unlike a public range there should be some kind of member requirements in the club charter, I would think. I grew up in a place with miles and miles of nothing but miles so shooting was more of a private thing. Now with the number of C.H.U.D's wanting and needing a place to shoot, the saftety issues are numerous.
 
In defense of the "plinkers", I will say that everyone has to start somewhere. Conscientious people will accept that they don't know everything and will try to learn from someone, and once they have been taught they will apply those lessons to what they are doing. Idiots and yahoos will not. This is one of the reasons I no longer hunt opening weekends. There also seem to be the idiots that think that they can teach themselves anything from brain surgery to basket weaving by reading a book or watching a video.

I personally think civilian pseudo-commando mall-ninja ammo-burners with high-cap mags and a semi-auto are more dangerous to me than a newbie who doesn't know any better.

When I was a kid, I was told that a plinker was an informal target shooter. The term "plinker" comes from the noise cans make when they are hit, supposedly. Now I find out I wasn't a plinker, because I was taught strict adherence to firearms rules and etiquette?

If your range allows stunts and downright dangerous activities like I've read here, I would have a serious talk with the Range Master. Some of these are borderline negligent and could get someone killed very easily.

You can't blame it all on the shooters. Some don't know any better. The club I belong to has a mandatory orientation for all new members, and public range days are very closely monitored. Just my opinion, but if you see someone acting dangerously, do something (not confrontational) to get them to correct their behavior. If that means getting them thrown off the range, so be it. If it means getting involved with them as a mentor, if that's what it takes, you do it. But don't just sit there and rant about how bad they are unless you are willing to do something about it, because then you are part of the problem for allowing it to continue.
 
1. It would make more sense to change the title to refer to morons, idiots, waterheads, etc., instead of plinkers.
2. Stop whining about morons at YOUR range. Nobody likes morons. We get it.
 
Informal shooting just for the heck of it is where most gun enthusiasts learn their chops. So mabey not everyone grew up in your holy church of precision shooting... So what?

You need to calm down or build yourself your own range where you can segregate the sloppy "average joes" from the high-and-mighty paper-punchers.

I like steady, well-aimed fire as much as you. I have to admit, though, that when I am not practicing for or shooting in competition, I like to light off whole mags at a very fast clip. As long as the lead heads for the berm, rather than into the sky or ground, it's none of your damn business how I shoot. You need to bend over and remove whatever animal crawled into your rear.
 
In defense of the "plinkers", I will say that everyone has to start somewhere.
Click to expand...

And some of us never "progress" to something else. Not everyone is interested in defensive shooting or competitive shooting. Some simply like to shoot informally at cans (or paper targets) just for the fun of it.

At the indoor range, I'm more scared of the "defensive shooting James Bond wannabes" who are trying to draw from a holster quickly and do the double tap (or triple tap) drills, or other such drills. The plinker just wants to have fun. He or she may be an idiot, but generally is not shooting for speed and trying to be "tactical" by shooting quickly and emptying an entire mag.

And lots of the plinkers are better shots than the tactical/defensive folks (but generally not better shots than the competitive shooters -- those men and women will put us plinkers to shame). Many plinkers have learned that adding a bunch of lasers, lights, rails, and huge mags won't make up for lack of shooting skill and practice. :)

Too bad to hear about all of the rude jerks at your range. The problem is not plinking. The problem is rudeness and stupidity.
 
OldCheif,
I guess your name says it all. Hey "Sonny, I have bin doing this since before you where born, when we use to walk uphill to school both ways, bare foot in the snow." YES it is my business how you shoot when we are on the range together, thank god we do not belong to the same club. I don't want to get shot by accident when you "light" up a magazine. Next time you do this, just give me the ammo it will be better spent, than the way you shoot. Duh look how fast I can hit NOTHING. By the way I didn't grow up in the Holy church of shooting, I just took the time to learn properly and safely, unlike yourself I suppose. I kind of guess with your comments concerning holy church and high and mighty paper punchers, I guess you do not hit your target too much just the air around you. Anyway I guess you can't teach old dogs new tricks after all. Have a good day.
 
Morons at the range

Hey Hedley,
Thanks for your wonderful insight into this thread. I do not know what I would have done with out your advice. Thanks again.
 
Morons and buttheads

OldChief,
I hate to kick an Old Cheif when they are down, but hear goes. I just remembered what happened to one of our county ranges last year. Some Yahoo like yourself, wanted to see how fast he could light up his magazine and accidently put one over the berm and hit a house, next day range closed forever. IT IS MY BUSINESS HOW YOU SHOOT MORON! WHEN YOU CAN RUIN IT FOR EVERYONE ELSE, just another selfish idiot in this country. What else is new. I will pull the animal out of my butt when you morons stop treating firearms like the water pistol you had growing up.
 
Man, am I gald I can just walk out into my yard and shoot all day and not bother another soul.

I have not spent much time in public or private ranges, but during that very short time, I've seen some crazy, careless, dangerous, and deadly practices. I don't know what a range officer is paid, but it ain't enough. I bet most are volunteers.

I'm a long way from a professional shooter/instructor, but I have been shooting since I was 6yrs old (yikes). We shooters are a brotherhood/sisterhood, a community of sorts and sometimes we need to speak up and say to the shooter in the next lane, " do you mind if I make a suggestion" or, "you seem to be having a bit of trouble, mind if i help?" and so on.

A we/they or an us/them mentality ie; "plinkers", will get us no where.
 
I built my own shooting range on my property. I live out in the country where the nearest house (besides my own)
is about 1/4 of a mile away.
The range I built goes to 100 yards.
I have 7 and 15 yards marked off along with 25 and 50 yards.
I don't shoot at any public ranges cause some people are just to unpredictable to be around when they have a loaded gun in their hands.
Only friends and reletives are allowed to shoot at my range.
Hearing and eye protection is a must.
Good shooting every one.
 
Morons and buttheads
Click to expand...
IT IS MY BUSINESS HOW YOU SHOOT MORON
Click to expand...
I will pull the animal out of my butt when you morons stop treating firearms like the water pistol you had growing up.
Click to expand...

Seriously, I thought we were having an intelligent discussion there for a while. Especially defining 'plinking' and separating that very definition from what you describe as unsafe shooting. I am now sorry I ever subscribed to this thread. Y'all need to settle down a bit:mad:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top