Safety infractions committed on range today.
- Thread starter U.S.SFC_RET
- Start date
Public Outdoor Ranges
Are a lot of fun right? sure... I go to one because I don't want to pony up the cash to join my local private range, but I'm getting closer everyday. I like to shoot to improve my marksmanship, lately I've been using my Mosin-Nagant M44 at about a hundred yards, trying to practice my basics and get tighter groups. So, every 5 rounds I like to check my targets, reload the internal magazine, make any adjustments necessary to my weapon or position, and begin again. This has the side benefit of stretching out my time at the range and reducing the cost of ammunition per hour. Unfortunately, many of the idiots who utilize this free, unsupervised public land range (which doesn't even have benches, just an old gravel pit) don't know what ceasefire or cold range means; many a time I am walking the long 100 yds to my stand up target when some jackass starts popping off his "AR'd" 10-22 or 'nine' at targets only 30-40 feet away from me! Of course I always let everyone know that I am heading downrange and request that they check fire, usually after waiting several minutes for everyone to finish their current evolution. They seem to think if they are not pointing 'at me' then I will be safe downrange; funny how they never add up how many rounds they fire and how many holes are in the coffee can when they leave. It's probably because they never check their targets or throw them away responsibly when done, opting to leave them at the site with all their discarded brass.
I have started going on weekday afternoons, and only shooting if I am the only person there or I know the other shooters and respect their shooting discipline. Pretty soon the state is probably going to close the range down altogether, due to dozens of shot up tvs, thousands of unpoliced shotgun shells and brass casings (a huge pet peeve of mine), and millions of potential injuries. I guess then I'll be forced to come up with a couple hundred bucks to join the Evergreen Sportsman's Club... and drive 45 minutes each way to fire off 10 dollars of 7.62x54R.
Are a lot of fun right? sure... I go to one because I don't want to pony up the cash to join my local private range, but I'm getting closer everyday. I like to shoot to improve my marksmanship, lately I've been using my Mosin-Nagant M44 at about a hundred yards, trying to practice my basics and get tighter groups. So, every 5 rounds I like to check my targets, reload the internal magazine, make any adjustments necessary to my weapon or position, and begin again. This has the side benefit of stretching out my time at the range and reducing the cost of ammunition per hour. Unfortunately, many of the idiots who utilize this free, unsupervised public land range (which doesn't even have benches, just an old gravel pit) don't know what ceasefire or cold range means; many a time I am walking the long 100 yds to my stand up target when some jackass starts popping off his "AR'd" 10-22 or 'nine' at targets only 30-40 feet away from me! Of course I always let everyone know that I am heading downrange and request that they check fire, usually after waiting several minutes for everyone to finish their current evolution. They seem to think if they are not pointing 'at me' then I will be safe downrange; funny how they never add up how many rounds they fire and how many holes are in the coffee can when they leave. It's probably because they never check their targets or throw them away responsibly when done, opting to leave them at the site with all their discarded brass.
I have started going on weekday afternoons, and only shooting if I am the only person there or I know the other shooters and respect their shooting discipline. Pretty soon the state is probably going to close the range down altogether, due to dozens of shot up tvs, thousands of unpoliced shotgun shells and brass casings (a huge pet peeve of mine), and millions of potential injuries. I guess then I'll be forced to come up with a couple hundred bucks to join the Evergreen Sportsman's Club... and drive 45 minutes each way to fire off 10 dollars of 7.62x54R.
Crankylove
New member
I was done going to public ranges a few years ago. There are half a dozen within 20 min drive, but only one I would go to, and that one closed. My issue wasn't only other shooters doing idiotic things with loaded weapons, but the range officers (not all officers, but enough)who like to play god. Saving empty lanes for their buddies when there is a line of a dozen people who have already paid waiting for a bench; not allowing shooters to pick up brass so that they personally, not the range, can collect and sell it; allowing friends to shoot high power rifles on on the pistol and rimfire only ranges; and kicking me off of benches after I paid and started shooting, because they regular shooting buddy decided to hit the range that day. Between Joe blow sweeping me with loaded firearms and range officers making up the rules as they go, I said goodbye to the public ranges and now head out to BLM or Forest Service land to do my shooting.
SwampYankee
New member
For all these reasons I belong to a private club where most people only shoot skeet. I go to the pistol/rifle range at 9 am on weekdays and only twice have I ever met someone on the range, and I was packing up both times. People are stupid and I hate trusting my life to stupid people. The $200 a year I pay to belong to the club is well worth accident prevention (assuming I don't blow myself up- then I am just going to bleed to death and die).
Swamp Yankee-
I am getting closer and closer to paying up every year... I think the range I want to join is $75 initiation fee, $75 per year and $85 per year if you don't volunteer 2 weeks of range maintenance and supervision. It just sucks because you have to pay it all up front the first time around. It's still better than being shot by a wannabe gang-banger with a MAK-90!
I have recently gotten my girlfriend interested in shooting and I don't want to expose her to all the bad habits and environmental dangers where I shoot now, and I certainly wouldn't want to bring a child there. Also, I would like to have some new shootin' buddies; all my reservist buddies live way out in the sticks so we only get together to shoot couple times a year.
I am getting closer and closer to paying up every year... I think the range I want to join is $75 initiation fee, $75 per year and $85 per year if you don't volunteer 2 weeks of range maintenance and supervision. It just sucks because you have to pay it all up front the first time around. It's still better than being shot by a wannabe gang-banger with a MAK-90!
I have recently gotten my girlfriend interested in shooting and I don't want to expose her to all the bad habits and environmental dangers where I shoot now, and I certainly wouldn't want to bring a child there. Also, I would like to have some new shootin' buddies; all my reservist buddies live way out in the sticks so we only get together to shoot couple times a year.
"unloaded guns"
yea unloaded right, i remember once i was shot in the throat with a competition grade air rifle (1270 fps doens't feel good...)
also much scarier i pulled the trigger on a friends nine millimeter after firing nine rounds... turns out it was a 9 +1 clip. thank god i was aiming down range when i checked, but with a limp wrist i dropped the gun. that was the last time I ever failed to check the chamber.
I will say know having learned from my mistakes.... I am definately the first one of the group i shoot with to speak up when there is a safety infraction. I have made some friends very unhappy by telling them that they are done for the day after they sweep the standing area.
yea unloaded right, i remember once i was shot in the throat with a competition grade air rifle (1270 fps doens't feel good...)
also much scarier i pulled the trigger on a friends nine millimeter after firing nine rounds... turns out it was a 9 +1 clip. thank god i was aiming down range when i checked, but with a limp wrist i dropped the gun. that was the last time I ever failed to check the chamber.
I will say know having learned from my mistakes.... I am definately the first one of the group i shoot with to speak up when there is a safety infraction. I have made some friends very unhappy by telling them that they are done for the day after they sweep the standing area.
I agree
Ear plugs, helmets, seatbelts and condoms; while responsible, are a personal choice. I personally usually don't wear ear protection when I shoot. I didn't in the service and I don't now, I would rather be used to the report from my weapon. Honestly, I think playing rock shows and shooting 83mm rockets did the majority of the damage to my ears, and I haven't failed a hearing test yet.
Ear plugs, helmets, seatbelts and condoms; while responsible, are a personal choice. I personally usually don't wear ear protection when I shoot. I didn't in the service and I don't now, I would rather be used to the report from my weapon. Honestly, I think playing rock shows and shooting 83mm rockets did the majority of the damage to my ears, and I haven't failed a hearing test yet.
The ignorance of youth 
Yes, to be young and stupid. Too bad we all get old and wiser (and deaf too).
It is your choice to take simple protection - precautions to protect your ears, eyes and the rest of your health. Don't follow in our foot steps in becoming deaf, blind and even worse.
Your young now but believe me if you live any longer you'll get old. When you get old the simple joys in life is all that is left so take a few steps to protect them because you only get one body. Yes, I'm sure by the time your old they may have come up with transplating your brain into a new body but until they do that you only get one - take reasonable care of it.
Mortars? Try an M1 main battle tank. It's a bit louder.
Yes, to be young and stupid. Too bad we all get old and wiser (and deaf too).
It is your choice to take simple protection - precautions to protect your ears, eyes and the rest of your health. Don't follow in our foot steps in becoming deaf, blind and even worse.
Your young now but believe me if you live any longer you'll get old. When you get old the simple joys in life is all that is left so take a few steps to protect them because you only get one body. Yes, I'm sure by the time your old they may have come up with transplating your brain into a new body but until they do that you only get one - take reasonable care of it.
Mortars? Try an M1 main battle tank. It's a bit louder.
+1
I don't want to be a nag - BUT a common effect of unprotected exposure to gunfire is chronic subjective tinnitus. Subjective Tinnitus is the perception of a constant noise when none exists.
It's often a perceived as ringing sound, or a hissing or roaring noise. Severe cases have been known to motivate people to suicide. It's really not something that you want to deal with.
I'd actually developed this as the result of repeated ear infections as a kid. Fortunately I was young enough that I was able to learn to block it mentally. But if I'm sedated (e.g. drunk, given pain killers, or near sleep) it comes back. And when it does, it's very difficult to think.
So the moral of my story is, just wear ear protection - otherwise you'll go crazy and want to kill yourself
I am guilty of a heinous firing line offense and I freely admit this in hopes it helps just one person in my shoes or a "down the line" shooter. No one needs jump me for this as I flogged myself as did the RM. I had a shotgun and a .38 revolver and my son of about 12 or so at the range. RM called a routine cease fire to change targets. I and junior swapped out the targets as did the others on the line and I am awaiting the range to go back hot and in my INCOMPETENCE and joy to finally be out shooting I FAILED to notice junior had reloaded the .38. He wasn't aware of the "EMPTY ALL GUNS, ACTIONS OPEN" rule of the range and likely didn't hear it declared with plugs and muffs on. Clearly a violation but the zone had no one still on the grass when he fired a round on our target but it was not a good thing....
BTW this is the first time I have shared this in public...
Brent
BTW this is the first time I have shared this in public...
Brent
Evan Thomas
Inactive
Ginger said:
Actually, I'd just as soon not have my tax dollars paying the lifelong medical expenses of the fools I see riding without helmets, some of whom are going to wind up with severe brain injuries... same can be said of seatbelt use, I think. There are different kinds of "hurt."
Which leaves earplugs... unprotected exposure to gunfire will result in hearing loss. It's just a matter of when, not if... and your family will think it sucks when they can't have a normal conversation with you because you can't follow what they're saying. There are different kinds of "hurt."
Ear and eye protection
Ear and eye protection is related to range safety as much as safe firearm handling. A piece of metal hitting an eyeball while shooting and resultant involuntary reaction can be dangerous to those nearby. What is heard too often is "it's my life," "it's not dangerous," "mind your own business," "never hurt before," "independence," among others. The best is "you have to die sometime" which is undeniably true and a favorite of smokers, but the issue is not when you die but whether you die peacefully or suffer with an injury or lung cancer for a long time prior to death.
A telling example of not wanting to wear eye protection occurred when I taught high school physics. Teenagers, forever concerned with appearance when among peers, were reluctant to wear dorky and clunky safety glasses during lab periods. After a speck of sodium was dropped into a pan of water with a dramatic reaction and spattering of water my students wore safety glasses without complaint.
So, don't wear ear protection and suffer annoying deafness. Don't wear eye protection and risk eye damage or blindness. Be "a man," whatever that may mean to you, and risk your health and the health and safety of those nearby.
Ear and eye protection is related to range safety as much as safe firearm handling. A piece of metal hitting an eyeball while shooting and resultant involuntary reaction can be dangerous to those nearby. What is heard too often is "it's my life," "it's not dangerous," "mind your own business," "never hurt before," "independence," among others. The best is "you have to die sometime" which is undeniably true and a favorite of smokers, but the issue is not when you die but whether you die peacefully or suffer with an injury or lung cancer for a long time prior to death.
A telling example of not wanting to wear eye protection occurred when I taught high school physics. Teenagers, forever concerned with appearance when among peers, were reluctant to wear dorky and clunky safety glasses during lab periods. After a speck of sodium was dropped into a pan of water with a dramatic reaction and spattering of water my students wore safety glasses without complaint.
So, don't wear ear protection and suffer annoying deafness. Don't wear eye protection and risk eye damage or blindness. Be "a man," whatever that may mean to you, and risk your health and the health and safety of those nearby.
U.S.SFC_RET
New member
I have stopped people from going into "hot" indoor ranges without hearing protection. This happened the very same day all the other safety laws were infracted upon as mentioned in the first posting.
I sincerely don't believe I will be attending that indoor range and will allow my membership to expire. It is not worth the effort.
I sincerely don't believe I will be attending that indoor range and will allow my membership to expire. It is not worth the effort.
Not mortars (those are 81mm) but HEAT rockets... way louder. Not as loud as an M1A1 by a long shot.
FWIW I do wear a seatbelt in my car... but I don't require or mandate said behavior for anyone over 18 who rides in it... your life, your choice.
Are you going to stop in the middle of combat to emplace ear plugs? Do you Stalk an animal in the brush with ear plugs in?