This isn't a question but out of necessity has become my way: 2 weeks ago I posted about a guy 2 stalls down who discharged a 30.06 into the ceiling and thru the 2nd floor, examining the breech on his rifle with it pointing up. Scared the living daylights out of me, but - when I had noticed him doing this before the shot- as a relatively new shooter I thought it presumption to say anything. He had the look of an experienced shooter and I thought he knew more than I did.
Tonight, 2 guys with a new black powder rifle couldn't get it to work. They dropped behind me, one sat on the chair with the gun between his legs pointing straight forward and the other leaned over while both tried to force something in the gun. They slammed it open and shut, waved it up, down, to the side and were joined by 2 others. Each would grab the rifle, while standing in a tight circle and try to show the other what to do. I went back as far as I could behind them but we were all against the wall and the barrel was pointing all over the place, including my head, nor could I slip away to tell the range owner as they were between me and the door. So quickly I just loudly and urgently asked them to move to the line and examine their gun while it was pointed at the targets. One assured me nicely it was unloaded. I replied something like maybe so but it still made me nervous. They looked puzzled at what to do, so I suggested the owner might know about those guns and they left to ask him, by the time they returned, I was done shooting.
So, I don't care if they were nice guys and their gun was unloaded. I didn't know that for sure - still don't - and they were scaring the hell out of me. Maybe this was abrupt on my part, but I'm satisfied with how I handled it.
There's usually pretty professional behavior at this range. Maybe the season has brought out some unfamiliar with range behavior, whatever.....
Tonight, 2 guys with a new black powder rifle couldn't get it to work. They dropped behind me, one sat on the chair with the gun between his legs pointing straight forward and the other leaned over while both tried to force something in the gun. They slammed it open and shut, waved it up, down, to the side and were joined by 2 others. Each would grab the rifle, while standing in a tight circle and try to show the other what to do. I went back as far as I could behind them but we were all against the wall and the barrel was pointing all over the place, including my head, nor could I slip away to tell the range owner as they were between me and the door. So quickly I just loudly and urgently asked them to move to the line and examine their gun while it was pointed at the targets. One assured me nicely it was unloaded. I replied something like maybe so but it still made me nervous. They looked puzzled at what to do, so I suggested the owner might know about those guns and they left to ask him, by the time they returned, I was done shooting.
So, I don't care if they were nice guys and their gun was unloaded. I didn't know that for sure - still don't - and they were scaring the hell out of me. Maybe this was abrupt on my part, but I'm satisfied with how I handled it.
There's usually pretty professional behavior at this range. Maybe the season has brought out some unfamiliar with range behavior, whatever.....