Bad Experiences at the Range
Sebastian discusses “How Not to Win” and makes some excellent points about “Range Assholes”.
While jerks at the range aren’t nearly as bad a problem as the jerks who refuse to go and want the police knocking down doors to confiscate, it doesn’t mean it should be ignored. I’ve come across a few jerks in my trips to the range as well. Everyone from the guy whipping out one of 4 AKs and looking at you incredulously because you ask him to pause to set up a target 15 yards away, to those who keep shooting even after a range clear as you’re walking down range.
Squashing those without common sense or who are merely ignorant and uninformed is important, but it’s equally important - particularly to new shooters - that there are positive experiences to go around.
Let me describe my first trip to the range …
If I would’ve met “AK Man”, I wouldn’t have wanted to go back, it was a horrible first impression. Instead, my first trip out there were only two of us there, myself and an older gentleman who is a cowboy action shooter and performs in shows for young and old. I introduced myself, let him know that it was my first time out, and he took the time to talk to me about the range, a little about politics, and about what he does.
He let me try out a couple of old black powder revolvers he was shooting - reloading them for me and having me take a few shots at his target a few yards away. He showed me a little about how to grip it properly, showed off a little of what he can do with it (talk about a crack shot), and told me if I ever have any questions to let him know as he’s there pretty much every day.
What an excellent way to begin. If every new shooter had an experience like that their first time out, there would be lots of enthusiastic new shooters. Because of that experience, if I ever come across a new shooter, it’s my goal to be just as nice and make their first trip out just as pleasant as mine was.
Liberty on November 19th 2007 in Boomsticks!
Angus Lincoln [Visitor] responded on 20 Nov 2007 at 7:08 am #
As one who frequents the range often, I’ll say I thoroughly enjoy showing the guy or girl,(most especially the girls) who has never been shooting at a range before, their first range experience. I can tell right away the ones who have been a couple times, but have never been fortunate enough to be exposed to propper range etiquette. Some of thosse still have the desire to learn all they can, but there are some who think they already have all the knowledge they need, disregarding range rules and safety rules in general. I love the ones who shoot the high powered stuff without checking to see if everyone nearby has ear protection on, or the guy who shoots at any target he sees, not bothering to acknowledge the possibility that it may belong to someone else. When it reaches that level, I begin packing up my stuff so’s I don’t get started.
Liberty [Member] responded on 20 Nov 2007 at 7:48 am #
Etiquette is big. I’ve seen everyone from those who just hold up a hand as the “okay head out there and futz with your target” gesture, and those who practically stand on a table and scream, “RANGE IS COLD!!” “RANGE IS HOT!!”
I appreciate that either way. I’d rather see a new shooter learn to scream from a table than to gingerly walk out there not knowing whether someone’s finished plinking or not. Wrong time to guess.