TexasCHLforum.com

fickman wrote:A couple of thoughts:

@TAM: when did the incident you describe occur? If it was more than a few years ago, is there a chance the bad apples are already gone?

Fickman, the incident that drove me off occurred in late 2007/early 2008, and it was the second such incident. My son was still in high school, and he graduated in '08. The first incident was when the RSO made me uncase my rifle about 15-20 feet back from the firing line and carry it forward to the available bench; requiring me to leave my $200 rifle case laying in the dirt in the hot sun while I shot as some kind of "I'll show you" punishment. Then, after I finished shooting, I had to carry my rifle back to the hot case which had been laying in the Texas sun for an hour or more, and case up the rifle back there 20 ft back of the line before I could leave. He did this to me after literally screaming at me with spittle flying out of his mouth because I carried my rifle case forward to the firing line to uncase the weapon in the shade at my assigned bench, while the line was hot. When he had me open my rifle case back there in the dirt, it revealed a rifle with the muzzle pointed at the backs of the active shooters on the line!!! The only reason this was done safely was because I inspected my rifle to make sure it was unloaded before carrying back and forth like that, and because I knew it was unloaded when I cased it up before leaving the house. He did not inspect it at either juncture. He is a dolt. He is a big, stupid, ass, and I think he must have been drunk. It's the only way to explain his irrational behavior. The incident mentioned in my post above was the second time I had been abused without provocation by one of their RSOs, and it wasn't the same guy each time. So clearly there is a pattern there.

As to the bad apples, the latest Quail Creek rotten RSO incident was reported on this forum just 4 days ago: viewtopic.php?p=567961#p567961" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, so my guess is that there is still at least one bad apple on the payroll.

I agree with fickman that, at this point, there is little or no brand equity left in the name "Quail Creek," and even if they fired all their RSOs and hired some competent, NRA certified RSOs, the brand is damaged beyond repair, and a simple change in staff isn't likely to fix the business problems. Honestly, I would like to see them succeed. I would like to have alternatives to Elm Fork (a range I like very much, but which is sometimes full to capacity), or to paying the buy in costs and deal with the waiting lists to get into another gun club with a good rifle range. More good and well-run ranges are a valuable asset to the community. Ranges run by RSOs who treat everyone with contempt unless you're part of their little clique of navel gazers are not only a waste of oxygen, they can turn new shooters off to the shooting sports, doing long term damage to expanding the expression of our 2nd Amendment rights.

Chris Rainey wrote:I work at Quail Creek Shooting range and run the tactical ranges behind the office. I started the business 21/2 years ago and have been working steadily towards building a family business. I am sorry that anyone has a bad time at Quail Creek as it is a friendly place. I have personally worked hard to change that image. We do have a number folks that frequent the range and I suppose some things are going to happen. No one should be talked down too in a condescending tone. We will enforce safety issues though and those can be done nicely, most of the time. The shooting industry itself could be friendlier, but I suppose we have been under assault for so long that it has become alright to be unfriendly. If anyone has a problem at Quail Creek they can come see me behind the office, up on the hill. We will sort it out together. Chris

Chris, I appreciate your taking the time to post this, and I'll take you at your word that if I'm confronted again the way I have been in the past, that you'll deal with it if I take it to your office. I have two criticisms or comments, and those would have to be addressed before I would ever come back to your range.

1 — The RSOs disrespectful and confrontational attitudes actually create an unsafe environment rather than improving it. You are going to have to either fire them all, or subject them all to major retraining before I'll ever come back. I don't willingly walk into unsafe situations. Among other things, their retraining MUST include the NRA Basic Pistol Instructor's Course, the NRA Basic Rifle Instructor's Course, and the NRA RSO Course, because they don't really know what they are talking about. Beyond that, they should all be required to attend a CHL class, whether or not they actually want to apply for and get one. They don't know squat about the law when it comes to CHL, and they have disseminated incorrect information and made claims that wouldn't last 5 minutes under examination. THAT HAS TO STOP.

2 — The RSOs need to be required to take some kind of sales/personal improvement course to learn better how to deal with people. One of your guys snatched boxes of ammo out of my hand, ammo that I was NOT firing, and actually physically confiscated it from me and put it in the back of his Mule. That was MY property, not his, and he had NO right to do that. He could have just as easily politely told me that that this ammo is not allowed on the property, and would I please go put it in the trunk of my car, and I would have gladly complied. You can tell that jerk that if he ever talks to me again like that in front of my son and my son's friend off your property like he did to me on your property, I'd be inclined to whup him if it weren't illegal to do so. I'm not having that from some oaf who doesn't know the first thing about human dignity and respect for others, and who knows even less about the law.

Your range is conveniently located. I would consider it as an alternative if I new that I would be given a little respect as a paying customer when I was there. Until your RSOs pull their heads out of their posteriors, I won't be coming back. My fear for you is that your guys have been getting away with this crap for so long that they either won't pull in their horns, or they won't know how to pull in their horns.

Good luck. We can always use more ranges in the area, but you've got a HUGE job ahead of your to undo the damage your employees have done. I sincerely hope you can reverse that, both for the sake of your business, and for the sake of your employees' personal credibility.