Dangerous shooters at the range

[Keith B]

Good Lord! How can someone fail the shooting test?

It happens a lot more than you might think. We frequently get spouses or even children (21+) with their parent who come through and have never spent any time at the range other than once or twice. We even get those who it is their first time to shoot EVER. Additionally we will have people who have equipment malfunctions and don't know how to clear them before the time limit is up, and if it happens on several of the stages they may drop enough points to not pass. This past Saturday we had one that had to re-shoot due to equipment malfunctions, and one that was trying to qualify with a small .38 snub nose. Both rented a Glock on their second try and passed with no trouble.

[MadMonkey]

The girls and I all went to Targetmaster and it was my eldest girl's turn. I gave her what I thought were the best muff and we went in. There was a yahoo in the next stall had a Model 500 and decided to step back from the divider to shoot while we were briefing. The blast caused my daughter to scream from the pain and her ear actually bled.

I jumped in the middle of this guy and then reported him to the management which had him removed but damage done. Any sharp noise on her right causes pain and IF I can get her to a range, it is small caliber and outside. The term I would use for this tool would definitely get me censored.

She didn't have earpro on at a live range? Or it caused that damage WITH the earpro?

[Redneck_Buddha]

The girls and I all went to Targetmaster and it was my eldest girl's turn. I gave her what I thought were the best muff and we went in. There was a yahoo in the next stall had a Model 500 and decided to step back from the divider to shoot while we were briefing. The blast caused my daughter to scream from the pain and her ear actually bled.

I jumped in the middle of this guy and then reported him to the management which had him removed but damage done. Any sharp noise on her right causes pain and IF I can get her to a range, it is small caliber and outside. The term I would use for this tool would definitely get me censored.

Sorry about your daughter's ear injury.

Jeez O'Pete that's one of the most insane hand cannons on the planet!! Hate to sound like a Fud, but if I had an indoor range I would ban .50 cal.

[mewalke]

The girls and I all went to Targetmaster and it was my eldest girl's turn. I gave her what I thought were the best muff and we went in. There was a yahoo in the next stall had a Model 500 and decided to step back from the divider to shoot while we were briefing. The blast caused my daughter to scream from the pain and her ear actually bled.

I jumped in the middle of this guy and then reported him to the management which had him removed but damage done. Any sharp noise on her right causes pain and IF I can get her to a range, it is small caliber and outside. The term I would use for this tool would definitely get me censored.

Someone was shooting Taurus Raging Bull in 500 S&W Magnum that same Sunday. I was several lanes away but I could still feel the concussive blast every time he pulled the trigger. I'm sorry someone was such an idiot and DB to do that while people are receiving a safety briefing. Ear pro or not, those guns are too loud at an indoor range.

[v-rog]

I try to avoid public ranges when I can for many of the reasons already listed.

[Cedar Park Dad]

I would too if I had the option.

[anomie]

We even get those who it is their first time to shoot EVER.

There was a husband & wife like that in my class. The husband failed because he did not know how to properly load his weapon (As I understand it he did not rack a round into the chamber the first string or two and thus lost a bunch of rounds at the start because he was sitting there not firing). The lady (who was shooting second, as the instructor had us paired up) elected not to shoot after that.

Of course, before we even went on to the range, our instructor stated he would not be teaching us to shoot and asked if everyone knew how to properly handle the firearms they'd brought - and they didn't say anything. The instructor recommended to them that they get some training before trying again.

[Dragonfighter]

She was wearing what I thought were the best ear muffs of the bunch, I had grown up wearing them. Between their age and the proximety of the weapon to her head she didn't have a chance. I have replaced every set I have and she wears plugs AND muffs now. So far only outside ranges. God bless her for her courage to keep shooting after that.

Complacency in old tried and true equipment is what weighs on me.

[JSThane]

I joke about taking my muzzle-braked .454 Encore to an indoor range as a way to clear it out and shoot in peace by myself. But that's just a joke.

Anyone that touches off a hand-cannon with a muzzle brake at an indoor range with other people around is an idiot or ignorant. If it's the first time they've done it, they're likely ignorant of the concussion these guns cause. If it's not the first time, they're idiots, and they're doing it deliberately.

We have an indoor range locally. I've never patronized them. Given they sell .500s and ammo there, I now think I don't ever want to. I value my hearing too much.

[CHLLady]

Newbie question:

Why are you not supposed to rapid fire in an indoor range?

[Excaliber]

Newbie question:

Why are you not supposed to rapid fire in an indoor range?

Because rapid fire is harder to control than slow fire and people whose estimate of their proficiency significantly exceeds their actual skill sets tend to spray bullets everywhere when they attempt rapid fire.

You don't want to be anywhere nearby when they do that.

[CHLLady]

Newbie question:

Why are you not supposed to rapid fire in an indoor range?

Because rapid fire is harder to control than slow fire and people whose estimate of their proficiency significantly exceeds their actual skill sets tend to spray bullets everywhere when they attempt rapid fire.

You don't want to be anywhere nearby when they do that.

Gotcha.

Andyc, that's just too scary!

[drjoker]

You're a better man than I am. I will speak up loudly to the person doing the sweeping. Because it occupies so much of their prefrontal cortex, they have little to no processing capacity left over for processing through the safety rules in a calm manner.

You are a better man than I am, TAM. Let's just call it as it is: The guy's mentally retarded and should be paid $20k to have a vasectomy.

I can understand one visit from a RO (we're all human and make mistakes), but THREE? and for the SAME infraction?

You know, these business owners are between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, it's not just being out the $20 range fees if they threw this fella out, but in this day and age of internet reviews, you'll get a review that said the range employees were "rude" to him. Too many reviews like this and you may lose some major business.

On the other hand, if this person shoots someone, the negative publicity will make them lose some major business. Between a rock and a hard place.

On one hand, if they hire more experienced and mature personnel, they'd have to pay more salary and this woud cause the range fees to be $25 instead of $20. Then, he'd lose major business to the range down the road that only charges $20.

On the other hand, if they don't hire experienced personnel, someone may get shot and they'd lose a lot of business from bad publicity. See, between a rock and a hard place.

Running a business is very hard. I don't envy the owner of a gun range because the problems are not caused totally by the range owner, but the cause is shared with the customers. That's because people are cheap sheep and want quality but are only willing to pay for crap. Society causes all of it's own problems. People say that drug dealers are evil but never stop to think that if people don't do drugs, it wouldn't matter that there are drug dealers. People say that they want the economy to be better but nobody wants to buy the American made goods because the Chinese made crap has a lower price. I wouldn't totally blame the range owner as the fault rests 50% with his customers.