# Scarry trip to the range today.



## Maximo (May 26, 2006)

I went to the local outdoor range this morning. I was shooting at the 30 yard portion of the range by myself when a guy about 25-30 and his mother came to this section of the range where I was. I waS listening to them talk and it was obvious it was the mothers first time to shoot a handgun. I thought it was pretty great at first a son out to teach his mother to shoot a handgun. He was starting here out on a Runger P345. Now I am not one to think everyone needs to start out on a 22. but I did think the 45. in a polymer gun was a little much for an old lady. Anyway he started out by telling his mom how to drop the hammer on his Beretta 92 and the Ruger P345 by putting your thumb on the hammer and engaging the trigger, letting the hammer down easy, God forbid he use the de-cocker. Ok by now I am watching them closely out of the corner of my eye. He then hands his mom the Ruger and when I look over at her she is holding it right next to her face, about 2 inches from her eye, with the hammer back. She is just about to fire when I noticed she was still looking down the gun like she was looking down the barrell of a riffle. I walked over and told her that was a good way to loose an eye. They both thanked me, I guessed the son hadn't noticed what she was doing. Then about 1 min. later I look back over and she was about to shoot with her left thumb wrapped over her right thumb just behind the slide. If she had fired she would have lost a piece of her thumb, so I walk back over and gave another warning of impending doom. They thanked me again, but this time I suggested they might both benifit from a little pro instruction. This kind of pissed the son off and he proceded to tell me he had been shooting for years without any problem. He actually said watch this, slammed a mag in his Beretta, pointing the gun to his left as he dropped the slide with the slide catch, then fired off 15 rounds, pulling the gun back and pointing the gun straight up and next to his head after each round. I guess he was going to show off a little, but even I wasn't impressed when he only hit the paper twice. Well, they were both being so unsafe I packed up my stuff, I was through anyway, and told one of the range masters as I was leaving about what I had witnessed. I really hate being a tattle tail but when my safety and the safety of others is in danger I just could not stand back and let that go unchecked. I just continued to go to my car after talking to the range master so I don't know what happened, if anything, but this is why I usually shoot at the indoor range much closer to my house. There are only 8 lanes and the ranger master watches everyone through the window, and they will pull you off the range so fast your head will spin, for range viloations. It is, however, only have a 15 yard range so once in a while I go to the outdoor range for a little more distance.
Anyway this was just a little reminder to keep your eyes on the folks around you at the range, not everyone uses all of the same safety procedures.


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## Baldy (Jun 21, 2006)

You can cure ignorance. Stupidity is a life long illness.


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## Maximo (May 26, 2006)

Baldy said:


> You can cure ignorance. Stupidity is a life long illness.


Yep, and that kind of stupidity makes my butt pucker. :smt087


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## Rustycompass (Jun 25, 2006)

~ you weren't being a "tattle tail", you did what was right on behalf of your fellow shooters and them whether they know it or not. I would have done the same ...tip off the range supers & leave. That kind of behavior will eventually get someone hurt if not worse...


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## Mr. P (Sep 16, 2006)

Ya know, pretty much anyone can buy a gun. Sorta like anyone can have kids. But some people just shouldn't do either!


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## jwkimber45 (May 6, 2006)

:smt076 Jeeze, its goons like that, that give us a bad name......:smt076


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## rfawcs (Feb 11, 2006)

You did the right thing. If you had said or done nothing, and someone was injured or worse, you would never have forgiven yourself for not acting. People can think me a jerk as much as they want, but I wouldn't hesitate to do what you did.


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