# Range courtesy - Going down range



## Marcus99 (Apr 23, 2008)

I was at the range this past sunday testing the new springs on my 96FS. A guy shows up with an older Mark II ruger, pulls up a trash can and goes down on one knee and starts shootin at 25 yards at these little square targets he put up. Anyhow, after every clip he goes downrange to check. I mean every 3 minutes or so he's going down there to check his targets. He even got so "comfortable" doing this that he hardly waited to make sure everyone stopped shooting (there were other people on the range that day), he just said "going down" and walked off. 

I thought this was very rude. Others are there to shoot, not watch him check his targets. And as we all know, don't touch a thing when someones down there, so everyone was pretty much standing around. I understand going down range to check targets, pretty sure we all do it after so many number of rounds. But every 10!?! And this was a .22, I've never heard of someone checking a plinkin round like that after 10 shots by going down range. I figure that if he was serious about what he was doing he ought to have gotten a pair of binoculars or a sighting scope.

Whats your take on this? I said something after the 7th time he did this and he stopped and looked upset, but honestly I feel I should have said something earlier. I was the range officer at the time since I was the first on the range that was range certified (the little orange buttons, ya know) so I felt it was my responsibility to say something.


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## mikej997 (Jan 26, 2008)

I totally agree with you. Only thing is that I wouldn't have waited until the 7th trip, I would have said something sooner.


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## Todd (Jul 3, 2006)

You did fine, other than calling a mag a "clip". :smt033

Like you said, if he want's to shoot that far and check, there are optics for that purpose. Him calling the range cold after every 10 rounds is a bit insane. 

Our range is indoor and not automated. Two or more RO's patrolling. Generally speaking if you want to swap out your target, you stop shooting, safe you gun, and stand away from the line. Eventually there will be enough guys standing around where the RO will tap the other guys still shooting and then call the range cold. I'd say on averege this happens every 10 minutes or so, which works out pretty well for me as it forces me to slow down, concentrate on shooting for skill and not just for the sake of seending ammo down range, and helps me conserve ammo.


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## bruce333 (Sep 1, 2006)

I would have said something the third time.


> He even got so "comfortable" doing this that he hardly waited to make sure everyone stopped shooting (there were other people on the range that day), he just said "going down" and walked off.


At this point I (as an RO) would have asked him to leave for the day.

About every 10-15 minutes usually works out for everyone.


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## Redwolf (Nov 29, 2008)

Be glad, our new range policy is we walk down and check targets while others continual to shoot, it gets interesting when you have a bunch of new privates. But good news is I haven't been shot, YET?


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## Todd (Jul 3, 2006)

Redwolf said:


> Be glad, our new range policy is we walk down and check targets while others continual to shoot, it gets interesting when you have a bunch of new privates. But good news is I haven't been shot, YET?


Can you lump all the privates to the far right and you stay to the left?


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## Redwolf (Nov 29, 2008)

it makes you wonder whats in someone's mind after you yell at them for doing something stupid, lanes are separated by about ten feet, plus every shooter has a NCO standing behind them to make sure they watch what they are doing and observe all rules. Its supposed to simulate combat conditions.


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## Todd (Jul 3, 2006)

Redwolf said:


> Its supposed to simulate combat conditions.


That thought did cross my mind when I read your initial post. And it will definitely do that; especially if you take a BB in the ass when you're checking your target.


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## literaltrance (Dec 24, 2008)

Hrm, orange buttons, self-made range officers? I've never heard of this kind of thing before! What's the deal?

The outdoor ranges here, at least the ones I go to, are generally unsupervised. I say generally because we do have roaming park rangers who check in for a few minutes every so often, but they don't stick around to observe. Typical range operation involves showing up to the 3-8 benches, greeting your fellow shooters, setting up shop by opening cases, loading magazines, stapling/taping/standing targets, all the while courteously waiting for one of the shooters who was there before you to ask for a cold range (no need to interrupt the people who were there before you, at least not until you've established your range residency).

In the last 18-or-so months of me being an active handgun hobbyist, one time I did encounter a guy just like you're describing. The guy in my story however, was shooting a 12 gauge pump-action which didn't hold more than 4 shells. I later discovered the shells were birdshot. He was shooting at a square box with a picture of Bin Laden on the front at roughly 10 yards....now that I have established the ridiculousness of the scenario, allow me to continue. :anim_lol:

So this guy starts shooting, and the first shot knocks the box over. No surprise here, but he immediately calls for an all-clear. Not knowing what was going on at the time, I and other shooters oblige courteously. So he runs out to the box to set it upright and comes back. At this point I'm thinking "he's just gonna knock it over again!"

Boy was I wrong. The guy misses his next two shots...on a cardboard box the size of a car door....at 10 yards...with a shotgun.... Please don't ask me how this happened. Some questions are better left unanswered.

Anyhow, I'm doing my best to focus on what I am doing and not acknowledge the ridoculousness occuring a few lanes down from me, when he then calls for another all clear! This time though, I guess the hole-riddled silhouette must have been too hard to see or something, so he makes it down to the box and staples a new pic of Bin Laden and comes back. Back to shooting and he hits hit...which knocks the box over again. :smt021

Basically every 2-3 shots, when he wasn't missing he was throwing the box around with birdshot. On some occasions he would nick the box so it turned slightly. This was enough for him to justify calling yet another all-clear to set the box right. I'm pretty sure this guy called for an all-clear a dozen times. I was thankful this guy only brought 50-or-so shells but you can bet I was very irate with the guy. I have no doubts other shooters present were also displeased. :smt076

Where do they come from??


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## Marcus99 (Apr 23, 2008)

literaltrance said:


> Hrm, orange buttons, self-made range officers? I've never heard of this kind of thing before! What's the deal?


Self-made? No.

There is a guy on the board of directors at the club who you arrange a meeting with to show that you're competant to shoot at the range. You have to get so many number of rounds with one of your own handguns (caliber doesnt matter) on the paper. That's the official method, but accuracy really doesn't matter so long as you show him you're safe with a gun. If you pass then he gives you a pin stamped with the clubs name and says "Range Certified". You need to have a range certified pin to be able to shoot at the indoor or outdoor range if you are the only one there. If there is someone else shooting there who is range certified then you don't need to be range certified, but once he leaves the range you need to leave too.

Honestly, almost everyone whose at the range when I go has a range certified pin. It's not really a strict thing, no one acts in control and issue's orders or anything like that. It's just a little symbol to say that you're beyond just a range member and that you know what you're doing.

I'm surprised you've never heard of something similar though.


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## literaltrance (Dec 24, 2008)

Marcus99 said:


> Self-made? No.
> 
> There is a guy on the board of directors at the club who you arrange a meeting with to show that you're competant to shoot at the range. You have to get so many number of rounds with one of your own handguns (caliber doesnt matter) on the paper. That's the official method, but accuracy really doesn't matter so long as you show him you're safe with a gun. If you pass then he gives you a pin stamped with the clubs name and says "Range Certified". You need to have a range certified pin to be able to shoot at the indoor or outdoor range if you are the only one there. If there is someone else shooting there who is range certified then you don't need to be range certified, but once he leaves the range you need to leave too.
> 
> ...


Oooooh! Ok gotcha.

Actually, I've yet to become a member at a gun club, so this explains why I've never seen it. I do plan on doing it eventually, but right now the money is tight. Sounds like a slick system though; it identifies the vets from the rookies. Makes sense to me


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## DevilsJohnson (Oct 21, 2007)

literaltrance said:


> Oooooh! Ok gotcha.
> 
> Actually, I've yet to become a member at a gun club, so this explains why I've never seen it. I do plan on doing it eventually, but right now the money is tight. Sounds like a slick system though; it identifies the vets from the rookies. Makes sense to me


I'm in the same boat as you. there is only one outdoor ranger near me and it's a park system thing. No one is ever there except for a ranger that might stop by sometimes to see if you paid your 3 bucks and have the little paper on your dash board.

I've seen some pretty weird things shooting there. For the most part people are friendly and will show courtesy and at least a small amount of gun sense but we used to get the occasional nut job that seen it as his job to let everyone know they were the cat daddy and would try something stupid. I don't much like going there and can stay home and shoot but It's a great place ot get free brass by the boat load. No one ever picks it up. I get there after the local LEO or the local FEDs and I can get a pile of Federal nickle cases (shot from a glock). I'll brave the odd balls for a couple thousand rounds of free brass :smt082

That guy the OP talked about is a tool. I've found though most the time you tick off one of these type you have a bigger problem on your hands. but again..I don't shoot at a gun club.


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## Marcus99 (Apr 23, 2008)

literaltrance said:


> Oooooh! Ok gotcha.
> 
> Actually, I've yet to become a member at a gun club, so this explains why I've never seen it. I do plan on doing it eventually, but right now the money is tight. Sounds like a slick system though; it identifies the vets from the rookies. Makes sense to me


I didn't know that there was anything else other than gun clubs until I joined here. Then I heard people pay by the hour to use a stuffy, indoor range!! Just doesn't make sense to me. I pay $75 annually for the MA club and I shoot outdoor whenever it's light out and indoor up to midnight and there's no hourly fee or some guy supervising. It seems like a much more relaxed atmosphere. Additionally, I honestly don't know why someone would shoot indoors unless they had no other options available. It's louder, stuffy if the ventilation's not great and cramped.



DevilsJohnson said:


> That guy the OP talked about is a tool. I've found though most the time you tick off one of these type you have a bigger problem on your hands. but again..I don't shoot at a gun club.


That's exactly what I was thinking. Better to just let it go than to start something big. Gotta pick and choose your battles and this didn't seem worth it, especially when the guy had a gun (.22 can still hurt, lol)


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## DevilsJohnson (Oct 21, 2007)

Well, you're pissing off a guy with a firearm. By your story he aint got any sense. Knowing me missing that filter between my brains and my mouth I'll probably say something but I never said I have any mind either:smt082

Most range guys are doing the 21 foot thing while I"m driving golf balls or bowling pins at 25 and 50 yards. The guy that doing the CCW class he remembered my friend and me from one time meeting us at that range a couple years earlier. Said he was freaking because we always picked odd targets. shotgun hulls and golf balls most the time. I do most of my close up shooting here. That's still 20-30 yards though. Figure if I can hit well out there the 21 foot avg isn't too much trouble.

If this guy keeps coming is there someone that can catch him before he starts and ask if he try and remember he is not alone on the range? Maybe it would be easier than once he is slinging lead down field. 

I'm really not sure how the whole gun club thing works. I've never been to one. I have wanted to though. Just to see more shooters. I love watching shooters almost as much as myself shooting. If ya get to see someone really good it is a bunch of fun for me.


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## macgulley (Mar 10, 2009)

Redwolf said:


> Be glad, our new range policy is we walk down and check targets while others continual to shoot, it gets interesting when you have a bunch of new privates. But good news is I haven't been shot, YET?


I don't care that much about seeing how I shoot. I can't imagine going downrange on with the line hot.


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## macgulley (Mar 10, 2009)

Redwolf, 
Is this picture from your range?:mrgreen:


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