The muzzler family

[Grelber]

If you are at the range and the family next to you is nonchalantly pointing empty guns at each other as well as uprange, what do you do?

I tried politely pointing out that this made me uncomfortable and was against the rules, twice, this had no effect.

They were good folks and I think I was dealing with a 'we've had guns all of our lives and we know what we are doing' attitude.

Grandpa kept wanting to show me this or that gun and after watching him swing them around through Dad and Grandson a few times I just gave up and left.

 

[JetGirl]

An "on your own" range, or one with an R.O.?

 

[BlueEagle]

This is one of the reasons I only go to private ranges. I don't like shooting with idiots other than myself.

 

[Grelber]

An "on your own" range, or one with an R.O.?

The former.

 

[Enfieldno4mk1]

Sounds like you probably did the right thing. Stinks that you had to be inconvienenced and leave though.

 

[JetGirl]

The former.

Yep, say something.
"I don't know you and you don't know me, so I'm betting we'll ALL feel a little better with the business ends all staying in THAT direction."

Other than that... you made a good decision to leave.

 

[looney2ns]

Redbrush?

 

[BlueEagle]

You did the right thing. No matter how much fun you're having at the range, it's not worth the risk. Live to shoot another day, when the idiots aren't there.

 

[Old Reliable]

Nothing says loving family like putting holes through someone. I'm guessing Henryville.

 

[Riflemen14]

What a bummer they ruined your day. Good call on leaving, though. Your still alive to shoot another day.

 

[Libertarian01]

Grelber (et alia),

I think you handled it well. How I would handle would in large part depend upon my mood.

MOST of the time I am not confrontational and would probably do what you did and leave. Better gone than dead and all that.

Your options were limited as you had no power to force the rules down their throat.

That said, IF I happened to get a big burr up my butt I would probably the the preachy safety queen that would haunt them UNTIL THEY LEFT OR started behaving in a responsible manner, as they have no power over me either.

I would try really hard to be polite, courteous, yet firm. I would talk to the grandson every single time (after the first) and ignore the older generation. They would hate that. I would preach and preach and preach until they started listening or they got fed up and left.

Again, this would really take me getting a burr up my butt and having the attitude that they are not going to make me leave and I am not going to tolerate their horsing around. This would not normally be how I would handle the situation.

Of course, if other shooters were around to back you up then it would become a great deal of peer pressure on the irresponsibles to shape up. This is why it is so very important for us to all pay attention to what is going on around us and if we hear someone else gently chastising an irresponsible person we NEED to support them to reinforce the basic safety rules. This protects everyone, even the morons.

Regards,

Doug

 

[Grelber]

Redbrush?

Yes

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I think you did the right thing too. When I was at Atterbury yesterday, during one of the cease-fires, the guy next to me was kind of grumbling about how strict the RSO's are there. I told him that it was fine with me. With that much firepower pointing down range, I'd just as soon have the rules enforced. His response was something to the effect of, "Well, I used to come down here when it was wide open and nobody ever got shot." Kinda that "We've been handling guns all our lives" response that you mentioned.

 

[SnoopLoggyDog]

I think you handled it appropriately, given that it was a range without an R.O. I've experienced the same circumstance over the years. Usually try and be nice and advise them about the keeping the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.

One old guy at a DNR range, went off on me in a defiant diatribe. He had been shooting all his life, ect. I moved over from the pistol range to a rifle range, to get away from him. He finally finished and left before a DNR ranger had shown up.

Now I mostly shoot at a private range, (ECC). Nice people and everyone follows the rules.

 

[UNCLE HARLEY]

I had a similar situation a couple years ago. I was at the range at Pigeon River FWA when a young man walks up & says he's got a church group father/son group coming in. He didn't try to run me off so I went about shooting. About a half hour later here they came. Had young kids, without supervision, setting at the picnic table behind me handling what looked to be 22 rifle. Not good. Suddenly a guy & his kid came up to the standing station while I was seated & shooting at the setting bench. He didn't ask if it was ok or anything. I stood there just looking at him. I decided I'd had enough & started packing up when the group leader walked up. He could see that what was going on wasn't right & tried to appologize for the guy & his kid. I just said that's ok, I'm leaving because somebody's gonna get shot here today & it ain't gonna be ME!!

 

[looney2ns]

Yes

Pm sent.