BearcatShack

+1
Open the lines of communication. Use hand gestures. Show people what to do. Lead by example.

James6591

They walk amongst us.
Glad you are both ok and hope it doesn't put your son off.
You should have got and reported his licence tag.

tshark

As mentioned earlier as soon as he started to leave, I shifted my attention to my son. In Pennsylvania, the plate is on the back of the car only. I didn't want to follow him out to get it, I was worried about by son. (Luckily he didn't realize what was going on at first. I used it as an opportunity to reenforce safety lessons.) Hindsight being 20/20, I should have made a better attempt to get it. Especially considering he didn't think he did anything wrong.

ExArmy11b

I always hated the "large range" experience.......I have almost gotten in several fist fights with people at the larger range I mentioned in my earlier post, from people who thought it was OK to start loading a weapon while I was downrange....or the other side of the coin, when someone would hang targets, then walk like 400 yards to the bathroom, be gone for like 30 minutes and then get mad when I started shooting because "they weren't done down range"

I'm so glad I don't have to deal with this crap anymore. My range has 2 lanes, there's no way you can't tell who's down there and more importantly, if someone started shooting while a person was downrange around here, I'm pretty sure the person downrange would start shooting back We live out in the country and everyone carries a handgun, hanging targets at the range is no exception. I always have my CC pistol on me, even at the range.

Steve in PA

I've had something similiar happen to me twice. Once was about 25 years ago and the other this year, both at the PGC SGL range in Suscon.

I arrived at the range, with several people already there. I set up my stuff and when the line was called safe, walked down to hang my targets while others checked their's. Seems I was still down range when a so called "experience" shooter sat back down and cranked off a round.

When I got back to the benches, this "experienced" shooter walked up to me with a casual, "sorry 'bout that". I kindly (okay, not so kindly), told him to go pound sand. He kept saying he didn't see me, etc. I gave him an earful and suddenly he had to be somewhere else, packed up and left.

I frequent this range alot, so while I don't personally know him or the group he shoots with, they are familiar to me. After this bozo left, his one buddy came over and said the guy is usually a real safe guy. i told him to tell his friend that I don't care how "safe" he is or what a great shot is his, but his stupidity could have been deadly.

I still shoot at the range, as does he and his friends. He hasn't said anything to me, maybe he doesn't even remember me, but I remember him.

There has been vandalism at this range, so the PGC WCO's have stepped up their presence. Also the requirement to have a valid hunting license or range permit went into effect last year?? They have stopped giving warnings or allowing the shooters without them to leave and have begun citing the violators.

The PGC would be in charge of handling any citations or criminal charges from acts at the range, not the local or State police.

jlh820

I haven't had the same experience, but when I was a teenager, I went with my dad to where he worked. It was a Saturday and went in on weekends from time to time to finish something up. No one was there but us. It bordered a river that was thickly wooded. On other other side was the biggest flea market in town. While we were there, we started hearing rounds coming our way. We took cover and my dad called the police.

I can't understand people who think bushes and trees are ok to shoot at without knowing what's on the other side.

funkymonkey1111

sounds like you need a new range, or one with a membership to keep out the riff-raff

laidlerj

When I was a young man, I used to go shooting at a number of different public "shooting ranges" in Eastern Washington - they were nothing more than spots in the desert or woods with a clear field of fire and a good backstop. I was never worried about idiots with guns because there was never anyone else there but me and my friends (and, to be honest, there were times when we were the idiots with guns).

Later in life, I had the opportunity to go to some public ranges - like the Isaac Walton range outside of Anchorage - that had actual facilities, like benches, lanes, target holders, etc. Most of the people I encountered there were safe, but every now and then... There was no range officer, apart from the rare visit by the Alaska State Troopers, so the choice was to either try to educate them or leave.

Now that I take my kids shooting with me, I am a member of a private shooting range, which has card keys, range officers and well-published (and reasonable) rules. The few times I utilize the public shooting areas, I do so with trepidation, as the number of gun-toting idiots seems to have grown alarmingly since I was a kid...or maybe I've gotten older and more responsible, so that the sort of behavior I once found merely annoying now disturbs me. I can't tell.


Jim

computerdynamics

It's just the 1000% increase in firearm sales? Everbody wants a gun and nobody gets training or anything else, IMHO?
Tony

funkymonkey1111

10 years ago, i'd venture a significant portion of gun owners had grown up with guns, taught how to use them safely by fathers and uncles and grandfathers since they were little.

now you've got folks that were raised on call of duty video games, no historical context with guns, showing up at the range and public shooting areas with TVs to shoot, washers--whatever crap they can drag out--and not clean up

Hans13

Adios!

Hans13

Stories like this make me count my blessings that I have a farm to shoot at. If anything dangerous happens, I don't have anybody to blame but myself. But, the social aspect of a gun range does sound like a good thing.

BlkHawk73

Another reason I'm happy to belong to a private club. It weeds out the idiots and helps keep the careless ones at bay. (you screw up that bad, you're gone and your membership $ is not returned)
Should such an incident ever occur, darn sure name, plate and descriptions would be forwarded to a lot of folks, other clubs and agencies.

VietVet68

Hey guys, it's time we all adjust our expectations of other people's behavior. Times have changed & I don't intend that to mean it's been a good change. All I want to say is that if you go to a public range be prepared to babysit everyone there so you don't get to be a victim of an AD.
Even at the club I go to I stand & watch what everyone's doing for a good 5 minutes, or whatever it takes, until I'm comfortable.

computerdynamics

Beats the hell out of a gunshot wound!!
Tony