You never know what you'll see at the range

[TNsailorman]

I wrote Dick's off the first time I went into the store and the store policy was that a customer was not allowed to handle any ammo to the cash register to buy. A store employee had to put it in a lock box, carry it to the cash register and hand it to the cashier. Only after the customer paid for the ammo was he allowed to handle it in any way. Later this same store pulled a bunch of its ammo and guns from the store and advertised that they would no longer sell certain guns that fell on a list of ammo and guns someone had generated. I haven't been back in the store since and never will.

[beagle]

Ran into that too at Dicks. They quit selling ammo at ours. No beed to go now./beagle

QUOTE=TNsailorman;5641442]I wrote Dick's off the first time I went into the store and the store policy was that a customer was not allowed to handle any ammo to the cash register to buy. A store employee had to put it in a lock box, carry it to the cash register and hand it to the cashier. Only after the customer paid for the ammo was he allowed to handle it in any way. Later this same store pulled a bunch of its ammo and guns from the store and advertised that they would no longer sell certain guns that fell on a list of ammo and guns someone had generated. I haven't been back in the store since and never will.[/QUOTE]

[Winger Ed.]

At our public range in Dallas they had a glass display case with a lever action rifle blown up like something you'd see in a cartoon.
The barrel split open like a flower.
Another one on display was a Colt 2" .38 with the top blown out like someone had triple charged a .38Spec.

When I worked a sales counter at the body shop supply store,
a regular customer came in and told of going to the range with a neighbor. Both had lever action rifles.
He had his Dad's old .30-30, and the neighbor had one 'just like it', but was shooting .38s in his.

He said the next time he went out, he'd shoot .38s in his too since they were so much cheaper.
I asked him,
"What do you think is going to happen when that .38 cal. bullet tries to get out through that .30 hole in the barrel"?
After a long pause---- I got a "Ohhh, I never thought about that".

[45workhorse]

Years ago as a range safety officer I learned that 7mm Mauser would fire just fine in an 8mm Mauser rifle, although inaccurately. When I tried to point out that not all "Mauser" ammunition was the same, the owner was dubious and informed me that the different "mm"s meant different power.

On another occasion a group of young men were shooting an SKS. I think they had crappy ammo, and it kept jamming. Finally they couldn't get a jam unstuck, so they laid the rifle on the table, packed up, and started heading home without it. I went after them to say they forgot their rifle, and they told me to keep it. I went ahead and cleared the jam, gave it back to them, and suggested they try some different ammo. I remember at the time weighing what to do--maybe they're the types that shouldn't have guns and I would have done society a favor by keeping it. Or maybe I prevented someone from getting soured on shooting his first time out. It's been a quarter century since then, so I guess that question has probably been settled one way or the other.

Weellllll, technically he is right!

[Electrod47]

I am thankful I no longer need to use public ranges.

Amen, Brother

[405grain]

Years ago I visited the most redneck, back woods, hillbilly shooting range I've ever seen. I wasn't there to shoot, but just to see what the place was like. It was a public range with a river behind the target stands, and rows of houses on the other side of the river. There was a little cantina at the range where you could buy sandwiches, chip and beer. Apparently drinking was allowed on the shooting line. I walked over to where a pair of good ol boys were shooting a revolver. This was a 357 magnum, and one of the guys was telling the other that these were his special hand loads. Both of the guys had a beer in their hands (and a couple more in their tummy's) as they were shooting. On the first shot I noticed a very pronounced muzzle flash, much larger than would be expected. Wisely I backed away from the firing line. After the six shots were delivered to who knows where, the shooter had to set down his beer in order to beat the cylinder open. Both of them acted as if this was perfectly normal. I could not have left that place faster, and never went back.

[charlie b]

I've been 'lucky' at our public range. Most of the folks at least know which end the bullet comes out and I haven't seen anything unsafe.

During the hunting season we get a lot of folks zeroing guns. Many have bought the guns yesterday and are zeroing the gun on the way to hunt. Most take advice well and actually welcome someone helping them. At least all of them had the correct ammo

[Battis]

A few years back I was at a range in NH shooting a Pietta cap and ball Colt. There were several shooters there (new to BP) trying out their muzzleloaders for deer season, cigarettes hanging out of their mouths as they loaded and fired. I loaded and fired all six chambers of the revolver. One of the crew looked at me and said, "How'd you get it to shoot more than once?"

[sukivel]

I’ve only been to a public range twice. Scared to death both times…


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[jdgabbard]

You guys seem to have much better stories than I do. Mostly what I see is people who simply cannot safely handle firearms. The ranges here in Tulsa are about a 50/50 split between public and private. But the private clubs cost quite a bit, so I just use the public ranges. One that I prefer for pistol shooting is an indoor with bulletproof glass between the lanes. Only three things come to mind as far as mind boggling. First one was a guy who was probably in his 50s shooting a Bersa Thunder .380acp. He was wrapping his support hand thumb over his firing hand thumb. When the gun recoiled it dang near took his thumb off. The guy's target was about 3-5 yards out, and I swear he was missing the full size target altogether. Another time there was a guy shooting an AR10 which had a detonation. Not sure what it was caused by, as I was several lanes down, but I definitely heard it - and afterwards saw the upper receiver that was peeled open. Another time a guy two lanes over shot the bulletproof glass of the lane next to mine. Guy next to me pretty much soiled himself.

There is definitely no shortage of unsafe people at a public range....

[sukivel]

You guys seem to have much better stories than I do. Mostly what I see is people who simply cannot safely handle firearms. The ranges here in Tulsa are about a 50/50 split between public and private. But the private clubs cost quite a bit, so I just use the public ranges. One that I prefer for pistol shooting is an indoor with bulletproof glass between the lanes. Only three things come to mind as far as mind boggling. First one was a guy who was probably in his 50s shooting a Bersa Thunder .380acp. He was wrapping his support hand thumb over his firing hand thumb. When the gun recoiled it dang near took his thumb off. The guy's target was about 3-5 yards out, and I swear he was missing the full size target altogether. Another time there was a guy shooting an AR10 which had a detonation. Not sure what it was caused by, as I was several lanes down, but I definitely heard it - and afterwards saw the upper receiver that was peeled open. Another time a guy two lanes over shot the bulletproof glass of the lane next to mine. Guy next to me pretty much soiled himself.

There is definitely no shortage of unsafe people at a public range....

I’ve wanted to checkout 2A since I’ve never been in an indoor range, but situations like those are why I don’t.


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[Uncle Grinch]

Found this on the range floor years ago. Looks like some yo-yo fired a .223/5.56 in his 7.62x39 rifle. Picture shows a 223 and a 7.62x39 on either side of the fired cartridge.

[Gtek]

Private club, but I still sit as far left as possible keeping the group somewhat in field of view. Fellow pulls up and unloads and he has a Steyr M95 carbine, stroll over to look it over. Tell him I have one also and mine is a cheek slapping shoulder smacking joy ride, he says just bought and first time out. Watching, first round is a fireball off muzzle, and again and again through all five. I walk back over very curious and ask, what kind of ammo are you shooting. He shows me a box of 7.62x54R he said the "GUY" at the gun store that sold him the rifle also sold him these and said that's what it takes. Gives me the willies the constant showing of ignorance and trust some of the sheep have!

[poppy42]

Quite a few years ago I was on my way to arrange and realized I neglected to bring any 38 special ammo to shoot out of my 357 magnum. rather than head home there was a local big box gun store on the way so I figured I’d just stop in and pick up a box. Ask the guy behind the counter for box of 38 special. I was then questioned as to what I was shooting them out of. Without thinking I replied my GP 103 57 magnum. The guy behind the counter went into a tirade about how I was gonna blow my gun up shooting 38’s out of a 357 Because, he explained 30 eights were much bigger and thereby more powerful than a 357 magnum and if I tried to shoot them I would surely blow my gun up along with seriously damaging my hands. As I looked in disbelief and Uttered one word “ idiot” . As I turned around to leave one of the other sales persons asked me what the problem was. I told him that the previous person I spoke to needed to be transferred to the dock department as he had no business talking to anyone about firearms! I then attempted to explain the situation. Well the second sales person told me that the first sales person was right and I should always shoot the proper ammunition out of any gun! I thought I was in the twilight zone. I suspected as people were moved around out of other departments they were told the blanket statement of make sure when you sell ammunition to someone it’s the right ammunition for the firearm they want to load in it. And that was probably all the instructions, experience, firearms training that any of them were given. Now matching ammunition to the specific firearm is certainly sound advice, but I wondered how many range mishaps these two idiots were responsible for. I’m sure there was an awful lot of people that stopped in this place on the way to the range I was going to as it was on the way and only about a mile or two away from the range. As for me, I left turned around and went home got my reloads and went back to the range. I’ve never been back in that store.

[technojock]

I used too be a member of Tri-County gun club here in the Portland area (actually more than 110 miles outside the city) and any of this shenanigans would have gotten one kicked out of the club. Tri-County was also the place where most local police trained and I used to like to go through the trash after they left to scrounge brass.

[beagle]

Then, there's another club member that blew the top strap/rear sight and tops off three cylinders on what had been a really nice M25 .45 ACP S&W one morning due to an overload/reload. Heard the blast was out of normal and looked. He was trying to cock for a second shot despite no rear sight and top strap. These incidents were at a private club so that doesn't protect us from idiots./beagle

[murf205]

I have got to give a nod to the people who use the public range near me. 99% of the people who come there, even during the pre deer sight in season, are pretty knowledgeable and safe. One reason is that it is a state run range and it is pretty strictly supervised by some great range officers who keep a watchful eye on the firing lines. ABSOLUTELY no handling of ANY weapon while a cease fire is called. Covered firing lines and sturdy concrete benches add to the experience as does furnished staple guns and target backers and stands. All it takes is a valid hunting license or wildlife management area permit. Free to use for us 65+ guys.

[1903.colt]

That's why I shoot at my own property home based range I don't need to see it or be around it,The things you see at the range !

[Good Cheer]

Years ago I visited the most redneck, back woods, hillbilly shooting range I've ever seen. I wasn't there to shoot, but just to see what the place was like. It was a public range with a river behind the target stands, and rows of houses on the other side of the river. There was a little cantina at the range where you could buy sandwiches, chip and beer. Apparently drinking was allowed on the shooting line. I walked over to where a pair of good ol boys were shooting a revolver. This was a 357 magnum, and one of the guys was telling the other that these were his special hand loads. Both of the guys had a beer in their hands (and a couple more in their tummy's) as they were shooting. On the first shot I noticed a very pronounced muzzle flash, much larger than would be expected. Wisely I backed away from the firing line. After the six shots were delivered to who knows where, the shooter had to set down his beer in order to beat the cylinder open. Both of them acted as if this was perfectly normal. I could not have left that place faster, and never went back.

Fifty years ago there was a pistol and rifle range built into the back of a beer joint northeast of Houston.
Prior to changes in demographics it was as good a place as you could ask for.

[WRideout]

At the club I belong to, here in Butler PA, there are seldom problems at the rifle or pistol ranges. However, at the trap range where I scrounge hulls I frequently find empty beer cans. Gives you a better swing-through, I guess.

Wayne