You never know what you'll see at the range

[dtknowles]

You will eventually get the requirements I had to meet to be an armed guard on UCLA property. About one out of three people trying to get this job can't pass.

I had to pass a background check where they interviewed some of my high school friends and I am sure they checked every criminal data base the NSA can access. I don't know who else they interviewed but only my friends told me they were questioned but just because I am sure I can pass whatever does not mean I think they should do that to you just so you can buy a gun. Pretty much everyone who get the kind of screening I went through passes because if you are not going to pass you don't want them looking so you don't apply for jobs that require the clearance. Your employer has to pay for the screening, and it is tens of thousands of dollars.
Tim

[kevin c]

Me, years ago in a local indoor range/shop with GENERALLY knowlegeable staff: "Hi, I need a backstrap channel plug for my Glock."
Clerk: "And what caliber would that be, sir?"
Me: "Er, it's a small frame model..."
Clerk: "Sir, the plugs are model and caliber specific. One comes with each gun, and I need the exact model in order to replace the factory part."
Me: "OKaaaaaaayyyyyy....(let's see where this goes) it's a G34."
Clerk: "And what caliber?"
Me: "It's a G - never mind. Nine by ninetee- never mind. 9mm parabellum."
Clerk: "Let me check." He leaves, comes back in a couple minutes with a more than slightly annoyed looking and more senior employee. "I can't seem to find any, but perhaps this person can help you," and goes off.
New Clerk: "So, what do you need?"
Me: "Pearce Plug for my G34."
He reaches under the counter, whips one out, and hands it to me, muttering, "Sorry about that...".

[35 Rem]

I consider myself pretty darned knowledgeable about guns but I've never even heard of a Glock backstrap channel plug. I had to look it up. In cases like that it would be helpful describe the function of the part and what it does. I know Gunshop employees can be frustrating to deal with for both being uninformed or condescending, but nobody can know every little detail about niche items.

[Kenstone]

Every time I go to the range, I'll see a handful of once used ear plugs laying all over the ground. Guess they are one time use only.

Best place to store earplugs...
I keep new and used earplugs in the hand pull of the door armrest of my truck.
I can put them in while driving to the range and remove them/put them back while I'm driving home from the range.
jmo,
.

[steve urquell]

I didn't know what that was either and I have 2 Glock clones and am on the Glock forum as well.

[MT Gianni]

Back in my industrial sales days, the recommendation straight from the ear plug manufacturer was to never reuse foam ear plugs. The reason given was to prevent ear infections. I suspect the lawyers had a hand in that recommendation, trying to limit lawsuits.

As a sales guy I had no problem with it. More sales the better.

I reuse mine, when they come out they go into the watch pocket. They get washed every time the jeans get washed. About 3 washing is all they are good for. The dryer seems to change the density of the foam.

The wife does get annoyed, about 20% manage to free them selves from the watch pocket and float around in either the washer or the dryer.

Tie your ear plugs inside an old sport sock and then wash and dry them.

[15meter]

Tie your ear plugs inside an old sport sock and then wash and dry them.

It's easier to annoy the wife.

She would figure I'd either bought a new gun, iceboat, motorcycle or picked up a girl friend.

Don't need to raise suspicions until absolutely necessary......

[oley55]

One day a couple years ago my son and I were driving past the 200 yard range and spotted a young man sighting in a flat top AR15 devoid of sights or optics. We were on our way out so I just stopped at the office and reported the miscreant to the staff.

I keep wondering if he got the idea of shooting a flat top without sights/optics after watching ole 'Dead Eye" Darrel Dixon on the Walking Dead nailing Walkers without optics. LOL In reality he probably just bought it and had no clue...

[quack1]

Here are some examples of "fireformed" brass I came across from a lot of years of scrounging brass at the range.

[waksupi]

One day a couple years ago my son and I were driving past the 200 yard range and spotted a young man sighting in a flat top AR15 devoid of sights or optics. We were on our way out so I just stopped at the office and reported the miscreant to the staff.

I keep wondering if he got the idea of shooting a flat top without sights/optics after watching ole 'Dead Eye" Darrel Dixon on the Walking Dead nailing Walkers without optics. LOL In reality he probably just bought it and had no clue...

Why would you report him for no sights? It would be unusual to not at least have a front sight. I can guarantee I could make a person feel darned uncomfortable at 200 yards, sights or not, and if I had a front sight the discomfort would grow exponentially.

[26Charlie]

A number of people have no idea where the bullet can go. I had been shooting, then watch the only others, a couple, on the range. He had spotted an iron plate at the 100yard berm, which had been shot enough so it was cratered like the back side of the moon. He was about to instruct his wife to shoot his .45 ACP at it. From about 8 yards. I hustled down there and stopped them, explaining about bullets striking the edge of a crater and sling-shotting back at them, etc. It happened to me once on a 50 foot indoor range with .22 pistol ammo. That range then installed a curtain of horse stall rubber mats in front of the steel.

[M-Tecs]

Why would you report him for no sights? It would be unusual to not at least have a front sight. I can guarantee I could make a person feel darned uncomfortable at 200 yards, sights or not, and if I had a front sight the discomfort would grow exponentially.

Occasionally I get asked to figure out/fix AR's that are not functioning properly. Sometimes they have sights on them and sometimes not.

[firefly1957]

There was once a place on state land were people could shoot last I heard it was closed down I would stop by to pick up brass I never shot there the people were to dangerous ! One guy had a young woman shooting an AR at a cardboard box 15 feet out from firing line . She was all squatted and uncomfortable looking missing more then hitting . But what caught my eye was the tall hill 80 feet or more tall behind the targets over 100 yards away those bullets were hitting near and over the top of that hill after hitting the ground 30 feet or so out!

[charlie b]

Until you watch a bunch of tracer bullets it is hard to comprehend how far a ricochet can go, even after hitting relatively soft surfaces. I can describe it but it just doesn't sink in until you watch it happen.

[dondiego]

Until you watch a bunch of tracer bullets it is hard to comprehend how far a ricochet can go, even after hitting relatively soft surfaces. I can describe it but it just doesn't sink in until you watch it happen.

That is an absolute fact. I couldn't believe what I saw tracers do after hitting the berm and those were losing weight as they burnt. Bullets were flying in many directions.

[TCLouis]

Until you watch a bunch of tracer bullets it is hard to comprehend how far a ricochet can go, even after hitting relatively soft surfaces. I can describe it but it just doesn't sink in until you watch it happen.

Working in Range Control I can only say +1 to that.

Being an officer at a nearby Private range I go to see MORE Unique things than I ever cared to.

[charlie b]

And if you watch tank cannons at night.....

[firefly1957]

Some years ago I bought a box of M-1 Carbine tracers at the 8 mile Armory gun show when I brought them up to the cabin my father was telling me how the new neighbors just come over complaining that my brother was shooting (safely and on our land). I took out the Mini 14 and shot a 30 round magazine fast as I could and hit the target . Then I shot a large rock at about a 45 degree angle to the sky with the tracers . Those things went nearly straight up wizzing and hissing putting on a good show. They all stayed on our property they put their place on the market by summers end . It was not just the shooting they had cut a trial through our land to drive ORV's (Three wheeled ones at that time) to state land and they where told they could not do that anymore .

[steve urquell]

Until you watch a bunch of tracer bullets it is hard to comprehend how far a ricochet can go, even after hitting relatively soft surfaces. I can describe it but it just doesn't sink in until you watch it happen.

When you shoot with suppressors you can hear all the ricochets. Sounds like the old Western movies where every bullet went "whee-yawwww"

My MIL shot my 9mm with suppressor out on my rocky forested land and one ricocheted upward thru the trees. It was clipping limbs off followed by a bigger limb crashing. Sounded like 'chi, chi, chi, chi, chi, crash!"

[almar]

I saw some pretty stupid things being done and being said but i also did some pretty stupid things myself mostly due to complacency. Glad to say i never did them twice though. Glad I'm still able to talk about them too although i rarely do. We have our first kid on the way due anytime now, he will hear about them just like my father told me about his.