5 Shooting Range Mistakes

[Somemedic]

Do You Make These 5 Shooting Range Mistakes?

 

[Sylvain]

No, I dont make any of those.
My gun is always pointed down range, even when it's sitting on the table unloaded with the slide locked to the rear.
When the range is cold I usually step back a few feet from the table where my guns are, I dont even load other mags or do anything like that.
I usually talk to other shooters or clean my brass.This way people around can see that im not touching my guns and that it's safe to go down range.
If I have to move or turn around I do it while keeping my gun pointing down range.

 

[NIFT]

Good stuff. Thanks!

Here are others, courtesy of Karl Rehn:

https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/ccm-columns/features/tune-up-your-gun-handling/
I especially like his take on "illusory superiority" which is another way of saying it can't happen to me.

And here's one showing the result of the old hand-over-the-muzzle trick. Even more startling is the author does not believe that was a safety error.
http://www.thegunzone.com/nd.html

 

[cigarman454]

No I don't make any of those mistakes.

 

[LPMan59]

number 3 happens constantly at Wilber Wright, even amongst seasoned shooters. There is a guy I have seen several times who owns Garands and AR15s and even he loads mags and adjusts his rifles when people are down range.

 

[jgarst]

I'm pretty new at this stuff, but I actually don't think I do any of that stuff listed. Good write up

 

[Wine Country]

Once during a cold range, I went to turn my red dot sight off. The gun was unloaded, slide back, laying on the bench. My index finger had juuuuuust touched the knob when the range master barked at me. My face was reeeeeeeed.

 

[SHAUN_BAUER]

Nope as new as i am to the gun world most of that almost seems common sense though Im sure somewhere somebody has to be told not to

 

[NIFT]

Nope as new as i am to the gun world most of that almost seems common sense though Im sure somewhere somebody has to be told not to

One does not have to go far to find many of the somebodys! It is ubiquitous.

 

[canav844]

When I go to the public range I see more of this

Willingly irresponsible behavior

than any of the 5 mentioned observations. It's also gotten me to the point I wont be at a range if other people are around, because even if I've got an AR with one in the chamber a full mag ready to go, there's no guarantee that the next time someone decides to open up while I'm down range (or hell even down bench the last time I was at a DNR range "Don't point the 12gauge at me" "it's not even Fing loaded" *click*) that the first shot will miss and I'll even have the opportunity to return fire. And wearing a high visibility vest doesn't help indicate the range is cold or that someone is down range, to someone who just walked up to the bench it means that the range must have just installed, moving, yelling, cursing, flailing arm life like targets.

That empty section of super secret national forest next to Area51 sounds much better and safer, than any public range with people.

 

[Somemedic]

I figured with lots of folks becoming first time gun owners and going to the range, reading some of the basics are in order. Seasoned vets may find this as a quick review.

FWIW, I'd never heard the term "cold range" before. Just knew if someone was on the other side of the table not to shoot.

 

[K_W]

No.

 

[Colinb913]

I never thought about loading mags when shooters are down range. I do that all the time. Guess I better knock it off! I didn't think it was bad etiquette at all.

 

[wolfts01]

I'd love to say I haven't, but I'm sure I'm ignorant of the facts (as is anyone else who says they've NEVER broken a single rule).

I never thought about loading mags when shooters are down range. I do that all the time. Guess I better knock it off! I didn't think it was bad etiquette at all.

That also seems perfectly fine to me. I respect this when I'm at a DNR or any other outdoor range, but otherwise all you have to do is follow the four rules. I can load my magazine without disobeying any of them. I would draw the line at loading my SKS, though, since I would have to be handling the firearm to do so.

But that rule is more of proper range etiquette than a safety issue.

 

[Randrayla]

number 3 happens constantly at Wilber Wright, even amongst seasoned shooters. There is a guy I have seen several times who owns Garands and AR15s and even he loads mags and adjusts his rifles when people are down range.

Bit off topic but I had something strange happen at Wilbur Wright a few years ago. I was sighting in an AR on the 25 yard range and the range officer shows up to put up some new backstops. He just ignored me and walked out into the range and started working as I'm firing. I stopped and unloaded, locked the bolt back. He told me not to worry he knows I wont shoot him. I just waited for him to get done. Really threw me off to see a range officer just disregard safety like that.

 

[1911 DeadHead]

I'm guilty of loading magazines, but I never touch the guns when the range is cold. I always rack the slide pointing the muzzle down towards targets.

 

[Bapak2ja]

I am still new at the range. I appreciate the post and the information given. I also appreciate the discussion from the range pros on here. It helps me learn how things are to be done.

When I first started, I had basic introduction from my son, a National Guard vet. I probably have made some of these mistakes, but I did learn what "Cold Range" means the first time I visited Roush.

Thanks for the learning opps, folks.

 

[Walkersdlx]

My buddy got popped with a mark 1 while his kid did the side swipe.

 

[PlinKing2392]

I always start off new shooters with one round. That way, when they turn around, and they always do, even if you tell them not to, the are pointing a locked back slide at me. Then I point out their error, be slightly condescending yet humorous and they tend to get the point after a few "reloads". I'm not saying I'm perfect, but that's my method.

 

[dlbrown75]

My range is on my property, but no I dont do those things, neither does my 9 year old.