Do you carry at the range? Might want to consider it.....

[Jay]

Pastor killed, and firearms stolen while at a West Virginia State shooting range........


Churches mourn shooting death of Huntington pastor - Huntington, WV -- The Herald-Dispatch

[SilentWarrior1]

This is sad... what's worse is that the Anti's will eat it up. Prayers sent for the family and congregation.

[jontheturboguy]

Horrible tragedy.

Packing or not, when you have ear plugs in, how would you know whos coming behind you to snuff you out?

[Jay]

Packing or not, when you have ear plugs in, how would you know whos coming behind you to snuff you out?

first response...... situational awareness..... YOUR job to know what's going on around you. I use electronic ear muffs, that allow for excellent hearing when shots are not actually being fired. I guess I'm fortunate in that the range I belong to, keeps approaching folks INSIDE the range of my peripheral vision.

[Dogman]

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.

[indyjoe]

As range officers, we always carried on the range. We figured that if someone went off, we might have to put them down. It would be the end of our club, but so be it.

[cougar_guy04]

Always packed when I worked the line for the club . . . actually, I was packing pretty much anytime I was out at the range be it practicing, RO'ing, reloading, or mowing the skeet range. OMAR was almost disappointed if one of his officers wasn't packing on his property.

[haldir]

I don't frequent big fancy ranges like you fellas. Just go to the State areas. So I am always aware if someone else is present and what they are up to. I guess any time I have my guns out for public view, I get a bit more paranoid than normal.

[epsylum]

Originally Posted by indyjoe

As range officers, we always carried on the range. We figured that if someone went off, we might have to put them down. It would be the end of our club, but so be it.

I don't know if it is a requirement, but it is pretty much expected for us ECPR ROs to be carrying. I carry anyways, so it is not like it is a big change for me.

[rhino]

I don't think the range would be a place where I be less well armed than I am when I'm at home or anywhere else.

There is an excellent example from fiction illustrating why you should always have at least one loaded weapon on your person (more are better) when you at a range practicing. If you've seen "Silverado," you should remember the scene where Emmett (Scott Glenn) is in the desert practicing and the bad guys wait until he's fired all of his guns until they make their move. Emmett had not so much as a derringer in his boot loaded.

Now, that's fiction, so some will dismiss it. Fine ...

Think of this: one of the most infamous shootouts in history was between the FBI and two guys named Platte and Mattix in Miami back in 1986. In Florida, a lot of people go out to the everglades to shoot. Platte and Mattix did exactly what the bad guys in "Silverado" did ... waiting until their victims were effectively unarmed, then robbed and killed them.

Can't happen to you? Good luck.

Situational awareness is always #1, especially when you are alone (either by yourself or among strangers). Always having the means to mount a proper defense comes right after that.

Other than matches, when I go to the range and someone is there, if I don't them I'll wait in my truck until they leave. Once I'm doing my thing on the range, I make sure I check behind myself on a regular basis and I don't let anyone I don't know approach me from behind with turning to face them.

Also, DO NOT LEAVE ANYTHING UNATTENDED when you go downrange to check/change targets. Whether it's simple theft or if it's someone picking up your own AR, slapping a mag in it, and shooting you, it's a bad idea to leave something unattended that should always be in your control. If you're alone, take it with you when you go downrange.