Range report 5/13/2012 Jasper Polaski

[Burnsy]

Short version:

Had tons of fun. DNR RO was very nice. My friend is an idiot.

Long version:

So as you can guess by my post count, I am very new to firearms. A few months ago I got my Glock 21 for EDC, been doing a lot of research on hand guns in general and protection carrying in general. Have been to Debs twice and Blythes in valpo once to use their indoor ranges. I am by no means a skilled shooter but I am working on it.

So my friend, I shall call him "J", is an ex-navy seabee, calls me and says he and a bunch of people are headed to Jasper for few hours of shooting, do I want to come. Hell yes, I need all the experience I can get and as he is ex-military, I can learn from him.

I pull into the lot and DNR drives over, tells me I need to go 2 miles down the road and sign in. I explain that I have my EDC on me, when I return, does it need to be in a case or can I use it on the range from my holster (not practice drawing with a loaded gun, not experience enough for that yet, just unholster,lay gun on firing bench etc). He says do you have your permit? I did not correct him, but said yes. He said no problem.

So I sign in, come back but found my friends are at the 50 yard with a bunch of ar-15s, M1, etc. The 25 yard is packed. Well I will be lucky got get a decent amount on paper but whatever. So having fun but about an hour in I see the DNR pull up to the 50 yard, get out and yell that the range is no longer hot, put down your guns etc. Well everyone on the range did so except J who is still field striping his ar. DNR looks at me “does he speak English?” I yell J weapons down!. J grumbles to himself and stops and comes over. DNR explains that there were safety issues expressed that people were handling guns while the range was “clear” and people replacing targets. The whole time staring at J while going overthe range rules.

He gets done tells us to be safe and have fun. J starts complaining that his ar was in 6 pieces how was he going to hurt anyone. One of the group says a gun is a gun now matter how many pieces it is in etc. He wants to hear none of it. Range is still clearand he starts assembling his rifle again!!! I told him to put that damned thing down till the range goes hot. He about throws a fit and walks off.

Finally it goes hot again and he goes back to belly shooting from the ground. About ½ later a spot opens up at the 25 yard, so we move there. This makes me very happy because I can actually see if I am hitting or not (getting better was very happy with my shooting that day). He ends up sweeping my wife with an unloaded .22, not once but twice! I called him on it and asked him to stop, he made an overly dramatic show of properly clearing thegun and safely setting it down.

At that point I had enough and just left. Summary: Nice range, friendly DNR. My friend is an idiot and ex-military does not mean safety.

 

[SEIndSAM]

Yeah, you need to find new friends.

 

[hammer24]

One of my longest friends has been in the Army for almost twenty years now. He is also one of the people I refuse to be around with firearms because I was swept one too many times with a loaded firearm by him! Probably the least safe person I've ever been around with a firearm.

 

[esrice]

Yeah, you need to find new friends.

 

[lowendgenerator]

You'd think that the guys with the MOST firearms training would be the safest, right? :shrug:

Side note: If you're looking for people to shoot with, post up here @ INGO. I could always use more practice, and it's more fun when you're not mumbling to yourself. Valpo, Hammond, JP, wherever. I promise I won't sweep ya.

 

[Burnsy]

You'd think that the guys with the MOST firearms training would be the safest, right? :shrug:

Side note: If you're looking for people to shoot with, post up here @ INGO. I could always use more practice, and it's more fun when you're not mumbling to yourself. Valpo, Hammond, JP, wherever. I promise I won't sweep ya.

Nice! Thanks, I just may do that.

 

[Bounty Hunter]

I have beem there often, it is not a bad range. The DNR is pretty religous about signing in, and do not rapid fire more than once or they will tell you not to do that as well. Very nice guys though.

They have constant issues with people walking down range to change their targets, while the range is hot, and YES, leave your gun on the table until it returns to hot. This has happened to me the last three times I have been there. The last time the guy was very confrontational, and told me it should not be an issue, because he was walking down on the other shooting lane!!
I started to explain to him the problems that could arise, even though he was 5 feet to my right, but walking down range....WHILE I WAS FIRING*****
I thought I was going to have an aneurysm, as it became VERY clear this conversation, was going no where, from the blank stare I was receiving. I am pretty sure I had blood running out of my ear at that moment.
Meanwhile my buddy had went to get the range officer, and they showed up about that same time. This guy had ZERO thoughts of safety, or repect for anyone, just had his own agenda. He was basically told to follow range rules, or leave. Which he did, shortly after.

 

[KG1]

Sounds to me like you had your **** together. Your friend on the other hand.

Don't get me wrong, I've had a friend or two that have been idiots, which i'm sure most people have but it's a whole different ballgame when you go to a range with your idiot friend.

Looks like you are on the right track though with gaining more experience.

 

[looney2ns]

It's sad, but just because someone has military training or Police training, it still doesn't mean they have a clue what they are doing.
50% graduated at the bottom of the class.

 

[Electronrider]

J is almost as new to guns as you are S. His brother was just as bad back when I got him into guns as well. The RO was giving his speach due to about a half a dozen different minor safety violations along the line. He gives that speil to an entire line when people start getting a little complacent. Having said that, J WAS being an asshat about the range rules, and am glad to see that you also smacked his pee-pee when he was disregarding rules. JP 25yd range is almost always full up on the weekends, glad you guys made it over to an open lane.

 

[ckcollins2003]

I honestly side more with your friend "J". Maybe it's the military and having that extra firearms training that makes us less paranoid about being swept with guns that are disassembled and knowingly not loaded...

I can understand range safety rules because of idiots, but if someone wants to assemble their AR even on a cold range and not put a mag into it, I'd have no problems with it. Now, as you said, the .22 was unloaded. Did you know it was unloaded? If so, why make such a big fuss? Do you think the chamber is going to a bullet and dispose of it through the barrel?

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad your practicing safety. Just try not to be so overly-anal about getting shot by a disassembled firearm. If it were going to go off, it would have done so before it was taken apart.

 

[lowendgenerator]

I honestly side more with your friend "J". Maybe it's the military and having that extra firearms training that makes us less paranoid about being swept with guns that are disassembled and knowingly not loaded...

I can understand range safety rules because of idiots, but if someone wants to assemble their AR even on a cold range and not put a mag into it, I'd have no problems with it. Now, as you said, the .22 was unloaded. Did you know it was unloaded? If so, why make such a big fuss? Do you think the chamber is going to a bullet and dispose of it through the barrel?

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad your practicing safety. Just try not to be so overly-anal about getting shot by a disassembled firearm. If it were going to go off, it would have done so before it was taken apart.

When I'm downrange, I prefer all hands off weapons, assembled and otherwise.

 

[ckcollins2003]

When I'm downrange, I prefer all hands off weapons, assembled and otherwise.

And I completely respect that. I'd be more than mad if someone were to discharge their weapon while I was downrange, but if there's no mag in an AR and it was in pieces, I just wouldn't get so worked up over it.

To each their own. We all have different outlooks but I have heard stories like this many times on this forum and although I was not there, many of them I've felt that people were just way out of line in getting upset over being swept with a firearm that they knew was unloaded.

 

[MMRUSH]

I feel those who sweep with a unloaded firearm will do the same when its loaded.Bad habits are hard to break.Safety and respect should always be the number one priority. It would take is one stupid mistake and it would ruin it for everyone.

 

[Burnsy]

J is almost as new to guns as you are S. His brother was just as bad back when I got him into guns as well. The RO was giving his speach due to about a half a dozen different minor safety violations along the line. He gives that speil to an entire line when people start getting a little complacent. Having said that, J WAS being an asshat about the range rules, and am glad to see that you also smacked his pee-pee when he was disregarding rules. JP 25yd range is almost always full up on the weekends, glad you guys made it over to an open lane.

What's up K, ya stalker . I figured J had tons if weapons training in the navy and was just a bit shocked. Since he is a noob like me, maybe I should go eaiser on him. Was a good time man, thanks for letting my use your rifle, was the first time I had my hands on one.

 

[Bounty Hunter]

And I completely respect that. I'd be more than mad if someone were to discharge their weapon while I was downrange, but if there's no mag in an AR and it was in pieces, I just wouldn't get so worked up over it.

To each their own. We all have different outlooks but I have heard stories like this many times on this forum and although I was not there, many of them I've felt that people were just way out of line in getting upset over being swept with a firearm that they knew was unloaded.

I was not there either and I agree with the above. If they are going to do it empty, they will do it hot.
Maybe everyone else on the line did not know it was empty, just the ones at hand. Does not matter.
That is part of why there is a range officer there, because they did not have one there years ago, and people did stupid, and unsafe s*** all the time.
It used to be real bad.
It is not just about safety, it is a courtesy, thing as well. You can walk down range and not worry about a loose round flying over your head that was "NOT LOADED."
There are very few people I will hunt or shoot with, and that is why.

 

[Burnsy]

I was not there either and I agree with the above. If they are going to do it empty, they will do it hot.
Maybe everyone else on the line did not know it was empty, just the ones at hand. Does not matter.
That is part of why there is a range officer there, because they did not have one there years ago, and people did stupid, and unsafe s*** all the time.
It used to be real bad.
It is not just about safety, it is a courtesy, thing as well. You can walk down range and not worry about a loose round flying over your head that was "NOT LOADED."
There are very few people I will hunt or shoot with, and that is why.

Well as I stated before I was under the self imposed assumption that the person was very experinced with firearms and was intentionally disregarding some basic saftey but one of the members of the group who was there as well posted a few posts up informing me that this is not the case. While still there were some obvious mistakes made, as a fellow noob, perhaps I should not be the pot calling the kettle etc.

 

[KG1]

Well as I stated before I was under the self imposed assumption that the person was very experinced with firearms and was intentionally disregarding some basic saftey but one of the members of the group who was there as well posted a few posts up informing me that this is not the case. While still there were some obvious mistakes made, as a fellow noob, perhaps I should not be the pot calling the kettle etc.

So you were the responsible noob then.

 

[Bounty Hunter]

Well as I stated before I was under the self imposed assumption that the person was very experienced with firearms and was intentionally disregarding some basic saftey but one of the members of the group who was there as well posted a few posts up informing me that this is not the case. While still there were some obvious mistakes made, as a fellow noob, perhaps I should not be the pot calling the kettle etc.

I have seen people with years of experience, make very simple, and dangerous mistakes. Fortunatly no one was hurt by them, but they happened just the same. Scary.
I am not bashing anyone, and I applaud you for standing your ground.
I have been out with people I "Thought" would be responsible and safe, and they were not.



Like I said, it can happen to anyone, experienced or not, only takes one time for something to turn real bad.
I have seen ALOT of people out there that should not be allowed out there.

 

[jedi]

Yeah, you need to find new friends.

OP you might be interested in the NWI MEET & SHOOTs.
INGunOwners - 2012 NWI Events

Just don't bring your friend, J.