Shooting Range Issues

[d.kaufman]

I shoot at the Winamac FWA range. I have never had a bad experience there. Maybe lucky I guess?

I too haven't had a bad experience there. That's where I go for rifle and shotgun. I avoid Jasper Pulaski like a plague because of some of the stupidness I've seen there at the range. Heck I wont even hunt there anymore because of 2 bad experiences within 2 days.

I shoot pistol mostly at my local Izaak Walton and 100% of the time it's just me, or me and my daughter. But there definitely is a ton of idiot marks on the walls and ceiling.

 

[Mgderf]

For the past 5-6 years I've enjoyed the privileges of a private range.
I gave my brother an AR15 and he put a 50 yard range in his front yard!

I played instructor at a local indoor range for about 5 years.
This included classroom time as well as RSO duties on the range.
I saw more breaches of firearms safety rules than I can even recall.

"There's one in every crowd" does not just apply to the firearms genre.
The saying has been around, with good reason, LONG before firearms existed...

 

[DocIndy]

A young guy who I work with told me a few years ago that he bought a brand new budget AR-15 with no sights and took it to a range. He was a complete newbie and wasn't aware that you need sights or an optic and just started shooting. He said the range officer had to stop him because he was hitting everything but his target.

I witnessed this first hand at Atterbury on my last trip there a few years ago. I told the RSO he needed to watch the guy shooting as he had 2 little kids with him that were crawling all over the tables and the shooting bench while dad loaded mags. AR-15 with no sights or optics. The RSO walked over just in time to see this guy put 2 rounds into the concrete baffles above the range and immediately stopped him. Made the weapon safe and walked him and the rifle to the office. There is a little note on the range rules that if you hit the baffle, there is a fine. If you refuse to pay the charge, a CO is called and you are charged with destruction of state property. The CO will also seize your weapon and you get a summons to appear. At your court date the judge will return your weapon..... maybe.

This guy was ready to tell the staff to go pound sand until the CO showed up and explained his options. He paid the fees and left with his rifle.

 

[dudley0]

All these people with AR's and no sights watched too much Walking Dead.

I have taken a rifle out the back with no sights to function check. As in, just point it at the ground a few yards away and pull the trigger. If I was headed to the range I would make it worth the trip and put something on there to at least start the sight in process.

The range I go to now makes all members wear the membership card while shooting. I make sure it is with me and don it if someone else shows up. Shame people have to ruin it for the rest of us.

 

[COOPADUP]

I witnessed this first hand at Atterbury on my last trip there a few years ago. I told the RSO he needed to watch the guy shooting as he had 2 little kids with him that were crawling all over the tables and the shooting bench while dad loaded mags. AR-15 with no sights or optics. The RSO walked over just in time to see this guy put 2 rounds into the concrete baffles above the range and immediately stopped him. Made the weapon safe and walked him and the rifle to the office. There is a little note on the range rules that if you hit the baffle, there is a fine. If you refuse to pay the charge, a CO is called and you are charged with destruction of state property. The CO will also seize your weapon and you get a summons to appear. At your court date the judge will return your weapon..... maybe.

This guy was ready to tell the staff to go pound sand until the CO showed up and explained his options. He paid the fees and left with his rifle.

Sounds like this guy needs to attend safety classes. Kids milling around shooting tables is just plain scary.

 

[Bill2905]

I too haven't had a bad experience there. That's where I go for rifle and shotgun. I avoid Jasper Pulaski like a plague because of some of the stupidness I've seen there at the range. Heck I wont even hunt there anymore because of 2 bad experiences within 2 days.

I shoot pistol mostly at my local Izaak Walton and 100% of the time it's just me, or me and my daughter. But there definitely is a ton of idiot marks on the walls and ceiling.

There is a lot of stupid on the 50 yard range at Jasper Pulaski. There is just a certain mentality with some shooters down there and I see it nearly every time. I also shoot at Willow Slough and have had no bad experiences there in four years.

 

[rugertoter]

You haven't seen enough bad shooters. It's not as if they're aiming for the sides; they're just missing the target. The lumber just happens to be in the way.

I shot with my cousin once at a range in TN. He was missing the target and consistently pinging a steel I-beam just to the left of where the target was hung. Scary stuff, considering we were about 15 yards away.

Yeah, sadly, just because some people get to have a gun in their hands, doesn't mean they should. But, it is their right. I have my own target stand that I use most of the time. Shot hundreds of rounds at it, but haven't blown it away yet.

 

[DadSmith]

Yeah, sadly, just because some people get to have a gun in their hands, doesn't mean they should.

I think this proves your point.

 

[bowhunter911]

I see this all the time at my local range. I’ve actually had to leave on a couple of occasions due to unsafe practices and/or general recklessness (like getting swept by a loaded Redhawk). It’s a shame novice shooters ruin good things for the rest of us.

On the upside, at least they offer annual passes. There’s only one range relatively close to my house that sells annual passes and they’re quite expensive. Their employees are also complete a*******.

one time i was at a pubic range and the gary indiana swat team was there shooting, scariest **** i ever saw, i decided to get off the range and go watch them from inside my truck, after a couple minutes i decided i wanted to leave the parking lot too, didn't want to be any where near them and their guns.

 

[arty8]

Last time I was at the Atterbury Shooting Complex I had to call a cease fire. I was shooting 100 yard when the pistol guys decided to just walk out and change targets. I know that there is not enough information shared with new shooters.

I had that happen at Deer Creek, couldn't believe it.

 

[bgcatty]

My last visit to a public gun range was I believe that range in Indy at Fall Creek (?.?) that closed down years ago. It was the most dangerous range I’ve ever had the misfortune of visiting. If someone recalls the correct name of that range, please reply to the post so others can comment.

 

[Twangbanger]

Video Games.

 

[Peacekeeper3073]

When I was in the range business, we had a guy come in and ask for his military discount, which he received, and then proceeded to go into the range and destroy a $4000 target carrier while shooting his AR at 15 feet with an optic. Literally shooting 24 inches high and had no clue until the RSO stopped him. Wasn’t long after that that I decided the range business wasn’t for me, for every one like that that WILL take instruction and learn from their mistakes, there’s probably 100 more that already know everything there is to know and will tell you to eff off if you interrupt their range time with instruction. That Guys military discount didn’t apply to the damage he did and was making monthly payments on when I left.

I remember that guy ! He was one of many that tore things up.

 

[arty8]

Sounds like this guy needs to attend safety classes. Kids milling around shooting tables is just plain scary.

I never thought I would be a range "Nazi" but while during a cold range, people were milling about the benches screwing around with gear and I had to remind them to stay behind the yellow line. Everyone is a range officer on a public range.

 

[bgcatty]

Nothing wrong about being a range Nazi! Idiots not following the rules are dangerous. These idiots must be put in their place. There is no place for political correctness on a shooting range.
Period!

 

[indyk]

I been a member at my place since I was old enough to stand on a chair while my dad holds the 66. Through the years, more holes in the canopy, more trash in the brass buckets, instead of sweeping up trash and disposing they sweep it off the pad into the grass and gravel. Trash in the range, junk and soft steel lays in the grass ready for the field mower.
Folks are running their mouths about the range, it’s private and not advertised.
We are getting non members that are bringing their friends and the friends are coming back with their friends.
More shooters is a good thing, but not at the range. It’s too small and can’t handle more than 4 -5 guys that might want to hang out all day.

All my old spots are dried up. Families sold land and my old go to spots are gone.
The past few years I been trying to send word out to family and friends to keep an ear out for a private spot, Like mentioned Iv’e been at it for over 30 years and need a new place very soon.

Things aren’t like they used to be folks don’t trust anyone and this makes it hard for anyone to allow someone to shoot on their land, even with a good reputation folks aren’t as trusting, even an annual gift of a few hundred folks won’t bite.

A few of us have gathered up some cash in hopes to find a small spot outside of Marion County, preferably near Shelby and Decatur County, We would harvest dead trees and bring in other material for a proper backstop. With land skyrocketing out there I don’t see this happening anymore.
In the meantime I keep sending word to my customers and family and maybe one day I will have a private spot and no longer have to worry about other people or their bad range practices.

 

[rugertoter]

one time i was at a pubic range and the gary indiana swat team was there shooting, scariest **** i ever saw, i decided to get off the range and go watch them from inside my truck, after a couple minutes i decided i wanted to leave the parking lot too, didn't want to be any where near them and their guns.

Does not surprise me one bit. A member of my extended family retired from the Sheriff Department, and he said some of the worse shooters he ever saw were on the police department.

Now, I am sure some police departments are pretty strict with their training, but I am sure some are not.

 

[Hawkeye7br]

For all the folks here who shoot on public ranges...don't be afraid to show some leadership. Most people are followers. If it's crowded, walk up and down the line and tell shooters:

"Hey guys, there's a lot of people here today and in the interest of safety, let's all shoot until (example: 2:20) and call a cease fire, make our guns safe, and we'll spend a few minutes changing targets and then resume. Are you good with that?"

And most of the time, that's all it takes, along with you walking the line, asking each shooter for open bolt, mag out, and reminding people to step back and don't handle firearms until the line is called hot. You'd be surprised at the respect people give you.

 

[Cameramonkey]

I remember that guy ! He was one of many that tore things up.

Dont forget the guy who burned down the BGF range by shooting incendiary rounds into the rubber mulch and then walked out without fessing up.

Anyone know what ever happened with that incident? (other than they were never able to rebuild)

 

[Winamac]

I do know that at the Winamac FWA range(my happy place). I have seen the range officer call people out for messing with ANYTHING at the shooting bench while people are down range changing/checking/pulling targets. I say heck yeah,good on him.