Funny range policy

[tropicmaster]

" On the other hand, when I visit ranges which fear loaded guns, I see all kinds of negligent behavior. "

I could not agree more wholeheartedly! Ranges that do this are almost " telling " people that guns are only dangerous " part of the time "

[dcloco]

Again I disagree. I am still a fill in RO at our club range (used to be full time). We don't keep any one from carrying a loaded HOLSTERED handgun anywhere on the property. If you are not on the firing line during a hot line period though, that handgun better stay in the holster, or I'm going to reprimand you for a first offense, and eject you if your actions continue!

I have been to 30-40 different public/private ranges in my time. 

If you have not seen any "close calls" or witnessed an accident about to happen, you have not been to enough ranges.

Personally, as an RO, I don't have an issue with a loaded/holstered weapon.  But, it will remain holstered unless the range is hot and you are at the line.

Picking up brass the other day, low and behold...headstamp on the brass reads 300 Win Mag....and has obviously been shot out of a 300 Weatherby Mag.  This is from a member's only private range.

[JCalhoun]

Our range allows loaded and holstered for pistols. Once it comes out of the holster it has to open and unloaded. You then load it on the firing line once the line becomes hot.

Picking up brass the other day, low and behold...headstamp on the brass reads 300 Win Mag....and has obviously been shot out of a 300 Weatherby Mag.  This is from a member's only private range.

Some goof at Walmart probably told them it would work. I have heard of someone being told that all 7mm magnums are the same. 

[desertdog]

lol, life is like a box of chocolates you never know what your going to get!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  are any of you going to trust someone that you dont know?? a lot of times i go to the range with people i know and they scare the **** out of me! what i mean is its your responsibly to watch your self and others around you. if you dont like whats going on well then you make the choice.  dd

[dolomite_supafly]

I will probably make some of you crap yourselves at what I am about to say.

While doing firearms training with a group of guys we would check our targets while one or two stands over your buddy was still punching holes in the paper. The stands were generally spaced about 7-10 feet apart. Again, I would be standing at my target while a target 7-10 feet away was still being shot at by one of the guys I worked with. Ranges varied from point blank to 50 yards. All of us were comfortable with everyone's elses ability to shoot so we would walk down and check targets at will without worry. There was never really a hot or cold range other than to call it in that the range was hot.

There would be no others on the range other than the team, period. If anyone else came up we would send them to another range.

Dolomite

[pdog06]

and you wonder why they wanted your gun unloaded. . How bout a little gun safety. Whether you trust the next guy or not, accidents do happen.

[dolomite_supafly]

and you wonder why they wanted your gun unloaded. . How bout a little gun safety. Whether you trust the next guy or not, accidents do happen.

This wasn't at the range that asked me if my gun was unloaded. I actually do or at least did have a job that required me to carry a firearm and not as LE. Until I was in a helicopter accident last year I actually carried several weapon systems as part of my job. The people I worked with were highly trained professionals, we trained all the time with live ammo and actually trusted eachother with our lives. 99.9% of the people I have meet I wouldn't even trust them to watch my dog much less trust with my life but those that I worked and lived with I would trust without a doubt. This was not military, though I do have a .mil background nor was it LE even though I do have a LE background also.

Accidents do happen, it is all part of managing your risks. The odds of something bad happening was remote but it did exist. When compared to what I was doing and where I was, there were a lot more to be worried about than getting shot in the back.

You have to have some trust in the abilities of your team otherwise you would be a nervous wreck any time you had to do anything as a team. As I said I would not trust anyone to be shooting behind me as I walked to a target but I did trust my team mates.

DOlomite

[pdog06]

Yeah, I knew it wasnt the same range. Just ribbin you a bit

My range allows carry of loaded fierarms as long as they are kept holstered unless you are on the firing line. As mentioned above, this is probably due to the risk of some dope waving around a gun in the parking lot or something.

I agree with the concept that it should be kept holstered, just as it should be anywhere you decide to carry it. I dont think you did anything wrong at all in this instance, and agree with your stance. All they had to do was ask to see your LTC card, and if you were legit it is your right to carry it.

Only thing is, alot of rights are given up as soon as you enter private property. never thought that would happen at a gun range though.

[NLPeaden]

This wasn't at the range that asked me if my gun was unloaded. I actually do or at least did have a job that required me to carry a firearm and not as LE. Until I was in a helicopter accident last year I actually carried several weapon systems as part of my job. The people I worked with were highly trained professionals, we trained all the time with live ammo and actually trusted eachother with our lives. 99.9% of the people I have meet I wouldn't even trust them to watch my dog much less trust with my life but those that I worked and lived with I would trust without a doubt. This was not military, though I do have a .mil background nor was it LE even though I do have a LE background also.

Ed the drug war mercenary?

[dolomite_supafly]

Sorry for not catching the ribbing.

Here in TN it is a open or concealed carry state. I can carry anywhere except government building, schools and banks. I can even carry where alcohol is served. I don't agree with carrying in bars but I do agree with restaurant carry. Personally if it was up to me it needs to differentiate between the primary source of income, alcohol or food. If alcohol is the primary source of income no carry, if food is carry is fine.

The only exception to the carry anywhere is that private property owners can opt to make it a gun free property. It must be posted in a prominent location.

Another thing I pushed my reps to do is make the property owner responsible for any injuries that could have been resonably prevented by a handgun if the property owner refuses to allow people to carry on their property. I hate the fact that they can opt out then wash their hands of injuries on their property when things do go bad.

I follow the carry law regardless of how I feel about them. I have copies of recent law changes because sometimes the laws change but the actual officers are unaware of the changes. The biggest misconception here is that the gun must be hidden. I keep mine "lightly" concealed and I have had clerks at stores jump back from the counter and get kind of hysterical over it. I let them know I can carry legally and everything is fine, most times it eases them and from that point forward when they do see the gun they don't react the same way.

Dolomite

[Pete K.]

  Does your range check to see if a shooter is deaf??? My former range doesn't!! On the hour and half hour a loud audio announcement is made for "all shooters to cease fire, clear your action and lay the firearm down on the table. Do not handle your weapon until told to do so" "When clear you may change your targets or remove the backers".
  The gal in the window of the office watches before giving the "OK to resume fire when clear" message over the P.A. system.
  I make sure that I am not the first to walk out or the last to return after changing , patching or retrieving targets. Only once and it was two years ago I was out at the 100 yard stand patching my target when three shots were fired!! They were loud enough to let me know that they were in my direction so I hit the ground behind the two foot raised berms that support the fixed steel target holders. I waited awhile until I felt safe enough to look around to see if someone had jumped on the shooter to put his weapon up. I returned to the line a little shaken and went to the office to see what that was all about. They told me the shooter was not a member and just visiting and he was told to pack up and not come back.
  He was fairly young but old enough to be driving. I think being new to the sport and the range that he didn't really know enough to listen to or understand the very loud and clear cease fire instructions. Most of the regulars and myself look at our watches and anticipate the next cease fire announcement so we don't have to rush the last round or two.
  He may have been hearing impaired or just stupid. The range now has two full time range marshals wearing bright yellow jackets and they control everything from muzzle direction to all the strict range rules. I would feel safer with the added security now and it was needed. I have found two closer smaller ranges that work better for my needs. You just never know what can happen.

                                                                 Pete K.

[firemachine69]

Watch out, the holstered gun might come out and shoot someone!!!


 

[Fjold]

I don't know if my range has a policy against CCWs, as I never show/tell them that I have one.

[Eric in NC]

Watch out, the holstered gun might come out and shoot someone!!!


 

I have seen two holstered pistols fire - one was a Colt SA clone that was apparently holstered cocked over a live round which fell out of a holster when the guy bent over to pick something up - no injuries other than soiled undies at the line.  The other was at a basketball tournament when an off duty LEO shot himself in the butt somehow with a DAO auto as he was sitting down or moving in his seat (don't know if he was re-holstering or didn't have it in a good holster or was scratching his butt etc. - caused quite a stir at the Greensboro coliseum though and delayed the game for a good half hour!!!). 

Things can happen with holstered guns when folks get careless.

[Dirk]

- one was a Colt SA clone that was apparently holstered cocked over a live round which fell out of a holster when the guy bent over to pick something up -

By your own words, this one was no longer holstered was it.