body armor acceptability at public ranges? club ranges?

Finalygotabeltfed said:
Poorly disciplined shooters is more than good enough reason for anyone to want to wear a vest at the range. I say wear it if you got it.
Click to expand...

So some back story.

I knew someone who was murdered at a public gun range by an unsupervised mental patient with a rental. Guy heard the range officer on the loud speaker ordering the other shooter back to his station enough to turn around and face his killer. 20+ shots into his corpse later, his killer shot himself in the head twice.

Later in life, the range I went to periodically had an attempted suicide by cop/range-employee. He turned his back to the range employee and the range employee interrupted his plans in the shoulder, eventually giving up his m1 carbine to the police after they shot him with a bean bag round at close range.

Combine things like these with negligent behavior and signs of historical ND's into the furniture, I added a vest to my kit of safety equipment.
 
All I'm saying is that I have been flagged more times then I can count and routinely end up saying "how the hell did they manage to shoot that!"
 
RKG said:
If I detect someone wearing body armor, my first reaction is to ask myself, "Now, why do you suppose this dude is expecting to take fire?"

Absent a good explanation, I will keep a close eye on the person until I can leave the scene.
Click to expand...

This sounds like a knee jerk reaction an Anti would have.

When a coworker first found out that I carried... his first question to me was "What, are you EXPECTING to shoot someone today?" [rolleyes]

We all know that we carry 24/7 because we NEVER know when we'll have to use it.

We should extend this logic to everything else as well. If someone who doesn't wear a vest for work wears a vest to a range... it's not necessarily because he's planning on taking fire... it may simply be because he just doesn't know when someone else at the range will be unsafe, or have ill intentions.

No offense, RKG, of course. I'm just saying we gun owners should be careful and consistent about how we think about things.

[grin]
 
Eta-Carinae said:
So some back story.

I knew someone who was murdered at a public gun range by an unsupervised mental patient with a rental. Guy heard the range officer on the loud speaker ordering the other shooter back to his station enough to turn around and face his killer. 20+ shots into his corpse later, his killer shot himself in the head twice.

Later in life, the range I went to periodically had an attempted suicide by cop/range-employee. He turned his back to the range employee and the range employee interrupted his plans in the shoulder, eventually giving up his m1 carbine to the police after they shot him with a bean bag round at close range.

Combine things like these with negligent behavior and signs of historical ND's into the furniture, I added a vest to my kit of safety equipment.
Click to expand...

Smart move.
 
Hanwei said:
This sounds like a knee jerk reaction an Anti would have.

When a coworker first found out that I carried... his first question to me was "What, are you EXPECTING to shoot someone today?" [rolleyes]

We all know that we carry 24/7 because we NEVER know when we'll have to use it.

We should extend this logic to everything else as well. If someone who doesn't wear a vest for work wears a vest to a range... it's not necessarily because he's planning on taking fire... it may simply be because he just doesn't know when someone else at the range will be unsafe, or have ill intentions.

No offense, RKG, of course. I'm just saying we gun owners should be careful and consistent about how we think about things.

[grin]
Click to expand...

You actually do make an excellent point, but consider this.

Suppose I owned a pocketknife. Would you be a bit surprised in the least if I carried it in my pocket?

Suppose I owned a pistol. Would you be a bit surprised in the least if I carried it on my hip?

Suppose I owned body armor. Would you be a bit surprised in the least if I wore it at the range?

Suppose I owned a rifle. Would you be a bit surprised in the least if I slung it over my shoulder at the supermarket?

Suppose I owned an RPG (not the programming language). Would you be a bit surprised in the least if I kept in the back of my truck?

Suppose I owned a tank. Would you be a bit surprised in the least if I drove it to work?

Suppose I owned a Pershing Missile. Would you be a bit surprised in the least if I kept it in my back yard?

(From what I've heard, flotter probably has all of those things!)

We all fall into that spectrum some place. Even those of us here.
 
namedpipes said:
You actually do make an excellent point, but consider this.

Suppose I owned a pocketknife. Would you be a bit surprised in the least if I carried it in my pocket?

Suppose I owned a pistol. Would you be a bit surprised in the least if I carried it on my hip?

Suppose I owned body armor. Would you be a bit surprised in the least if I wore it at the range?

Suppose I owned a rifle. Would you be a bit surprised in the least if I slung it over my shoulder at the supermarket?

Suppose I owned an RPG (not the programming language). Would you be a bit surprised in the least if I kept in the back of my truck?

Suppose I owned a tank. Would you be a bit surprised in the least if I drove it to work?

Suppose I owned a Pershing Missile. Would you be a bit surprised in the least if I kept it in my back yard?

(From what I've heard, flotter probably has all of those things!)

We all fall into that spectrum some place. Even those of us here.
Click to expand...

I see what you're saying. And yes, we all do fall into that spectrum somewhere.

But, assuming every example you gave was a legal act (we could actually drive a tank to work)... who cares? Why should we judge what someone else does with their belongings as long as they're not hurting anyone else? Or, more importantly, why should we assume that a person driving a tank to work is expecting to go to war? Why can't he just be driving it because he enjoys it?

Anti's use the argument all the time that our AR15's were conceived with killing another human being in mind and have no other purpose. Therefore, whoever wants/owns an AR15 must want to kill people and the AR's should be banned. Well... we all know that there are many other purposes for an AR15... recreational, hunting, competition, etc.

I'm not saying that everyone should look at someone driving their tank around as a normal every-day thing. But my point a few posts up was just that I disagree with assuming that if they are driving a tank that they must have delusional expectations of war.
 
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Eta-Carinae said:
So some back story.

I knew someone who was murdered at a public gun range by an unsupervised mental patient with a rental. Guy heard the range officer on the loud speaker ordering the other shooter back to his station enough to turn around and face his killer. 20+ shots into his corpse later, his killer shot himself in the head twice.

Later in life, the range I went to periodically had an attempted suicide by cop/range-employee. He turned his back to the range employee and the range employee interrupted his plans in the shoulder, eventually giving up his m1 carbine to the police after they shot him with a bean bag round at close range.

Combine things like these with negligent behavior and signs of historical ND's into the furniture, I added a vest to my kit of safety equipment.
Click to expand...

I think Matt put it best:

matt said:
Seriously, if I felt I needed to wear it at the range I'd leave ASAP.
Click to expand...

If you really think you need to wear a vest, you shouldn't be there in the first place... Join a private range.

My vote is for Mall Ninja.
 
TonyDedo said:
I think Matt put it best:



If you really think you need to wear a vest, you shouldn't be there in the first place... Join a private range.

My vote is for Mall Ninja.
Click to expand...

+1

And why stop with the vest if you are worried about taking fire? Put on a helmet and sandbag your position (shooting bench) too. Why not a rear guard, too?
 
Eta-Carinae said:
So some back story.

I knew someone who was murdered at a public gun range by an unsupervised mental patient with a rental. Guy heard the range officer on the loud speaker ordering the other shooter back to his station enough to turn around and face his killer. 20+ shots into his corpse later, his killer shot himself in the head twice.

Later in life, the range I went to periodically had an attempted suicide by cop/range-employee. He turned his back to the range employee and the range employee interrupted his plans in the shoulder, eventually giving up his m1 carbine to the police after they shot him with a bean bag round at close range.

Combine things like these with negligent behavior and signs of historical ND's into the furniture, I added a vest to my kit of safety equipment.
Click to expand...

If your friend was wearing a vest, the nut would've shot him in the face.

Like others have said, I'd avoid a range where I thought I needed body armor. You should join a club. You can get a membership for what you pay for a couple of visits to a pay-to-play range.

PM me if you're near Shirley.
 
I dont wear mine..thinking about this. If it was that dangerous at the range to think about wearing a vest, i would go somewhere else to shoot.
 
For the last 4 years I've worn a vest due to multiple barrel flagging incidents and if I'm on the rifle range is level 4 plates. I have seen ND's or AD's at the range and I've heard of one to many stories of crap like this happening at the range. Depending on the time of year, it's under my coat and you would never know that I'm wearing it. In the summertime, not so much. I have a carrier that I'll wear and the guys at the range who know me understand and respect. A few of them have even started wearing them because my reasoning made sense to them. I will get that "WTF" is this dude wearing stare from shooters that don't know me, but it is what it it. Better to have it and not need it, then need it and not have it.[smile]
 
Police Academies have had a rule for a number of years now that all officers must qualify with vests on. Reason has to do with ricochets since some shooting is done 3-6 yds from a backstop and officers have been hit with bullets/shrapnel a lot of times in the past.

So it can make sense in some cases. I don't wear it and would beat feet if I saw such unsafe activity that I felt like I had to wear it on a range. S&W Shooting Center requires their ROs to wear vests while on the range and I can't disagree with that on a public range.
 
I would wear a vest on an open range. Its not like I'll hear people laughing at me as I'll have my muffs on.

Now a vest while walking in the mall, or at the dinner table...no.
 
namedpipes said:
You actually do make an excellent point, but consider this.

Suppose I owned a pocketknife. Would you be a bit surprised in the least if I carried it in my pocket?

Suppose I owned a pistol. Would you be a bit surprised in the least if I carried it on my hip?

Suppose I owned body armor. Would you be a bit surprised in the least if I wore it at the range?

Suppose I owned a rifle. Would you be a bit surprised in the least if I slung it over my shoulder at the supermarket?

Suppose I owned an RPG (not the programming language). Would you be a bit surprised in the least if I kept in the back of my truck?

Suppose I owned a tank. Would you be a bit surprised in the least if I drove it to work?

Suppose I owned a Pershing Missile. Would you be a bit surprised in the least if I kept it in my back yard?

(From what I've heard, flotter probably has all of those things!)

We all fall into that spectrum some place. Even those of us here.
Click to expand...

If I remember programming RPG on a System/38 or AS/400, does that count?
 
namedpipes said:
You actually do make an excellent point, but consider this.

Suppose I owned a pocketknife. Would you be a bit surprised in the least if I carried it in my pocket?

Suppose I owned a pistol. Would you be a bit surprised in the least if I carried it on my hip?

Suppose I owned body armor. Would you be a bit surprised in the least if I wore it at the range?

Suppose I owned a rifle. Would you be a bit surprised in the least if I slung it over my shoulder at the supermarket?

Suppose I owned an RPG (not the programming language). Would you be a bit surprised in the least if I kept in the back of my truck?

Suppose I owned a tank. Would you be a bit surprised in the least if I drove it to work?

Suppose I owned a Pershing Missile. Would you be a bit surprised in the least if I kept it in my back yard?

(From what I've heard, flotter probably has all of those things!)

We all fall into that spectrum some place. Even those of us here.
Click to expand...


There have been MANY times I've been sitting in traffic wishing I had an RPG in the trunk!
 
"Gecko45":

When taking fire from 338 Lapua, if your second back-plate won't fit in your vest, it is proper form to attach it with duct tape-correct?

Do you add a 3rd plate when you are taking fire from 408 Chey-Tac rounds???


Gecko45 made my day!

[rofl]
 
Dench said:
theres nothing wrong with practicing with body armor on.
anyone in this thread that has "SHTF" gear and doesnt practice with it is in for a rude surprise if they ever have to use it in a serious situation.

movement is much different, and in some cases difficult with the heavier body armor on. if you own it, and think you would ever wear it under any circumstance, then i would suggest you practice with it on occasionally.

people that are prepared, and proficient in their equipment are not mall ninjas. people that buy all of the gear, and leave it in their closet for "SHTF" are.
Click to expand...

+1

i wear mine to the range regularly now. get a lot of funny looks initially, but i'm there to train so i don't think about it.
 
p.s.

FWIW...

shoothouse training is increasingly being offered to civilians.

body armor is a REQUIREMENT for running the house.
 
Anyone notice that Doobie hasn't posted since someone mentioned this super jew character? [thinking] Tech employee by day, mall ninja six nights a week... [smile]

Seriously though, WTF does "interesting body armor demonstrations" mean? Did he take rounds? Did h see how many people in Level III armor could fit into a volkswagon? Details?

As someone who has had a bomb (bottle with BP and pyrodex mix) thrown at them on the range, all I can say is that where there is a will, there is a way. Enjoy your shooting, keep an eye out and always be cogniscient of your surroundings, regardless of where you are.
 
clinotus said:
I would wear a vest on an open range. Its not like I'll hear people laughing at me as I'll have my muffs on.

Now a vest while walking in the mall, or at the dinner table...no.
Click to expand...

Ok I have to admit to having worn it to work twice. [thinking]

We were having staggered rounds of layoffs under a complete Chapter 7 liquidation [sad2], and I was working for the department that was collecting assets from those getting the axe in the early rounds.
 
toga said:
It's in Montreal, and the fee varies based upon the shooting you want to do.
Click to expand...

Saint Catherine Street, I'll assume?

About wearing the vest, some of do wear them (and are armed) sometimes for a living. In those cases, wearing one for practive firing is simply a smart idea.

I'm one of those that has one (of my own, my issue vest, when it gets in is going to be much heavier, if it has the SAPI plates in it), and I don't ewar it to the range. The IBA (Interceptor Body Armor) (or whatever we get instead) will get worn to the range on "work time", whether I want to or not.
 
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Eta-Carinae said:
Ok I have to admit to having worn it to work twice. [thinking]

We were having staggered rounds of layoffs under a complete Chapter 7 liquidation [sad2], and I was working for the department that was collecting assets from those getting the axe in the early rounds.
Click to expand...

No, that actually makes a lot of sense. You were in a high stress situation where a great deal of unknowns existed and fellow co-workers are not vetted like gun owners are.
 
Personally, when I have gone to practice in the past with friends, i'd wear a vest most times, and when (hopefully soon) I am in a private range, I would wear one too. not because I am afraid of the other guys shooting at me, i just want to train with what I'd wear in a combat situation. never been much of a target shooter, more of a tactics student, and when I wear armor, my reloads, movements and how I position myself and my gear are all different than if I was not wearing the armor. when people on the ranges I've been to with armor see me, they may think it looks weird, until they see what I'm practicing, then it would make sense.

and for the record... if I could take a tank to work (and afford one...) Hell yeah, i'd take it!!! Even better if I could take an apache to work! theres a landing strip a few min walk from my office :D
 
terraformer said:
Anyone notice that Doobie hasn't posted since someone mentioned this super jew character? [thinking] Tech employee by day, mall ninja six nights a week... [smile]

Seriously though, WTF does "interesting body armor demonstrations" mean? Did he take rounds? Did h see how many people in Level III armor could fit into a volkswagon? Details?
Click to expand...

Hopefully I didnt offend anyone with the "super jew" comment, but thats what he called himself!

As my Uncle (long time NH LE) described it, a customer (who "super jew" knew personally) would walk into the shop, and he'd fire a round (small caliber) into his own vest. IIRC this was about the time vests started to become more common amongs local PD's
 

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