Range Question

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Today at my range while the outdoor range was "hot" a member walked down a couple stalls to me and asked me to open the "bolt" on my AR and keep it open. Ive never been asked this before while the range was hot. I just took the weapon out of its case and it was facing down range, safety on, and no mag in it when he walked over. I was at the range for less than 5 minutes setting up when I was asked this question and was loading magazines for my pistols and rifles waiting to put targets up. Both my pistols slides were open at the time, just not the AR. In my 10 years of going to numerous ranges Ive never been asked to secure the rifle I was setting up to shoot. Is this common? Some other members heard it and told me he was out of line.
 
So... people were shooting, no one wanted to go hang paper downrange, and he singled out you? Weird.
 
So... people were shooting, no one wanted to go hang paper downrange, and he singled out you? Weird.

Yes I just arrived and was setting up. It was not a cease fire either. I was in the process of breaking down the rifle to run some Miltec-1 when I heard the question. I complied but just found it quick to come down to my stall and look at my gear.
 
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It could be he had a close call in his past, and wanted to be absolutely sure your firearm was safe while you were handling it and setting up ?? Most people have good habits and are safe, but being able to look over, see an open bolt, better an OBI , goes a long way towards peace of mind to someone that may have had a close call in the past... Ask me how I know. I'll bet it wasn't a personal attack. Better safe than sorry. Of course good manners and an explanation should also come with the request.
 
It could be he had a close call in his past, and wanted to be absolutely sure your firearm was safe while you were handling it and setting up ?? Most people have good habits and are safe, but being able to look over, see an open bolt, better an OBI , goes a long way towards peace of mind to someone that may have had a close call in the past... Ask me how I know. I'll bet it wasn't a personal attack. Better safe than sorry. Of course good manners and an explanation should also come with the request.

Thats how I took it, safety and/or he has had an issue in the past.
 
It could be he had a close call in his past, and wanted to be absolutely sure your firearm was safe while you were handling it and setting up ?? Most people have good habits and are safe, but being able to look over, see an open bolt, better an OBI , goes a long way towards peace of mind to someone that may have had a close call in the past... Ask me how I know. I'll bet it wasn't a personal attack. Better safe than sorry. Of course good manners and an explanation should also come with the request.

IMO, if the range is hot and the gun is pointed downrange then he needs to relax...it's no more of a danger than the other guns being fired downrange. Sound to me like the typical attitude I see at a lot of ranges where certain people feel that they are the only safety minded people there. I'm sure he probably didn't mean any harm, but it is still kind of insulting IMO.
 
Sounds like a range Nazi unless you're leaving out the part about you spinning the AR three full revolutions or dropping it to the ground numerous times [wink] Easy enough to comply with but outside of being alarmed at someone's gun handling out of the box, I can't imagine the reason I'd demand someone lock open an action on a hot range.
 
Sounds like a range Nazi unless you're leaving out the part about you spinning the AR three full revolutions or dropping it to the ground numerous times [wink] Easy enough to comply with but outside of being alarmed at someone's gun handling out of the box, I can't imagine the reason I'd demand someone lock open an action on a hot range.

Ha ha no I didnt even have time to do guntricks with my scary black rifle before I was asked. My AR is bone stock too so its not too frightning looking.
 
He was only a member and not an RO? Regardless, sometimes people really don't know what they're talking about and misunderstand the rules. They are trying to follow the rules to the point where it is no more safe and is pointless entirely. One day at Braintree an RO told me I couldn't carry a locked case onto the range while the range was cold, even if I stood behind the yellow line with it because I was not supposed to "handle a firearm during a ceasefire". I told him that it was only an empty case that I happened to be bringing to the range locked, but he didn't believe me [laugh]
 
typical fudd he was scarrred by your evil killy looking black rifle




since the range was hot, you should have mag dumped right as he was talking to you and let the weapon lock open thus ensuring that it was empty
 
I have ok eye site and I couldnt see a closed or open bolt on an AR from 2 stalls down (roughly 20 feet) and in this case the bolt was never facing him it was facing up with the rifle facing down range.
 
If the range was hot and the muzzle was pointed downrange, why would anyone even ask? I could understand someone asking on a cold range, but this one baffles me.
 
If the range was hot and the muzzle was pointed downrange, why would anyone even ask? I could understand someone asking on a cold range, but this one baffles me.

Yup thats why I asked. I dont have a history of unsafe behavior at the club, but now that I looked at the club rules~

OUTDOOR RANGE RULES

1. KEEP MUZZLES POINTED in a SAFE DIRECTION and DOWNRANGE at all times.

2. KEEP ALL FIREARMS UNLOADED. ALL BOLTS and CYLINDERS Must be OPEN and MAGAZINES REMOVED until in POSITION ON the FIRING LINE and READY TO FIRE. Keep FINGERS OFF the TRIGGER until READY TO FIRE.


He was not a RO, just a member
 
Yup thats why I asked. I dont have a history of unsafe behavior at the club, but now that I looked at the club rules~

OUTDOOR RANGE RULES

1. KEEP MUZZLES POINTED in a SAFE DIRECTION and DOWNRANGE at all times.

2. KEEP ALL FIREARMS UNLOADED. ALL BOLTS and CYLINDERS Must be OPEN and MAGAZINES REMOVED until in POSITION ON the FIRING LINE and READY TO FIRE. Keep FINGERS OFF the TRIGGER until READY TO FIRE.

You guys have a seperate area from where you shoot and keep your guns? at my range the front of the shooting pad is lined with a bench with plenty of room to put stuff.
 
You guys have a seperate area from where you shoot and keep your guns? at my range the front of the shooting pad is lined with a bench with plenty of room to put stuff.

There are large tables at the firing line with plenty of space to put multiple rifles. I can put all my gear and weapons and still have plenty of room. Everyone for the most part prepares on the firing line tables. There are smaller tables a few feet behind the large range tables but they dont fit much
 
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This wasnt today but this is the table on the firing line and exactly how my AR was sitting with no mag. This is exactly how I was set up. BTW thats how the AK came and the tacticool crap has been since removed. 1,000 POST!

holbrook.jpg
 
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Some clubs have a rule that any firearms not actively being handled must have the actions open (so that if a cease is called all actions can be quickly checked to ensure they are safe). Perhaps he came from somewhere where this is the rule.

I usually keep my actions open but I don't go checking other people's guns.
 
Yup thats why I asked. I dont have a history of unsafe behavior at the club, but now that I looked at the club rules~

OUTDOOR RANGE RULES

1. KEEP MUZZLES POINTED in a SAFE DIRECTION and DOWNRANGE at all times.

2. KEEP ALL FIREARMS UNLOADED. ALL BOLTS and CYLINDERS Must be OPEN and MAGAZINES REMOVED until in POSITION ON the FIRING LINE and READY TO FIRE. Keep FINGERS OFF the TRIGGER until READY TO FIRE.


He was not a RO, just a member

Sounds like an overboard on safety issue which is exactly why people grow to hate their clubs. It amazes me that the three or four rules of safe gun handling ( depending upon whose exact rules you follow) are so appropriate and all encompassing yet people feel the need to add mores ueless ones. It's like they can't handle the simplicity.
 
Yup thats why I asked. I dont have a history of unsafe behavior at the club, but now that I looked at the club rules~

OUTDOOR RANGE RULES

1. KEEP MUZZLES POINTED in a SAFE DIRECTION and DOWNRANGE at all times.

2. KEEP ALL FIREARMS UNLOADED. ALL BOLTS and CYLINDERS Must be OPEN and MAGAZINES REMOVED until in POSITION ON the FIRING LINE and READY TO FIRE. Keep FINGERS OFF the TRIGGER until READY TO FIRE.


He was not a RO, just a member

Well, given that set of rules, I can sort of understand the guy's question. Even so, if he's not an RO why the heck was he concerned enough to ask? It's not like what you were doing was in any way a safety hazard that would have affected anyone. The rule itself seems overkill. When a range is hot I consider any gun on the line as ready to fire and treat it accordingly. When the range goes cold I have an obligation to make sure that my guns are unloaded and make that condition obvious to other shooters for their peace of mind before they go downrange. Just common sense and courtesy.

Is the guy going to start asking shooters for their reload data? You know, just to make sure that no one is using an unsafe load? Maybe he could patrol the parking lot to make sure everyone is using their seat belts? [laugh]
 
Many clubs do not have a "Designated RO" and it becomes, for lack of a better term, "See something, say soemthing."

(I want to differentiate between RO and RSO...at my club, if you're running a Trap field, you're in effect a Range Officer, though you may or may not have an RSO certification. It just means that you're "running" a range.)

If the posted rules indicate that the gun should have an open bolt, and the guy was not full of attitude, IMO the OP should have said, "D'oh! Sorry." and opened the bolt. If the rule is considered by the OP to be "Too Fuddy" then he should try to get the rule changed. But, if the club went to the expense of getting it posted on a sign, I'd not hold my breath. [laugh]
 
Many clubs do not have a "Designated RO" and it becomes, for lack of a better term, "See something, say soemthing."

(I want to differentiate between RO and RSO...at my club, if you're running a Trap field, you're in effect a Range Officer, though you may or may not have an RSO certification. It just means that you're "running" a range.)

If the posted rules indicate that the gun should have an open bolt, and the guy was not full of attitude, IMO the OP should have said, "D'oh! Sorry." and opened the bolt. If the rule is considered by the OP to be "Too Fuddy" then he should try to get the rule changed. But, if the club went to the expense of getting it posted on a sign, I'd not hold my breath. [laugh]

No sign posted
 
[thinking]
I'm a charter member at that club. As a matter of fact, I helped build that range you were at in the late 70's. Originally it was a big bore silhouette range. Sometimes people show up that have an attitude that they know more than others and can tell them what to do. Even worse are the ones that think they have more authority because they have been a member longer than you. And then there are the I was here first today so I make the rules people. You find these people in life on a day to day basis. I treat them all the same no matter where I meet them. F#$% off a$$hole. It works for me. [grin]
 
I misread the post above mine where you said that you "looked at the Club rules" .

At Southborough, to get clearance to shoot, you have to read and sign a copy of the range rules....that way "I didn't know" is not a defense! [laugh]

My point was that you were not being unsafe, but that if another member (delusions of grandeur notwithstanding) points out that you're in violation of an established rule, you're caught.

If the guy pointing out your faux pas is an ass about it "Hey, moron, open your bolt!" , that's a separate issue. If he's polite about it, " 'Scuse me, Boss, can you open your bolt?" IMO he's doing his part for the Club.
 
At Southborough, to get clearance to shoot, you have to read and sign a copy of the range rules....that way "I didn't know" is not a defense! [laugh]

At WPRC, we have to listen to a reading of the rule book before we can be eligible for membership. It's brutal but no one can claim ignorance of the rules.
 
The next time you see that guy, ask him if he was the one who shot the payphone in the lobby many years ago.

Or the one who fired a round through all the partitions between shooting lanes in the indoor range. [thinking]

I was a charter member there at one time. The Sportsmans in the club's name is a misnomer.
 
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