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What are your range experiences like?

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What are your range experiences like?

Old 10-24-2005, 01:20 PM
  #11  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
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Posts: 226
Default RE: What are your range experiences like?

I use an indoor public range, operated by the county in which I live. A nice facility, operated by members of an area shooting club, on contract to the county. Nice bunch of guys - I haven't met one that I don't like. As for the other patrons...I've had no problems of which to speak. I was laughing with the RSO, just about a week ago, about all of the "sudden" deer hunters who had popped up...to sight in their rifles, just before the season. As someone else mentioned...here they are, dusting off their deer rifles (which had likely been in the closet, untouched since last season)....preparing to fire three or four rounds - before going after that "trophy buck". Very amusing. More so, since with so little practice, they probably couldn't hit that "trophy buck", even if it was close enough to tap them on the shoulder. So, as I enter the rifle bay, what do I see....a line of nice, shiny, barely used Winchesters, Remingtons, Rugers, etc.....all topped with Leupold 3 -9 x 40 scopes. Their owners, intently hunched over the adjusting turrets....trying to remember which way to turn the dials to move the POI up or down, etc. On the bench, beside their lovely rifles, sits an open and partially-used box of factory ammo....Remington, Winchester, Federal, etc. Oddly, the box looks a bit old and faded. Then I realise....that is the ONLY box of ammo they've ever purchased ! Too funny.

I do enjoy this time of year.....


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Old 10-24-2005, 02:15 PM
  #12  
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
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Posts: 97
Default RE: What are your range experiences like?

here in spokane wa. i go to the range in micka peack its got a 500 yard range and dont cost to much and the rang master there is exaleant
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Old 10-24-2005, 03:19 PM
  #13  
Nontypical Buck
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Olive Branch MS USA
Posts: 1,032
Default RE: What are your range experiences like?

Up until recently there was a public range in Memphis, TN that I used to go to on a regular basis. It was operated by the County and was very well regulated I thought. At all times there was at least one Range Master on duty and sometimes more. They ran a tight ship and didn't put up with any nonsense. You shot when they said the line was hot and backed away from the bench (behind a yellow line) when they said the line was clear. If you were a regular shooter there was never any confusion about that and if you were a novice, you learned quickly how things operated. I really enjoyed shooting there exceptfor the crappy way the benches were designed. But it seems all good things come to an end, so recent budget cuts and liability concerns forced it out of operation.

For one year I was a member of a local private shooting club, Memphis Sport Shooting Assn. The shooting ranges were self regulated by the shooters themselves, a method I was not particularly fond of.On one occassion some guys at the range almost came to blows because there was some confusion about whether the line had been hot or not. Some guys on my left had started down to inspect their targets while a guy on my right still thought the line was hot and almost fired a shot. Things got pretty heated and after that event, I decided I didn't want to belong any more. Besides, it was a much longer drive for me anyway and in the year I was a member I only visited 2 or 3 times. It wasn't worth the money.

So now I don't shoot quite as much, but when I do I either drive about 45 minutes to my cousin's hunting lease or a couple of hours to my hunting club. I prefer the hunting club simply because it's further away from civilization and when I go I usually go for the whole weekend.
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Old 10-24-2005, 04:06 PM
  #14  
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 7
Default RE: What are your range experiences like?

Thanks for the input guys, it's an interesting topic. I would like to go sight in my guns right and see what everyone else is shooting and admire, but quietly and from a distance, I am not looking to be anyones new friend. I am a full timecollege studentandwork at Bass Pro Shops/Outdoor world at the gun counter nights and weekends, and by no means am I any gun expert, I just know whats what, and basically all the necessary information that most people would want to know about a gun before they purchase it, and sometimes for the hardcore techies, I have to look things up they want to know.I get customers in that bring that buddy of theirs that knows EVERYTHING about guns, even which end the bullet comes out of! They are the biggest PITA customers, once I had one argue with me for 10 minutes and complain to a manager because I didn't have a single "autoloading pump action shotgun" in stock. Not a pump, not an autoloader, but a pump action auto loader. I am still baffled on that one. My point is, generally in their next breath guys like this talk about the range and how often they go. It makes me not want to go.
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Old 10-24-2005, 05:08 PM
  #15  
Giant Nontypical
 
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Central Ohio
Posts: 8,561
Default RE: What are your range experiences like?

I've had good and mediocre experiences at public ranges, but nothing bad yet. I've seen some real jokers who thought they were hot stuff... but they were ignorant. They didn't bother me though.

I've had some good experiences, though. The park ranger on duty has been helpful on more than one occasion. I was having some issues once, and they guy next to me (a hand loader working with multiple clover leaf groups from his .22-250!!!) had some good advice for me. I eaves dropped on a recently discharged soldier who was teaching his girlfriend how to shoot, and picked up some tips that I had learned as a kid, but got sloppy with...

I've both lent and borrowed tools at the range.

The coolest experience... talking to a former Isreali soldier who shoots competitively in30 cal.

Worst experience... I forgot my ear plugs, and since the range is 45 minutes from my house, I decided to improvise with wet tissues. It didn't work, and I had ringing ears for a couple of days.
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Old 10-24-2005, 06:33 PM
  #16  
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
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Posts: 109
Default RE: What are your range experiences like?

I live on a farm and have a shooting bench in my backyard that allows me to shoot at out to 400yds across one of the fields into the levee (or berm as you might call it) which surrounds my reservoir. I have done the public/private range thing when I lived in cities, but no more.
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Old 10-24-2005, 10:28 PM
  #17  
Nontypical Buck
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Baileysville, WV
Posts: 2,925
Default RE: What are your range experiences like?

Man I didnt reallize how good I had it on this one. Theres is a DNR WMA (RD Bailey) shooting range less than 3 miles from here. You can shoot up to 200 yards and as is the case with most..the only time it sees any pressure is in the month of November. It really is funny driving by a few days before buck season comes in adn seeing what a wad of folks there tryin to shoot. I will cut most some slack though...around here 6-7 days a week of work is pretty much the norm...so I wont be too critical.

I usually go early in the mornings during the spring and summer and rarely if ever have anybody else there. No rangemasters or anything. Just 6 or 8 benches and a very relaxing way to spend a day.
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Old 10-24-2005, 10:44 PM
  #18  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 171
Default RE: What are your range experiences like?

I can't stand the know it alls. Some guy came over to me last time, I thought just to be friendly, but that was not the case. I was shooting a 7mm remmag and he proceded to lecture me on how magnums are stupid. I kinda have a hot temper and to avoid any more trouble I pleasently asked him to mind his own business and put my earmuffs on and turned around. Someone stated earlier just keep your muffs on and they will leave you alone. I'm sure not all clubs are like that but that is just my experience.
J Bolt 7mm is offline  
Old 10-24-2005, 10:44 PM
  #19  
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Waipahu, Hawaii
Posts: 37
Default RE: What are your range experiences like?

Depends on where you shoot, some places are squeezing your nuts the whole time youre there, others dont even have range control. My experiences usually consist of making a big hole (5 shot groups) in the middle of paper plates with my 1911, then I go to the rifle side and shoot until I get bored killong paper, then I shoot other peoples target frames.
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Old 10-24-2005, 11:46 PM
  #20  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
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Posts: 306
Default RE: What are your range experiences like?

I like them, because you can get a lot of good information if you are willing to listen to a couple know it alls and just ignore it all. Plus often times i've been able to shoot other guys guns to try them out, or just shoot a couple shots from a cool gun (shot my first ar 15 at a range someone i didn't even know allowed me to shoot, and a 454, same thing) the rules are good i think, because they are usually rules we should all follow anyway. safety with firearms is no joke.
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