Have you experienced new shooters like this at the range? How did you handle it?

Firearm Training On Range
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I had the displeasure of experiencing similar shooters at a local range in my area. Not only was it scary, I also had to play the role of firearms instructor and range officer. The worse part of this experience was the staff didn’t flinch at my complaint but thank me for assisting the new shooters who’d purchased the 45cal minutes before rental a lane. Since I wear concealable level 3a body armor during outings at the range.

Have you experienced new shooters like the ones in the video at the range? How did you handle it? PLEASE watch the entire video before responding. Thanks!

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I have no issue with new shooters, however, there needs to be an RSO on the lanes when there’s a new shooter - or they should be with an instructor or someone who really knows what they’re doing and is watching closely. The one girl in the green is flagging her friend. :confounded: I’m shocked no one got slide bite. :confused: But now they all have the wrong grip as the start of their grip habit.

I’ve had to stop shooting to help others - it’s not my first choice for my range time. But I do know that those who are really interested will appreciate it and when I teach someone else, I’m helping put a good light on the entire Second Amendment community.

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Then you have those who just want to try shooting a gun, unknowingly it’s a craft to do so.

Totally agree!

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I’ve taken my conservative uncle to the range because his brother (my liberal uncle) went and shot a handgun that week. :woman_facepalming:

Mind you, my uncles are in their 70’s and 80’s and this is the first time they’re shooting a handgun. My conservative uncle didn’t say it was because the other uncle had shot a handgun - I didn’t find that out until later. He told me he wanted to shoot a handgun before he died. (That’s one way to get your niece to drop everything and check on your health!)

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:see_no_evil:
I do have nothing against new inexperienced shooters, but I’m wondering if one RSO is enough to handle situations like this.
Shooting range shouldn’t be a social media place :face_with_symbols_over_mouth:
I can understand taking picture or short video (everyone is exited to shoot the gun) but 10 min log report is too much :rage:
The worst what I’ve seen here - no RSO telling any word, correcting inappropriate gun treatment.
(I’ve been corrected by RSO several times to keep the muzzle down the range during reloads…until I’ve stopped doing this. There is no better way to learn than be corrected).
That’s my opinion as a range user. Thx God I do not need to deal with it… if I see something like this, I just back off. There are another 6 days during the week I can shoot without “media show”.

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And he had the right person to guide him through his experience!

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Clearly these are cherry shooters. Or in simple terms “newbies”. I noticed so many things wrong. There was a moment at around the 6:39 Mark girl in right land turned a potentially loaded firearm to the lady on the left. They are to glued to there cell phones like this is a game. Shooting should be fun and just important training to win. But come on all the talking and photos and videos is in called for. No range staff the correct there behavior. Looks like all of them have never handled a weapon. I also want to add that they are in a indoor gun range much louder than an outdoor range. I go shooting out in the middle of no where I don’t get a lot of this crap where I shoot. I wouldn’t intervene not my business unless they point that weapon at me then I’m afraid I would be in fear of my life and eliminate the threat. A gun is a gun they all go “bang” and they vary on how much damage is inflicted. In a shooting environment like that I would not allow unsupervised new shooters. The risks and there lack of muzzle control are dangerous. We could of very likely seen a girls shooting day turn horribly wrong resulting in injury or death. On a positive note. I think if they had a good trainer put the damn phones away and shot they have the potential to be very good shooters.

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There are only two times I will completely ignore my phone - on my motorcycle and when I’m shooting. At work I can check it from time to time. With my family I check it from time to time. I look at it before I go to bed, get out of the bed in the morning, and if I can’t sleep at night (yup, checking on the Community). But not on the range.

It’s an hour of “peace and quiet” without my phone.

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Exactly choose your phone or your gun. Cell phone isn’t going to save you. I leave my cell in my truck at the range. I’m there to train and I train a lot. I can shoot at just about any scenario you put me in. My list if credentials is not important here. But I use what I know I continue to train and adapt the new situations all the time.

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@Peter , don’t leave the phone in the truck. There is a good drill to practice - drop your phone, draw the gun, 3 shots in center mass. All in 1.5 seconds :slight_smile:

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I keep my phone in case I need to call 911…

Lots of wrong in that video, lots of horrible muzzle control. I think the range did a disservice to those people. I love seeing new shooters, but some basic instruction is needed. I think they should have had a RSO in there, demonstrating how the guns fire, getting grip down, safety and such. maybe even just have a couple of them in at a time.

Of course, this range might not have the staff for RSO’s to be with new shooters.
But that could have been handled a lot better. I do hope they keep shooting, maybe even take a class or two, the more shooters the better!

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Ok, 30 seconds into that video and I don’t EVEN want to watch any more. :scream: I might make myself do so later, just as an educational exercise, but I want to be able to sleep tonight.

If I see that, I’m stepping in and helping. Gals cringing behind the door… NOT ok. Those young ladies need to step out and get some information before they go back in. If they won’t let me help, I’m getting the RSO on it. If the RSO doesn’t handle it, or there are too many for the number of RSOs, I’m out of there and on to the range manager, or out of the range.

In the 22 years I’ve been shooting handguns I’ve only been sent packing by new shooters once - actually it was the boyfriend and it was clear the gal was scared and wasn’t in for having him upset - don’t know WHAT that dynamic was but I figured I wasn’t going to make it any better, and I just didn’t want to be there if it went wrong.

I’ve had some boyfriends or husbands upset, but when the gal is in tears and giving me the clear “yes I want your help”, I’m in, even if he’s mad.

My husband will also step in if we’re at the range together - he usually takes the guys, I take the gals - just easier that way. Sometimes we split the couple, I take her, and he takes the guy and has that “women… what can you do?!” chat with him until he settles down and they can talk shooting. Then he can get on to the “how to get your gal to want to go to the range with you” stuff that makes it better later.

At the unsupervised ranges, a couple times we’ve packed up immediately when some guy on the shooting line won’t take advice and is clearly not safe.

The RSOs at the indoor range I shoot at are excellent, and I’ve seen them pull other RSOs from behind the sales counter to handle it when there’s too many people to watch and help. They’re very quick to step in and make corrections and to help and coach if needed so people are safe. They aren’t going to teach you to shoot though… and they’ll strongly suggest training with their in-house teachers.

BTW, most of the time when I have to do this it means I don’t get to do any more of my own shooting. That’s ok, though, because someone else is going home safe, and hopefully enthusiastic, about learning more.

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Jerzy it’s the only phone I got. I rather leave it in truck.

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@Peter :+1:

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The Range I shot at, would not let anyone buy a new firearm and go into the Range. With out giving them some training first. And if your a new shooter you will pay $65.00 dollars. They will teach you safety, how to clean the firearm, how to load the firearm, lets just make this short, you get a lot for the 65.00 dollars. And if your a New Shooter you will not use the Range until you pay the 65.00 and take the training. No horse playing like them girls did.

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Sadly I’ve seen considerably worse.

None of those gals should have a loaded firearm in their hands without a qualified instructor to supervise and help.

I’ll try to help but if they get too wild/dangerous I’m outta there and will tell the range operators they need supervision or to be removed.

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At the range recently, I noticed a fellow patron place his rifle, butt down on the ground, muzzle facing up, leaning against the wall dividing the lane, almost at 90 degrees.

I could not help but think, what if that rifle fell, depending on the type of rifle, and if loaded, it could shoot at random, and injure someone.

Guess I could have politely mentioned something to the patron, and or to the range staff at the counter.

What’s the best way to place a rifle down at the range to rest it? I thought it included: Turn safety on, ensure no round is in the chamber, lay it facing 180 degrees flat, on the lane’s table/bench, barrel facing down range toward target. Thank you.

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Pretty much how I do it. Remove magazine, make sure chamber is clear, lay it on top of range table, pointing down range.

YMMV

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Appreciated. Went to the range this morning with a family member. Saw safety practiced by many today. Kudos! Yours, Burdo

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I was at the indoor range a few weeks ago and a middle aged gentleman and what I believe were his two adult sons came in with a range employee. I could tell by the conversation that they we not experienced shooters. They had rented two lanes and several pistols. After they had shot several rounds, the older man walked down to my lane and ask if I knew how to clear a jam. I said yes and walked to his lane. There was a Glock 19 on the bench. I picked it up and there was around on the ramp, but not in battery. I tried several times to clear it, but it would not budge. I locked back the slide an it finally fell out. He had loaded a .40 into a 9mm. I told him to put the pistols and ammo that matched in separated lanes and make d*** sure you know what you are loading.

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