Lets Discuss “Range Etiquette” for a moment!

[Remmy700]

Oh snap sick burn! Good one!

 

[misterc01]

Another take on this. It is a SHARED range - and public - YOU are responsible for YOUR hearing protection. Using a can - then add muffs if another shooter is there without one. Since it is public shared range, anyone I is free to talk - not distract. so wait for lull in "mister I am the only really serious shooter here testing ammo and my time is more important than yours" to speak directly to him (or her)and ASK about target checks. I see no problem with anyone PERIODICALLY doing a target check since even with a spotting scope, getting up close gets a better view. Does any one REALLY NOT want t some one to compliment them on their firearm? Agree that unsuppressed AR's belong far from everyone WHENPOSSIBLE - use a cart catcher! A trip to the range is also a social event to many and it is a public shared range, so be just as courteous to those who are there for fun. AND young shooter are ALWAYS welcome, so you have to have realistic expectations and it never hurts to be friendly. Those testing ammo usually spend a large amount of time documenting, so don't be surprised or obviously irritated if some peon beneath you, the great master of all things guns, deigns to speak talks to you - since you do not look that busy. AND don't expect everyone to wait for you to do your thing, - they are doing theirs on the public shared range. NOTE: I was working up some loads for my rifle, and stopped to make notes. A guy said "Hi - looks like you are doing some load development." OF course I said "yes" and decided a quick break would not hurt - long story short - he and a coupe friends with him and turn out to be were former national record holding long range shooters. Just being pleasant and talking to them, their info and tips moved me to much higher level in both reloading AND shooting skills. To boot - one of the guys 17 year old son was a top notch match shooter as well!

 

[DocB]

I've helped several hundred people thru the years..
Now I just want to shoot and not be bothered.

Yup!

Load development time is just for that, not socializing, not teaching, not for being annoyed. Any other time it's kewl. I'll teach, chat, visit, help, watch, coach. But not during load dev time. Stay away or risk injured feelings.

 

[John Klingenberg]

I used to work part time at a private range, sometimes I'd teach or help out with the CCW classes. Good God the things I've seen! I've had pistols in my face, muzzle swept, seen rifles explode, negligent discharges, people walking to targets while others are still shooting, people bring bottles to shoot, 380, markorov, 38 supers, 7.62x25, 9mm largo, 38 special, s&w, all been tried in 9mm pistols. It amazes me the human race ever survived to proliferate out of the trees.

 

[Lynn Coleman]

Fortunate to be in a private range that is typically well structured with 98% that I've encountered good people who are "working" to improve performance of loads, technique. But there will always be the IDIOT who either did not read the fine print or just plain F'n stupid. Great discussion.

 

[Shane Lindsey]

My favorite is the dude more worried about getting his girly's picture with his cell phone that he ain't thinking about the entire line she is flagging with his M4x2000 Ultra with Laser Sighting.

Was with my 10 year old boy and he had better handling skills than most out there. We said, pack the gear, we ain't getting dead by these idiots.

 

[nicholasjohn]

I don't agree with this. I am at my local range every weekend for 4-6 hours. I shoot 2800-4000 centerfire rounds each year. And half of them are doing load development. The other half are at ranges from 500-1700+.

There are several regulars, including a couple who are LE trainers that shoot hundreds of rounds weekly from SBRs and handguns. It can be annoying, but they are awesome people honing their skills to teach others. Lots of other guys who are learning and practicing.
Every rifle I own has a brake. From 6CM to .300RUM and 6 others in between. Plus the opportunity to shoot 40 or so other rifles each year.
I welcome questions from lesser experienced shooters. I regularly offer help to people who need it. Both in helping sight in their rifles, with tools to help, and with information.
All of my personal rifles are high end customs. With top tier glass. No big deal when people ask me about them, or want to see what a true high end optic looks like. Most of the other rifles I get to shoot are customs or high end factory rifles too. Always nice to look at sexy toys and discuss them. Not everyone can afford high end toys, but everyone like to look at them.
Only takes a few seconds to help spot for someone. Not everyone getting into the sport can afford high end glass to see 6mm holes at 200+ yards.
It is not that difficult to bore sight a rifle at 100 or even 200. I do it all the time by simply pulling the bolt and looking down the bore and dialing to get on paper. I actually NEVER bore sight and zero a scoped rifle at 25 or 50 yards. Ever. And I zero 40+ rifles a year. If you can't bore sight it past 25 or 50, maybe you need the help.

Helping others is good manners and improves the sport. Everyone starts out sometime. No need to be an elitist and discourage others who need help. If you want the place to yourself, don't go to a public range.

A couple of comments : First, you are a gentleman, Sir - and patient. Second, we need to encourage new ( and inexperienced ) shooters; not shut them out. We want our sport to grow, not shrink. Our gun rights are better defended by a large group. Lastly, I was hoping that someone would bring up the old-fashioned concept of bore-sighting. When done properly, one can have his first shot "on the paper" at 100 yards EVERY TIME.

By properly, I mean that it should be done at long-ish range, like you mentioned. I would add, though, that doing some rough work at home with a thumb-tack on the back fence is never a bad idea - it may save an extra trip to the range. If you find out that something needs to be shimmed, that's a lot easier to do in the shop than at the range. Back when we were all using those old Redfield-style mounts ( with the windage adjustment in the rear base ) we tweaked a few of those on our rough-in session to save range time for the fine-tuning.

Also, it's important to mention the concept of concentric circles, since the center of the hole is only really the true center if/when the big hole on the chamber end and the little hole at the muzzle are concentric to each other. It seems obvious to you and me, but the last time I demoed it to a guy at the range, the look on the guy's face told me that he had never thought of that. He wasn't a moron, either - he had just not thought about all the little details that can make a difference. I never mind when someone points out a useful detail to me. Done in a gentlemanly fashion, that's how the finer points get passed along. I'm always receptive to new ideas that might help me hone my skills.

 

[smokepoler]

Here's a suggestion. Get a big bore shutzenbumer (.338L, 30 Nosler, 7RM, etc.) have a ported brake installed, take it to the range every time. When an ignorant, stupid or lame bozo sets up next to you, go back to the vehicle and get it. After the first shot, the offender will probably pack up and go home.

 

[Zerk]

I don't shoot at a range. Don't like being around people. The guy who started this thread sounds like a bit of an a hole to me.

What I tell people who want to tell their neighbors what to do, is you should have bought more land, and chose better where you live. It is what I live. Though can never have enough land.

I really don't care if you have to wear hearing protection at the range. If you came to me, and said he I have my hearing protection off can you help me. If there is room I would move.

If I want to check my groupings, I don't care if that bothers you, you are at a public range.

Someone wants to say hello to a you, which is beyond be why, ok.

A gun, car, bike, tool, _____ guy who doesn't want to talk his gizmo??


You should go find a place where you can shoot in private. Not expect everyone else to change for you. I don't care about you. You don't care about me. So we are even.

 

[98dyna]

Will my 8mm Remington Mag work? Why yes it will and without a brake.

 

[yorke-1]

I want to believe that this is kind of a tongue-in-cheek rant, otherwise there are an awful lot of elitists on here. I haven't shot at an established range in more than 15 years because of folks like that.

What kind of low rent rifle range doesn't have brass screens to put up between benches? It would only cost a couple of bucks each to build some, so just donate $200 to the range and make it happen.

If you're at a range that's accessible to other people, just wear some ear plugs. Unless there's some underlying medical condition, it shouldn't be a big deal. Or just put some ear buds in and listen to some music.

If you don't want to help new shooter out that's fine, but there's no need to talk down to a guy or judge them because of the equipment they have. Everybody has to start somewhere.

I shoot a lot of very unusual guns in unusual chamberings so I know I'm going to get questions or requests to shoot them. I just bring a couple extra rounds with me and always have a target for new folks to shoot at. I've never told somebody that they can't try out a gun because of the cost per shot or some other petty reason. If you can afford the equipment, you can afford to let a few people fire off a round or two just for the experience.

Just stay away from established ranges if you don't like what goes on there. Just because it's a private range doesn't mean that it's "your" private range. Anyone with a couple of bucks can join unless the range wants to have qualification requirements.

 

[Shadowwalker]

So many of us are pretty dedicated in the art of not only proper shooting form but also building our own precision loads tuned for our rifles. Many hours is spent in the reloading room with the built up excitement at the next chance to try this stuff out on the range. Over the years I have seen some stupid things that make me realize some people could care less about us load testers or anyone else for that matter! So here are a few things that I absolutely hate and please chime in with what u have experienced! New guys read this and DO NOT DO IT!
1. If the range is wide open except for one person who happens to have a little blue reloading box open with nice neat rows of 5 rounds staggered with gaps between them to carefully keep his loads separated, wearing a can with a magnetospeed mounted to it, KEEP your distance with your stupid AR and refrain from pelting him with brass.
2. As mentioned before he has a can and is not wearing hearing protection so do not come to the next stall away from him carefully lining up your tank break on your 6.5 creedmoor with his face.
3. Do not talk to this guy unless he first talks to u. This is not the barber shop and serious business is taking place.
4. If the rifle he has looks nice and expensive, well it prolly is. If u want to know more about it, use google.
5. Use your 30x powered scope with 2 foot sunshade on it to check your groups. U don't need to go down after every 5 rounds to look at your target. And most importantly don't ask that guy that is mentioned on the first 4 do not do items if he can check your target for u cause u can't see your shots!
6. Lastly and most importantly don't ask for help zeroing your scope because u are trying to do it at 200 yds and not at 25 or 50 yds like normal experienced shooters. Also don't ask for Allen wrench set or tools cause u are to stupid to bring what u need to the range!

I know I forgot some things, help me out fellows on your DO NOT LIST while u are at the range!

Ok

 

[MNbogboy]

To add a bit of humor...at the local club one day I was trying a few loads at 400 & 600 that I worked up at home on my 100. These were both savage hunting rifles, nothing fancy, one in 6.5/257 Bob A.I. and another a 6.5 Creed. Vortex 6.5-20 scopes, shooting off a cheap Caldwell rock and rear bag.
The guy at the next table was shooting a custom Cooper 6x47 with a big expensive Leupold (can't remember what model). He had a spotting scope, variety of shell boxes, shooting vest, all top notch stuff and to top it off "very shiney looking ammo". He was shooting at 200 yards.
I was waiting for him to finish to drive down & pick up my 400 & 600 yard targets.
When he finished he walked over, looked at my brass and asked me why I was shooting such ugly looking brass and said that if I reload that a tumbler is a necessity.
Well long story short, we turned on the strobe and he road with me to pick up targets. We picked his 200 yard target first with a couple of ok groups around 2 or 3 inches and a couple of wild looking groups at 5" or 6".
My 400 yard groups were 2+ inch from the Bob an 1-1/2" from the Creed. Then the 600 yard groups, 4-1/2" from the Bob & 3-1/2" from the Creed. Nothing fancy but respectable for 8-1/2 pound guns.
He spent the next hour & a half grilling me on how I prepare my loads including my brass prep!

 

[Win.308Stealth]

I shoot suppressed. But I wont get ****ed off if someone starts shooring next to me and I have to put on ears. OP almost makes it sound because he has a suppressor, people without suppresors dont have a right of being on the range same time he is. Your at the range, be preparwd to wear ear protection.