Theft at Outdoor Public Range - Deep Thoughts by Jack Handy

[Alphatreedog]

The 300 yd State range I occasionally frequent has had out of staters raid the benches when shooters were checking targets . So yeah I carry down range . At my private club I usually know someone on the line so no worries there. A word of caution though . My virginity was stolen at the range .

 

[Dogtown]

I miss Jack Handy...he was my regular Thursday laugh on AFRTS.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

I miss Jack Handy...he was my regular Thursday laugh on AFRTS.

"They can't take dogs on the space shuttle... they'll put their face out the window and it will burn off..." Jack Handy.

Classic!

 

[Marinevet1]

I used to shoot at a public range in Missouri. I heard a story about some guys down range changing a target when a guy drove up, picked up one of their guns, fired it at them, then scooped up a bunch more and ran off.

Still shot at that range, but I always slung an AR when heading down to change targets after hearing that story.

I don't know of a public range that would let you carry a AR down range when the range went cold............

 

[Dogtown]

 

[whatsupdoc]

I shoot at a public range with no issues, when a ceasefire is called all firearms go into the racks and a
RO walks by and eyes them to confirm the bolts are open and no mags.

Then no one is allowed to touch a firearm until the RO calls the range hot.

 

[rjacobs]

I don't know of a public range that would let you carry a AR down range when the range went cold............

Read my follow on post...

Its a big pit in the ground... No RSO's. Completely unmanned and free. Missouri has at least 4(that I know of) really nice manned ranges that cost money to shoot at(like 3 bucks an hour) where obviously you aren't carrying shit down range unless its your CCW(which you arent supposed to, but who will stop you), but there are LOTS of unmanned, pits, with some berms cut in them and concrete shooting benches...

There was a guy there shagging brass one day who almost got shot by me... the fucker was damn near in front of my muzzle when I was shooting trying to pick up brass. I stopped, dropped my mag, cleared my gun, and told him to look where he was(my gun was pointing at him, even though I didnt move it)... I told him I would be picking up my own brass and if he got in front of me again I probably wouldnt stop shooting next time... He un-assed the area pretty quickly...

Im glad I shoot on a members only range here in Texas now...

 

[Kycl2012]

I guess I am just paranoid. I never leave anything where people can take it. If I had to piss at a range I would pack up and take it with me or hold it. That makes for fun shooting

 

[seanh]

People stealing stuff it gun ranges is nothing new... happened to me.

Years ago, about three decades, I worked at a local gun range... work as an RO. While technically we weren't allowed to shoot while we were working, it was common practice so long as it was slow and you didn't ignore your duties. So, one day I had my rifle with me and wanted to get some shooting time in ... a couple of shots here and there throughout the day.

The rifle stayed in the rack throughout the day, I felt pretty comfortable because I've been working there a little while and knew most of the shooters that came in. The day came and went and it's time to clean up.

So I go to the normal check on the Range, sweep the brass, clean the trash bring in the spotting scopes. There was one shooter left on the range hood got there late. Since there wasn't anybody else there we really didn't mind.

I just brought in 90% of the Scopes, couldn't bring in all of them because my hands were full. So I'm up in the club house and I look back and the guy is finished loading his car and takes off... I'll look out and my gun is gone. I proceeded to get in my car and try to find this guy but he was gone and nowhere to be found.

I know, 100% my fault. But this was in a time where you could actually trust your neighbor. The fucked-up part was this was a gun that my granddad built... He was a gunsmith when he retired. To top it off it was one of three guns that were left behind when my grandparents house was broken into. Dad was beyond pissed... until the day he died he never forgave me for this...fucked up part number 2... My half-brother stole and sold the other two guns.

The gun was a sporterized 03 Springfield. Beautiful Walnut stock, buffalo horn forend cap and pistol grip cap.

At least I still have the gun cabinet that Grandad made....

 

[M8541Reaper]

Maybe we just lock them in the car when we head down range?

The kids or the guns?

 

[M8541Reaper]

I guess I am just paranoid. I never leave anything where people can take it. If I had to piss at a range I would pack up and take it with me or hold it. That makes for fun shooting

Do you do that when you change targets downrange? It’s the same concept.

 

[JbBooks]

Somewhere out there there's a guy that leaves some high end stuff on a bench. It's a game. It's his little game.

I like to leave a hi-point out, I use it for profiling purposes!

 

[M8541Reaper]

Read my follow on post...

Its a big pit in the ground... No RSO's. Completely unmanned and free. Missouri has at least 4(that I know of) really nice manned ranges that cost money to shoot at(like 3 bucks an hour) where obviously you aren't carrying shit down range unless its your CCW(which you arent supposed to, but who will stop you), but there are LOTS of unmanned, pits, with some berms cut in them and concrete shooting benches...

There was a guy there shagging brass one day who almost got shot by me... the fucker was damn near in front of my muzzle when I was shooting trying to pick up brass. I stopped, dropped my mag, cleared my gun, and told him to look where he was(my gun was pointing at him, even though I didnt move it)... I told him I would be picking up my own brass and if he got in front of me again I probably wouldnt stop shooting next time... He un-assed the area pretty quickly...

Im glad I shoot on a members only range here in Texas now...

Yea a lot of those brass hoarders seem to get tunnel vision and don’t realize how far they’ve strayed from their bench. The best is when you’re prone and you feel someone stepping over you and grabbing brass from your area/next to your body/on top of your bag/between your legs... while you’re in the middle of shooting. Look bro, that isn’t a piece of 223 brass, that’s me.

 

[M8541Reaper]

People stealing stuff it gun ranges is nothing new... happened to me.

Years ago, about three decades, I worked at a local gun range... work as an RO. While technically we weren't allowed to shoot while we were working, it was common practice so long as it was slow and you didn't ignore your duties. So, one day I had my rifle with me and wanted to get some shooting time in ... a couple of shots here and there throughout the day.

The rifle stayed in the rack throughout the day, I felt pretty comfortable because I've been working there a little while and knew most of the shooters that came in. The day came and went and it's time to clean up.

So I go to the normal check on the Range, sweep the brass, clean the trash bring in the spotting scopes. There was one shooter left on the range hood got there late. Since there wasn't anybody else there we really didn't mind.

I just brought in 90% of the Scopes, couldn't bring in all of them because my hands were full. So I'm up in the club house and I look back and the guy is finished loading his car and takes off... I'll look out and my gun is gone. I proceeded to get in my car and try to find this guy but he was gone and nowhere to be found.

I know, 100% my fault. But this was in a time where you could actually trust your neighbor. The fucked-up part was this was a gun that my granddad built... He was a gunsmith when he retired. To top it off it was one of three guns that were left behind when my grandparents house was broken into. Dad was beyond pissed... until the day he died he never forgave me for this...fucked up part number 2... My half-brother stole and sold the other two guns.

The gun was a sporterized 03 Springfield. Beautiful Walnut stock, buffalo horn forend cap and pistol grip cap.

At least I still have the gun cabinet that Grandad made....

That’s really rough man, sorry to hear it. People are the worst. I don’t shoot at indoor ranges, but if I did, no way I’d leave anything unattended. Most indoor places have insane hourly rates so that cuts out any real need to leave the bay (as a customer, obviously your situation was different).

 

[norcalAF]

No one else just pisses where they are standing?

Keeps the guns safe and eliminates unwanted conversation.

Win/win.

I'm still wearing my dirty pee pants!

 

[norcalAF]

Yea a lot of those brass hoarders seem to get tunnel vision and don’t realize how far they’ve strayed from their bench. The best is when you’re prone and you feel someone stepping over you and grabbing brass from your area/next to your body/on top of your bag/between your legs... while you’re in the middle of shooting. Look bro, that isn’t a piece of 223 brass, that’s me.

Not a 30-06 kinda feller huh? Built for comfort!

 

[M8541Reaper]

I'm still wearing my dirty pee pants!

 

[seanh]

Is that the same age where you take a nice dump at the same time every morning... But wake up an hour or two later?

 

[308pirate]

even the private (membership) range I go to has 'strangers' that I don't know.

I never go downrange without a pistol. And something like my Sako is on the line, I take the bolt with me.

Same here except that when I go downrange I take my rifle with a loaded mag in my pocket.

 

[bigdaddydmd]

I never think about it until my kids are with me. Then I am constantly trying to decide between taking them down range with me to keep them from being abducted, or leaving them behind in case some idiot sends one past my head; I do not think there is a correct answer there.

I believe the correct answer is train those kids to run downrange and change targets for you. Is that why we have kids? Because we got sick of mowing our own grass and having to hoof it downrange to hang targets? Bonus points if you teach them to run the targets up and down and mark them in the pit on the KD range.

 

[seanh]

Dude... I think we had the same dad... Didn't know I might have another brother... pops always was kind of a player... You never know... LOL

Did your dad happen to let you stick a knife and a power outlet ... cuz you wouldn't listen to reason and just had to find stuff out on your own?

 

[High H2o]

When I was doing a build recently, I thought having a Spuhr QD mount for my ZCO would be really cool. Then I got to thinking about it growing legs while I was in the pisser. The build was finished with a non-QD mount.

Pee bottle in the the truck....

 

[brianf]

the 2 bigger ranges i uses to frequent would not let anyone in or out during a target change just for that reason.

RO said if you get back to you bench and the rifles not there the guys still has to be there.

 

[MtnCreek]

A little off topic. Years back there was a guy on here that would post pics of his rifle in threads all the time. Nice rifle, but after seeing it 30+ times I thought he might could have posted a few less pics... Seemed like a nice guy, so if he's still here, I'm not trying to be a dick. He posts a thread about someone screwing with his rifle while he's down range. Gets back from hanging/marking/whatever targets and now his rifle isn't even on paper. He's pretty sure someone adjusted his scope turrets. I guess he can't see splash cause he gives up, packs up and goes home not knowing where his rifle is shooting. Lots of complaining (read Bitching) about how someone fucked with his turrets. I thought he was trolling. Someone came along and asked why he didn't just zero the turrets. Dude was like WTF how am I supposed to remember which number on the turrets is my zero.

 

[Kycl2012]

Do you do that when you change targets downrange? It’s the same concept.

I live in a city so my range has the mechanical target mover.

 

[M8541Reaper]

I live in a city so my range has the mechanical target mover.

Ewwwwww an indoor range?

 

[M8541Reaper]

Is that the same age where you take a nice dump at the same time every morning... But wake up an hour or two later?

The worst part of pooping the bed at 35 is waking up. Wife is all mad for someone reason, laundry day isn’t for another four weeks, and you’re only two weeks into your 10wk PineSol DETOX.

 

[M8541Reaper]

A little off topic. Years back there was a guy on here that would post pics of his rifle in threads all the time. Nice rifle, but after seeing it 30+ times I thought he might could have posted a few less pics... Seemed like a nice guy, so if he's still here, I'm not trying to be a dick. He posts a thread about someone screwing with his rifle while he's down range. Gets back from hanging/marking/whatever targets and now his rifle isn't even on paper. He's pretty sure someone adjusted his scope turrets. I guess he can't see splash cause he gives up, packs up and goes home not knowing where his rifle is shooting. Lots of complaining (read Bitching) about how someone fucked with his turrets. I thought he was trolling. Someone came along and asked why he didn't just zero the turrets. Dude was like WTF how am I supposed to remember which number on the turrets is my zero.

The last time I had someone finger fucking my rifle was like ten years ago in FL. I was painting steel and came back to find the RSO touching my shit. Some people’s kids...

 

[Kycl2012]

Ewwwwww an indoor range?

Yeah. And when I go to the rifle range it is always with a friend. So I am exempt

 

[TexPatriot]

When I worked part time on an outdoor range in the latter end of the last century, theft was never an issue. Most all the shooters were conservative white people, not scumbags.

One guy came up and shot his Weatherby Vanguard and then drove off and left it laying on the bench in a case. Lucky for him the owner knew him and called and told him he left his rifle, otherwise it would have gone into the range safe until the owner came up and collected it.

 

[TheGerman]

I never really do public ranges, but both those I do shoot at regularly are unattended (no staff) and out of town a bit. Sometimes full of people, sometimes not. Only really paranoid thing I do is always be armed. Especially when downrange. If I am doing pistol work, always keep a spare mag on me somewhere, so not empty.

2-3 times I have lost something at one of these ranges. Leave a mag behind, get home and realize the WML has launched off. NEVER get them back. Yes, I put my name on everything. Yes, there's a clubhouse with a nice lost-and-found shelf, which I pretty regularly put stuff on. Nope, people at vetted membership ranges are thieves still.

Don't trust anyone.

This.

If I have a rig/carrier on, there is always a fully loaded mag with M193 in the final reload pouch that never gets touched.

If pistol, reload (or if doing reloads, pocket) has a full mag of Gold Dots in it that never get used.

Even if shooting just a 22LR for distance work, we bring at least a sidearm and usually a carbine with us.

Have had 2 weird run ins out in the desert while shooting and although nothing happened, one of those times I was 200% certain I was about to start shooting.

 

[Huskydriver]

This.

If I have a rig/carrier on, there is always a fully loaded mag with M193 in the final reload pouch that never gets touched.

If pistol, reload (or if doing reloads, pocket) has a full mag of Gold Dots in it that never get used.

Even if shooting just a 22LR for distance work, we bring at least a sidearm and usually a carbine with us.

Have had 2 weird run ins out in the desert while shooting and although nothing happened, one of those times I was 200% certain I was about to start shooting.

Details on the run ins!!?

 

[MtnCreek]

If he was 200%, sounds like we're not going to get to hear about it.

 

[M8541Reaper]

This.

If I have a rig/carrier on, there is always a fully loaded mag with M193 in the final reload pouch that never gets touched.

If pistol, reload (or if doing reloads, pocket) has a full mag of Gold Dots in it that never get used.

Even if shooting just a 22LR for distance work, we bring at least a sidearm and usually a carbine with us.

Have had 2 weird run ins out in the desert while shooting and although nothing happened, one of those times I was 200% certain I was about to start shooting.

I would do desert shooting when I was in Texas (never had the chance in AZ) but would always have a security mag on me. If I was out shooting in the desert and alone, I’d lock em in the truck (if I wasn’t driving to paint steel) and then walk down. When I get back I’ll be getting a diamondback cover for the truck so it won’t be as much of a hassle when I head off into the desert.

 

[FishinGuns]

No one else just pisses where they are standing?

Keeps the guns safe and eliminates unwanted conversation.

Win/win.

Uh, only at the indoor range. Freshens the place up a little.

 

[hlee]

There is an indoor range close to me that has a 50 yard bay. It is almost universally empty. Everyone there is over in the short range bay banging away with their high points. Me and my match 22lr are most often alone. Not a bad way to refine a zero before a match.

 

[OldSalty2]

Uh, only at the indoor range. Freshens the place up a little.

Havent tried indoors...yet.

Do you keep it zipped or let it fly?

 

[FishinGuns]

Belt to the ankles and let’er spray