What do you do when somebody shoots during cold range?

[rromeo]

My wife and I were shooting at the national forest range. This range does not have an active RSO, we self police ourselves. The rangers stop in occasionally, as well as the sheriff's department and state police.
So, today during a cold period, another shooter and myself were walking back from downrange, when a young kid shot his 22. Fortunately we were about 10 feet from the line, and the kid was at the opposite end of the firing line. The father of the kid apologized, I talked with him for some time.
The other shooter took the passage aggressive approach, and just yelled insults from 75 feet away. He kept that up for about an hour. Then he came over to me and asked why I wasn't pissed off. I tend to keep things low key, and I told him I spoke to the father, and got over it.
Should I have been more more upset or was this other shooter guy just a D bag? If it makes any difference, he was wearing knee pads, a duty belt that included handcuffs, body armor, and a kevlar helmet. An older lady, that I guess was his mother was there with him, and she had a broom and dust pan to steal brass from everybody.

[jarhead714]

How mad can you get at a kid?

[Soginator]

There are arguments for both sides. Personally I tend to lean towards if the matter can be resolved in a civil manner, no reason to get your blood boiled. The father/son weren't trying to hide the fact that they were in the wrong, and I am sure he immediately fixed the problem and told his son never to do that again. I had a similar situation at Raahague's where someone started fondling their rifle when 4 of us were down range. Thankfully an RSO intervened and ripped that guy a new one.

I feel like in your situation, the father is responsible for the kid, and while he made a mistake the father recognized it, apologized to everyone, and probably fixed the mistake by educating the kid. I wouldn't over think it beyond that. The lesson here is to always remain vigilant at a public range for safety violations.

[jarhead714]

How mad can you get at a kid that's not yours?

[rromeo]

How mad can you get at a kid that's not yours?

That's what I was thinking. The father understood that he needed to watch the boy a little more.

[Lonestargrizzly]

How mad can you get at a kid that's not yours?

If the kid shot me i guess i could get pretty mad. I remember once my little brother was about 8 and he put a red ryder in my grandmas face.. He wasn't threatening her, he just thought it was funny i suppose.
That didnt end well.

[manuelcardenas77]

Good job. As Jarhead714 said, how mad ca you get at a kid, especially if he wasn't aware. The dad should feel like the moron for not paying attention, and keeping a eye on his boy.

[92E2]

Should the shooters on the line have their weapons in hand, loaded and pointed down range on target when someone decides to run down range to fix targets during a supervised event ?

If not, what should the supervisor/instructor have done ?

[NapalmCheese]

I don't see any reason to continue insulting the kid or his father after the fact. Good on you for talking to the dad. If I were you I'd have asked if I could have a chat with the kid and the father at the same time asking the kid if he or she knew that why what they did was wrong and allowing the father to coach the kid on proper firing range safety and etiquette.

Continuing to yell insults only pisses off the father and sours the experience for the kid. What's the point in doing that?

[d33pt]

I'm wondering about that momma's boy operator myself. Think he was legit, or just playing operator?

[r8dr rider]

Shoot back

[blasterp7]

My wife and I were shooting at the national forest range. This range does not have an active RSO, we self police ourselves. The rangers stop in occasionally, as well as the sheriff's department and state police.
So, today during a cold period, another shooter and myself were walking back from downrange, when a young kid shot his 22. Fortunately we were about 10 feet from the line, and the kid was at the opposite end of the firing line. The father of the kid apologized, I talked with him for some time.
The other shooter took the passage aggressive approach, and just yelled insults from 75 feet away. He kept that up for about an hour. Then he came over to me and asked why I wasn't pissed off. I tend to keep things low key, and I told him I spoke to the father, and got over it.
Should I have been more more upset or was this other shooter guy just a D bag? If it makes any difference, he was wearing knee pads, a duty belt that included handcuffs, body armor, and a kevlar helmet. An older lady, that I guess was his mother was there with him, and she had a broom and dust pan to steal brass from everybody.

Your passive aggressive shooter was a failure at life (from your description). I personally would worry more about him (tinfoil) than the young kid who make a (corrected) mistake. Your passive-aggressive could well be the next Orlando

[Win231]

No need to yell & scream if it's not necessary.

A couple of years ago, I was at Angeles. It was crowded & during extensive firing, a guy around 30 calmly walks up to his 7-yd. paper target & starts changing it while bullets are flying inches to his right & left. I started yelling & waving my hands but...only the RO's have megaphones & it was several seconds before the RO noticed him & yelled "Cease Fire." He was pretty lucky. I heard the RO asking him: "What's wrong with you...wanna die?"

[SMarquez]

Does anyone do a line walk to make absolutely clear that there is a line break?
Do you ask people to put their weapons down?
Would these actions piss people off or do people act civilized at your spot?

[rromeo]

There are signs up, the range goes cold every half hour, on the half hour. somebody will yell "COLD" and everybody repeats it up and down the firing line. I think most people take for granted that others will not handle guns or be stupid.
I think signs telling people not to handle their guns while the range is cold would not be a bad idea.