Stupid Rangemaster Rules

[still919]

This is exactly why Dale Gribble uses his basement as a range...

[SmokeTheClay]

We've all experienced something similar. Every negative experience I've had was with a range master that was clearly post retirement age. I'm in my late 30s now but I've noticed I get hassled less when I shoot my revolver with hand loads as opposed to the AR or the 1911. For my case I think that because there is no shortage of idiots these older range masters do not give the benefit of the doubt and just treat everyone like their noobs.

I had a magnetospeed attached to the end of my barrel to get FPS readings and was writing down my notes from my shots. Doubt many noobs are doing that

Short bus or not, they are the range master. You are not.

Being a Johnson and comparing a rifle to a 1911 isn't a slick way to look smart. If you actually said that to the RM, I can see where the real problem is.

Smart, maybe you’re the rangemaster. It was a bolt action rifle. With the bolt back, please explain why a safety should be on. I’ll wait

[B2D]

One shot per second

I hate that one, but I get why it's there.

It's there to dissuade noobs and people trying to impress their dates from doing uncontrolled mag dumps and putting holes in the ceiling and hitting the hangars.

One shot per second is fast enough for practicing good slow-fire anyhow, but if I'm practicing double or triple taps I like to check with the RSO first to see if they'll OK it if they have a 1rd/sec rule. Evans in Orange gave me the OK right off the bat as long as I 'didn't act stupid'. They were cool about it.

[sonofeugene]

One shot per second

Generally a good idea. I always ask and at one range, I get the go ahead for a mag dump. Usually 15 yards on steel. All 10 or 17 make it to the steel.

[spddrcr]

What range? Yes power trip. I was yelled at for cutting a corner to assess target at cease fire. I cut the yellow line by 6". When I returned he was on his phone the whole time during cease fire while we were down range. Good thing nobody grabbed a fire arm while we were at our targets. USI has been somthing else.

I broke my ankle at USI years ago doing exactly what you described by stepping in a gopher hole. There are reasons USI has the rules they have.

They didn't have to worry about me suing them as I was an instructor there at the time, But it could have been ugly for them If it was someone else.

[polygunner]

What range? Yes power trip. I was yelled at for cutting a corner to assess target at cease fire. I cut the yellow line by 6". When I returned he was on his phone the whole time during cease fire while we were down range. Good thing nobody grabbed a fire arm while we were at our targets. USI has been somthing else.

Same cutting the line BS here.
It's as if the RO's have never been to or worked at a range before.
It's quite frustrating to see the nanny type attitude at USI since the reopen.

First thing in the morning, they won't let you run the targets down range but you can put your rifles on the bench, during what is a cease fire.

Also witnessed the manager and an RO discuss people not stopping at the stop sign in front of the range house.
With typical gunstore employee arrogance they commented how they are more likely to stop when they see a firearm on the hip. Manager said if they don't stop she'd draw her 38 snubby on them.
I was shocked. The new shooters around me were wide eyed and couldn't believe what they were hearing.
It was disgusting.

USI has problems with their system and apparently with employee attitudes.

As for twisting your ankle try watching where you walk.

It's not USI's responsibility to tell you where to place your feet when walking.
They are there to run a safe, efficient firing range. They should focus on that.

Sorry for the rant but each time I go there there are quite a few WTF moments and none of them have to do with new inexperienced shooters.

PG

[nedro]

Would some of you like some cheese to go with your wine.

Yep!
This guy right here needs some.

Short bus or not, they are the range master. You are not.

Being a Johnson and comparing a rifle to a 1911 isn't a slick way to look smart. If you actually said that to the RM, I can see where the real problem is.

[Fastattack]

I imagine OP isn't alone. I am concerned that this sort of behavior becomes a bad exprerience for noobs. It can be intimidating when they come across an RM on a power trip and conclude that he represents the gun culture at large. There is a right way and a wrong way to approach the situation. Most I've come across are helpful and willing to teach.

[BrassCase]

First thing in the morning, they won't let you run the targets down range but you can put your rifles on the bench, during what is a cease fire.
PG

What that means is that they open the range "HOT". Come in, set up your shooting bench and get your target ready. Switch to cease fire, inspect the firearms on the bench to make sure they are safe and then send people down range to put out targets.

[Jeepergeo]

Went to the range today. Been going there for years and one of the rangemasters was a complete idiot.

He wanted the safety ON when I was away from the rifle. Mag was out and bolt was back. I asked what do you do with 1911s when the mag is out and the slide is back. No response. MORON

then later this idiot wanted me to be to the side of my rifle because the butt of my rifle was a few inches behind the back of the bench. So he did NOT want me straight behind the rifle to manage recoil. IDIOT

Another rangemaster put him in his place after I explained. What a moron.

You sure showed him a thing or two. And you schooled the other RSO as well. Attaboy, you go.

Certain shooters are magnets for extra RSO attention...you need to step back and figure out why you were singled out for the mark of the day...the answer should be easy.

[five.five-six]

And another thing, they are always telling me not to go down range when the range is hot.

IF I AM CHANGING MY TARGET IN MY LANE THE BULLETS WILL WIZZ RIGHT PAST ME IN THE OTHER LANES! RSOs need to MYOB

Is every RSO named Karen?

[Rifle ronin]

This is exactly why Dale Gribble uses his basement as a range...

You mean Rusty Shackleford!

[splithoof]

Are you in a free state?

[ghilligan]

It's not USI's responsibility to tell you where to place your feet when walking.
They are there to run a safe, efficient firing range. They should focus on that.

Last I checked, USI, like every other gun range, is a private business, open to the public.
They exist to make money, just like any other business. They don't have to run a shooting range, whether safe, efficient, or otherwise.

Heck, they chose to keep the range closed for 3 years.
You should be glad they chose to invest in the new infrastructure and open up again.

They can run their business any way they want to (within the usual confines of the law, of course, like any other business open to the public). Don't like the rules? Go somewhere else.

I can't stand the lines and the rules there, so I DO go somewhere else, but I'm glad USI is open, because we have few enough public gun ranges as it is, and the general public (and land developers, environmentalists, and the Concord city council) see gun ranges and gun owners as evil and undesirable, and will be more than happy to shut it down and build condos on the site.

And most (if not all?) of the ROs are volunteers. Who has time to volunteer? Mostly retirees, which makes them older than you. Want to be the cool, chill RO, who understands firearms better than anyone else? Put your money where your mouth is: volunteer your time for the training and certification, and then volunteer your time at the range! USI is looking for more ROs!

[oddball]

I have NEVER had issues or problems with ROs. Never came across a nazi on a power trip. At Chabot where I used to shoot for decades, Curt was the head RO there, great guy, and I felt bad for him yelling at weekend noobs doing something dumb. Like the time a guy was messing with his bolt action rifle in the next bench while everyone, including me and my 10 yo son, were changing targets downrange during a cease-fire.

Hell, I act like an RO sometimes, having guys egregiously sweep me with their muzzles, telling them to knock it off. I remember a guy had a FTE in his handgun and proceeded to point the gun to his right, AT ME, while trying to fix it. Idiot.

I understand the 1 shot per second rule, and also no holsters at the pistol line. Even here in TX at my indoor club, these same rules apply. Now the ROs will look the other way on occasional double taps, but will stop fools trying to bumpfire or frantically fire a short barrel AR15 as fast they can, shooting up the ceiling with 5.56 (this actually happened). My ROs are cool, since I'm a regular they will help me with my brass sometimes.