Un-trained firearms owner

[99medic]

Just want to gauge peoples opinion here on the subject.

Personally, I hate it when there is a un-trained firearms owner next to me in the next booth. I think everybody knows what I'm taking about. They are out there handling weapons hollywood style.

I think that it is an obligation for firearms owners to educate themselves about their firearms and safe weapons handling.

Thoughts?

[The SoCal Gunner]

I'm not trained.

[leelaw]

Try asking him if he'd like some help next time.

Maybe one day you'll luck out and it'll be a nice female shooter.

[Aluisious]

Yeah, if you offer to help, then they won't be untrained anymore.

What's the worst that could happen...

...other than being shot...

...?

[guimus]

I think that one big problem is that guns don't come with a 'proper use' guide. They come with all sort of lawyer-created information on how NOT to do things, and how to avoid killing yourself, but it's hard to find practical advice on how to hold it, load it, unload it, shoot it, etc; and in California, so many people grow up without this knowledge. Of the many folks I've taken to the range, at least 1/2 have never handled a real firearm, and I need to do lots of demonstrating, and then physically move their hands around until they're in a proper position.

[COILSPRING]

Indoor Range a Dangerous Place...

I've noticed a lot of poor gun handling at my local indoor range. I think that it is a nice thought to help some inexperienced shooters but I believe that it should really be the responsibility of the rangemasters... The guys working the local range I go to are too busy playing grabass or trying to be cool. They don't even seem to be watching whats going on on the firing line. I try to go during slow times like weekday days. It scares me frankly...
Coilspring

[Creampuff]

I've noticed a lot of poor gun handling at my local indoor range. I think that it is a nice thought to help some inexperienced shooters but I believe that it should really be the responsibility of the rangemasters... The guys working the local range I go to are too busy playing grabass or trying to be cool. They don't even seem to be watching whats going on on the firing line. I try to go during slow times like weekday days. It scares me frankly...
Coilspring

Ditto, I like to go the Davis St range in San Leandro, right after lunch. No crowds, sometimes just one or two bays are being used. When I see all the errant holes in the walls, and the partitions between bays, it makes me nervous.

[Crazed_SS]

Yea, I hate being near unsafe shooters too. Usually guys trying to teach their gfs.

[The SoCal Gunner]

Yea, I hate being near unsafe shooters too. Usually guys trying to teach their gfs.

Hey now. I'm one of those guys who teaches girls how to shoot.

I know what you guys mean about unsafe shooters but I don't know if you really mean 'training' or common sense and courtesy with the ability to read and comprehend.

I have no firearms training but have the courtesy, responsibility, and ability to understand the need to ensure a safe environment for my fellow shooters. Basically got the basic safety steps pounded into my head and follow them all the time.

I've been muzzle sweeped many times and it pisses me off but I don't think anyone needs special training except to practice the basic safety rules.

I think some ranges should have more RSOs in the shooting area to correct [YELL at] people so it gets into their fatheads the danger they put others in.

[kap]

Last time I went to the range with my wife we were in a booth next to a guy teaching his GF. They were renting guns and it looked like all the guy knew how to do was pull the trigger. Even worse the range reloads they were shooting kept FTF and FTE so they had to screw around with the guns. Damn scary.

I have been tempted on many occasions to offer guidance to clearly inexperienced shooters. You have all seen them in the booth with a pistol in hand leaning backward with an arched back, elbows locked in isosceles, one hand on the grip with the other cradling the bottom of the magazine and their target looks like a random spray of bullets. I wonder why? It's just painful to watch the ammo being wasted like that. The main reason I usually don't offer advice is that the range is loud and busy making it is just plain difficult to communicate with someone let alone initiate a conversation with a total stranger who is probably apprehensive about shooting in the first place. Maybe I will give it a try next time and see what kind of response I get. It would be nice to see an novice shooter turn into a confident, knowledgeable, consistent and precise one.

[Crazed_SS]

Hey now. I'm one of those guys who teaches girls how to shoot.

I know what you guys mean about unsafe shooters but I don't know if you really mean 'training' or common sense and courtesy with the ability to read and comprehend.

I have no firearms training but have the courtesy, responsibility, and ability to understand the need to ensure a safe environment for my fellow shooters. Basically got the basic safety steps pounded into my head and follow them all the time.

I've been muzzle sweeped many times and it pisses me off but I don't think anyone needs special training except to practice the basic safety rules.

I think some ranges should have more RSOs in the shooting area to correct [YELL at] people so it gets into their fatheads the danger they put others in.

Yea.. dont mean to say everyone bringing their girl to the range is being unsafe. I brought my girl once..

A lot of guys dont seem to teach basic safety though. They just load the gun for the girl and say "Here you go!" .. the girls are always leaning back, anticipating recoil, turning around and flagging everyone, etc

[AJAX22]

I don't fault people for being ignorant, we've all probably done something stupid at some point in our lives, some of us more than a few times.

I only have a problem with attitude, the 23 year old ex vietnam special forces jackas$ who loads his bullets backwards in the gun and can't figure out how to take the safety off, that fiddels with his weapon while pointing it at his junk. and then tells you off when you offer to show him how to operate it.

that I have a problem with. some guy who is just trying to teach himself how to shoot for self defense and doesn't know any better who is greatfull for a pointer or a safety tip I don't have a problem with.

edit:

If I have to listen to another guy at the range tell me 'but it isn't loaded' I'm going to silently scream obscenities inside my head. They just don't realize that loaded guns shoot badguys, unloaded guns shoot your friends.

[Can'thavenuthingood]

I think its in how you approach a novice shooter.
First off, it took them a bit of courage to walk into a place with a gun or even without a gun and rent one. He/she or it is there to learn how to get better at this shooting thing. Something kindled that desire to figure it out on their own since no one else is there with them.

They are open to instruction, not yelling. Anyone can be a dickhead about things but all that does is turn off the learning receptors. The person has to remain open to your instruction.

It don't much matter where the first few rounds go through the target as long as the individual is using proper technique. I load them with one round and then they shoot then safe the weapon and put it down. Then they load one round and go through the process a couple times. Then I step back and just observe. They'll ask the question if needed.

Its by the numbers at first but its picked up fast and the basics are reinforced along the way to finding the bullseye.

It may be the 21 years in the Marine Corps. but I don't have a problem with approaching someone and making a correction if needed. Or starting a conversation about how they are doing.

We have to make the effort and approach the new folks that are in obvious need of assistance.

They showed up to get better, it would be doing them a diservice not to help out.

Vick

[NRAhighpowershooter]

I think a larger problem with newer shooters at the range (they are easy to tell by the way they gingerly handle the gun and stare at it trying to figure it out) is that they only seem to handle the firearm at the range...I'd bet my bottom dollar, other than cleaning the weapon at home, that that is the only time they handle it.... WAYYY back when I was a young whipper snapper and got my first handguns... I handled them every opportunity I could get to famialarize myself with them... dry firing them.. practice loadeing them with dummy rounds.. loading mags,, dropping and loading mags.... basically anything I could come up with.... that way I didn't do anything stupid or unsafe at the range......I believe the way people handle or don't handle guns that they own is that they are still brainwashed that guns are bad and that if you handle them something bad will happen to them.....


On a slightly other note.. I too go to the Davis St. range in SL... butI got as soon as they oppen... that way I have the rifle range to my self for at least an hour or so......

[Aluisious]

Ditto, I like to go the Davis St range in San Leandro, right after lunch. No crowds, sometimes just one or two bays are being used. When I see all the errant holes in the walls, and the partitions between bays, it makes me nervous.

Heh...TM West has holes and impact marks everywhere in the shooting bays.