Range story-BEWARE

[smle-man]

Yet another reason why I don't shoot, ever, at ASR. People playing with firearms on a cease fire, having to worry about your firearms walking off when your back is turned. No thanks.

[The Gleam]

I'm glad my local range requires everyone to step back behind a yellow line several feet from the benches during a ceasefire. Such a violation of my space would be difficult to achieve.

No - ASR has benches at the back, behind you as well as in front of you. It's convenient, but obviously if you are at the range alone, and nobody is with you to watch your gear as you are shooting, it's far enough behind you that people can fondle your stuff, even steal it if not careful. YES, that HAS happened at ASR over the years (theft).

And I myself did catch someone "moving my bags out of the way" once, to which I asked the person not to mess with peoples' things without asking - he looked "caught" and sheepish about it - especially when there was no need to move my things; I am sure this dick has other motives. Moving it from where? There was plenty of space on both sides of my things, and I still have no idea as to why he felt compelled to "move my things" when in the long run, he never actually moved them. I only caught what he was doing because I had stopped shooting and turned around as I had just emptied a mag. Within minutes this guy was gone, no longer on the range.

So you tell me what his real motives were?

Since then, I have come to only taking 1 or 2 firearms when I go to ASR anymore, and minimal amounts of supplies/bags and I try to keep all of my firearms and any other valuables (mags/ammo) with me at the shooting bench in front of me, and any other bags/stuff of lesser to no value at least within proximity and even locked when I have it on the benches behind me - if at all. This is another reason I hate when it's crowded (besides to frequently seen unsafe stupidity, muzzle-sweeping, and sloppy handling of firearms by one-time visitors).

If you are there alone, it's nearly impossible to shoot with focus/concentration on your target, ears plugged, eyewear on, and keep a peripheral awareness about what might be going on at that bench behind you with your things - even when people can approach from the backside of those benches; if you know the range layout, you know what I mean.

[sohappy]

Yet another reason why I don't shoot, ever, at ASR. People playing with firearms on a cease fire, having to worry about your firearms walking off when your back is turned. No thanks.

Although the half off Wednesday and Thursday specials are hard to beat especially for outdoor range with steel targets. I guess that is the trade off between privacy and cost.

[The Gleam]

I believe in GM4spd's story. He is an old timer. I have read plenty of this other posts and he doesn't BS around.

Me as well. What he is describing is not the oddest thing I've seen at ASR, completely believable, and while it may not have been a "set-up/frame job" it does sound like some LEO trying to win brownie-points with fellow shooters by pushing the "hey, it's OK, I'm a shooter too" schtick - but in all the wrong ways.

And ChuckDizzle can be a real pain, so his response was expected to be exactly that. It's par and within his nature.

Chuck, folks, naysayers, and you "cool starry bra'ers" (because of your limited vocabularies and inability to express yourself) - this stuff DOES happen. I have my own true actual set-up story that happened to me during a PPT that was so outlandishly ridiculous, that to this day, in writing, seems so bizarre that if I read/heard it myself, I would think I was making it up for the "cool story bro" replies.

[GtRacerH]

I feel bad for the OP. Maybe if his forum name were 2cute4u he could post this very believable story without anybody questioning him, and instead give him nothing but compliments. But I guess it's easier to bash him cause he's a guy.

[caliberetta]

I gotta admit it sounds like a shady story, because it seems so contradictory. Well anyway if there are other forum members stepping up for the OP I will believe it.

Don't just about all shooting ranges have video?

[The Gleam]

Why didnt you make a bigger deal about it at the time and get his badge number?

I dont mean to be rude but are you over the age of 65? Hows your brain doin lately?

But - sitting here, you/me and even the OP, can hypothesize all the things we would have or should have done; but in the moment, at a range, ears-on, eyewear, guns out earning your focus, lots of noise and need to pay attention to potentially more serious issues - all while trying to maximize your time at the range due to cost, you automatically minimize the level to which you take your response to awkward actions presented by strangers - that can create irrational situations that ruin your day.

Compound the above with being at a range, trying to be congenial, friendly with other shooters, even assuming you are among friends; someone pulling something like this is like being at a family reunion or your hot cousin tries to plant a kiss on you or grab your balls.

It's like - "What just happened?"

[The Gleam]

This. It was not a leo from the OC trying to make a bust in LA County, it was some doofus, maybe a cop, maybe not, that was poorly attempting to show a stranger something new. If the guy was a cop, he probably doesn't even know the device is illegal. I'm guessing it's just a person that doesn't know firearms laws as well as we do and the guy assumes it's legal because he bought the thing at a gun show and it was legal to buy. Thanks for posting, so we can keep our eyes open.

As is my impression as well. Very believable. I've seen all kinds of weirdness from people trying to impress upon me how "cool" they are with guns and gun ownership, to the point of pushing the envelope on legality as if to say "hey, it's OK with me, I'm your friend".

[Watchur6]

More like an LEO (if he even is one) not knowing the law. It's actually pretty common, many people are confused by California gun laws, I have to correct people on a daily basis. Thanks to calguns I am more informed and can pass on correct information. I can almost guarantee he wasn't "fishing" or setting up a "sting." Who wants to work on their day off?

[Steve1968LS2]

There are certain people I believe on this board.. the OP is one of them..

I also believe he's smart enough to know what a Sheriffs badge looks like..

So.. I think this was a cop on a fishing expidition.. The only mistake here was not reporting his name/badge number to authorities.. scary stuff.

[Steve1968LS2]

I feel bad for the OP. Maybe if his forum name were 2cute4u he could post this very believable story without anybody questioning him, and instead give him nothing but compliments. But I guess it's easier to bash him cause he's a guy.

Isn't that the truth.. if he was a chick many on here would be so busy humping his leg that they would believe the story even if aliens were part of the narrative.. lol

[Mr. Beretta]

I dont mean to be rude but are you over the age of 65? Hows your brain doin lately?

Hey..... whats your problem?

You got something against older gunners?

[DSB]

I shoot at ASR on a weekly basis and see O.C. police dept. coast guard and other
city police and swat using the range.

Yes, they're using the range for training. Not the same thing.

[Jimi Jah]

Doesn't pass the smell test. If anyone touches a firearm during cease fire, the RO is all over them, cop or not.

Maybe it's just my winning personality, but all the cops I meet at the ranges are informed and pleasant.

[SoldierLife7]

to the OP:

Did you consider the possibility the "sheriff" actually did think it fell off your rifle, and he was just an average American, constitution-abiding, pro-gun deputy sheriff? as in, maybe some idiot who used your lane the day before dropped his magnet and lost it, and during the ceasefire the sheriff happened to spot it on the ground and just assumed it was yours?

the sting scenario doesn't really seem to make sense here, they have way more subtle ways of going about it. and they CERTAINLY wouldn't flash a badge unless they just obtained the evidence they needed to put you in cuffs.

This was right in line with what I was thinking. Everyone is always quick to bash LEO.. I've known quite a few that are very pro-2A and think most of the associated laws are BS. I think perception plays a part in this scenario.