Gun "mistakenly" taken at range

[WmWhitfield]

My question is whether in the future I should call 911.

I was at a public range to shoot Trap and had stacked my moderately expensive shotgun in the rack for that particular field. I was standing no more than 10 feet from it and had only looked away for less than two minutes, when I noticed that my gun wasn't in the rack. I spotted a guy walking into the parking lot with mine and antoher gun. I screamed bloody murder and took off after him. He immediately stopped and apolgized.

The guy had been shooting in a group ahead of me and had confused mine with another over/under that was either his or belonged to someone in his group. There were several very obvious differences between the two, besides the value, but I bought his story.

Gun theft is a problem at the range. Some of you may know it, Prado Shooting Park in Chino Hills. It may be no worse than other clubs as far as I know.

Should I have let the police sort this out or would I be wasting scarce police resources? If this guy was indeed a thief, was it wise to run up to him in the parking lot given the abundace of weaponry?

[AJAX22]

It can happen, I don't think I'd involve the police if it seemed like an honest accident.

I've had buddies pack up for me before when I was shooting at the handgun range and still had some guns in the rifle range racks (hat tip to harmonius thanks for that btw), and if my guns hadn't been somewhat different than the groups It could have been confusing.

Still, best to keep your head on a swivel at any public range.

[Samuelx]

At the airport, I attach something bright/unique to my luggage so the mistaken identity excuse doesn't fly... no pun intended...

[tanksoldier]

The guy had been shooting in a group ahead of me and had confused mine with another over/under that was either his or belonged to someone in his group. There were several very obvious differences between the two, besides the value, but I bought his story.

Did he leave the gun he thought it was in the rack? If so probably just a mistake.

[Tacit Blue]

I've mistakenly took a box of 9mm that I thought my friends bought to shoot out of my XD. It turns out it was the guys next to us, on the bench where all of our stuff was crowded together. I apologized and felt like a dumbass. So yeah I would say it possible for sure.

But taking firearms is a little different thats kind hard not to notice it isn't yours.

[chsk9]

I guess it does depend on the range. I left a rifle in the rack at Winchester Canyon in Santa Barbara, and it wasn't until I was unloading at home that I realized it. I had been alone at the rifle range, but was informed when I called in that another member had turned it in and it was delivered to my house the next day.

[WmWhitfield]

I think my instincts weren't too far off in not making a big thinkg about it. That he did leave another over under in the rack suggests that it was a mistake. suggesting that it was no mistake: I had extended choke tubes and his were flush; my Citori read XS Skeet in gold on the side and his receiver was plain; and perhaps most importantly I had a 3" X 4" piece of flesh colored moleskin stuck to the top of the comb. Similar to putting a ribbon or a flag on your luggage while flying.

I am going to watch my gun like a hawk, now, but should simialr circumstances come about, I might watch the guy for just a few seconds and see if he loads my gun into his truck. At that point I think I am calling 911 but I am not approaching. My thinking is if he was distracted when he picked up the gun and threw it across his shoulder, he would have to get a good look at it when loading it into his vehicle. If he still tried to leave with it, he can explain it to your guys.

What could have turned real interesting as we were shooting on a field next to a police league squad and there is always a good representation of active or retired LEO at Prado.

[WmWhitfield]

I guess it does depend on the range. I left a rifle in the rack at Winchester Canyon in Santa Barbara, and it wasn't until I was unloading at home that I realized it. I had been alone at the rifle range, but was informed when I called in that another member had turned it in and it was delivered to my house the next day.

I generally shoot where it is cheapest and they will let me in, which means Prado, but some friends belonging to private clubs say that gun theft is a problem even there. They keep an even closer eye out when members are allowed to invite guests and they tell me never to use gun racks and if you aren't holding your gun to lock it in your vehicle. I am digressing from the question which is whether it warranted police involvement.

I have only been shooting for a year and have seen others grab a someone's gun off the rack thinking it was his, but that involved two nearly identical Remington 1100's. Still, its owner who stopped the other guy immediately was hot under the collar. This was at the suppTriple B Clays; which is a rather nice open to the public venue.

The guy that was taking my gun got 70 feet away and into the parking lot. Mine was a moderately expensive new Citori valued at three times his field gun.

[winnre]

Get the gun back then take out a camera. If he runs or hits it out of your hand you have a long time thief there. If he lets you take his picture then it was likely an innocent mistake.

This way of another gun goes missing you can offer his picture to the staff for their reference.

[Solid Foundation]

Get the gun back then take out a camera. If he runs or hits it out of your hand you have a long time thief there. If he lets you take his picture then it was likely an innocent mistake.

This way of another gun goes missing you can offer his picture to the staff for their reference.

Are you sure about that?
I'd be pretty iffy about letting some random guy take my picture at the shooting range...

[WmWhitfield]

Get the gun back then take out a camera. If he runs or hits it out of your hand you have a long time thief there. If he lets you take his picture then it was likely an innocent mistake.

This way of another gun goes missing you can offer his picture to the staff for their reference.

I think that your's and everyone's are sage advice and my plan is not to leave my gun in the racks in the future. It is either locked in the car or it's in my hands.

Given so many guns about in the hands of non-professionals, I would be concerned that things could go South real fast. So if similar circumstances arise in the future I think I am calling 911 and asking someone to get the range officer. Meanwhile, I am staying out of harm's way and taking a few subtle pics with the cell. All I need is a loser with two strikes to freak on me.

[vintagearms]

Get the gun back then take out a camera. If he runs or hits it out of your hand you have a long time thief there. If he lets you take his picture then it was likely an innocent mistake.

This way of another gun goes missing you can offer his picture to the staff for their reference.

And this would prove what exactly?

[winnre]

Are you sure about that?
I'd be pretty iffy about letting some random guy take my picture at the shooting range...

You handle my guns without permission and you will be lucky if you only get a picture taken. I'd call 911 myself and at least let them have a record of him. It may not have been the first time.

[Notorious]

I take my cheapest gun to the public range and leave it in the rack. Nobody ever took it. It is rather distinctive too. I also never leave my gun in the rack unless it is in a row with all of my buddies' guns so nobody can just take one gun out of our side and say he thought it was his because it is all ours.

[weekend_plinker]

Get one of these and put it on the gun travel lock alarm