Have you ever been to a gun range before?

Question

I pulled into a gun range today to see what it was like and ask some questions. Had a few old guys latch on and show me around. LOL

The sign in the parking lot made me blanch. Mentioning they were not responsible for vehicle damage due to ricochets.

I asked if anyone has been hit in the range. And was fed the running joke "We are not allowed to talk about those." Okay...

Jersey2 · Accepted Answer

Yes, military and civilian ranges. Indoor and outdoor ranges.

I belonged to a private club with a range. It was run by two women and had a woman’s touch. Nice chairs in the club room, nice everything including fresh cookies at times and coffee was always available. It had a standard indoor range and computer programmed target machines. Lots of gun rentals for free for members along with ear and eye protection.

I am considering a new range as I have moved and haven’t even been in one for many years until last week. The new range I haven’t been to yet but look amazing and huge.

People on ranges are very conscious of safety. It is very uncool to be unsafe even a little. They will tell you too. Be cool and they will help and teach you. I only saw one safety issue and that was on a military base with M-16s on a 300 meter pop-up range. We were in concrete foxholes, about 150 of us in a long row. We had our M16s on a set of sandbags. One guy was short and they gave him a box. The box broke and he had his finger on the trigger as a Sergeant was walking the firing line. Mistakes were made. Anyway the Sergeant got shot in his ankle.

Learn about safety before you go again. Pay attention to “trigger control” among other things. No goofing off ever. Don’t point your weapon at anything you don’t want to destroy. Keep it unloaded. Keep the breech open unless on the firing line. Stay behind the line and listen to any Safety Officers. Don’t be an idiot and you will be fine.

AMS700CX4u2 · Accepted Answer

When I started work at the Department of Offender Rehabilitation in the Stater of Florida I trained with Three weapons. A Smith and Wesson 38 special with 4 inch combat barrel, A Ruger 30-06 Rifle, the same arm used in the towers, and a 5 Shot Browning 12 gauge auto. I've been on one manhunt, no shots fired by the police dept or anyone deputized. The person being searched for was a petty thief who had broken into a trailer and was looting when the owner walked in and fired a shot at the thief, a local boy who was noted to steal when he got drunk, only to turn himself in for a stretch of jail time. A real Otis Campbell. I have dug slugs from many corpses. In my lifetime I have owned a Dan Wesson. 357 with interchangeable barrels, a Marlin 410 which my wife and I spilled a quart of Kaluha on so I had to refinish it. My wife sold the 357 when I was attending Duke, Likewise she sold my Banjo with my approval. When we left Massachusetts my wife sold her Remington Nylon 66 automatic. We are left with the 410, It is a long chambered one so rifled slugs are not a problem.

Special note I am from a generation that grew up on those violent bugs bunny cartoons and watched the coyote get pummeled by his own stupidity, never have I shot anyone.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

No and have no intention to do so either. I despise guns, because I think they're nothing but a tool violence and very dangerous. Everyone thinks they're a responsible gun owner until they aren't. They give people a feeling of false safety and might lead them to escalate altercations. I think they make it easier to take out their anger on someone, even on themselves. It's no coincidence that in countries, where the general population isn't allowed to own guns, the crime rate tends to be much lower.

Unless there's a zombie apocalypse (which is extremely unlikely to happen, as zombies are fictitious entities), or they live in the wilderness, I don't understand why an average citizen would need access to high powered firearms

MemeSupreme · Accepted Answer

yeah, its one of the few things i can enjoy with my dad  last time i shot a shotgun for the first time and was left bruised for a few days lol

Lliam · Answer

Lots of times.
I've been to outdoor ranges to fire rifles and to indoor ranges for handguns.
The indoor ranges are fun because you have your own lane like a bowling ally. You attach your paper target to a wire that goes from your shooting bench to the back of the range 50' away. There is a controller so you can move the target to any distance you want from 10' to 50'.
The staff at the indoor ranges are usually very helpful.

My friends and I used to go to places in the desert a lot to target shoot.

Over a year ago, I won a Sig P-380. It's a small handgun. My wife decided that she wanted to learn how to shoot it, so I took her to an indoor range several times until she got comfortable enough to go on her own. She thought it was fun. Now she's a pretty good shot.

MannMitAntworten · Answer

I used to belong to a few private ranges. Keeps the riff raft out. One had the local SWAT practice tgere all the time which can be entertaining to watch them as they practice their maneuvers in full kit and with their tactical vehicle (s). I also was an instructor/trainer for a private contractor years ago. Those ranges were for far more esoteric training that even the SWAT guys typically ever got to do. Overt/covert dynamic entries, asset retention/protection and asset recovery stuff for a U. K. Company I worked for years ago. No good ol’ boy sorts there…

fivebyfour · Answer

When it was legal in the UK I belonged to two clubs with ranges, one local indoor place, suitable for handguns only, another about 100 miles away suitable for shotguns and carbines,,,

We were allowed semi-auto carbines as well as handguns back then,,,

I used to shoot Practical Pistol, which was once considered as a possible Olympic sport, it was quite possible I could have competed for my country but the laws changed before this happened,,,

MisterWack · Answer

I never went to a gun range. However I played a lot of arcade light guns , even those with realistic guns. I would say I have an idea of the thrill of holding a weapon and shooting opponents.

Phoenix98 · Answer

Yes I have been to outdoor ranges multiple times.

As for stuff like the sign in the parking lot that's there just in case something happens but 99% of the time it's nothing to worry about. So it's more there for legal reasons.

TrimmedTip · Answer

Yep — ranges are loud, a little wild, and full of characters. Ricochet warnings are standard, dark humor is common. If you go, protect your ears and enjoy the thrill! 🔥🔫👂

jamesgoldman · Answer

Technically, I mean I worked for a company that made military optical equipment so they had a range to check scopes and I did get to experience an M4 and an MP5 but also for a solitary round a Barratt sniper rifle

D_Bone_Steak · Answer

I just go into the dessert and shoot my hostages after I make them dig their own graves. Joking... I shoot old cars and Jack Rabbits.

DJB72 · Answer

We had one at my school. Also went to full bore military ranges with cadets. Oddly in England it never occurred that the lunchroom could double up in a pinch...

OneViewpoint · Answer

Hundreds of times. And artillery ranges, larger boom booms, mortars, grenade launchers, miniguns, Vulcans, TOW's, Dragons, Stingers, LAW's.

exitseven · Answer

hahahaha gun ranges are very safe. I go maybe once a month or so. I got a gun for protection but I find that it relaxes me. I am a little surprised.

Orion84 · Answer

Sure, I have, yeah. I shoot regularly, and go to the range at least a few times every month.

CherryLove007 · Answer

f that noise I want to shoot a bazooka

lexxiliesbae · Answer

yeah, I had an ex who was obsessed with guns. He used to take me shooting all the time.

mysteriousNicholas · Answer

Nope Australia doesn't appear to believe in even archery or bocce

Finchie40 · Answer

Yes a bunch of times and I still go , I enjoy shooting And trying new guns

BCRanger10 · Answer

Yes. I'd like to start up again sometime soon.

douride2 · Answer

Yes I have been to a shooting range. It was a long time ago. I couldn't hit anything then & I doubt much has changed since.

Fireguy17 · Answer

Yeppers, quite often, my wife as well. They were indoor ranges.

ariadneR · Answer

No, but I want to.  My partner goes all the time, I Def want to go with him one day

ChicoFromThe305 · Answer

Yep I have and I've even been to the hood ones, thats basically just a tree

Sal_Monella · Answer

Scores of times. Military and private. I can still ring the bell with a hunting rifle at 400 hards. But in The Nam, I wasn't shooting at bells.

Caughtulookin · Answer

My favorites are the ones that pop up move and go down in 3 seconds. Old west shooting galleries are fun also.

TDDMS · Answer

Do the streets of North Philadelphia count? If so then. . . .

SunnyCaliGirl · Answer

Yes when I was younger, it’s been years since being near a gun

Massageman · Answer

Yes, when I was in the Citizen's Police Academy for our town! Scored fairly well, too.

najekim · Answer

Too many times to count. Practice, testing, and competition shooting.

Pterodon · Answer

Many times both outdoor and indoor. My girlfriend and I are both regular shooters

Anonymous · Answer

In my early 20s i was able to shoot target at center and almost dead center at 500 ft away... haven't fired one in 2 decades

queenofcardio · Answer

Not yet.. maybe I should try it out

SaoirseS · Answer

Yes, plenty of times.

Nikki1989 · Answer

Yeah, what a bore that was.

AviatorTom · Answer

Yes... I didn't shoot anyone.

Danny_dan92 · Answer

I was part of a gun club called the USMC infantry

RavVid · Answer

Yeah of course.

DrPepper12 · Answer

Yes. Lotsa fun

Alex-Snow · Answer

Nope and no desire to really

Staximus · Answer

Didn't you know I'm fat Rambo

mrkdvsn · Answer

Only in the military

Anonymous · Answer

When I was in the army, didn't like it.

strateguy632 · Answer

I was

Anonymous · Answer

Nope , I haven’t

Agape93 · Answer

Of course

dudeinohio · Answer

Yes. In the military

jahaims · Answer

Yep.

panera · Answer

Yess

Jmmmfi4 · Answer

Nope

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