Crazy Range Stories

[Dr. Horrible 0]

I'd like to hear your wackiest range stories. I was inspired by my experiences this past weekend at a range I'd never been to before. So, I'll start with my own:

 

So I was visiting my friend (we'll call him Keith) who lives in a bad neighborhood in a city in Pennsylvania. His range is in an even worse neighborhood. Anyway, it's a short indoor range with about eight ports, and we were there for several hours.

 

At one point, the RO comes out and yells "cease fire!" because somebody apparently shot the little trolley on the ceiling that brings your paper target back and forth, and now he has to fix it. He makes everybody back up from the ports and stand against the wall. Then he comes up to me (I'm all the way at the end with my Raging Bull in .454) and says to me: "You load your gun and watch these guys. If anybody moves off the wall while I'm working, you shoot him!" Yikes. Yes, he was serious.

 

OK so we all lived through that. Maybe an hour later, I've got my back to the ports while Keith is shooting. I'm reloading magazines. We've got this production line thing going - I load them and he empties them and passes them back. Well, right in front of my little shelf where I'm working is the window to the RO's office. There's two guys in there now, and they start banging on the window, frantically motioning towards me to get down, and pointing behind me. Well, there's this old guy in the port next to me and Keith, and he's waving his Glock around in the air, facing me and the window, away from the target area. WTF! So both RO's come charging out of the office into the range with their guns draw, shouting "PUT THE GUN DOWN! PUT IT DOWN!!!" and they basically dragged that guy out of there. Turns out he was suffering insulin shock, got confused about how to work the target trolley, and was trying to get some help and attention, and probably didn't realize what the heck he was doing at all.

 

Keith and I fired almost 1000 rounds that day - and we had great stories to tell at the bar later. Good times!!

 

What's the craziest thing that has happened to you?

[this_is_nascar 162]

I don't have any stories that could beat that, but I'm thinking it may be time for you and "Keith" to find another range. Between the employees and the other patrons, you're chances of not being injured in there doesn't sound too good.

[Ray Ray 3,566]

Heard this one at a gunshop this week, "357 is too much for HD, stick with 38 Special +Ps". True story

[usnmars 136]

I have seen a guy firing .308 out of a 30-06 and wonder why his gun was acting funky. The brass was expanding and blowing the necks out. It came out of the gun looking like a giant pistol brass.

[this_is_nascar 162]

Heard this one at a gunshop this week, "357 is too much for HD, stick with 38 Special +Ps". True story

 

 

I'd venture to guess that statement was made due to the muzzle flash of a .357 in low-lit conditions. More times than not, you will not get a 2nd shot off (unless you don't care about seeing your target), since you're night vision is gone due to the muzzle flash. In addition, the penetration in a "home/house" scenario becomes a concern with the .357 I believe.

[Pew Pew Plates 358]

I had a guy point a loaded 30-06 at my girlfriends head once and defend his actions. True story

[Ray Ray 3,566]

I'd venture to guess that statement was made due to the muzzle flash of a .357 in low-lit conditions. More times than not, you will not get a 2nd shot off (unless you don't care about seeing your target), since you're night vision is gone due to the muzzle flash. In addition, the penetration in a "home/house" scenario becomes a concern with the .357 I believe.

 

Ummmm, yeah okay.

No

[Urban Grunt 44]

My out of the way country range nothing really happens except an old guy might fart while chatting with you.

[Sigman 41]

I don't believe I've seen anything that can top that.

[usnmars 136]

a couple of weeks ago there was a guy that lit a road flare and set it next to a 20lb propane tank and shot it...... sounds like fun to me!

[Tosser 61]

Ummmm, yeah okay.

No

 

 

Some people load 38 in a 357 because the recoil is so violent and unmanageable in a J Frame.

[HarryLee 0]

I watched a woman in the next booth who couldn't hit a 15 feet target after 10 shots. yawn.... crickets....

[fmtek 4]

I have seen a guy walk into the range area at bullet hole, put his bag on the back table and pull out a loaded gun and loaded magazines. The RO promptly grabbed this guy, took his gun away and walked him out of the range area. I'm not sure what happened, but I believe he was just lectured and made to unload the weapon and mags and was aloud back in. But the RO got him so fast, that he didn't have time to muzzle sweep anyone. We were all grateful. This RO works on the front now, he's a great guy, Glenn. He was an EMT when I got into a motorcycle accident. Glenn is a ball buster but funny as hell. Especially when my cousin shot the lights at bullet hole. Lmao!

[woodentoe 14]

I was at a country outdoor range in Delaware. The q targets were not in stands but onthe ground. Maybe 15 feet from the firing line. Owner/RO told us that this was a "tactical" range and we should kneel.

 

Then he went back to "teaching" his safety course to 2 people at a time (30 people waited string in his living room)

 

One guy was shooting a beretta cheetah. He was firing so fast and limp wristing it hat he jammed every other round.

 

Then he had a misfire, and immediately pointed the gun at his own face and looked down the bore.

 

My buddy and i's blood ran cold. Then he swept me while I was shooting. We told the RO to watch his student and backed away from the range until he was done.

 

Crazy.

[checko 180]

I was at a country outdoor range in Delaware. The q targets were not in stands but onthe ground. Maybe 15 feet from the firing line. Owner/RO told us that this was a "tactical" range and we should kneel.

 

Then he went back to "teaching" his safety course to 2 people at a time (30 people waited string in his living room)

 

One guy was shooting a beretta cheetah. He was firing so fast and limp wristing it hat he jammed every other round.

 

Then he had a misfire, and immediately pointed the gun at his own face and looked down the bore.

 

My buddy and i's blood ran cold. Then he swept me while I was shooting. We told the RO to watch his student and backed away from the range until he was done.

 

Crazy.

 

How the hell did you have the balls to stay there till he was done??

[302w 83]

If an RO told me (or anyone else for that matter) to "load your gun and shoot anyone that moves", I probably would have left fast. If he was that concerned he should have made everyone leave the range first.

[woodentoe 14]

 

How the hell did you have the balls to stay there till he was done??

 

Because when he was done we were the only ones there.

[Socom 19]

me and my father were shooting at superior pawn and gun in virginia beach virginia when i was in the navy; this douchey chick and her bf were shooting he was doing pretty good then she steps up with his revolver i stepped up with my GLOCK (jon) and i hear behind me my dad flipping out on this guy and his girl; i put my gun down turn and and was like wtf he was like god damn it his idiot girlfriend pulled the trigger twice and then put the gun behind her head to itch her friggin head. my dad of course told the range officer and i just packed up and left. True Story!

[brazzi303 0]

me and my father were shooting at superior pawn and gun in virginia beach virginia when i was in the navy; this douchey chick and her bf were shooting he was doing pretty good then she steps up with his revolver i stepped up with my GLOCK (jon) and i hear behind me my dad flipping out on this guy and his girl; i put my gun down turn and and was like wtf he was like god damn it his idiot girlfriend pulled the trigger twice and then put the gun behind her head to itch her friggin head. my dad of course told the range officer and i just packed up and left. True Story!

.

 

I was just at Superior Pawn last Saturday....... Very sketchy!!

[vladtepes 1,060]

this one time.. at a range.. my Saiga had a FTE.. probably the craziest thing that ever happened to me at a range..

[XDJohnTact 49]

I have nothing! Enjoyed reading the stories.

[RedBowTies88 41]

this one time.. at a range.. my Saiga had a FTE.. probably the craziest thing that ever happened to me at a range..

 

My saiga had a brass case blow clean in half and then try and load the next round through the front half of the old brass... thats was a royal PITA to clear..

 

Also my friends and I had the wonderful idea the instead of shooting clays one day we would just go to the dollar store and get 10 cans of shaving cream and a buttload of orange soda.

 

That make for an interesting trap game

[Regulator72 80]

not really a crazy story, but aside from the "usual" muzzle sweeps from renters at shore shot, I watched a guy shoot out the lights downrange . Another time, Bryan and I were there for early Sat or Sun morning, and they let a LEO in to test out a 12g flash bang round. We were notified ahead of time and had to push our muffs on our ears while he shot it, damn that was a LOUD round, couldn't see for a few minutes either, def would NOT want to be in a house without ears and having someone shoot one of those in...

[Urban Grunt 44]

This morning, I saw a guy on a bench shooting a rifle and it FTF he then gets up walks around front of the rifle and bends down to look down the barrel and said to his mate " I can't see it down there" ......rifle still loaded !!!

 

[Shawnmoore81 623]

One day I was back at the salem county sportsman's club and I had brought one of my buddy's with me. I brought my beretta storm cx4 9mm and he brought a select fire m4. This place is usually empty and people tend to mind their own business. There is one guy who I ran into twice in 8 years who thinks he owns the place but is just a regular member like me. Well my buddy and I were unleashing fury with the m4 in full auto. Running through 30 round mags like nothing. We of course ran out of ammo and took the storm out and started plinking. After a couple mins deputy dewey comes rushing up. He stands there watching us for a min while my buddy is shooting the storm. Once the 15 round mag is empty the guy starts questioning us about the cx4 claiming he's the range master. I don't even know if the place has a range master and if it does it sure isn't this guy. He is bitching and complaining about how fast we were pulling the trigger and is was really close to automatic and how many rounds does that gun hold and you cant shoot automatics (which isnt against the rules i checked), it sounded like a war going on blah blah blah. I mean gun shot noises at a range who would have thought. All the mean while the m4 is sitting out on its bipod next to the guy and he doeant even notice.My buddy tells him atleast twice the gun is legal. I told him a few times also. He eventually wonders away and the 2 guys that were at the pistol range walk over laughing. Apparently that guy came up to them earlier that day accusing them of sneaking into the club by boat even though there car was not only the only car parked at the range but was 10 feet away from them. Now if I see this guy I probably won't even take my ear muffs off.

 

My thing is if you have no authority don't act like you do and their is a right way and a wrong way to talk to people. I know to this guy we were probably kids even though we were 27-28ish but still. If he was 1000 years old I probably would have eventually told him to mind his f-ing business but I don't told to seniors that way.

[forayzor 1]

I was shooting my CX4 Storm at Pocono Pistol Club with my girlfriend a few months ago. The guy in the port next to me kept nudging his buddy and pointing at the storm and saying "check that thing out!"

Being the way I always am at the range, I waited until I was satisfied and went up to him and asked if he would like to shoot it. I always allow people to shoot my guns (under my supervision) because I like shooting other people's too.

He of course joyfully accepted my offer, so I loaded 5 rounds into the magazine and handed it to him. He put the magazine in, turned the safety of and hit the bolt release. After the gun was ready to fire I looked down range at the target, a fresh FBI Q. The gun was sighted in, and my gf and I were shooting less than 3" groups at 50'.

1st round- didn't even hit the target, confusing me

2nd round- again another miss. At this point I direct my line of sight to our neighbors target, thinking he was shooting the wrong target.

3rd round- the target holder starts swinging violently back and forth.

4th round- I yell bring it lower, and he clips the top of the target.

5th round, another clean miss.

At this point, I'm wondering what the hell is going on. He puts the gun down with a confused look. I say, "what the heck were you shooting at?!"

He goes "the middle of the target!"

"The bullet hits right where you put the green dot!"

"huh? What green dot?"

*facepalm*

Thinking the sight turned off, I look through the sight. Green dot is right where it always is. He takes the gun and goes "ooooh that green dot!"

 

I have the sight cowitness the stock sights, but fold the back sight down when I use my dot sight. He was just pointing the front sight post at the target, with nothing else to line it up and letting her rip.

I packed my stuff up and said my good byes

[Adam 6]

Way back in 1995 (man that sounds so long ago) I was in basic at Ft Knox..

 

Well, we had this kid named Rebuck.. Never shot a weapon a day in his life. Couldn't hit anything, at any distance on the range.

 

We move from prone to foxhole which is essentially a cement sewer pipe on end with a gravel base.

 

Rebuck jumps down in the hole to my right, places his rifle on the block just like everyone else.

 

Fire commands are given for 3, 3rd bursts, I catch out of the corner of my eye, as he removes his rifle from the block he dips the suppressor into the peat gravel around the firing line. So, being nice guy I am, I yell over and point it out to check for obstruction.

 

What's Rebuck do? With the weapon on fire, his right hand grasping the stock, index still in near the trigger, pulls it down into the hole with him while at the same time, reaching up to check and clear any obstruction. As he is doing this, the butt of the stock bumps the rear of the foxhole, slamming his finger against the trigger timed PERFECTLY to send a 3 round burst through the palm of his hand pretty much removing all but his thumb.

 

Cease fire is yelled, one DI jumps in the hole to administer medical aide, while the other stands over the hole screaming "How F'n stupid do you feel now, you just shot yourself with an M16"

 

He lost all but his index finger and thumb.

[Tactical Turtle 11]

On time my glock had a fte....

[specopsscout 26]

I was at Cumberland Riflemen shooting on the hundred yard range, sighting in a new scope on my ArmaLite AR10T, off one of the benches. There was a guy shooting an ArmaLite AR15T a few lanes over. As I was about to fire, my field of view went black, and I got out of the scope to see what happened. The other shooter was standing in front of my rifle, waving at me, from forward the firing line. While I cleared my rifle, he started more closely examining it, comparing it to his.

When he was finally done, and back at his shooting lane, I figured I'd finally start shooting. I'm about a half mag in when I hear him cussing and yelling from over in his lane. I look over, and he is again standing forward of the firing line, this time in front of his rifle. He's got a segmented military cleaning rod jammed into his muzzle. There is still a magazine inserted, and the weapon is off safe. I cleared mine, then walked over to see if I could help, since he was making such a big scene.

He angrily announced that his POS rifle wasn't shooting as accurately as they said it would, so he was gonna clean it. I then placed his weapon on safe, dropped the magazine, and pulled the bolt back...wait for it...ejecting the live round from the chamber. When I pointed out how dangerous a position he had placed himself in , he did his best immitation of "Blackhawk Down" by holding up his trigger finger and announcing that it was his safety. I quickly learned why the cleaning rod was stuck, too. An AR chamber brush doesn't fit in the muzzle very well...

I tried to gently offer some advice on how to safely clean a match grade barrel, showing him how a bore guide works, my coated one piece cleaning rod, and some of the chemicals I had with me. He immediately turned around stomping away, mumbling that I was a a jerk, that he never asked me how to clean a rifle, and some other silly crap. I decided to leave for the six hundred yard range soon there after, as he was clearly too stupid and dangerous for both our good...

[Ray Ray 3,566]

Wanna watch some funny stuff? Go to qualification day for armored car drivers. YIKES