Public gun range issues

[brnsvllyjohn]

There are two public gun ranges within 25 miles of my home. These are on state property and managed by the Fish and Wildlife service. They have no range masters. There are signs everywhere that tell you the rules but reading is apparently not required to shoot a gun. I use one of the ranges routinely but almost never shoot at the other one. The one I use has backstops to just past 300 yards and the other one has berms to beyond 500 yards. I always get there as early as possible so I can get a preferred bench and before the real problem people show. Most serious shooters do the same thing I do.
Now some of the biggest problems I see are people shooting some unbelievable junk that they think is cool to shoot. Everything from old televisions to old car engines. Lots and lots of plastic bottles. The fine is around $400 for shooting anything that is not an approved target but apparently people don't care. You are also required to remove any targets you take with you except clay birds. The areas get so littered that they are cleaned every Tuesday and the one I use requires two loads on a large dump bed to clean the range each week.
The range I refuse to use has a different type of individuals that shoots there. They are worse for shooting garbage they brought from home but that is not why I won't shoot there. They will not stop shooting for you to go downrange to mark or pull your targets. I have had major issues pulling my target and it requires a group effort to go to every bench and insist that the shooters cease fire but even then they cannot be trusted. I was told to just were blaze orange and I wouldn't get shot. Yeh Right.
When I shoot I typically take two targets and drop one in front of the 100 yard berm and then walk on out and drop one in front of the 200 yard berm. I rarely shoot to the 300 yard berm. Very very few of use actually put our targets in front of the berms. Most put their targets or water bottles or whatever on top of the berm to shoot. Hello the berm is a backstop to catch the bullets and is 10-15 yards beyond the actual 100 or 200 yard markers if you care about that. I can say that at the range I typically use I have never had an issue getting a ceasefire in order to go mark or pull my targets, however I have never tried to shoot on a weekend.

I cannot believe the idiots that refuse to follow the rules on a FREE pubic range. I think we will see in the near future these type of ranges being closed to the pubic. Then they will just drive out into the public land and blast away at whatever.

 

[Cubguy]

Had an episode about a month ago. A 12' tall berm splits the pistol range from our 100 yrd range. I told the guys at pistol range i was walking down to check my targets. They said ok. I was down looking at my target when i hear bang bang bang, then high pitch whistling noises. Then one hit right below the paper i was looking at. I took off runnin. Be careful at those ranges. Lots of zipper heads out there. I prefer to go to public land with a rangefinder and target if the range has people. Im sure i was taking ricochets from fmj's on steel targets. Be careful! I always pick up my targets and spents at range or public land.

 

[Mallardsx2]

I stopped going to them. I refuse to get killed by some random idiot. If you must, GO EARLY IN THE AM.

 

[LuketheDog]

To many idiots at ranges like that, I only shoot on controlled ranges or private property if I get the chance...

 

[brnsvllyjohn]

When I lived on the coast I only used a public range that had a range master. It cost more than I thought it should but it was very safe. The rules were strictly enforced. Where I live now I am not aware of any local ranges that have a range master or any private ranges near here. My son belongs to a club range about 2 hours from here but they only have targets to 100 yards. In the last few years I do most of my shooting at 200 and not 100 yards. I also like to shoot a lot further if I can on occasion.
Since the really bad range has berms beyond 500 I have tried to get there really early and take advantage of that but getting set up isn't the problem. It is pulling or marking your targets that becomes impossible. I only shoot on weekdays since I am retired but even that hasn't worked out. I will stay on the range I am shooting now and I can shoot to 300 there.
I do have a lead on some private land where I might be able to shoot but we shall see about that.

 

[brnsvllyjohn]

I thought I would bring this back to the top sense we were at the range on Saturday and we forgot the ammo. At sun up the place was already getting crazy. I told my neighbor I would not return to the range that day and he said just wear hunter orange and we would be safe. He is well aware that at one range the shooters will not stop shooting for you to pull targets. I find it unbelievable that the locals just accept the fact you have to go downrange to remove targets while others continue shooting. I will never do that.

The range I use gets a cleanup crew every Tuesday morning and I have found Tuesday to be a good time to shoot. The best way is to get there very early. Usually by the time the cleanup crew arrives I am done and the fact the area is being cleaned allows me a lot of time to go pull my targets. Others don't like Tuesdays because they have to wait for the crew to finish to continue shooting if the clean up crew is there.

I did see something on Saturday that I have not seen before. One shooter was using a quad runner to go downrange to set up targets. I dont think it is legal but I am not sure. I know for me walking 200 yards down and back isn't a big enough problem to for me to take a quad runner to the gun range.

 

[BrooksRanger]

Sadly your experiences remind me of the Cushman Range in Fairbanks. It's like the Wild West there and I have heard multiple buzzes over my head while walking down range to check or retrieve targets. I only went there when I was starting to reload and needed to test a load out. (It set a low bar for any place being better to shoot from than there.)

When I lived in Bend, Oregon I did a lot of shooting in the National Forest but that presented its own difficulties. Driving twenty miles out of town, setting up in a very safe area with full backstop, ensuring I was alone and it was safe to shoot, then hearing a car pull in behind me and an irate lady get out and start screaming at me because I was shooting in "her" National Forest. That was pretty eye opening. The only thing I'm sure of is that there are crazy people everywhere with and without guns!

 

[LaSportsman]

I thought our range was bad but people refusing to go cold?

We have all the other problems mentioned plus people just rapid firing not really in control of handguns or AR's. I usually have my target shot at even while clearly sighting in a rifle.

I go 0600-0800 - on Saturday around 8, I was sitting waiting for my barrel to cool and a guy just walks down range. I guess he got some people's attention but he didn't get mine before walking down range. He's trusting his life to people who don't know weapons or weapon handling. I was also worried about getting flagged by an older man with a revolver. By that time, I was just waiting for the range to cold and retrieve my target.

 

[MJE2083]

There is clearly a TON of issues at public shooting ranges. Here in PA, most are on State Game Lands and the game wardens actually do patrol them fairly well. The rules are pretty strict and the wardens have developed a reputation of not putting up with even the slightest breach of the rules. The rules pretty clearly favor hunters(or fudds as some say) and discourage more of the self defense/black rifle crowd. Still they aren't without their problems.

Heck, even the private range that I belong to has problems. They recently installed security cameras that have seemed to curtail some of the bad behavior. Just last week someone dumped out two burn barrels full of trash and cardboard on the ground, drug the empty barrels downrange and shot the hell out of them. The private range has a loud buzzer that can be used to call for cease fire and also has flashing red lights that are turned on when the range is cold.

It's funny you mention the difficulty in getting a cease fire. At the public range that I go to, it's exactly the opposite problem. People show up to shoot without a spotting scope, so then they want to go downrange and check their target after every 3 shots.

 

[brnsvllyjohn]

In Monterey County I used a public range that had a rangemaster that was always very strict. I think the cease fire times were according to the clock. I believe you could shoot for about 15 to 20 minutes. Cease fire was then announced and everyone had to step behind a line. No one could touch anything at the benches during the cease fire. I didn't like some of the strict rules but I would take that over the ranges in this area.

In this area once the local gardens start producing squash and other larger vegetables or even fruit you will see people pull up with boxes and boxes of fruit or vegetables and shoot that. At least it is biodegradable. Some of the strangest things I have seen are cases and cases of cheap soda and old computers. They will put these at 25 yards and beyond then rapid fire at them. Of course they don't pick up any of the trash that is left. Very common for guys to place these odd and illegal targets on top of the berms and not in front of them. I have explained to more than one person that the berms are a bullet backstop and not a target support. Even some guys with nice targets put them on top of the berms. The berms are about 10 yards behind the known distance target area, not at the known distance.

 

[LaSportsman]

This is a depressing thread. I really thought our range was the exception but apparently it's the rule.

 

[Steiny]

I'm a member of a private gun club and we have members that trash the place out as well.
I've cleaned up a lot of that crap they used for targets.

Myself and few buddies built really deluxe shooting benches made of concrete block with poured concrete tops and seats. Some dumb SOB somehow discharged his gun from back behind the bench and blew a great big chunk out of one of the nice concrete tops.

 

[Wildabeest]

Scary stuff. Makes me even more appreciative that Salt Lake City has a great public range (Lee Kay). Highly controlled by numerous range masters (some would say they are a bit over zealous, but I’m ok with that), and a day pass is only $5. Has 75, 100 and 200/300 yd rifle range with tunnels so no ceasefires are needed to replace targets. 25 yd pistol range. Skeet, trap and 5-stand shotgun. Plus archery and muzzleloader. Awesome setup, well managed and controlled.

I had a similar experience as above at a private range run by the Lions Club. No range master. It’s just my son and I plus one other person shooting. I call a ceasefire and head down range to change out targets. The dude we didn’t know starts tinkering with his AR on the bench, not bothering to ensure the chamber was empty. My son and I are walking back towards the bench, thankfully in our lane and not his, when I hear “bam” and then a whistling noise that I’ll never forget go by my head. The guy was sincerely shocked and extremely apologetic, but it’s the last time that I’ll ever shoot a range without a marshal. I either go to SLC range, or just take some targets out on public land and shoot there.

 

[geetar]

My brother and I visited a somewhat new range here in NC Saturday. It’s called Foothills shooting complex. About an hour and a half drive from my house but worth it.
Reasons I liked it included. Each range within the complex and there are several had at least one and usually two range officers. You have to qualify your rifle on a 50 yard range and get it signed off on before you can upgrade to the 250 yard range. This prevents idiots slinging lead without being sighted in. Courtesy of staff and price being only $10 a day to get in.

 

[Sytes]

I prefer to go to public land with a rangefinder and target

This is my favorite setting for pre hunt preparations. And yes, I leave as I found it...
As with driving, you can be the best driver in the entire world... but that one knucklehead holds the potential to wreck your entire life in a fraction of a second.

 

[2rocky]

One trip to a public range definitely made me consider that maybe some gun control wouldn't be a bad thing.

I'd like to see some sort of curtain to drop to clearly signal to other shooters the range is cold. I know that is tough on an outdoor range.

 

[rwc101]

People trash some BLM land with their shooting when there is a nice, affordable gun range 5 miles closer to town.

 

[RunWilderness]

Quite a disturbing thread. I’ve been happy with both the range masters and the other shooters at Blacks Creek near Boise.
I’m always tempted to buy some steel and find a place on BLM to shoot at extended ranges, but I also never want to be the guy starting fires once things dry out and that keeps be from pulling the trigger. Pun intended.
If I had bozos shooting in my direction I think I would figure out how a good find a safe spot all on my alone.

 

[SFC B]

One of the reasons I have told the wife that I WILL be able to shoot on the next homestead.

 

[Clam]

I belong to a gun club. Kenmore Shooting Range, north of Seattle. Great facility, 100, 200, 300 (for members with special use training) and 100 public. Pistol and trap as well, also archery. Well supervised, and cameras everywhere.

I use the facilities and enjoy being a member. It is a pleasure to be in the company of very fine people with similar interests and values as me, (especially around here). I think my family membership costs around $300/yr.

Anyway, if we don’t support our gun clubs/private ranges near big cities, they will be gone, for good. I can assure you of that.