SO Aggravating! Range Safety Officer Idiots

One of the things I was looking forward to and something that would have kept me sane during the COVID-19 lockdown, was the ability to drive out to the Gun Club where I work as an RSO and shoot. Especially since I have a new Tokarev, and another Tokarev and SKS coming soon.

But no!, because a few idiots the range has been closed to ALL RSO's. It seems a few idiots ruined it for everyone.

"a small group of RSOs decided to abuse their access to the range and attempted to organize a group shooting event.That would have been in direct violation of the state order and place the Club in legal jeopardy."

I'm not sorry for calling you an IDIOT! if you are one of the RSO's responsible for this and you visit this forum.

Why apologise they screwed up and spoilt it for all, we have been told by our State shooting group WARA and the NRA of Australia that our range is closed it is also a Commonwealth owned range (Army) so we are dead in the water not sure if the SASR will still come down to calibrate their long guns as Swanbourne is only 600 Yards now our range is 1000 M so they may use their .308's & 338's or they may go to Whiteman Park.

I get it. I wanted to go to the range last weekend, when I showed up it was closed off. Sucks because my range is more your a member and its more or less a free for all from 7am-10pm unless there is special events (outdoor range, three different bays). I figured it would be ok considering your not in contact with anyone, but I guess they decided to close it anyways.

Frankly speaking, I'm one of those persons who always respects the rules and always gets punished because of other people's mistakes, and I'm slowly getting too much...
Bill, I can understand you very well, and second the insults! There are deserved.

I'm going this morning because I know it'll end soon. We just had an email about attendance, we're now being watched as there were complaints to the municipality about people from different households attending together and being too close during practice. That very morning my wife and I went and sure enough, two guys together in one vehicle...exactly opposite to orders and one stray. After they finished we were able to get down to business but they hung out in a little clutch by one vehicle chatting about world events, exactly opposite to orders. We're not long...

Its NOW we all wish we owned rolling hills and deep valleys so you can just lay out on the porch and shoot for 1000 yards without any fear of hitting anybody except the targets!!:madsmile:

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Originally Posted by Gil Boyd

shoot for 1000 yards

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I'd settle for two or three hundred...and just focus on dime sized groups.

I have my 100yd range in my back woods Me and my grand kids use. The only critters close don't like the noise.

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Originally Posted by Gil Boyd

Its NOW we all wish we owned rolling hills and deep valleys so you can just lay out on the porch and shoot for 1000 yards without any fear of hitting anybody except the targets!!:madsmile:

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That describes my farm nicely, but its
them rolling hills that limit me to 800 yards....otherwise I could get nearly 1200.😥🤔

All ranges closed in the UK, it will stay that way until the nation wide shutdown is partially lifted.

I would assume outside rifle ranges and golf courses will be among the first to re-open, with appropriate distancing and closed club houses.

They've even closed the public lands and forests in Washington state. Torques me off but good, when I'm out shooting in the woods I have more than enough "social distance".

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Originally Posted by WillSarchet

when I'm out shooting in the woods I have more than enough "social distance".

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Isn't that the truth.

I just got word that our range may open for limited access mid-May... I can't wait.

In Pennsylvania they ****ed off a bunch of fishermen because they started the season early. I'm thinking, gee, you're complaining about that. They've been encouraging people to fish and hunt in the state, Trout opened a week early and Turkey season is starting now. All the state ranges are closed and I suspect most if not all the private ranges are closed also. Been closed for over a month.

Same here and no news on when it will begin to shoot again as we shoot on a Commonwealth range the Govt will definately not let us on early to which I agree as a good smattering of our members are close to their 70-80's middle road about my age of about 600 years!:madsmile::rofl:

My range is still open with a couple of restriction in place. I'm always alone anyway. I go regularly, maybe twice a week because it could close before this ends and because of possible impending changes to firearms here. I have thousands of round and better shoot a few up I recon...use some of this stuff.

Jim,
You lucky bugger. Ours is closed and you can't go on your own anyway. One of you has to be RO trained.
Its a bit like fishing, you are aaprt anyway at each bay, otherwise you get no peace to concentrate, and I am sure even when the restrictions are lifted we will all have to stop the French kissing and cuddling before we throw lead down the range at man sized figure 11's :ugh:

THIS IS WHY I LOVE YUMA.
Not only do we have a very large range complex about 15 miles outside of town , but we also have the old WW2 Patton range as well . It's not much to look at any more , which is part of it's charm and lack of use . It was a 500 yd. range with a berm every 100 yards and a target pit berm as well . The target equipment is long gone and a dirt road cuts across at about the 300 yard line . We shoot mostly at the 200 yd. line into the target berm . Behind that is a hill that's 500 - 550 yds. about half way up . The mountains behind that has canyons running back 1500 to 2000 yds. Beyond the mountains is a rough , ugly stretch of the range no one goes into that goes for about 5-6 miles , just in case of a stray round , but no one tries to clear the first mountain line .
It has no facilities or construction on it . We can line up on the range proper or to either side for a mile or so . Temperatures can reach 120F in the shade during summer , but luckily there is no shade unless you bring your own . We shoot .22s to .50BMG nowadays to mini-guns , 20MM modern , and a 3-inch black powder cannon in days now past . Great place to go before and still now during these times ( though warm weather is starting to come - topped a hundred this weekend ) .
I hope this brings some smiles out there today .
Take care and stay safe , Chris

All our ranges are closed and hunting has been halted (although it opens up for private land tomorrow). The reasoning is not 'social distancing' but the risk of having to call out emergency services in the event of accident in the mountains while this Covid-19 threat persists.

The worst example of RO stupidity I have encountered was when the RO insisted a plastic chamber flag was put into a smoking hot AR15, even though the mag was out and the bolt locked open. I got the job of removing the resulting mess! I have encountered a few 'little Hitlers' in my shooting career, all classic cases of little men with big egos!

I hear ya Woodsy. When I moved from Ohio to Tenn. I let my range membership lapse and they emailed asking why. The main reason was the move of course but I told her that I probably wouldn't have renewed anyways because of their head RO. The man had no social skills and had no business being around people with loaded firearms.:banghead::madsmile:

All ranges are opening again!!!
YEAH!!!
I'll have to wait two more weeks before picking up my new Bernardelli and Colt, but at least I can get back to shooting.
I almost reloaded the neighbour's cat last week...

The gun club that I work as an RO opened last Monday, I work last Friday. It was interesting to have to wear a mask for 9 hours. Mostly regulars came out, but a few new shooters/members. I FLEW out of my watch post when I saw this young man with an AR holing it sideways with the muzzle pointing in the general direction of the shooters to his left. I calmly asked him to keep the muzzle of his rifle pointed downrange at all times. I didn't want to spook the young fella and chance him launching a round.

Other than that and a few lizards it was a 'New Normal' range day

A "once and never again mistake", if the guy is smart. If he's dumb, he'll do it again and will have to be thrown out. But I have always been of the opinion that barking at people from the very beginning is not a good way to make them safer and better. A firm, professional and polite approach are way better. But once is enough.
I had very good results also with my Alpini. The only really dangerous situation we had, and we were in the AMF-L, so we really practiced and exercised a lot, also at the range, making live-fire assaults etc, has been when our Colonel (Regimental Co.), Lieutenant-Colonel (Battalion Co.) and Captain (Company Co.) were there and started sh*itting one of my dumbest soldiers because he was fumbling with the safety while trying to cover the others from prone. A guy who was less than smart, in my opinion at the verge of a handicap. He got so upset that, when it was his turn to run ahead, he did so with the trigger finger on the trigger and the selector on full auto, stumbled and let loose a burst of 5.56 in the dirt and rocks in front of him. I still remember hearing 4 or 5 "zips" close to my right ear. All the high brass were immediately on the ground, and I went to the guy and took him the rifle, fully expecting what came next. He got kicked in the butt and insulted in a bloody way, got weeks of punishment, which was ok considering the mess he made, but the reason for that mess was the same brass kicking him, so that did not feel right at all.
I'm really starving myself for a normal range day now... Maybe I'll take half a day off for that. While on Friday, I'll take the whole day and ride my Guzzi in the mountains.

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Originally Posted by Ovidio

But I have always been of the opinion that barking at people from the very beginning is not a good way to make them safer and better. A firm, professional and polite approach are way better.

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I've never been one to use an aggressive voice or demeanor or even while in the Military at the range unless provoked, which usually is due to a person refusing to comply with the rules or is being expelled, like you, I believe "professional and polite approach are way better" and much safer for everyone in the vicinity.

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Originally Posted by Ovidio

when it was his turn to run ahead, he did so with the trigger finger on the trigger and the selector on full auto, stumbled and let loose a burst of 5.56 in the dirt and rocks in front of him.

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In the SEABEE's we had a Marine Corp's Gunny who handled out training, (don't know if this is still true today) while out on our M16A1 300-yard qualifications with the M16A1 had his finger blown off while adjusting elevation on one of the newer guys M16. The rifle was not on safe and the shooter had his finger on the trigger. The gunny failed as well as the shooter in this case. It was a messy day, qualifications continued for everyone except the Gunny and Shooter.

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Originally Posted by usabaker

It was a messy day, qualifications continued for everyone except the Gunny and Shooter.

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This shows the differences in systems. Ours would have shut down and the area cordoned off, all witnesses sequestered until ammo wing, training safety and range control all finished their investigations and paperwork. That's in the book...

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

This shows the differences in systems. Ours would have shut down and the area cordoned off, all witnesses sequestered until ammo wing, training safety and range control all finished their investigations and paperwork.

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This was in 1979 (post-Vietnam) as I recall, things were a lot different back then. There was an accident report to be sure, but it was really cut-and-dry as to what happened. I'm sure nowadays it would be an all stop, 10 day investigation, Offers of traumatic counseling for those that witnessed or heard about it, and the command getting sued by the person who made the mistake.

---------- Post added at 01:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:19 PM ----------

Oh and Mothers writing the commanding officer complaining about the dangerous environment they are putting their kids in for no reason.

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Originally Posted by usabaker

had his finger blown off

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Purple Heart ? :surrender:

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Originally Posted by painter777

Purple Heart ?

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LOL... More like red-faced on his return to the command.

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Originally Posted by usabaker

This was in 1979

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Yes, still different than our system for sure. I was around running small arms ranges then too and still WE would have had hoops to jump.

Yes, you guys would have had a different thing then, all the recent wartime experiences at hand.

This one is a little different: On the grenade range; Ft. Knox early 70's. On the throwing line there were 6x6 concrete boxes with 3 foot high walls. When it was your turn to throw you were accompanied by a DI. When this guy next to me pulled the pin the top/safety came off, The DI jumped the wall and left the guy holding the grenade. For what ever reason the guy leaned forward and dropped the grenade over the wall. They said it blew up before it hit the ground. Very lucky guy. The DI never returned...:beerchug:

Grenades have always been a scary thing in the hands of less than smart guys...

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Originally Posted by shadycon

On the grenade range

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We had a different set of rules there, lots of supervision for trainees. I have a couple stories too... None of them include abandoning a trainee.

I too have many stories of Grenade ranges, but not for this board...!

It is however useful to speculate on why people behave the way they do on grenade ranges, and I would dispute the suggestion that it is the "stupid" people that cause the problems.. In my experience it is often down to the more intelligent types, over thinking the problem!

The main factor however is the ability and the demeanour of the Instructor/Range Conducting officer.. One of my pet hates are skill at arms instructors on a power trip, and I have to admit to it being one of the very few occasions when I will pull rank and grip people. RCOs need to maintain control and retain authority, but power needs to be wielded with purpose, logic and with responsibility. Getting shooters into a state of terror on the firing point or scoring points off experienced shooters should not be a part of RCO's behaviour IMHO.

At the end of the day, if something happens it is either down to poor training or direction, wilful disobedience or unforeseen circumstances.. The first you can do something about, the second you must not tolerate and the third you can only react to!

But yes.. the COVID thing is a PITA.. however it may be worth having a hard look at procedures before going back on the range, and seeing if there are any silly ones that can be got rid of. I am looking at getting rid of signing in sheets and as much paperwork as I can and get as much on to electronic means as possible.

"I am looking at getting rid of signing in sheets and as much paperwork as I can and get as much on to electronic means as possible."

In France clubs the have installed scanner systems linked to the French Federation. The licence has a bar code and the shooters photo and details are in the shooting federations system. This has two benefit's.
1:The old paper licence for semi auto firearms required 3 inspection stamps per year with 2 months between each to maintain your licence; this would be stamped by the club president.
The Federation have been given control of the "inspection" part of licensing; so just by turning up and shooting regularly; you maintain your licence. No extra work for the Range officer and club President and no forgetting to stamp your licence.
2: Also prevents miss use of borrowed or stolen licences. The photo of the holder is not on the card, it's in the national system; so if someone is visiting from another club; it's easy to confirm the identity.

The fact that the Gouvernment have recently handed over the inspection of the licensing to the Federation is a rare step forward in gun control. It actually removes some of the complication!

remember you can deal with this easily very easily.

just print out a little piece of paper explaining why so many officers get fragged in combat for being absolute morons... like, "hmm its 1969 denang, and this officer is a fricking moron we want to get rid of... I know there is VC snipers in those trees..... I think ill SALUTE "

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Originally Posted by pocketshaver

remember you can deal with this easily very easily.

just print out a little piece of paper explaining why so many officers get fragged in combat for being absolute morons... like, "hmm its 1969 denang, and this officer is a fricking moron we want to get rid of... I know there is VC snipers in those trees..... I think ill SALUTE "

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Really.. in my book, behaviour like that lies somewhere between mutiny and treachery..

If that is your attitude, then you really should not be anywhere near firearms!

Some folks still need to read about our forum etiquette policy they agreed to under our Terms of Service Agreement" they electronically signed when they joined. ;)

Regards,
Doug

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Originally Posted by Badger

Some folks still need to read about our forum etiquette policy they agreed to under our Terms of Service Agreement" they electronically signed when they joined. ;)

Regards,
Doug

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My apologies Doug... I will curb my reactions, and as you suggest, put individuals who annoy me on "ignore.."

Bombdoc..