Oh God! I can't take it anymore! Why? Why? Why? Arrrgh....

[Questor]

I can't take it anymore! Why are the same guys at the range that obviously own many guns too stinkin' cheap to buy a spotting scope so they aren't interrupting the line constantly with requests to go check their targets???!!!!!?

Is this some kind of mental defect indigenous to my region, or is it a friggin' pandemic?

[BCB]

Well, they are sort of expensive!  Maybe you could volunteer to look at their target with your spotting scope--at least that might save a bit of time from them walking to their targets...BCB

[skb2706]

Even a cheap spotting scope will work for the typical 100 yd. range. I know what you mean....the range I go to has a scope for every two or three stations but I still take my own. I am too tall to use most of theirs and mine are much higher quality optics anyway. Take my own chrony, shooting bags, sand bags, gun rest, targets, binos and tools too !

[Redhawk1]

I can't take it anymore! Why are the same guys at the range that obviously own many guns too stinkin' cheap to buy a spotting scope so they aren't interrupting the line constantly with requests to go check their targets???!!!!!?

Is this some kind of mental defect indigenous to my region, or is it a friggin' pandemic?

I know exactly how you feel. And when they check there targets, they take there sweet time.  I love it when I have the range to myself.

[skb2706]

I guess I'm a sucker...I take extra hearing protection, extra safety glasses and I just plan on loaning tools. It really frustrates me when I see someone bring their kids to a shooting range without ear and eye protection and nobody ever brings tools. ie. allen wrenches, screw drivers, torx wrench etc.

[beemanbeme]

Hey, chill out.  Take a book.  Do a couple of lines on a crossword puzzle.  If you shoot at a public range or a club range, everythings a compromise.  If you let your heart rate get too high, it affects your shooting.  Think Zen.   :grin:

[James B]

When I walk out to the target it is usually to mark or tape the holes up. Its hard to do that without a trip down range. If I am using a 3x9 or stronger scope, I can see the holes with that.

[skb2706]

Our local range allows each shooter to place several targets so as long as you can see the hits you could continue shooting. They also call cease fire every 30 min. but never just because somebody suggests it.

[longwinters]

I also take everything I could need, as well as extra ear plugs for other people who don't think of it.  I don't mind a break once in a while as it lets the barrel cool on my rifle.  Allthough often I take a couple of rifles so I can swap em back and forth for barrel cooling.  I guess we are lucky since we have 4 rifle ranges within 1/2 hour of where I live.  The only problem is that all but one are only 100yd ranges.  But you certainly do run into all kinds.  A guy last weekend was shooting and I noticed he had no ear protection.  I offered him some and he said "no thanks,  I have a head cold so I can't hear good anyway".   :roll:

Long

[victorcharlie]

Some want to let there barrel cool down and figure that's a good time to check their targets......
 
I'm really lucky as I live 10 minutes from a very nice rifle club with multiple ranges out to 300 yards and it's not uncommon for me to have all the range's to myself......even on the weekends there is only a few guys......5 or 6 at the most......
 
I think most of the members only use the range before deer season to sight in their rifles.........private club limited to a 1000 memberships......fenced, gated, card entry, paved streets with gutters........ covered so I can shoot in the rain......good benches.....clean, working restrooms with hot and cold running water...........
 
It took several years to get a membership but it's well worth the $100 a year......
 
Nice to be able to change targets with out disturbing someone else!

[Steelbanger]

We've got 'em here in Pennsylvania too. My pet peeves are the ones that  put a target at 100 yds., fire a shot, stop everything and stroll out only to find that it's not on paper! Back they come, fire another shot and repeat the above procedure. Most times I offer the use of my spotter but if they're the know it all type I just grit my teeth and wait.

When you retire you will find another type of delay at the range. Other retired guys who always seem to have a few extra hours just to BS with anyone, anywhere. I consider myself a sociable person but when I put on my muffs, put a cartridge in the chamber and appear to be aiming please stop talking to me! I came here to shoot.

Very early in the morning is the absolute best time to have the range to yourself.

[Questor]

A clarification (arrggh!!!):

I don't find it irritating when an average joe without much shooting equipment does this as part of sighting in.  I'm only too happy to wait and oblige.

I get irritated with those guys who clearly have shooting as a major hobby and can afford thousands of dollars to buy more guns and usually reloading gear, but won't spend a few hundred dollars on a scope. I can't understand why somebody would be so deeply into shooting and not have a some kind of scope. Jeez! You can get a functional one for about $70 that's adequate for a 100 yard range.

[longwinters]

Maybe they want the exercise? :lol:

Long

[jh45gun]

The range I go to has about 4 scopes being used and if the range is busy I always bring a small pair of Bushnell or Tasco 8x21 binocs and use them. The only time I go down range it to retrieve a target if it is worth bragging rights.  :grin:

[roper]

Most of our ranges here are private membership only we do have afew DOW ranges.  Someone at our club who wants to check his target has to call a cease-fire and depending on how many shooters the one shot check his target shooter doesn't happen too often.  Most all our guys have spoting scopes and if the don't  there going to have to wait alittle on other shooter and if it's a new member who forgot the rules if he isn't hitting the paper at 100yd he is send over to the 25/50 yd line to sight-in.  We have 25 stations  on the 100yd line and 8 on the 200yd and 300yd.  Closer to hunting season gets pretty busy.  I've shot at public ranges and they aren't the best run but they serve a need and most of those won't hold a cease-fire just for one guy to  check.  Always hard to figure why someone does what we consider wrong.    Down range checking your target isn't for a social gathering at our range we want our members to feel like they can come and shoot.

[Mikey]

Questor - that kind of stuff drives me nuts and I have had to tell more than one person to stay behind the firing line until I was through with my string.  Some think that just because you are shooting on one target at 100 yds they can go downrange and check their targets while you're still shooting.  One guy told me - hey, you're hittin' the paper, what do I have to worry about.........  Here's your sign buddy!

And yes, we older retired guys are a pain - too much time to bs on the range.  Fire a couple of shots, check the target, bs a bunch, fire a couple of more shots, bs about the last operation, teh kids, the grandkids, the dog, the wife, etc.  The trick is that most retired guys don't usually get to the range before 11 or 12 (we often sleep in, lol) and I try and get there a bit earlier so I don't have to deal with the holdups.  It's a trip, fer shor, but it's still shootin'.  Mikey.

[Redhawk1]

I go to the range to shoot. If  I wanted to BS I would go to the club house or some place else. I have to drive 45 minutes to get to my range, and I don't want to sit there and wait or stop shooting every 5 minutes, just because someone can't see where there hits are.  But where I go the people there are very courteous and most of the time I am the only one shooting.  

[jgalar]

What also ticks me off is a range officer who does not give an advanced warning before calling a cease fire. They will sound the horn and turn on the flashing "range safe" lights without any advanced warning. If you have just loaded up your lever action you have to eject all the rounds.

But what really burns me is when I am shooting cap N" ball or a muzzleloader. The horn will sound, the safe light comes on and folks start streaming down range.  I have to overrule the range officer and yell out the range is not safe then I have to waste my shot/shots into the berm.

The range officer will get upset when you tell them that you require advanced notice before putting on the safe light especially when shootng black powder. I am sure they get really upset with me when I report them to the range officer committee for their unsafe practice.

[TennesseeNuc]

victorcharlie,
The place you describe sounds really familiar to me.  Only, I live about an hour away from it.  So, I try to save up for several hours worth of shooting to make the trip worthwhile.  CRC.
Best,
TnNuc

[jh45gun]

What also ticks me off is a range officer who does not give an advanced warning before calling a cease fire. They will sound the horn and turn on the flashing "range safe" lights without any advanced warning. If you have just loaded up your lever action you have to eject all the rounds.

But what really burns me is when I am shooting cap N" ball or a muzzleloader. The horn will sound, the safe light comes on and folks start streaming down range.  I have to overrule the range officer and yell out the range is not safe then I have to waste my shot/shots into the berm.

The range officer will get upset when you tell them that you require advanced notice before putting on the safe light especially when shootng black powder. I am sure they get really upset with me when I report them to the range officer committee for their unsafe practice.

Since most DNR regs at least in WI they consider a black powder gun unloaded if it is not capped or powder in the pan or no primers ect. you would think shooting ranges would consider that good.   Jim