How not to behave on the range

A few weeks ago at the local range, an elderly gentleman arrived with his pistol case and targets.

He then proceeded to walk forward of the firing line while the range was hot. After many screams of "Cease Fire!" and "Cold!" we allowed him to continue forward, since the range was now cold, and put his targets up.  He happened to use my target stand, but the other shooter to my left was kind enough to offer me one of his targets so that we could return to shooting as quickly as possible, and without argument.

Upon his return to the firing line, the elderly gentleman calmly loaded his magazines, made his weapon ready, put on his ear protection and shooting glasses, and began slow fire on a cold range.

After more shouting, there was a bit of a stand off as several hotheaded individuals wanted to eject him from the range, and others wanted to educate him.

We prevailed, and he was sent to read the range safety rules, then came back, fired a single magazine on the hot range, earning himself 1 hit on a 12inch square at 15yards with a compact XDm 45.

At that point, the obviously new-to-firearms old man packed up and left.

Now, no one was hurt that day.  Yet, there was much misbehavior.

I am not speaking of the elderly man, who obviously did not know range etiquette or safety.

The misbehavior belonged to those who ridiculed him, and did not try to help him.  I myself spent a few moments trying to help his marksmanship and weapons handling, but the constant commentary from those who had wanted him removed from the range embarrassed this gentleman.

Instead of jeering him, we should have helped him.  I think it unlikely that this man will ever come to our range again, and that is a horrid thing.  It seems obvious to me that he had never handled a gun in his life, yet something had happened that convinced him he needed a pistol.  Now, if he ever needs that pistol, he will not be confident in its use. He will be a tragedy, and the anti-gun rights extremists will try to use him as an example of why the rest of us don't need our guns either.

What should have happened?

After the first incident, someone, myself or anyone else, should have pulled this gentleman aside and asked if he needed help.  Asked if he knew the range rules, and if he wanted some instruction in the use of his weapon.

Instead, we treated him like a child.

That was my mistake, and the mistake of everyone there that day.

I hope never to make one like it again.

9 months

My current wish, is that this rotten structure will hold together for just 9 more months.

My comment to the ATF about the proposed multiple sale regulation

http://www.firearmscoalition.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=548:action-alert-13-feb-2011&catid=13:states
From:     [Redacted]
To:     barbara.terrel@atf.gov
Subj:     Multiple Sale Reporting Comments
Date:     Tue, 15 Feb 2011 21:34:51 -0500


As a Veteran, I have been interested in this development.

I believe that this proposed regulation is outside the ATF mandate and is specifically barred by Title 18 U.S.C. § 926(a) .

Any such regulation would almost certainly lose a court challenge.

With the state of this nation's finances as they are, why is the ATF proposing a rule that will do nothing but cost money in litigation?

[Redacted]

Sipsey Street found the giant clips!

One of the readers at Sipsey Street Irregulars found the giant clips that the anti-gun-rights extremists are always trying to ban.

Go see them now, before the socialists make Congress ban them!

ATF in the hotseat

The ATF is under massive heat about anti-gun rights activites on the southern border.

Check out the synopsis at David Codrea's blog.