Range safety scenario

[Grimstod]

I was in a discussion about weapons with someone and he told me a story about how someone at the range painted him with a firearm. So he grabbed the gun away from him disassembled it and put it on the bench.

Now this seams to me like an unsafe thing to do. What if the person having the firearm taken form him kept a tight grasp of his weapon. It could have escalated into a wresting match. And some one could have been shot. Would it not have been better to confront a fella verbally about where your firearm muzzle is pointed rather than attempting to take it from them by force without saying anything first?

Also seams like something legal to me. If someone at the range walked up to me and just tried to take my gun, how do I know they are legally allowed to posses such a weapon? Regardless of whether or not they have one with them.

 

[Erud]

I’d say that there’s at least a 95% probability that that never actually happened, and the guy who told the story has watched too many movies.

 

[338 dude]

I do not believe I would let a stranger disarm me much less disassemble my rifle in front of me but I also would not point the muzzle in an unsafe direction

 

[chutem]

Grim, I do think you are in the correct thought process.

 

[jackson1]

Seems like the story has a lack of context. Has to be more to the story. Sweeping another person with a firearm is bad practice, it has happened to me when dealing with new shooters. I viewed it as a teaching moment. If the sweeper new better and just didn't care, that is another matter.

 

[topclass2017]

As a former RSO at a public range, I was swept (along with half the range) by a shooter uncasing his MSR in a manner that violated standing range safety rule. (Rule: uncase on the bench with muzzle pointed downrange. He was behind the firing line and had the muzzle parallel to the line.) I confronted him and was told, "it's ok, my rifle is unloaded". Irrelevant info. Then I noticed his finger was inside the trigger guard and there was a magazine in the well. I had him immediately point his rifle at the ground and asked him to take it to the bench, and to point it downrange. Upon surrendering his rifle to me (I first asked him if I could clear, inspect, and secure it), I found: a loaded magazine, one in the chamber, and in the "fire" position. I also could smell alcohol on his breath.

To jackson1's point, it was a teaching moment, but I also believe he knew better and the alcohol either impaired his judgement, his memory, or his care.

He was asked to leave the range (which he did after letting loose with language to make a longshoreman proud), and had his range privileges suspended for 30 days pending completion of the new member safety orientation class. Never saw him again.

 

[Sniper338]

Best practice I've found is to avoid gun ranges.

 

[Uthink Uknow]

While in the Army we had a guy go berserk and stood up and fired a burst of 20 from his M14 at the range tower. He hit no one but we hit him a number of times with fists. I was a range officer (non-com).

 

[68W40 Retired]

While in the Army we had a guy go berserk and stood up and fired a burst of 20 from his M14 at the range tower. He hit no one but we hit him a number of times with fists. I was a range officer (non-com).

I saw an officer clear his weapon from inside a HMMWV and blow a round through the side. I was standing right next to the vehicle and the bullet hit the ground very close to my feet. I was standing at and had my muzzle inside the clearing barrel. He was too lazy and cocky to get out of the vehicle. The company commander yanked him out of the vehicle and tore him a new one. Then a few weeks later he was sent to Ranger School. I sure hope he learned his lesson and didn't accidentally shoot anyone at school.

Best practice I've found is to avoid gun ranges.

I agree. I shoot at a private range that has timeslots. One shooter at a time really allows me to feel safer and focus more on shooting rather than watching everyone behind my back.

68W40

 

[K22]

There are so many things wrong with this story I don't know where to begin if it's true.

It's foolish to physically and aggressively confront someone that has a firearm when you can walk away. I've left the range a number of times when I've encountered an unsafe shooter that reacts negatively to a polite calling their attention to an unsafe act.

Such an action as described in this post would result in an expulsion of both members at the clubs I belong to if witnessed or reported to the club leadership.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

What kind of snowflake lets a guy take his gun and disassemble it right in front of him? Sounds like some real hollywood BS. Thats a real good way to get shot with a backup weapon. How do you know the hollywood stunt man’s intentions with your weapon? He may be about to snap and needs a quick gun.

 

[rr2030]

I was in a discussion about weapons with someone and he told me a story about how someone at the range painted him with a firearm. So he grabbed the gun away from him disassembled it and put it on the bench.

This is the entire true story, the rest is BS and I hope at the time you called BS on the"someone".

 

[300_whisper]

Bruh...when guys sweep at our range, no RSOs, private range, we just say hey man muzzle discipline. They usually turn red, apologize profusely, and we say it’s ok just be careful in the future. Then we shoot and have fun. No big deal.

 

[300_whisper]

If you took someone’s weapon at the range this would happen.

 

[matthias]

I worked at a public range as an RSO for 5 years. I have never heard of anyone physically removing a weapon from a persons hands. I dont believe this story. It seems embellished

All it takes is one trigger pull and the story ends up differently.

Any real issues negligent discharge, flagging, or generally being unpolite with a weapon was frowned upon. It was up to the individual RSO how to proceed. The sheriff was called only once for a truly upset and unpredictable person.

Legally this is a minefield. Any lawer paid enough could cause some real issues. Just look at how much trouble police get into. Most of them are doing what they think is best and they get no benefit of the doubt. Imagine a private citizen dealing with that.

 

[redrockranger]

Don't go to a range on weekends. ?

 

[Knotwild]

The world we live in has become so full of #&(@ that you don't know what to believe unless you actually see it. The key two words are key is that he "told you a story". I used to get a spanking from my mother if I told "a story". She also taught me not to repeat stories. So that's a good place to start with this thread.

You probably shouldn't concern yourself too much with thinking about it.

 

[NateHaler]

I was in a discussion about weapons with someone and he told me a story about how someone at the range painted him with a firearm. So he grabbed the gun away from him disassembled it and put it on the bench.

This is purely hearsay. Not worth pondering or commenting on, because it probably didn't happen.

On the other hand, here is a factual account of a disturbing incident at a public shooting range, because it happened to me and the person who came to my aid (although I was unaware of the danger I was in) is John Jardine of 1911 (including Valtro) pistol smithing fame:

Some time in the 1990s, I was practicing my pistol shooting at Target Masters in Milpitas, CA. I had the far left lane, and the lane immediately to my right was occupied by a guy showing off for his buddy who stood behind and watched. The showoff started with a Mossberg pump shotgun like Rico Tubbs carried in the Miami Vice TV show of the 1980s. After firing a few rounds, he reloaded and commenced firing again, at which point he lost his grip on the shotgun and recoil carried it away and behind him onto the concrete floor, where John Jardine was standing. (John had been shooting the lane to the right of the showoff...)

John looked disgusted, and I set my pistol down, and stood back. The showoff looked sheepish, told his buddy that he wasn't going to shoot the shotgun anymore, and proceeded to reach into his shooting bag for a handgun. It looked like a SIG 226, but that's not important really. I resumed my position, and as I began firing, I glimpsed some commotion with my peripheral vision and immediately stopped firing, set my pistol down and stepped back.

John had the showoff lifted off the ground in a bearhug from the back, was saying loudly enough for me to hear "All right buddy, that's all for you today, you are OUT OF HERE", and waited for the showoff's friend to open the door and then John carried the guy out to explain to the counter staff what had happened.

What had happened? John came back in, and said "He had fired a round with his handgun and then it jammed, so he tried to clear it while keeping his finger on the trigger and was pointing it directly at you through the (plastic) lane divider." So John may have saved my life that day.

I've been meaning to call him and remind him of that event. I haven't seen John since the early 2000s at the Long Range Tactical Matches in Ione, CA.

 

[Daddymac]

I am all about safety any time firearms are present, and if I did something stupid I will take a tongue lashing, but if you try and take my firearm we are going to have a problem.

 

[300_whisper]

Check this out...talk about skin crawling....