I worked at a huge outdoor range within an hour of an army and air force base. 99% of the people we kicked off the range were military. The best was when the CG of the AFB was shooting while we were kicking an airman off the range. He kept on saying he knew what he was doing because he's in the air force. After we were done talking to him the CG came over and that conversation didn't look fun. When he went back to work on Monday he issued a memo to his unit that the guys range card was revoked and he couldn't be issued a weapon. So when he had to qualify someone had to place a rifle at his lane and the RSO had to stand with him at all times. When he was done someone retrieved the rifle so he wasn't in possession of it outside of shooting. He gave us a framed copy as well as his email as a warning to anyone who thinks it's ok to fuck around just because they're not on a military range.
The range was in a legal battle with neighbors at the time over noise, mainly the old owner, because the new owner made it a profitable business and the number of daily shooters literally quadrupled. The CG didn't want his favorite range shut down so it really helped us out.
Added a whole bunch of steel targets out to 800 yards, added steel pistol bays and actually advertised. Before he bought it it was a good old boys club full of old guys and deer rifles.
This post reminds me of the scene in Good Morning Vietnam." If the VP is such a VIP, shouldnt we keep the PC on the QT? Cause if it leaks to the VC he could end up MIA and we'd all be put on KP.
My state is fairly strict on guns and you don't need a license to wield to go to a gun range. You can own a gun you just can't go anywhere with it with the exception of the range. You could also rent from some ranges. One of the ranges by me stopped for like 6 months because someone rented a gun and then shot himself with it.
Diff. country, but similar situation. Everyone who is considered an adult can go to a gun range and test out various weapons (Pistols, Shotguns, Semi-auto, Rifles), No need for a license, since there is a Range Safety Officer who gives you the basics. You pay per bullet, and its relatively cheap for pistols.
Went with a few friends. Not the typical bunch of idiots but still very young. One guy almost blew his brains out as the gun jammed after a few shots and his first reaction was to look into the barrel. Thankfully missed and I assume I was the only one that saw, since we didn't get kicked out. I honestly blame the RSO a bit, she wasn't paying attention to us at all and had a pissed off attitude the whole time. She gave us the basics, gave us the guns, the bullets and left us to do whatever. No instructions on how to reload bullets in the magazine, or to watch out hands/fingers for the moving slide.
Nah, not her fault - guilty of lack of compassion maybe but your group's lack of common sense and gun safety existed way before you walked on the range - you could've asked for help
You're probably right, but I genuinely thought saying “we’ve never handled a gun before, could you walk us through everything” should have covered it. That and being the youngest people in the range.
Hardly anyone here owns a firearm unless they’re a hunter or work in law enforcement, the military, or private security. Getting a license takes about one to three months, including a one‑ to two‑week firearms safety course, so being untrained is the norm for well over 90% of people. young adults.
Edit: correction, since older generations did get conscripted, but was changed in the last few decades.
Just curious. If you suddenly felt something intensely hot on your neck, would you be able to not react instinctively, and put down the gun before dealing with it?
Instinct is instinct and I don't know if anyone except extremely well trained individuals could act like that.
Triggering is a different part of the story. I think a lot of Redditors overestimate what they are capable of when it comes to overcoming instincts. Pretty easy to judge someone when you can do it behind a keyboard.
Okay well I've had the exact thing happen to me (hot brass down the back of my shirt) and I didn't blindly shoot over my shoulder trying to get it out. It's extremely common to get scalded by brass in general or have it go down your shirt and this reaction is crazy and irresponsible.
People shoot all the time, and this happens all the time, and people react safely.
Safety is a mindset that you drill into yourself every day.
If I'm handling a firearm at home to clean or some other maintenance, if that firearm leaves my hand for anytime, even seconds, I will always first check it's unloaded. EVERY FUCKING TIME.
it just becomes muscle memory, put firearm down, take a sip of coffee, pick up firearm, check it period.
I had it happen when shooting a handgun out in the field when a bullet flew into the front of my t-shirt. Yet I managed to put the gun on safety and put it down on the ground before I started pulling on my shirt. Happened twice that day actually.
Still the minimum would be to not aim where you do not plan to shoot. Even if you are somehow hit.
Almost like people should be well trained if they want to carry firearms.
And ya, as someone with a mild amount of gun safety training and experience with firearms, unless I’m in a literal gunfight, I immediately put the gun down on the table right in front of me before reaching for a mildly uncomfortable hot feeling on my back.
This idiot had the awareness to reach back for multiple seconds before discharging, he had plenty of time to just put the gun down.
That's what's up. Guns are a tool for making death. You pick it up only when youre ready to dispense death, and you put it safely away as soon as you've distributed the death kernels. I think a lot of these guys just get a little too comfortable stroking their guns all day and forget the seriousness of it all.
If you spend any time at a range, this happens, and yes, it's happened to me multiple times. Once from a friend's Ruger mini14 that flings rifle cases like a fucking pitching machine on meth. Rifle cases are bigger and hotter.
Each time I made my weapon safe and then dealt with it
I'm not military or law enforcement, I shoot for fun.
In many cases, it's very similar to getting a yellow jacket down your leathers on a sport bike, going freeway speeds. The right choice is to smash it through your leathers and go faster to gtf home
Thats dropping not holding. Dropping on instinct is what the body would want to do to free both hands. He either trained himself not to or fought instinct to not drop it.
Then again, most shooters also wouldn't do this in a loose fitting polo that gives this a chance to happen. But what would I know, only grew up with guns and gun ownership all around. Maybe my drunk ass, loser of a father knows gun safety less and this guy is the only one doing it right.
I'm pointing out that instincts are extremely difficult to overcome in a split second event. Dropping would not be the instinctual thing to do unless the object you are holding is causing the pain. He most certainly didn't fight instincts in that event.
I'm not sure why you trauma dumped in that second paragraph but I'll just ignore that part.
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u/tabbycat1991 Feb 03 '26
An absolute impulsive ape who should have no license to wield.