Austin Range Day and Meet and Greet

[Codename46]

I would have stayed longer but those idiot kids trying to kill themselves ran me off. I'm a big 2A supporter but some people just shouldn't have guns.

Which "idiot kids" were you talking about? The guys with the C&R weapons at the 100-yd rifle range or the 3 Asians with the tacticool AR-15 and AKM? I arrived at around 10 in the morning and the first thing I noticed when the rifle range went cold to put up targets were that people were still man-handling their guns (I assume they're from TGT but I can't be sure since I mainly just lurk here once in a while), and then later that day at the 15-yard range some dude with a Kimber 1911 was telling me to police my muzzle when he was shooting so horribly that his shots were damaging the wooden frame of the target holders.

Now, the group of New Yorkers here for a friends wedding, THOSE people were dangerous :O

For those that havent heard yet thanks to some BS shows about what its like to be a Spec Ops soldier the term "operator" is being used by kids and some of the older no nothings to mean someone that is special forces or 3 letter organization members.

No, "operator" is used by people to make fun of those BS shows about what it's like to be a "Spec Ops soldier". I don't think any of them actually use it seriously.

LOL! I know exactly which ones you are talkin' about. Though he did let me fire his AK over on the other side. It was sweeeeet!

Was it the guy with the tacticool WASR or the guy with the Polish Tantal and the Romanian SAR-2?

 

[RetArmySgt]

Which "idiot kids" were you talking about? The guys with the C&R weapons at the 100-yd rifle range or the 3 Asians with the tacticool AR-15 and AKM?

It wasnt the asian kids i had no problems with them it was the long haired white boy with the young girl. They did have some nice C&R's but they were muzzle sweeping everyone and taking videos with their phones of them holding the weapons sideways and upside down while shooting them. Im supprised one of the kids didnt break his nose the way he was holding the SVT-40 he was shooting with his eyes closed, saying that he was so good a shot he didnt need to see the target. These were also the same kids that where playing with a handgun while people were down range and trying to load their rifles at the same time.

 

[Dcav]

First time i had to say something to them they were trying to "teach" a young girl with them how to shoot a pistol on the rifle range. Using the gangster grip and hitting the dirt 10Ft in front of them. Then they pulled out a SVT-40 that i would have loved to relieve them of and started to shoot that with the firing hand rested on the upper lip and pushing up on the bottom of his nose, he closed his eyes for every shot and tryed to fire it as fast as he could. But then again this is the same idiot that tryed to tell me he can hit a silhouette target at 800yrds with that same rifle using iron sights. It was some little long haired fat white boy that didnt look more than 18 and he looked to be the oldest in his group. I offered to help him be a better and safe shooter but was told that he could out shoot anyone anywhere and that he was on "operator". So this Ret Army Sgt just walked away and loaded up my gear. Other than that it was a great meet and we need to do it again before i move back down to Houston.

Just think bro, when you move to Houston we meet monthly. My niece was in town this weekend. We are doing a Austin meet next weekend at the same range for TGO. I'll be riding out with Dcortez and family.

 

[RetArmySgt]

Just think bro, when you move to Houston we meet monthly. My niece was in town this weekend. We are doign a Austin meet next weekend at the same range for TGO. I'll be riding out with Dcortez and family.

Ill try to make it out there. Will be very limited in the weaons i bring this time though, cost was alittle high in ammo.

 

[MiTX]

It wasnt the asian kids i had no problems with them it was the long haired white boy with the young girl. They did have some nice C&R's but they were muzzle sweeping everyone and taking videos with their phones of them holding the weapons sideways and upside down while shooting them. Im supprised one of the kids didnt break his nose the way he was holding the SVT-40 he was shooting with his eyes closed, saying that he was so good a shot he didnt need to see the target. These were also the same kids that where playing with a handgun while people were down range and trying to load their rifles at the same time.

You mean the young gal wearing all the studs and spikes?
I guess I am getting too old to keep up with all that stuff.
The tall asian kid leaned over his buddy as he was prepping to fire...
OY!
The "mom" in me wanted to walk up, grab him by the ear and say..
WTH are you thinking? Aren't you aware of what your buddy is doing?
I only took my .40 out last weekend.
I plan to take the AR this coming weekend.
I need to practice!
Practice makes perfect, right?
Hopefully the weather will cooperate!

 

[Codename46]

You mean the young gal wearing all the studs and spikes?
I guess I am getting too old to keep up with all that stuff.
The tall asian kid leaned over his buddy as he was prepping to fire...
OY!
The "mom" in me wanted to walk up, grab him by the ear and say..
WTH are you thinking? Aren't you aware of what your buddy is doing?
I only took my .40 out last weekend.
I plan to take the AR this coming weekend.
I need to practice!
Practice makes perfect, right?
Hopefully the weather will cooperate!

Were you the person who shot a couple of rounds out of my tacticool AK at the 15-yard range? I sure hope you weren't talking about us :P

 

[MiTX]

Were you the person who shot a couple of rounds out of my tacticool AK at the 15-yard range? I sure hope you weren't talking about us :P

Darlin' if that was you, you scared the bejabbers outta me for a bit there, but that gun was SWEEEEET!
Thank you!
Perhaps you could give me some tips for my SKS?

 

[Texas1911]

Were you the person who shot a couple of rounds out of my tacticool AK at the 15-yard range? I sure hope you weren't talking about us :P

If you were part of the OperatorChan group ... one of your buddies muzzle swept someone with a presumably loaded handgun.

I saw alot of no-no's on the range, but it's not my range. I'll let them run it as they see fit.

 

[robocop10mm]

Like most public ranges, they could use a little more supervision. I had a good time. Spent about 5 hours on the range. The per hour rate works out pretty sweet. Got to shoot a few calibers I never had before. I brought our a few guns I did not even uncase. Oh, well. Less Jibba Jabba, more shooting next time.

 

[Codename46]

Darlin' if that was you, you scared the bejabbers outta me for a bit there, but that gun was SWEEEEET!
Thank you!
Perhaps you could give me some tips for my SKS?

Haha thanks. Was there anything specific I did that violated safety rules? I'm not trying to be a defensive ass, I'm just trying to pinpoint what, if anything, I specifically did so that I make sure not to do it again in the future. To anyone else out there who isn't sure who I was, I was the guy with the black "MOLON LABE" baseball cap

If you were part of the OperatorChan group ... one of your buddies muzzle swept someone with a presumably loaded handgun.

I saw alot of no-no's on the range, but it's not my range. I'll let them run it as they see fit.

Do you remember a description of him? If it was one of the guys I brought to the range I'll be sure to let him know since he probably doesn't realize it.

 

[Texas1911]

Do you remember a description of him? If it was one of the guys I brought to the range I'll be sure to let him know since he probably doesn't realize it.

I was more or less focused on the gun, not the ID of the person.

Thanks for actually taking it seriously, speaks volumes.

I think many people are confusing the young idiots on the rifle range with the Operator Chan people. I've seen those kids before (the idiots) and they aren't part of either group. If those kids show up again while I am out there for an event, I'm going to bring it up with Matt. He was a little tied up during the day.

 

[MiTX]

I was more or less focused on the gun, not the ID of the person.

Thanks for actually taking it seriously, speaks volumes.

I think many people are confusing the young idiots on the rifle range with the Operator Chan people. I've seen those kids before (the idiots) and they aren't part of either group. If those kids show up again while I am out there for an event, I'm going to bring it up with Matt. He was a little tied up during the day.

I have never seen the range so chaotic.
It was hard to tell who was with whom.
*Except maybe that group from the wedding that knew absolutely nothing about range etiquette.
It was rather unnerving, but I am glad I stayed.

 

[RetArmySgt]

Hey Texas1911 i brought it to their attention as i left and they were seeing the same things i was. They were watching them with a scope from the office. Sneaky, lol.

 

[mage2]

robocop10mm,
It was great to meet you and shoot that 41, and the 45/70? we will have to meet up again when there is less chaos so we can drag out the chrono.
I will pm ya

 

[AusTex]

I agree that someone should have gone and talked to them immediately. However I don't agree with the notion that "kids" somehow are not responsible for activities they are partaking in or things they choose to do. Those "kids" had to pay the range fee, had to sign the waiver, read the range laws and were asked about safety measures as everyone else was when you goto Lonestar for the first time. If they were so young where are their parents? If they were not there with parents they are obviously old enough to operate a motor vehicle which means they have a deadly weapon in their hands every day.

doing something that can get yourself killed like going sky diving is one thing, doing things that can get others killed is completely different. being negligent with firearms in public is a great example of this.

I think those kids should have been approached and if their attitudes were as bad as people are saying they should have been removed by the range management which hold the right to do so immediately. You might feel this is a very hinesight 20/20 thing for me to say, however I have been in this sistuation before and I can tell you its a much better idea to squash dangerous activity before its too late.

 

[RetArmySgt]

I dont care how many of you kids get on here and try to tell me im wrong but i know what happened and there were several people over at my shooting table who saw the same things and heard the same things and decided to leave because of it. I did walk up to you and tell you what you were doing wrong and so did 2 other people. and before either of you little punks try to call out someones military service you need to lace up your boots and get you asses out somewhere that the bullets fly both ways. And touching a firearm or component there of during a cease fire is strictly a no-go. That includes racking the slide of the pistol or standing at the firing line and loading mags etc.

 

[AusTex]

Retarmy is not the only one that commented on this issue as there are multiple posts touching on "the kids that were being Unsafe" with their firearms. What you described in your post alone is enough to get you kicked out of any shooting range with a range attendant. Racking your slide while there is someone down range in front of your gun? loading your guns while someone is down range? Even touching anything on the line while people are in front of you would get you screamed at in a drill instructor fashion and tossed out of eagle peak. Regardless of getting kicked out the root of this goes down to the fact you are putting other peoples lives in danger. If you didn't know this... now you do. It is incredibly selfish to take firearms to a public range and not handle them correctly. Again we are talking about other peoples lives in the balance. If you want to go to private property and spin you guns like the wild west and shoot upside down that is your prerogative, but to act this way next to others is wrong.

Do you think shooting a pistol sideways is cool? If you were shooting a video so you could show it off to others you must? Using firearms in this way just adds fuel to the anti-gun fire and is liable to get someone killed.

The reason you did not see what others saw is because your interpretation of UNSAFE is obviously very skewed. You most likely had no idea you were muzzle sweeping people because you simply were not paying attention... and therefore your coming to the conclusion it did not happen. Would you conciously muzzle sweep another person? probably not? But if you didn't know you were pointing the gun towards someone you have no qualms with doing so? Correct?

If you wonder why I am continuing to jam this down your throat its because I go to these shoots and although they are public events by being a member of this board and of the group at "group shoots" you represent TGT..there are are men, woman, & children at these shoots and your actions can reflect on all of us in incredibly negative ways. From the most minor of teaching terrible safety and weapons handling to youngsters to potentially wounding or killing someone.

The problem with guns are there are not many second chances with mistakes... If people think being hard on individuals is not the route to go, well then you can go out there and stand next to them while they go through the LEARNING CURVE... And if those people really do love weapons and love our sport they will take the time to educate themselves and make it THEIR responsibility to act appropriately. I don't believe in making excuses for people when it comes to firearms.

 

[RetArmySgt]

Exactly.

 

[RetArmySgt]

I didnt get shit handed to me by anybody im just done beating a dead horse you kids need to go learn how to handle your firearms and do it somewhere you arent going to hurt someone else. I guarantee you if this shit happened at the range i used to RSO at all 3 of you would have been in the back of cop cars and that would have been the end of it.

 

[RetArmySgt]

THe kids that were calling anyone who talked out against them childish have just proven my point.