My son and I went to a local range I used to frequent quite often for shooting and buying guns, but we had some issues there. First, my son and I were getting hit with numerous ricochets and we were only there for a few minutes. I understand it can happen but not like this. A few guys that were a couple lanes down from us were breaking many rules of the range- loading behind the lanes, bringing guns back and forth from behind the lanes and shooting wildly, all of which were against range rules and are posted on signs throughout the range. At first I didn't pay much attention to them until we started getting hit with numerous ricochets, (I got hit with 2 and my son got hit with 3 with one of the pistol rounds being perfectly expanded/flattened but intact-I am thinking a 45 as it was pretty large) and that's when I noticed their behavior. My son's leg was bleeding a little from one round but fortunately it only broke the skin and I had a couple bruises from the rounds I noticed this morning. What irked my the most was they weren't hitting the target so much as literally everything else-ceiling, floor,etc.. We were noticing the drop ceiling tile dust coming down from the area in the lane when they were shooting pistols and then they started shooting an ar-15 pistol with an frt, when we were loading up to go and then rounds were going everywhere. I am all for shooting what you want but disregarding safety for everyone else is not good. I was getting pretty ticked off and said something out loud in general- (don't remember what it was but my son looked surprised I said it), at their behavior and I spoke to the range guy on the way out but he didn't seem to care. He only told me it might be better if I came back when it wasn't so busy and treated me like I was out of my mind or was an old guy complaining. What is the point of having rules when no one adheres to them? They have video cameras to show what was going on but I guess that doesn't matter. Oh well, never going back there again.

So we went to another range of a friend I know, who owns one a county away from us and what a night and day difference it made. It was clean, brightly lit, friendly staff, people were following the rules and when people were shooting higher powered guns, you couldn't tell as the acoustics were amazing. In between each lane is 2 panels of bullet proof glass which is great to see what others are doing around you and provide a safer barrier than diamond plate. While it is a hike to get there, I have found the range I will be going to from now on. It's really a shame when a range goes downhill and allows people who don't care for their own safety, let alone others around them, know how to shoot or adhere to the rules becomes their downfall.

I hardly ever go to a real range, only a few times when options are limited. I normally shoot in my backyard, our camp property, or a relative’s sand pit. The pit is great for collecting the spent brass.

I’d think in your case, you have to do some vetting to find a suitable range, which you’ve done. Some places have a private range of sorts, you get a key to a locked gate, maybe another option.

Which range do you recommend? I'm in your area from time to time. Looking for a decent range with reasonable fees.

I go early in the morning so I am there mostly alone. And glad of it. My other peeve is when that one dude with the muzzle braked cannon or SBR flops down right next to you when there are open lanes far enough away to tamp down the concussion.

patw - at some point, and it will happen, someone will make a major mistake and the range will get sued. It is obvious from your description that safety is not a priority.

It was a decent range at one time and close by but they are letting more people in who don't know how to shoot or follow the rules and no one will offer any help to them or correct/monitor the ones who are out of control. Sadly, it is gonna bite them one day, I just won't be there to see it. I wish we would've kept the round that hit us but it was pretty hot to the touch. I was able to place it on a lane/counter next to us but the next shooter that came in to the lane, I think through it downrange. I have been hit by broken rounds/shrapnel prior but nothing like this and the amount of them for our time there, was insane.

The last time I went there, there were a couple of guys who were shooting sideways and all kinds of silliness. Their large paper target silhouette had holes everywhere but on the silhouette, no kidding. No wonder why so many other people get hit on a drive-by. I went back to the guy at the counter and said I wanted a different lane/side of the range so I didn't get hit and he just laughed it off.

Anyway, the new range I went to, called The Continental in Stuart,Fl.-for anyone who comes down/up this way, was much nicer like I said prior. I was impressed with how clean and brightly lit it was. It was a little smaller but the quality of the people and the range setup was worth the drive. My son asked me if I would ever go back to the gun counter of the shop but the place is dead to me now. I have spent a good chunk of change with them over the years, probably more than most as they all knew me by name. What a shame.

Sounds like a place where someone is going to get killed or seriously wounded so you were smart to get out before it was you or your kid. What's the name of the joint so others ca avoid going there.

quote:

Originally posted by calugo:
Sounds like a place where someone is going to get killed or seriously wounded so you were smart to get out before it was you or your kid. What's the name of the joint so others ca avoid going there.

Saint Lucie Shooting Center. It's sad as it used to be a nice place.

Yikes, had the near opposite at a local outdoor range.
Some younger 'kids' were on the pistol range, guns held sideways & such.
RO took some time with them & rather nicely helped them shoot properly. They seemed surprisingly receptive to it.

I am a Member at a small local private Rod & Gun Club. It was founded in 1956 and presently has around 200 annual members.
It's $50 per year for a Family Membership. They also include five raffle tickets with your membership renewal reminder. $10 per ticket.
So basically, $100 per year for your whole family. The 12 station indoor heated pistol range (50 feet) has a small cash box on the wall.
Every time you sign in and shoot on the indoor range, you put $1 in the cash box per person. It helps pay the fuel oil bill.
My son & I go and shoot there regularly. Outdoors when it's decent weather and indoors in the winter.
We go out of our way to go to the range on weekdays. We seldom see anybody else.
It's ten minutes driving time from my home on country two lane blacktop roads. No stoplights or traffic, and only two stop signs on the route to the range.
Yep, I am pretty spoiled and I know it.
RO's? There are none.

The range owners need to know about this. Email them about your experience and/or post about it on Googlemaps. They will seriously address the problem when it starts to hurt their bottom line.

Stopped going to the LGS range near me for similar reasons, one being that the staff didn't work inside the range, only watched through windows and didn't really get into range rule enforcement.

That and the "clientele" had plenty of the same type of shooters you describe, no proper gun handling, it just got too crowded and I left.

Now have a membership in a outdoor range in the country, I do miss the AC at the indoor, but there is a really nice indoor range downtown but it's a haul to get there. Outdoor range is just a few miles from the house.

quote:

Originally posted by iron chef:
The range owners need to know about this. Email them about your experience and/or post about it on Googlemaps. They will seriously address the problem when it starts to hurt their bottom line.

Thanks, I did. How much will happen is anyone's guess.

Just a follow up on my emailed complaint. I had the other range master call me, (he asked the owner specifically if he could call me, being we have a great rapport with each other). I explained to him what went down, as I have said here and they could check the tape they have of the range that day, if they record anything and how my story checks out. I really like this guy, we would always shoot the breeze a while when I was there and we have always had a mutual respect for each other, as he has been there a long time. He knows how often I am in there and how much I have spent in the store over the years.

He asked if there was anything they could do to rectify the situation but I told I just didn't feel safe if they, well the other range guy, is going to allow anyone to break their posted rules for the safety of all shooters. I told him about us getting hit with as many ricochets as we did. He said their ammo was probably not allowed and the other guy should have checked, as people have shot armor piercing rounds there prior and have damaged their backstop and that a "better eye" should have been on the guys and their wild shooting be addressed. It's not my range but I take pride in it, as I liked the place and want them to succeed and hate when people will destroy something that is not their's to destroy, but will have to do it without me.

I appreciate the update.

I don't think RO pays very well. All the ranges I go to have pretty high RO turnover. I don't know if the RO that day has been there long, but if he leaves & gets replaced, consider giving that range another chance.