Something I always run into at public ranges is the lack of weapons safety. I could be like a lot of other people and have the common opinion that these individuals are unsafe because they are “new to the rules of the range”. More times than not however, I find out this is not the case. I was out shooting at a public range the other day. After witnessing several dangerous functions the shooters were doing, I found myself having a conversation with them to try to find out what their history with weapons were. After several minutes I found that 95 % of the people I spoke with, stated they have been handling weapons for years and quit a few had according to them “ been thru classes” to help them learn gun safety. After I politely made a few suggestions, I found the common response was that they felt they knew enough and didn’t need any guidance. Due to the nature of their unsafe acts and the fact there was no assigned staff to this facility, I moved to a different location. Safety should always be first and foremost in operating a firearm. This will make for a more enjoyable outing for you and those that might be around you.
On my off time I teach kids how to competition shoot. Parents always ask what kind of firearm they should purchase to help their child be a better competition shooter. It’s not the firearm that makes a person a good or great competition shooter. It’s the person and the training. I am and always will be a huge advocate of talking parents into letting their kids try different models and brands so we can figure out what works best for them. Then once we figure out what they are comfortable with, we build on that. Everyone is different and handles firearms in different ways. The same is said for adults. There is not a “one type fits all”. There are several rental ranges out there that are in place for this purpose. In the long run you will be glad you tried a rental before you spend all that money on something you hate.
