Protection From Theft/Ambush While At The Range

[eflyguy]

Gun ranges check people in and out.

Perhaps that's the case where you live.

WMA ranges here (GA) are just cleared spaces in the woods. Self-policed.

 

[rc]

Good point. I hadn't considered public areas without a range officer or check in point. Maybe a reason not to go alone if it's out in the boonies. I know I've seen crime documentaries of people ambushed shooting in the boonies by themselves but I do think it's rare.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

WMA ranges here (GA) are just cleared spaces in the woods. Self-policed.

The same applies to ranges on state game lands in Pennsylvania, and to many shooting areas on BLM land in the western states.

 

[ammo.crafter]

Range safety

I belong to a private club and have the ability to park my vehicle right by the pit that I would be shooting in.
It's easy to take out one gun at a time from the locked vehicle a shoot.
I also CCW at the range and do not advertise that fact.
Shooting with a buddy is also an option.

 

[thallub]

All my shooting takes place on my private firing range. i prefer to shoot alone. The primary threat is from large rattlesnakes that inhabit the property.

 

[GarandTd]

The private club that I am a member of is small scale. It operates on the honor system with the members. There is no RO, no supervision, no cameras, no sign in or sign out. I don't necessarily believe I'm going to get sniped from the woods, but it would be niaive to think it could never happen. That doesn't mean I wear a shirt with a bullseye on it or am willing to lay down and die at at the 1st sign of a threat. I am generally an optimistic person. That personality trait of mine has been strained the last year or two. You do what you can to limit the threat and cover your rear, but you can't be prepared for every scenario.

 

[Nanuk]

This is something that is rare but it's something that does happen and it's something that I give thought to anytime I go shooting alone

When it happens often enough that you can tick cases off I hesitate to call it rare....

 

[oldmanFCSA]

My daughter had a strange fellow ask about her guns while she was down range, she responded by stating she was carrying concealed (her 44 Spcl 5-shot revolver) to protect herself and her's. The guy left rapidly - there were others at the range with her. Her friends were relieved to know she had a EDC with her on other activities too.

 

[FireForged]

Overwhelmingly, the odds are that your next airplane flight out of LaGuardia won't end up in the Hudson River, too, but history proves conclusively that the odds aren't zero. The odds also said that my daughter wouldn't be held up at gunpoint in a subway station in a city (and country) where private ownership of firearms is mostly illegal. Again, history proves that the odds weren't zero.

Pointing out what can happen is being realistic, not pessimistic.

I do not recall anyone suggesting that the odds were zero. I do not recall anyone disputing history or that the scenario in question was unrealistic.

I simply said that this discussion is not really about situation where you have no real recourse, its about taking mitigating steps where you can. The fact that no win situations exist is not in dispute. What may be in dispute is how mentioning such scenarios is likely to help the OP develop his personal safety plan.

I simply consider it more productive to talk about the things you can (perhaps) do something about and go from there.

If someone asks you about your lightning precautions while golfing, you probably do not respond by offering that there are undetectable and unforeseen microbursts of dangerous weather that you can do nothing about. Sure, its realistic but it goes without saying and doesnt really address the subject.

In an effort to remain on topic, I stand by my earlier suggestion to avoid going shooting alone, refraining from leaving eye candy unattended where someone might try to get it and pay close attention to your surroundings.

I often shoot at unregulated outdoor public ranges and have left on several occasions when I did NOT get a good vibe from people. I try not to go alone but since retiring, the best time for me is early in the morning on weekdays. Its hard to find many people who want to go shooting on a Tuesday at 0900.

 

[zoo]

With that said, why are you telling me this? I didn't mention anything about survival. I just said that if somebody wants to ambush you, there isn't anything you can do about it...which has apparently happened to you. More than once.

I am puzzled by your confusion, DNS. Ambushes are in fact about survival if you are the one being ambushed. What you do about it when you are being attacked, along with a lot of luck, is how you survive. Ambushes are about surviving too when you are the one doing the attacking but in that case they are also obviously about taking out that which you are attacking. Nothing personal intended.

 

[Frisco]

I have no sympathy for people who leave their cars unlocked and valuables get stolen, particularly when firearms are stolen. I have little sympathy for people who leave firearms in their locked vehicles and are stolen anyway.

I may pity them, but I'm unsympathetic.

Just had a FB post the other day on our local neighborhood page that a Springfield 9mm was stollen from a car. "We ALWAYS lock our car and NEVER leave the gun in it..... Except last night."

I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous.

I wish there was a LIKE button for that.

As soon as I got home from work, my patrol rifle, my shotgun, my duty belt and pistol went from my take home rig into the safe I installed in the laundry room of our old house ("pretirement") which was just inside the door that went from the garage into the laundry room vestibule before you got to the kitchen. I parked my rig in the garage, but still, that one extra step of removing them to secure storage was better than having two department owned NFA long guns and my issue sidearm come up "missing" because of laziness or complacency.

Once home, then MY own SD/CCW pistol came out of the safe (same make/model/caliber as my duty gun). This way O.P.S. could never try to rip me for "unauthorized use of city property".

I never wanted to have my name/face on the news for losing his guns because he was stupid.

 

[FireForged]

I have regularly kept a firearm out of sight in my locked car for more than 30 years. Sure, someone might decide that they are willing to commit a felony and steal my gun. Bad people do bad things all the time and there is always a risk that their bad deeds my impact the lives of good people. Its life

 

[eflyguy]

My ex's vehicle was broken into and her purse taken while she was exercising at a local park. Her revolver was still in the vehicle when she returned.

Why she always insisted on taking her purse when the park is a mile from home, then why she DIDN'T carry the weapon while exercising in a secluded, wooded park where assaults on females are not unheard of, well, those are questions best left to rest. Like I said, my ex.

 

[Frisco]

Yeah. Their bad deeds coupled with the irresponsible behavior of the so-called victims (like idgits who get valuables stolen from their cars) can and will affect the lives of others who have a tendency NOT to make bad/stupid/irresponsible decisions.

Then again, trying to get some people to understand common sense, logic, and reason is about as useful as trying to rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic.

One thing is dead certain....a gun that is NOT left in a car will not be stolen FROM the car.

 

[FireForged]

Yeah. Their bad deeds coupled with the irresponsible behavior of the so-called victims (like idgits who get valuables stolen from their cars) can and will affect the lives of others who have a tendency NOT to make bad/stupid/irresponsible decisions.

Then again, trying to get some people to understand common sense, logic, and reason is about as useful as trying to rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic.

One thing is dead certain....a gun that is NOT left in a car will not be stolen FROM the car.

I am familiar with the protectionist mentality. I guess there is plenty of room for it in this rather large world of ours. I simply do not subscribe to the usual protectionist tenets. I will however, abide by the laws regarding proper storage (where they exist). If you want to call it being an idgit, stupid or irresponsible..you can. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and wisdom.

I feel that this subject matter is worth the discussion. Sadly, when people feel that disparaging or rude remarks are necessary to make a point, the thread is often locked. The firingline has quite a culture of locking threads over little of nothing. Ultimately it does not really help the curb appeal of this forum. Most of us try to avoid such a result but ya know, it doesnt always work out.

Best regards

 

[MagDiddy]

I always carry one I don't intend to shoot. Nobody is going to rob a gun store but someone alone at an outdoor range seems like a good place for a criminal to find a gun to steal.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

I always carry one I don't intend to shoot. Nobody is going to rob a gun store but someone alone at an outdoor range seems like a good place for a criminal to find a gun to steal.

My FFL has been robbed at gun point. After two or three burglaries, the robbery was what finally convinced him to move his shop out of the location where had had been for twenty years.

And, yes -- he always carries, and he was carrying that day. A pistol is a weapon, not a magic talisman. If they have the drop on you ...

 

[Frisco]

I always carry one I don't intend to shoot. Nobody is going to rob a gun store but someone alone at an outdoor range seems like a good place for a criminal to find a gun to steal.

Uh huh....

My buddy, and retired FTO, then gun shop owner George Lind (RIP) dirt napped some chud who tried to rob his gun shop on North Oracle back in the early 90's.

Guy came in with his girlfriend, picked up a shotgun from a floor display, dropped in a 12 gauge slug from his pocket, demanded money and caught a pair of 38 JHPs to his chest.

Darwin Prize Awarded.

 

[Frisco]

I am familiar with the protectionist mentality. I guess there is plenty of room for it in this rather large world of ours. I simply do not subscribe to the usual protectionist tenets. I will however, abide by the laws regarding proper storage (where they exist). If you want to call it being an idgit, stupid or irresponsible..you can. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and wisdom.

I feel that this subject matter is worth the discussion. Sadly, when people feel that disparaging or rude remarks are necessary to make a point, the thread is often locked. The firingline has quite a culture of locking threads over little of nothing. Ultimately it does not really help the curb appeal of this forum. Most of us try to avoid such a result but ya know, it doesnt always work out.

Best regards

I am also familiar with the diffusion of responsibility.

Claiming that (your words follow)

"I have regularly kept a firearm out of sight in my locked car for more than 30 years. Sure, someone might decide that they are willing to commit a felony and steal my gun. Bad people do bad things all the time and there is always a risk that their bad deeds my impact the lives of good people. Its life"

Is a perfect example of sluffing off responsibility to others and assuming none of your own. Good for you. It's the same sort of "nuh uh" argument or "It ain't my fault" excuse that is worked to death when one small, tiny shred of personal responsibility could be taken at zero cost could prevent "the bad people who do bad things to good people" from having the ability and opportunity to DO those bad things.

It's an especially weak argument to make when you acknowledge that "bad people do bad things all the time...". How about if that gun you so proudly leave in your car gets stolen and used to kill your neighbor? Probable? No, maybe not...but possible? Yes, IF it's left in the car.

How about if you take 3 seconds to take it inside? The odds of it being stolen from your car drop to ZERO. But, of course...it wouldn't be your fault anyway because well...bad people and risks and excuses and blah blah blah

It's nothing short of negligent behavior.

 

[Blue Jays]

At typical outdoor ranges with limited user traffic my technique is to visit with attentive, savvy, and likeminded friends.
We naturally cannot thwart every situation, like if ten Special-Forces-turned-insane-criminal-evildoers happened upon us.
We never leave firearms completely unattended to check targets, either. Someone stays behind to babysit belongings.