Elk Neck Range Etiquette

[PapiBarcelona]

I don't know about etiquette but I always grab as many clean and non rusted gun clubs out of trash cans at clay shooting clubs as I can. I often score STS, and Nitros as well. I prefer the gun clubs though.

Elk Neck would be a gold mine to some if those hulls didn't sit out in the rain.

 

[mudskipper]

The words "etiquette" and "public range" are almost mutually exclusive, made so by the type of people who frequent public ranges. I'm not saying that everyone who uses a public range is an asshat - but I am saying that public ranges are the natural habitat for asshats.

It's a sad but true fact that if you're not shooting at a facility that charges substantial annual dues and is for members and guests only, then you're going to find yourself surrounded by the type of careless, irresponsible people you don't wanna be surrounded by. And they're armed.

If there's not a financial burden in order to be there, then pretty much anyone can be there.

No thanks. Not the kinda place I wanna be. I want to shoot around other people who've chosen to make a significant monetary expidentiture in order to be there. Those people will act responsibly, because they've paid for it.

 

[Tankfixr]

Elk Neck is like anything else, you'll have good days and bad ones. If you are worried about unsafe conditions, and everyone should be, I'd suggest getting up there early in the morning on a week end when the RSO is present. A couple of weekends ago, I took up a new Savage to sight in and Allen, the RSO, and I were the only two on the range for a couple of hours. Great guy, as we talked the main topic of the wonderful world of firearms while I zeroed the Savage in.

 

[K31]

The words "etiquette" and "public range" are almost mutually exclusive, made so by the type of people who frequent public ranges. I'm not saying that everyone who uses a public range is an asshat - but I am saying that public ranges are the natural habitat for asshats.

It's a sad but true fact that if you're not shooting at a facility that charges substantial annual dues and is for members and guests only, then you're going to find yourself surrounded by the type of careless, irresponsible people you don't wanna be surrounded by. And they're armed.

If there's not a financial burden in order to be there, then pretty much anyone can be there.

No thanks. Not the kinda place I wanna be. I want to shoot around other people who've chosen to make a significant monetary expidentiture in order to be there. Those people will act responsibly, because they've paid for it.

I will agree that I've never seen unsafe or irresponsible behavior like I've seen at DNR ranges however I don't find the asshattery to be exclusive to those ranges. I think being a member of a private range weeds out some undesirables but I think it also gives some asshats the feeling that they've bought the right to be asshats.

 

[booker]

Elk Neck is a state park, hence the "leave no trace" rule is in effect.

Back when they were renovating the range I inquired about "working days" for volunteers to come in and spend half a day cleaning up the range, filling in low spots, etc. Perhaps in exchange for a complimentary range pass or a "volunteers only" shoot in the morning, with clean-up in the afternoon. Never got a response, which can be interpreted several ways, but I'll keep those opinions to myself.

 

[PapiBarcelona]

Besides a hull pile, unless the wads are raked up there are probably thousands of them out there.

Probably could get someone in to reclaim the lead too.

 

[PJDiesel]

...unless the wads are raked up there are probably thousands of them out there.

Tens of thousands.....

 

[PapiBarcelona]

That's funny, people getting fined a "1000 dollars" for not picking up their hulls, but a million wads left in the "forest" LMFAO

 

[rseymorejr]

That's funny, people getting fined a "1000 dollars" for not picking up their hulls, but a million wads left in the "forest" LMFAO

if you shoot your wads in the woods and noone is there to hear it, does it make a noise???

 

[PapiBarcelona]

LOL

I've been to private clubs who rake up wads with a tractor, some just cut the grass with the wads out there, some others you walk on more wads than grass

 

[circleshooter]

The words "etiquette" and "public range" are almost mutually exclusive, made so by the type of people who frequent public ranges. I'm not saying that everyone who uses a public range is an asshat - but I am saying that public ranges are the natural habitat for asshats.

It's a sad but true fact that if you're not shooting at a facility that charges substantial annual dues and is for members and guests only, then you're going to find yourself surrounded by the type of careless, irresponsible people you don't wanna be surrounded by. And they're armed.

If there's not a financial burden in order to be there, then pretty much anyone can be there.

No thanks. Not the kinda place I wanna be. I want to shoot around other people who've chosen to make a significant monetary expidentiture in order to be there. Those people will act responsibly, because they've paid for it.

Couldn't agree more. I used to shoot at Elk Neck quite a bit, years ago, and if you got there real early you could get in and out with a good experience. But I've personally witnessed things there that weren't just unsafe, they were supremely dangerous (One incident prompted my friend and I to leave immediately and report what we saw at the State Police barracks back on Rt. 40).

I was there about a year ago and the only thing that would have "completed" the experience would have been BBQ grills and coolers of cheap beer. Calling those folks asshats is unfair to actual asshats. Of course, putting everyone who goes there in this category is very unfair but I can only use my own experience as a gauge of the atmosphere. The level of unsafe was just way too high. People picking up their hulls or brass is low on the list of issues at Elk Neck. I'll never go back there.

 

[circleshooter]

But the OP was about range etiquette. Yes, picking up your empty hulls is good etiquette and I don't think I've been too many places where this wasn't posted at shooting stations. I shoot at Loch Raven Skeet & Trap most of the time and the staff there will even remind you to pick up your hulls if you "forget."

You know, range etiquette falls into the same category as saying please and thank you. If your parents didn't teach you to do it as a kid, as well as other stuff like the "golden rule," then you probably aren't going to pick up your hulls as an adult.

But...most importantly. In an anti-gun environment, like MD tends to be, range etiquette takes on more importance than simple politeness. Anti's are watching. As a member of the shooting community I believe that we all have the responsibility to project the shooting sports in a positive light. And this includes safety, responsibility, cleanliness, education, etc. A clean range where the members/users show pride in a non-polluting environment where safety and responsibility is not only important, but required, only advances our cause. Places like Elk Neck only give the anti's a place to point their fingers and say, "See? We need to get rid of all this."

 

[PapiBarcelona]

You left and stopped at the barracks?

 

[shaddydan]

But the OP was about range etiquette. Yes, picking up your empty hulls is good etiquette and I don't think I've been too many places where this wasn't posted at shooting stations. I shoot at Loch Raven Skeet & Trap most of the time and the staff there will even remind you to pick up your hulls if you "forget."

You know, range etiquette falls into the same category as saying please and thank you. If your parents didn't teach you to do it as a kid, as well as other stuff like the "golden rule," then you probably aren't going to pick up your hulls as an adult.

But...most importantly. In an anti-gun environment, like MD tends to be, range etiquette takes on more importance than simple politeness. Anti's are watching. As a member of the shooting community I believe that we all have the responsibility to project the shooting sports in a positive light. And this includes safety, responsibility, cleanliness, education, etc. A clean range where the members/users show pride in a non-polluting environment where safety and responsibility is not only important, but required, only advances our cause. Places like Elk Neck only give the anti's a place to point their fingers and say, "See? We need to get rid of all this."

It has been a long time since I shot at Loch Raven...I remeber the policy used to be that only members were allowed to p/u hulls. I presumed they were saving them for those that reloaded.

 

[jmiller320]

I shot at Shelby Farms in Memphis Tenn. The prison trustees were very helpfull maintaining the range. As soon as a shell hit the groung they would sweep them up. The armed guards told me these guys were very trustworthy and they never had any problems with them being around guns. Maybe Sheriff Janney could lend a few clients to help clean the range.

 

[PapiBarcelona]

Some people go by if your hulls hit the ground, they belong to the club. A lot of clubs I've been at seem to burn their trash, not my business but what else are scorched 55 gallon barrels are used for. I doubt this is common practice in city area shooting clubs like loch raven. I've only been to loch raven once.

never been anywhere I seen orders being made to pick up hulls, it can be a shame they are left but easier for me to pick up instead of dumpster diving!

 

[circleshooter]

You left and stopped at the barracks?

Yes. It was early on a Saturday morning and we thought that we were the first ones there. We were not. There was a man dressed in a suit and a trenchcoat. He was walking up and down the firing line on the pistol range. Periodically, he would pull a pistol out of the trenchcoat pocket, turn and fire down range (at nothing). Then he put the gun back in the pocket and continued pacing up and down the line. My friend and I moved back up the path to the parking lot, got in the car and left.

We stopped at the Trooper's barracks and reported what we had seen. They said they would investigate. We went home. Never heard anything else about it. That was about as creepy an experience at a shooting range that I care to experience.

 

[circleshooter]

It has been a long time since I shot at Loch Raven...I remeber the policy used to be that only members were allowed to p/u hulls. I presumed they were saving them for those that reloaded.

I know of no such current policy at Loch Raven. It is, however, requested that shooters do not leave their empty hulls laying on the ground, but instead pick them up and either take them with you, if you want them, or put them in the trash barrels located on each field.

I've seen lots of dumpster divers looking for good hulls for reloading. The truly sad part is that the club has tried to find places willing to recycle the hulls, but have never had any luck. I believe they end up in the landfill.

 

[KingCrabb]

I'm not a fan of shooting clays there, usually plenty of hillbillies to contend with.

Last time there was some toolbag there shooting at clays with a pistol grip. I'm surprised someone hasn't gotten a patterned chest by now up there. Not trying to sound stuffy, but there are lots of good places to shoot sporting clays not (too) far from here, I'd rather drop $40-$50 bucks and shoot a real course.

I sure hope the 'toolbag' you are referring to wasn't me....
I shoot my HD gun there all the time, just to put some rds thru it. Blackhawk pistol grip, 20in barrel and mag extension. I hit 95% of the clays and I am VERY safe with all my firearms.
So what is wrong with shooting with a pistol grip?

 

[mdshooterguy2820]

I've been shooting at elk neck for years. As a matter of fact it was the first range I ever visited with my grandfather how many years ago now. I've seen my fair share of unsafe behavior and equally safe behavior. I was just up there last week with my "new" 91/30 just putting it's first rounds through it after the cosmoline scrubbing. I didn't use any targets, just putting some rounds in the berm to see how it shot. Of the two other lanes in use, I didn't see any signs of unsafe activity though. There was a group on the end having a good time laughing, but nothing struck me out of place (shooting wildly, mag dumps, etc.). The other gentleman was shooting a 22 and very quiet and kept to himself (like I did - except for the 91/30 part, I kinda felt bad). He asked for a cold range and we all complied immediately and not a single person touch a gun until he was back. Now I couldn't ask for a better time, but then again this was during the middle of the week in the early afternoon too.

Now I do take offense to all the redneck/hillbilly stereo types for that range though too. As a proud redneck myself, not all of us have unsafe gun handling habits. Most people don't call us rednecks thought unless we are doing something they deem stupid. But in all seriousness, I've seen my fair share of gun sideways, wanna-be gangsters up there too - yes even in Cecil-tuckey. Unfortunately, the anti's view us all the same way, we aren't considers gun-tards until they see us do something stupid, and that's the vision they take with them.