Made my last trip to hap baker today

[Rutterkind]

Wow. It has been a few years since i have been there but, that type of invasive and foolish behavior has me thinking that I will not go back. "Cold Range" means exactly that no matter who you are. Handling an unfamiliar firearm while removing it from it's case WHILE SOMEONE IS DOWN RANGE!!!! RSO should know better.

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[armed ferret]

Not indicative of every trip. I have had nothing but pleasant experiences when there. First I have heard of anything like this ever taking place.

Not at all. That was why I was so taken aback by such actions. Been there a few times in previous years with another board member and we never had a problem. Quite the opposite; we enjoyed the friendly talk with the RSO's, got some pointers, etc.

I didn't like how one of them, today, was also misinforming a friend of mine who was shooting some handguns, claiming that he "talked to a MSP officer" and was ADAMANT that it's illegal to have a magazine loaded, regardless if it's in a separate container, and that anyone who does will be arrested and thrown in prison for years. I tried telling him that that 'regulation' was a result of idiots running around during hunting season with rounds in the magazine, but nothing chambered, in their hunting rifles, and that if a magazine was detachable, and placed in a separate container like an ammo can, and not readily accessible, it wasn't an issue.

I then mentioned how different MSP reps were also telling some people that SBR's would be illegal after 1 October, and others were saying they'd be fine, and others were saying they'd be fine if they passed the "copycat" or "feature" tests, etc. Basically highlighting that just because one person employed by MSP says it, doesn't make it law. He didn't like that response, presumably because it challenged his "authority" as the RSO?

I dunno. A couple of 'em were great, very friendly, very helpful. A couple, though, really rubbed me the wrong way....oh well. I'll just refrain from putting myself in that situation again.

 

[Augie]

Join the AGC, no problems, if you would like a tour or would like to shoot as my guest PM me.

 

[vinjet700]

Jeezus. That's even worse. Besides opening cases without permission or the owner present, an RSO who handles other people's guns while they on a cold range needs to be permanently relieved of duty on the spot. I agree => INEXCUSABLE!

I agree with this and SNI... TOTALLY INEXCUSABLE!!!

 

[tsmith1499]

I would definitely do as another member said. I would sit down and compose a letter explaining what happened and with who and send it to whoever is in charge.

Yea, I don't care if they are the RSO, you just don't start going through someone else stuff without ASKING first.

 

[armed ferret]

Join the AGC, no problems, if you would like a tour or would like to shoot as my guest PM me.

obliged, but if i'm going to pay range fees somewhere just for the opportunity to pay even more for access to the AGC range, i'm going to just join either Bridgeville (1k range in DE) or the 1k range in WV. no offense of course, it's a very kind offer but i'd rather just pay one membership fee.

 

[armed ferret]

I would definitely do as another member said. I would sit down and compose a letter explaining what happened and with who and send it to whoever is in charge.

I don't know their names, nor do I care. I'll shoot an email to the address associated with their website, from work (.mil domain), and leave it at that. Not that I expect it to do any good.....this is Maryland, where the "authority" class is simply better than whomever they're "supervising". I'll be sooooooo glad when I get to move back to the midwest.

 

[zoostation]

I've had varying experiences there. The one RSO who always seemed to be the main one was always super nice, the guy from PA with the jeep. They also had a young guy there mainly on the weekends who had a terrible case of Short Man's Attitude and was one of the reasons I stopped going on the weekends. This was years ago though, I have no idea who works there now.

I always tried to be understanding since I know they are working a public range where anybody can come in and pay the fee and go on the line with a high powered rifle. I have had good and bad experiences there.

 

[armed ferret]

I always tried to be understanding since I know they are working a public range where anybody can come in and pay the fee and go on the line with a high powered rifle.

This is exactly why I let it slide at the time, given their "explanation" as to why. I did let them know that I didn't go in other peoples' houses without their permission; they should at least ask same before opening someone's rifle case. Their indifference, and inability to even offer an apology for violating their own posted safety rules regarding handling firearms, is what really did it for me.

 

[Sgt6402]

Sorry, but if I was at Hap and one of the RSO's walked up and opened my closed and latched case and started fondling my weapons without asking, especially during a cold range.

They would have some serious problems to deal with!

That is TOTALLY UNEXCUSABLE!!!!

 

[yellowsled]

Hap is owned by the county, I would contact the county government directly.

 

[ShallNotInfringe]

Is that a county facility?

This new policy seems like a serious incident waiting to happen.

 

[llkoolkeg]

Funny...I've lived here since 2000 but have STILL never actually shot at Hap. I've driven by once while I had to visit the dump with tree branches but always either end up bumming a shooting visit with buds who have memberships at private ranges or I go to Cresap, Littlestown Fish & Game, etc. Considering it's only 20 some-odd minutes from my place, I'll have to shoot at Hap at least once 'round lunchtime during the week when crowds are apparently less prevalent.

 

[ShallNotInfringe]

Hap is owned by the county, I would contact the county government directly.

Was going down the same line of thinking...

 

[fabsroman]

Cold range, yup.

Thankfully, rule #1 is basically whatever the RSO's say, is the law, no matter what.....so if they decide the rest of the rules don't apply to them, like no handling firearms when range is cold, then it's okay.

That's the only thought process I can imagine leading to a scenario as I witnessed today.

I would be pissed on a bunch of levels. First, if they are inspecting firearms to see if any might be loaded, it is a bad time to be doing it when the range is cold and people are down range. Next, nobody, but nobody, handles my firearms without my permission. Period. If they want to randomly check cased firearms, they can ask me to open the case and open the breach on the firearm. They can watch. They do NOT need to put their hands on my firearms. If one of them was to drop something and break something, would he be liable for it? If not, no touching anything. Easiest way around that problem is locks on the cases, but it really should not have to come to that.

Give it enough time and I am sure you will find idiots at any shooting range. A couple of guys at Gilberts in Rockville made my wife feel like a moron and a piece of meat the first time I took her there. Like you, that was it for me. Never went there again even though I had paid for a year's membership and that was only my second visit.

 

[mcbruzdzinski]

You are always welcome to be my guest at the AGC and see if you want to join one of the clubs there!

 

[Mooseman]

I took the NRA RSO course earlier this year. I don't remember anywhere in my training where it was okay for an RSO to handle weapons while somebody was down range.

 

[Coretac]

Yea " Sorry " but you do not open another mans range items with out asking first . Good way to get hurt ! Maybe we do not know the whole story , but do not touch my guns with out asking ...something you just do not do . If it was my wife , Help yourself ..lol

 

[awptickes]

No way I'd let someone fondle anything of mine without my expressed consent.

I would have packed up and left immediately -- especially in your situation with your wife there.



EDIT: Especially if it happened to be an NFA item the RSO was handling. I would have been loud and obnoxious and informed all of the other patrons of what was going on.

 

[rwbow1969]

I took the NRA RSO course earlier this year. I don't remember anywhere in my training where it was okay for an RSO to handle weapons while somebody was down range.

This, it's not OK for them to do that. They should probably take the course again. Let alone pawing through closed cases without the owners permission.