Think I am done with the Homestead range

FallAirFever · #1 07-19-2012, 09:37 PM

So I took the afternoon off to do some shooting, headed to Homestead. Set up and started our shooting things were going fine, range was pretty much full. An older gentleman showed up and set up beside me and started shooting. After he took a few shots I started to wonder "what target is he using". I should have asked. I was rotating my guns between the center fires and 22. As I loaded a clip into my 22 I noticed that a couple guys had stopped shooting and stepped back. A couple were still shooting. I thought I'll finish my clip a step back too. 25 shot clip takes me maybe 45 seconds to go through was half way done when the guy comes to my elbow and says "I want to check my target " I am not overly impressed. Lay my gun down.

We head down range as we approach the back-stop the is pointing out one of my targets to his wife, now I am a little ****ed. I ask " did you shoot my target? " he starts to apologize and I tell him how I was trying to compare loads and if he needed targets. I would have given him some. He said he didn't know how things worked. I repeated I have lots of targets and I would give him some. As I was switching targets he walked back packed up and left.

Well I shot for a bit longer and started packing up. Took my guns to the truck. When I came back there are 3 guys messing around with a gun at a bench, cycling the action... My neighbor is down range! I take a deep breath and as calmly as I can say "guys when someone is down range you shouldnt be playing with a gun here" they ,mumble about it not being loaded. I grab the rest of my crap and head to the truck. Get about a km from the parking lot and here comes a white suv doing a buck ten skidding around a corner.

So that does it, I am done with that place usually it is ok but it's just too much.

In hindsight I wish I would have asked the old guy beside me if he needed targets as soon as I thought he might be shooting mine, sir if you're on here sorry. At the time I thought it would be a rude question.

Those of you that will still use it enjoy, please be careful and please clean up your mess.

gitrdun · #2 07-19-2012, 09:45 PM

Sorry to hear about your bad day FAF. Scary to thing that some of these people get turned loose out there with so many safety infractions. Now you know why I love my place so much and "wild horses couldn't drag me away". Of course, you're always welcome out this way

I do owe you one for that awesome. 270 brass.

FallAirFever · #3 07-19-2012, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gitrdun

Sorry to hear about your bad day FAF. Scary to thing that some of these people get turned loose out there with so many safety infractions. Now you know why I love my place so much and "wild horses couldn't drag me away". Of course, you're always welcome out this way

I do owe you one for that awesome. 270 brass.

Thanks buddy! I am going to load up some more 308, getting close on a charge. And want to build up some 223 too. And of course have you give Brett some pointers. Then you will be hearing from me.

gitrdun · #4 07-19-2012, 10:14 PM

Looking forward. Hey, would you consider test driving the. 308 at the Drayton Valley rifle rodeo on Aug. 18th. We could have us a convoy.

Big Daddy Badger · #5 07-19-2012, 11:36 PM

Most annoying.

Didn't know... and was too thick to ask...

Sushi · #6 07-19-2012, 11:38 PM

I only went once myself and figured I'd find an alternative. I found a clearcut out in that general area and use it instead. No one bothers me there.

Full Curl Earl · #7 07-20-2012, 12:03 AM

I would spend a lot more time there if I was you, something really really funny is bound to happen there and you don't want to just read about it do you? Lol

Speckle55 · #8 07-20-2012, 09:27 AM

yep it happens.. i try to go at unusal times and then i have few shooters if any early morning is quite out here.. Hinton

David

FallAirFever · #9 07-20-2012, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Full Curl Earl

I would spend a lot more time there if I was you, something really really funny is bound to happen there and you don't want to just read about it do you? Lol

Well that is unavoidable, or something disasterous, Funny would be me punching out one of the idiots

that dont know how to safely handle a gun. But it could go a lot worse than that and one day it probably will. With how I have seen people handle their guns at the line with other peole down range it is just a matter of time before an accidental discharge of a firearm that someone swears wasn't loaded. Personally I want to be far away when that happens.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Speckle55

yep it happens.. i try to go at unusal times and then i have few shooters if any early morning is quite out here.. Hinton

David

Hinton has a nice range! Man would I love it if there was a range like that with-in an hour of me that I could buy a membership at. I only go to Homestead during the week and it doesnt seem to matter day or night it is always busy. Sometime the others shooting there are good sometimes far from it!!

gopher · #10 07-20-2012, 10:07 AM

Whats the range membership out there cost?

reelhooker · #11 07-20-2012, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gopher

Whats the range membership out there cost?

financialy nothing however it could cost you your life.

FallAirFever · #12 07-20-2012, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gopher

Whats the range membership out there cost?

There is a 100 yard free public range, which is great to have available. Unfortunatly there are many people who use this range that abuse the privilage of having it. They bring out crap to shoot and leave it, even thought there is a big garbage bin in the parking lot that you have to walk right by on the way out. of course there is the much bigger problem of safety on that range, most day I have been there it has been fine, everyone confirming cease fires and the range going hot... but there are also too many ya-hoos and i am done with them.

The closest range to me is about 250 a year and only 100 yards but when I was a member i never felt like I had to look over my shoulder. So unless they are full I will be looking a membership with them next year.

Twobucks · #13 07-20-2012, 12:38 PM

Homestead is great facility - memberships seem hard to get around Calgary - but it needs a volunteer RSO.

Earlier this week I came back from checking my target to find three guys playing with several guns at the bench. Sketch-o-rama.

gear04ipod · #14 07-20-2012, 12:51 PM

out at sherwood park had some older guy shooting at my targets and thinking they own the place...

slopeshunter · #15 07-20-2012, 02:29 PM

I hear ya FAF. It makes you wonder how some people get their PAL's. Any time I go I try to be there at first light & usually done by 9am. Seems to work.

My 10 yr old has been bugging me to take him out shooting the .22's & I don't really think I'd feel that comfortable with him in tow out there.

Cheers

gitrdun · #16 07-20-2012, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FallAirFever

There is a 100 yard free public range, which is great to have available. Unfortunatly there are many people who use this range that abuse the privilage of having it. They bring out crap to shoot and leave it, even thought there is a big garbage bin in the parking lot that you have to walk right by on the way out. of course there is the much bigger problem of safety on that range, most day I have been there it has been fine, everyone confirming cease fires and the range going hot... but there are also too many ya-hoos and i am done with them.

The closest range to me is about 250 a year and only 100 yards but when I was a member i never felt like I had to look over my shoulder. So unless they are full I will be looking a membership with them next year.

Not to mention the road signs that lead up to the range that are riddled with bullet holes coming and going. And most of these road signs warn of an upcoming curve in the road. I can't help but to wonder if these clowns simply can't wait getting to the range which is only 5 minutes away. Or if they had some unspent ammo after leaving the range. Either way, coming or going, seems to me you best duck while driving to this dump that holds a poor excuse for a range. What message does this send to new shooters that one may want to introduce to the shooting sports? Not likely to be a good experience. And when a more safety oriented shooter attempts to discuss shooting safety with a perpetrator, he's labelled as a nosy wannabe who should mind his own business, or worse....a liberal.

gitrdun · #17 07-20-2012, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slopeshunter

I hear ya FAF. It makes you wonder how some people get their PAL's. Any time I go I try to be there at first light & usually done by 9am. Seems to work.

My 10 yr old has been bugging me to take him out shooting the .22's & I don't really think I'd feel that comfortable with him in tow out there.

Cheers

Agreed, I wouldn't even want to expose a young shooter whom you're trying to impress upon the responsibilities of safe firearm handling. And not only that, think of the aftemath of what a child has to deal with should dad or mom be injured or killed by such clowns that frequent the range.

gitrdun · #18 07-20-2012, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gopher

Whats the range membership out there cost?

NOTHING! but you knew that.

midgetwaiter · #19 07-20-2012, 06:30 PM

I've met some nice people at homestead but I've seen some scary stuff too.

There was one idiot on the bench beside me trying to hit a golf ball with a 10/22 at 10 yards. Never mind the bullet fragments from the ball, the ground is littered with rocks and there was bits of lead flying everywhere. He was all snotty when I pointed out that he was putting everyone in danger.

The SKS + case of ammo + case of beer guys are always showing up at random times too. I don't even take my SKS out there because I don't want to be associated with the mounds of steel cases everywhere.

I'm really hoping I can get in to a private range somewhere next year.