Body armor at the range

[Flopsweat]

Even more...?

P.S. Same... lol.

-Robert

I just tell them "It's my DGAF flaring up again."

 

[Ghoul]

Your soft armor wouldn't prevent a rifle round though.

Is this why you asked about my armor a while ago?

 

[American123]

Is this why you asked about my armor a while ago?

View attachment 998224

When you said you wore armor to the store, I wondered how concealable the set up was.

 

[Flopsweat]

When you said you wore armor to the store, I wondered how concealable the set up was.

Well you got your answer.

 

[Camelfilter]

Its a non-issue.

If someone wants to wear armor, they're wearing it.

We only do when we're training, which normally is in a bay. Don't recall ever wearing any just for plinking, again tho nothing wrong if one wants to.

RSO's should. Simply because of the number of hours spent & the number of new / inexperienced folks taking up shooting. IMO.

Now, that said. If I were concerned enough for our safety at a particular range where I would have us wear armor just to plink? We wouldn't go to that range. There is a public one (day use fee) like such local, we don't go to. Simply because of such. We don't use it.

Joined a members only club, with pretty decent orientation & such. Stupid still occurs, however seems rare. Situational awareness - always. Be mindful of folks - always.

Not everyone has the option, so there is that. For folks whom do not have an option of a better range/club, consider ways to mitigate risks. Go when there would be less folks, have a consistent designated non-shooter in your party, take turns with such. Etc.

 

[Pahonix]

I've noticed people wearing them more and more at the range.

I see no issue with it. We're at a range where people learn to shoot.....accidents happen.

We wear eye protection to protect our eyes from accidents.

We wear hearing protection to keep our ears safe.

Why not wear something to keep our organs safe.

 

[quneur]

My first reaction would have been to say something snarky, "Because my corset is in the laundry."

 

[msgriff]

When you said you wore armor to the store, I wondered how concealable the set up was.

I prefer Lodge. Just act like a TV chef and blend in around the produce section.


Pan shot!

 

[American123]

I prefer Lodge. Just act like a TV chef and blend in around the produce section.

View attachment 998233
Pan shot!

Yeah, I don't own anything that conceals that well.

 

[sobo]

I just caught your location.

Nice, lol.
Shake N bake colonies are on the horizon for real now.

 

[Jason999]

So... you met one of the types that has made me avoid most ranges. If you dont dress like they do, believe as they do, agree with the false info they spew... then you're the enemy.

I've been told that my shaved head is intimidating... well, I'm balding, I shave the back and sides cause theres nothing up top!

 

[SrMachoSolo]

So... you met one of the types that has made me avoid most ranges. If you dont dress like they do, believe as they do, agree with the false info they spew... then you're the enemy.

I've been told that my shaved head is intimidating... well, I'm balding, I shave the back and sides cause theres nothing up top!

I'd be intimidated too...


-Robert

 

[sobo]

Went to the public range today in Northern Idaho w my nephew & GF. Wore my soft armor over my shirt. Went to the 100 range for Saturday plinking.

Phuq him. If there is no range prohibition against it (which would be really phuq'n weird for a range in N ID), then you did nothing wrong.

I am an RSO at my range, which has both a public side and a "members only" side. I've been RSO'ing there for about 4 years now. When I first started RSO'ing back in 2016 or so, it was a pretty tame range. As time has gone on, I see more and more folks that need a good safety briefing (more than the standard one we give them when they show up to shoot at the public side).

After a particularly egregious rule violation in which I had to intervene to prevent someone from shooting the guy in the next bay, I decided from then on when I'm on RSO duty, I'm going to wear my BA. I switched my duty days to February, beginning with the Superbowl. I get two benefits out of that... 1) the range is pretty much deserted, and 2) I can wear my BA under my outer jacket, since it's about 30 degrees outside at that time of year here, and no one needs to know I'm wearing it.

When I shoot/practice/train at my range, I always go to the "members only" side. By standing duty as an RSO for at least 3 days/year, that gets you unlimited access to that side of the range. That's where me and my buds run the USPSA courses and compete against each other. I think it's good for training to wear my BA so I can see how it works (or doesn't) in scenarios as near to real life as I can make them in a training bay. And I don't have to deal with any Fudds...

And when I train with my instructor at "his" range, none of us wear BA. We're all pretty hip with the scene and no one screws up *that* royally...

 

[L84Cabo]

I have lost count of the number of times I've been flagged by idiots at public ranges. I personally would not question anyone who decides to wear armor. I also think it's silly for a range to have an issue with this. If you can't workout gear issues at the range, where exactly are you supposed to do that?

So maybe either find another range or throw a shirt on over it next time.

 

[Pete F]

So... you met one of the types that has made me avoid most ranges. If you dont dress like they do, believe as they do, agree with the false info they spew... then you're the enemy.

I've been told that my shaved head is intimidating... well, I'm balding, I shave the back and sides cause theres nothing up top!

I had a similar incident happen at a friends house. I was walking to the line when someone that I just met grabbed my hand and gun and had me put two fingers over the trigger guard. I didn't even acknowledge him and went back to one finger. I thought he was stepping over the line, especially since he didn't know me or my 55 years of experience with all sorts of guns.

I still don't know why he did what he did - never asked. Since I can no longer get two fingers above the trigger guard comfortably or safely, I just let it pass.

Does anyone else use two fingers over the trigger guard - and no I don't need to know what else you can do with two fingers.

 

[sobo]

Does anyone else use two fingers over the trigger guard - and no I don't need to know what else you can do with two fingers.

That's phuq'd up that someone would jump in like that when a single finger above the guard suffices. And no, I just index my booger hook above the guard.

 

[American123]

I had a similar incident happen at a friends house. I was walking to the line when someone that I just met grabbed my hand and gun and had me put two fingers over the trigger guard. I didn't even acknowledge him and went back to one finger. I thought he was stepping over the line, especially since he didn't know me or my 55 years of experience with all sorts of guns.

I still don't know why he did what he did - never asked. Since I can no longer get two fingers above the trigger guard comfortably or safely, I just let it pass.

Does anyone else use two fingers over the trigger guard - and no I don't need to know what else you can do with two fingers.

Never go full retard.

 

[Knobgoblin]

 

[The Just]

Thank you everyone for the feedback. I'm happy to hear I wasn't committing a faux pas, just protecting my organs and exercising my kit.

It's a state owned public range. Next time maybe I'll try with full battle rattle and see what they say overt plates, battle belt, Ghillie & mich in the future I'll be sure to check the range dress code

 

[CLT65]

If I were concerned enough for our safety at a particular range where I would have us wear armor just to plink? We wouldn't go to that range.

I have to agree with that. I've never actually thought about body armor at the range, but then again I don't own any. To each their own though; it wouldn't bother me to shoot with someone wearing it. You see all kinds at the range, and unless they're being unsafe, they don't bother me.

Now that I think about it, I do have one friend who brought his body armor to the range. He's a federal corrections officer, and was showing me his new gear. I don't remember if it was something he was issued, or personal purchase. I know next to nothing about body armor.

I'm a member at a member's only range, and for the most part have only met good people. I mostly keep to myself, but if someone else there is talkative I'm glad to make a new friend.

I did run into a real jerk one time. We don't have a range master per se; when you are there you are your own range master and are expected to know and follow the rules. One of the rules is no touching firearms on a cold range. I had a friend along that day as a guest, and didn't notice at one point during a cold range that he had picked up and was looking at his (unloaded) revolver. Another club member who I don't know walked over and got all "drill sergeant" in his face. Right up close, loudly telling him to "Put down that gun, and don't let me see you touching it again!!!" My buddy, a Marine, was so embarrassed that he left. He told me he hadn't been spoken to like that since basic. Ten minutes later that same guy was doing the same thing himself- bore-sighting his rifle from the bench, with people downrange changing targets. That's when we left.

I don't let it bother me though. You run into all kinds of jerks in life, people who want to push you around and tell you how to live your life in one form or another, or have their own way regardless of others. Those type will always be out there, and you can't let them get you down.

I choose to instead consciously recognize the considerate people in life. If you really watch, you'll realize that they outnumber the jerks by a pretty good margin. They're the ones who slow down to let you in on the road, or stop at cross walks for pedestrians, or hold doors open, or any of a hundred other polite things that decent people do. The jerks just stand out so much because, well, they're jerks.