Stuff overheard at the range or local gun shop

JustinNC

FNG
Joined
Oct 20, 2020
Messages
33
This one is telling on myself. Same gun shop I worked in I previously mentioned. Dumb HS kid. I called into NICS, and they proceeded to verify the information I had given them. Then as I'm writing down the info they gave back to me in phonetic alphabet... I'm writing down, and repeating under my breath as I write "chaarrrrlllieeee, liiiiimmmaaaa, fooxxxtrrottt..."
the NICS agent says "sir are you actually right down "charlie, lima, foxtrot...."?
"Yes ma'am"
"No! Charlie is for 'C'. Lima is for 'L'. Foxtrot is for 'F'"

I had this dumb look on my face and the other sales guy beside me is about to bust laughing, meanwhile customer is looking at me like I've got 3 eye balls.
 

H@mstar19x3

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Sep 30, 2015
Messages
111
This one is telling on myself. Same gun shop I worked in I previously mentioned. Dumb HS kid. I called into NICS, and they proceeded to verify the information I had given them. Then as I'm writing down the info they gave back to me in phonetic alphabet... I'm writing down, and repeating under my breath as I write "chaarrrrlllieeee, liiiiimmmaaaa, fooxxxtrrottt..."
the NICS agent says "sir are you actually right down "charlie, lima, foxtrot...."?
"Yes ma'am"
"No! Charlie is for 'C'. Lima is for 'L'. Foxtrot is for 'F'"

I had this dumb look on my face and the other sales guy beside me is about to bust laughing, meanwhile customer is looking at me like I've got 3 eye balls.
that's awesome.
 

Rotnguns

WKR
Joined
Apr 11, 2020
Messages
416
Location
Southwest Idaho
Had a shooter running 22 lr through a bolt-action rifle chambered in 22 WMR at the range where I volunteer last week. Caught my attention because he couldn't get the magazine to feed. Got a few shots off by manually feeding each round; then a case split longitudinally. Classic thin-walled pressure vessel failure. No harm, but a strong lesson learned. Chamber diameter of 22 WMR is slightly larger than a 22 lr.
 
Joined
Jul 6, 2017
Messages
667
Location
Boise
Had a shooter running 22 lr through a bolt-action rifle chambered in 22 WMR at the range where I volunteer last week. Caught my attention because he couldn't get the magazine to feed. Got a few shots off by manually feeding each round; then a case split longitudinally. Classic thin-walled pressure vessel failure. No harm, but a strong lesson learned. Chamber diameter of 22 WMR is slightly larger than a 22 lr.
If you're at the range I think you are, you have your work cut out for you. In the handful of times I've been there, I've never been disappointed in not seeing something that makes me wonder "what is that guy thinking?". You and the other RO's do a great job and should be commended for your constant patience.
 
Joined
Sep 18, 2023
Messages
69
An older guy today was telling a younger guy some tips about shooting, a couple of which made me laugh. It made me think there have to be others that can be shared.

"Every new gun I get I clean it thoroughly, then I polish the barrel. The polishing takes a couple of hours and gets all of the micro burrs out of the barrel. If you have a spare couple of hours, you are welcome to come over and watch." Then he volunteered that when doing it, he always felt like he was giving the rifle a h*** job.

Maybe this suggestion has more merit? "Clean your gun very frequently, but never go out hunting with an absolutely clean rifle."
grate i will sit around for a couple of hours just to watch him clean his gun.. maximum hours spent cleaning my guns' 2 tops.
 

Sunshine40

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 22, 2024
Messages
104
Location
Southern California
My father in law who drives around with a 2a sticker on his truck but knows literally nothing about guns just owns a few, told me he just bought an "AK" because "shits going to get wild in a few months and I might need to pile up some people infront of the house." After both cringing and chuckling to myself I asked him why he got an AK. He replied " the guy in the gun store said AR-15s are trash and jam constantly." After cringing and face palming even more I reply, "what is it chambered in?" Knowing damn well he has no idea. His reply confirmed my suspicion. He then told me how he was going to buy 1000 rounds, as if that impressed me, and was going to stash loaded mags all over his house.

I would have paid serious money to have been a fly on the wall in that shop that day.
 
Joined
May 1, 2021
Messages
488
Anyone ever load lighter (smaller shot) shotshells for first round and then heavier (larger shot) shells for follow up? Had a guy in a sporting goods/department store suggest that once.
 

wyogoat

WKR
Joined
Jul 28, 2014
Messages
761
Location
Wyoming
Anyone ever load lighter (smaller shot) shotshells for first round and then heavier (larger shot) shells for follow up? Had a guy in a sporting goods/department store suggest that once.
Same concept on soft point then solid on double guns in Africa, right?
I’ve actually probably done that on waterfowl a few times. BB or 1’s for the first shot on decoying geese and T’s or BBB on the third…or fourth if I had an old Benelli…
 

KsRancher

WKR
Joined
Jun 6, 2018
Messages
714
Anyone ever load lighter (smaller shot) shotshells for first round and then heavier (larger shot) shells for follow up? Had a guy in a sporting goods/department store suggest that once.
I do that when hunting pheasant/quail. If I know that it will only be pheasant then I use #4. If only quail I use #6. If it might be a mix I put a #6 in the chamber and #4's in the magazine so that I can shoot at least 1 shot if quail jump up.
 

Rotnguns

WKR
Joined
Apr 11, 2020
Messages
416
Location
Southwest Idaho
If you're at the range I think you are, you have your work cut out for you. In the handful of times I've been there, I've never been disappointed in not seeing something that makes me wonder "what is that guy thinking?". You and the other RO's do a great job and should be commended for your constant patience.
Thanks for the kind words, Mike! Very likely I'm at the range you're thinking of - owned by F&G, south of Boise. We do indeed have some exciting moments, but in most cases, I've found that it's largely due to Iong-time Idaho folks like me simply not knowing how to behave on a supervised shooting range for the first time. The most frightening experience I've ever had was at the unsupervised Nampa range when the guys shooting next to us suddenly decided to run down and check their target while my wife and I were still shooting.
 
Joined
Nov 14, 2018
Messages
510
Location
Northern Michigan
Same concept on soft point then solid on double guns in Africa, right?
I’ve actually probably done that on waterfowl a few times. BB or 1’s for the first shot on decoying geese and T’s or BBB on the third…or fourth if I had an old Benelli…
Lol I have done thatl .... and the "4th" on my hk marked benelli m1
 
Last edited:
Joined
May 1, 2021
Messages
488
Same concept on soft point then solid on double guns in Africa, right?
I’ve actually probably done that on waterfowl a few times. BB or 1’s for the first shot on decoying geese and T’s or BBB on the third…or fourth if I had an old Benelli…

I do that when hunting pheasant/quail. If I know that it will only be pheasant then I use #4. If only quail I use #6. If it might be a mix I put a #6 in the chamber and #4's in the magazine so that I can shoot at least 1 shot if quail jump up.

Oh, good. Then the guy wasn't just spouting complete B/S when he was working in a department store at 20yrs old.
 
Joined
Sep 14, 2024
Messages
24
As a former gun counter salesman I have too many to list them all.

Some of my favorites though,

Taurus makes good and reliable pistols you know

A customer also came in one day saying his magazine wouldn’t feed rounds correctly. Well sure enough a 9mm magazine won’t feed 40sw
 

Billogna

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Nov 3, 2020
Messages
253
Location
Central MO
Got a fresh one! Was just at the range last weekend and there was a guy there that I had to remind to set his AR pistol down facing down range instead of at the parking lot.

There was also a "Tactical Training School" in session. They came down to the 100 yard range where I am sighting in the new RSS. They were qualifying with standing, kneeling, and prone from different ranges. Didn't bother me at all. They were being safe and pretty nice people. Then class was winding down and one of their "instructors" says he's gonna try to hit the "50 yard target" with his pistol. I'm just hoping he's not gonna shoot across lanes over to the 50. Nope. Sends a few rounds straight at the targets they were qualifying on. The look on his face when I explained to him what range he was attempting was hilarious.
 
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