Never going to QUAIL CREEK again!
Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 3:00 pm
I went to Quail Creek yesterday on February 9 around 2 pm to put a few rounds through my new Bushmaster AR-15 and thought I would practice shooting a 100 rounds through my Glock 27 (which happens to be my concealed carry gun). Having my CHL on my person, I walk onto the range concealing my Glock 27 in my shoulder holster and I decide to fire my AR-15 first. Then, upon completion of firing my AR-15 I go to the pistol range. The first thing I do when I get over there is unholster my Glock 27, drop the mag, and lock the slide open and then I lay it on the table with the muzzle pointed down range. Next, I take my jacket off that I was wearing and thus I am exposing my short sleeve shirt and the wearing of my EMPTY shoulder holster. I shoot maybe 50 rounds through my Glock through one live fire series between cease fires. One of the older gentlemen who was on duty as a range officer calls another cease fire and I proceed to go and post my next target after he instructs it is safe to do so.
As I am walking back, that same range officer comes running toward me shaking his finger at me saying that I have just committed a felony and that I broke state and federal law. I ask him how he came to such a conclusion. He tells me that it is because I was wearing my weapon exposed in my holster. I firmly but politely reject the statement and as I tell him that I am a CHL and that I can carry concealed...I show him my license. He told me that it did not matter that I still "broke the law"; furthermore, he begins to talk to me like I am ignorant telling me that I need to go back and read my laws because I apparently do not know what it means to properly conceal and carry a short gun. I get irritated at this point and process to tell him a.) my gun is not in the holster right now so it is not a crime to wear a holster empty and exposed, and b.) I came into the range concealed when the holster had my Glock 27 in it and my jacket was covering it completely and it was not evident that I was carrying. So, I was not breaking any law then either considering that there was no 30.06 signage posted and there was no oral declaration from anyone stating that concealed carry was not welcomed or allowed in the range.
The range officer then told me that I was not allowed to wear the holster and then he goes to pick up my gun from the bench. I politely ask him why he is grabbing for my gun and he told me "because he could". I then told him not to touch my firearm and that I would kindly leave if he had a problem with that. Then he told me that I was being kicked out because of breaking the law and wearing an empty holster!!!!!!!!! As I was gathering my shooting materials to leave I told him he was making false assumptions in that just because I was wearing an empty holster does not mean that I carry that way. I then picked up my jacket and explained to him that I was shooting my rifle concealed with the Glock on my left side the whole time while I was on the rifle range. He just stared at me in disbelief. I went to the office to let the guys inside know of these events and I was told to depart the property.
Folks, I am sorry for being long winded here, but this really irritated me off. Quail Creek is a place that I started shooting at as a teenager in 1992 and I am displeased to say that the courtesy of the range staff there has gone down the toilet. These range officials behave as if they are the highest form of knowledge and enforcement in the world of firearms and they love to attempt to intimidate new and experienced shooters alike. This same old man who gave me the hard time tried to justify one series of comments in the midst of our bantering in that he called himself a "firearms expert". In 16 years of recreational shooting and 4 years of firearms training in the US military I have subscribed to the philosophy that people who self proclaim expertise in firearms are usually careless enough to injure themselves and others around them as a result of their inflated egos. I will never go to this range again and I highly encourage all of you, responsible and knowledgeable CHL'ers, to think twice before going to Quail Creek as you can expect to receive the same hassle. I am in the process of filing a formal complaint against this entity with the Texas Secretary of State. It will probably go without follow up but I will do everything I can to discourage others to go to this facility as I do not want any other people like me who simply love to engage in safe shooting to become as discouraged as a result of people like this.
I welcome any thoughts, comments, etc. that the forum may have to offer to add to my perspective here.
As I am walking back, that same range officer comes running toward me shaking his finger at me saying that I have just committed a felony and that I broke state and federal law. I ask him how he came to such a conclusion. He tells me that it is because I was wearing my weapon exposed in my holster. I firmly but politely reject the statement and as I tell him that I am a CHL and that I can carry concealed...I show him my license. He told me that it did not matter that I still "broke the law"; furthermore, he begins to talk to me like I am ignorant telling me that I need to go back and read my laws because I apparently do not know what it means to properly conceal and carry a short gun. I get irritated at this point and process to tell him a.) my gun is not in the holster right now so it is not a crime to wear a holster empty and exposed, and b.) I came into the range concealed when the holster had my Glock 27 in it and my jacket was covering it completely and it was not evident that I was carrying. So, I was not breaking any law then either considering that there was no 30.06 signage posted and there was no oral declaration from anyone stating that concealed carry was not welcomed or allowed in the range.
The range officer then told me that I was not allowed to wear the holster and then he goes to pick up my gun from the bench. I politely ask him why he is grabbing for my gun and he told me "because he could". I then told him not to touch my firearm and that I would kindly leave if he had a problem with that. Then he told me that I was being kicked out because of breaking the law and wearing an empty holster!!!!!!!!! As I was gathering my shooting materials to leave I told him he was making false assumptions in that just because I was wearing an empty holster does not mean that I carry that way. I then picked up my jacket and explained to him that I was shooting my rifle concealed with the Glock on my left side the whole time while I was on the rifle range. He just stared at me in disbelief. I went to the office to let the guys inside know of these events and I was told to depart the property.
Folks, I am sorry for being long winded here, but this really irritated me off. Quail Creek is a place that I started shooting at as a teenager in 1992 and I am displeased to say that the courtesy of the range staff there has gone down the toilet. These range officials behave as if they are the highest form of knowledge and enforcement in the world of firearms and they love to attempt to intimidate new and experienced shooters alike. This same old man who gave me the hard time tried to justify one series of comments in the midst of our bantering in that he called himself a "firearms expert". In 16 years of recreational shooting and 4 years of firearms training in the US military I have subscribed to the philosophy that people who self proclaim expertise in firearms are usually careless enough to injure themselves and others around them as a result of their inflated egos. I will never go to this range again and I highly encourage all of you, responsible and knowledgeable CHL'ers, to think twice before going to Quail Creek as you can expect to receive the same hassle. I am in the process of filing a formal complaint against this entity with the Texas Secretary of State. It will probably go without follow up but I will do everything I can to discourage others to go to this facility as I do not want any other people like me who simply love to engage in safe shooting to become as discouraged as a result of people like this.
I welcome any thoughts, comments, etc. that the forum may have to offer to add to my perspective here.
