Why does it seem like 1 in 4 gun ranges are full of jerks?

[straitshooter]

All these reasons and more are why i joined a private gun club over 10yrs ago.

[sixline]

I've found that most of the employees at the gun ranges around Austin are fine... as long as you don't ask questions and act like you know what you're doing. I'm not saying it's a good thing.. far from it...... but that seems to be the reality.

[rgunn]

I'd say that's a good number since well over 25% of the general public is obnoxious.

And well over 75% of gun range employees are very arrogant and obnoxious, in my experience. It would be great to find a good range to spend my money at......

[Piney]

Why does it seem 1 in 4 gun ranges are full of jerks? I don't know that I'd say the stats are that low. Obviously not all range owners or range staff are bad but, as I've discussed with folks form time to time, our industry tends to attract people with pretty serious maturity issues and of course, our society in general tends to be too kind to call toro caca to someone's face when we probably should. One of the things I'd really like to do is build a lady friendly range. Call me crazy but, I think women will be one of the saviors of our industry and if you can make a facility that women enjoy, and make shooting an enjoyable experience for women, their boyfriends, husbands and sons will happily follow them.

Hummm...... range in a mall..... Bed, Bath and Bullets.....Gary, you're on to somthing.....

[Jim Lockey]

They could be an elites like Obama.

[Salty1]

When I read posts such as this I am glad I am a member of Greybeard's place, hassle free shooting and you let yourself in and out. Personally I do not want novices next to me nor do I want range nazi's telling me what to do.... I hate the 2 second rule and not being able to draw and shoot from a holster, those are not an issue at Denton County Sports

http://www.dentoncountysports.com/

[Purplehood]

Since I am not a regular at any range but simply drop into whichever one I can find in the Houston area, I get the same impression that the OP of this thread gets.
It appears to me that in general, if the range personnel don't know you they do indeed tend to give you the cold shoulder. I have frequented PSC, Shiloh Shooting and whatever the one is called that is off of Gessner and I-10. They all give me the impression that they assume you are not worthy of notice until proven otherwise.
I imagine one could become jaded when you have to deal with potentially life-threatening morons and no real shortage of potential customers. You can afford to alienate a few...
Oh, in order to clarify. It mostly appears to be the folks at the counters that have this problem. Once you get on the firing line and the range/safety folks see that you appear to know your behind from a hole in the ground they tend to loosen up.

[Pete92FS]

Since I am not a regular at any range but simply drop into whichever one I can find in the Houston area, I get the same impression that the OP of this thread gets.
It appears to me that in general, if the range personnel don't know you they do indeed tend to give you the cold shoulder. I have frequented PSC, Shiloh Shooting and whatever the one is called that is off of Gessner and I-10. They all give me the impression that they assume you are not worthy of notice until proven otherwise.
I imagine one could become jaded when you have to deal with potentially life-threatening morons and no real shortage of potential customers. You can afford to alienate a few...
Oh, in order to clarify. It mostly appears to be the folks at the counters that have this problem. Once you get on the firing line and the range/safety folks see that you appear to know your behind from a hole in the ground they tend to loosen up.

The one in the I-10 and Gessner area is Memorial Shooting Range on Witte. I went to them two or three times when Top Gun was shut down due to fire. I found them to be fairly friendly behind the counter even on a Saturday when there was an hour + wait for a lane. You must not have used your charm on them.

[aaangel]

bullseye range and guns in duncanville has been good to me for the last 5 years.

[Purplehood]

Since I am not a regular at any range but simply drop into whichever one I can find in the Houston area, I get the same impression that the OP of this thread gets.
It appears to me that in general, if the range personnel don't know you they do indeed tend to give you the cold shoulder. I have frequented PSC, Shiloh Shooting and whatever the one is called that is off of Gessner and I-10. They all give me the impression that they assume you are not worthy of notice until proven otherwise.
I imagine one could become jaded when you have to deal with potentially life-threatening morons and no real shortage of potential customers. You can afford to alienate a few...
Oh, in order to clarify. It mostly appears to be the folks at the counters that have this problem. Once you get on the firing line and the range/safety folks see that you appear to know your behind from a hole in the ground they tend to loosen up.

The one in the I-10 and Gessner area is Memorial Shooting Range on Witte. I went to them two or three times when Top Gun was shut down due to fire. I found them to be fairly friendly behind the counter even on a Saturday when there was an hour + wait for a lane. You must not have used your charm on them.

Or I simply lack any charm. That is a distinct possibility.

[Oldgringo]

Since I am not a regular at any range but simply drop into whichever one I can find in the Houston area, I get the same impression that the OP of this thread gets.
It appears to me that in general, if the range personnel don't know you they do indeed tend to give you the cold shoulder. I have frequented PSC, Shiloh Shooting and whatever the one is called that is off of Gessner and I-10. They all give me the impression that they assume you are not worthy of notice until proven otherwise.
I imagine one could become jaded when you have to deal with potentially life-threatening morons and no real shortage of potential customers. You can afford to alienate a few...
Oh, in order to clarify. It mostly appears to be the folks at the counters that have this problem. Once you get on the firing line and the range/safety folks see that you appear to know your behind from a hole in the ground they tend to loosen up.

You could have been talking about the help, teenage and otherwise, in our one grocery store if I didn't know better.

[glbedd53]

Seems like most gun stores have the same kind of guys, I think they get tired of all the stupid questions, except when it's my 23 year old daughter asking them, the stupid questions don't seem to bother them as much when she asks them.

[TLE2]

It is certain that within 5 sigma, the answer will be 'yes'

[TraCoun]

Haven't met a "turkey' at PCS. I think it's because PCS is a pain to join, intentionally.

Have met some great people, including Mr. Cotton.

PSC ?

[sapper740]

I find that a lot of small people are attracted to positions of authority, not to better the venue they are associated with, but to be able to exert some control, finally, over someone else. Some RO's (Range Officers) are no different than the Hall Monitor we all used to hate in High school or the president of the Home Owner's Association where we now live. Their creed is that it's better to be opinionated than educated. I've met some really stupid RO's who border on the dangerous e.g., my first (and only) visit to one indoor range was loudly interrupted as I proceeded to the firing line with my N frame S&W's muzzle pointing up. I was rudely told that they didn't want any holes in the ceiling so they enforced a muzzle down rule. I attempted to point out that a .429" hole in the ceiling was a lot better than a ricochet off the hard concrete floor to no avail. I refused to obey what I considered an "Illegal Command" and was ejected from the range. Their loss.
The other less dangerous but more annoying type I encounter frequently is everyone's nemesis, the self -appointed "Expert". I take great issue with anyone who calls themselves a firearms expert. In fact, I will go so far as to say there is no such thing. Why? The subject is too vast for any one man (or woman) to grasp in it's entirety. My avocation, and sometimes vocation has spanned some 43 years of experience with firearms, both military and civilian. I consider myself a One Percenter. What I mean by that is that I now know 1% of all the firearms knowledge there is to know. Yes, you heard me correctly, 1%. And that is about 1,000 times more than the average shooter you will encounter at the range. So the next time you have Joe the Firearms expert come up to you at the range, ask him what a Huot or a Blish device is. If he can't answer those questions, tell him thanks but no thanks.

Y'all have a happy Fourth!