Sharpshooters in Lorton - question on procedure

I've been a member at Sharpshooters for about 7 years.

Yesterday, I took a newbie to shoot for her first time. I unloaded my holstered sidearm outside (as, unfortunately, required) and reholstered it. Had two other guns in the bag to shoot.

After I signed the card, the guy behind the counter asked about my holstered sidearm. I said "it's unloaded, yes" and he said "mind if I check"? First time I've EVER been asked that. I showed it to him; he took it, locked the slide back, and informed me it MUST stay that way -- policy (gods, I'm coming to despise that word). I honestly thought he was kidding, and said so. Four others behind the counter; none said anything. I told the individual that it wouldn't fit in the holster now, and that a holstered sidearm hurts no one. Further, I distinctly remember being told when I first joined (disclaimer: different management) that holstered or cased firearms were not a concern; they couldn't go off.

Now, LAST time I was at Sharpshooters, the manager was there (I think), and I was FILMED for the news, with my unloaded, holstered firearm.

I have NEVER, NEVER been asked to lock the slide back in there. Yesterday, everyone told me it's always been their policy (another side note -- none of the people I talked to yesterday have BEEN there as long as I've been a member).

So what I'm getting at -- has anyone else faced this?

I need to contact the manager, but since the place has already shown its reluctance to trust their patrons/members, and since I'm still livid, I'm reluctant to do so yet. Further, next week I go in hospital and will not be shooting for at least a couple of months -- if it's not something others have faced, I won't say anything and thus won't make them dig their heels in and ruin it for others.

You're experiences there are so different than mine. I've never even unloaded and they've never looked at me twice or asked me about it.

I wonder what they expect you to do if you are carrying a holstered revolver? It's obvious even to the dumbest person that a revolver with the cylinder open won't fit in a holster.

TFred

Steeler-gal said:

You're experiences there are so different than mine. I've never even unloaded and they've never looked at me twice or asked me about it.

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This was definitely a first.

Also was the first time my guest has been asked to read the range rules and sign the guest book. I've taken plenty of guests there before.

I'm HOPING it was an off day. I have a hard enough time getting out to the range, and traveling all the way to the NRA range would take away the spur-of-the-moment trips.

Tess said:

SNIP I've been a member at Sharpshooters for about 7 years...

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It must have been your trampy make-up, Harley tat's, and the-world-can-go-to-he(ll) expression. (Note: anybody who's met Tess knows that was total lie.)


Checking for unloaded condition may be a real policy. A young'un who's been there a long while asked and checked mine some weeks ago. However, I was allowed to close the action and return it to the holster. On that particular day, I was OCing a revolver.

I'm feeling like a bit of a smart-aleck just now. So, the first thing that pops to mind is to tell the clerk, "No, no. You go ahead and carry it around for me while I'm in the store since it won't fit in the holster with slide open."

I find it amazing that a gun shop/indoor range has a problem with its patrons properly carrying loaded firearms in their store. I won't patronize such places since Virginia Arms and Guns and Ammo Warehouse are not that far from where I live. Granted, neither of them have a range but the IWLA (Izack Walton League of America) and the NRA range are not terribly from me so I do have a choice. Yes, I know the IWLA doesn't allow the carrying of loaded guns on their grounds. I don't use them near as much as I use to... mostly just for rifles.

Why does Sharpshooters have this inane policy?

SouthernBoy said:

Why does Sharpshooters have this inane policy?

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I happen to agree with you SB but..



It is nice to either step out of the back door or go to my club that I can drive my ATV to.
The only rules are:
No dogs in the club house (Zeus hates that one)
and
3 seconds between shots.

SouthernBoy said:

Yes, I know the IWLA doesn't allow the carrying of loaded guns on their grounds.

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Which one? I carry at IWLA Leesburg.

ed said:

Which one? I carry at IWLA Leesburg.

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The Arlington-Fairfax Chapter in Centreville. I seem to recall in one of their newsletters, this was mentioned. And I believe there is a sign posted in the handgun/rifle clubhouse to this effect. Also a range master mentioned this to me a few months ago.

peter nap said:

I happen to agree with you SB but..

It is nice to either step out of the back door or go to my club that I can drive my ATV to.
The only rules are:
No dogs in the club house (Zeus hates that one)
and
3 seconds between shots.

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It's their business and they are certainly within their rights to have whatever policies they wish ("protected classes" excluded... which is also inane). However, I just find it curious that they want to restrict their prime customer base. Somehow I just don't see the business sense in that.

SouthernBoy said:

It's their business and they are certainly within their rights to have whatever policies they wish ("protected classes" excluded... which is also inane). However, I just find it curious that they want to restrict their prime customer base. Somehow I just don't see the business sense in that.

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I'm sure its safety.

Anybody who's shot on a public range knows that a certain percentage of newbies just don't know gun safety or haven't practiced enough to make it second nature. Then there is the part of the crowd that thinks they know everything, that its just not that important to keep your finger off the trigger, etc., and accidents never happen to them. We've all seen these types.

A verified empty gun can't go off if some noob who doesn't know any better decides to test a holster for fit or whatever.

I'm almost ambivalent about their policy. I dislike it--just barely. Certainly not enough to stop shopping there. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt as to them knowing their customers better than I.

SouthernBoy said:

It's their business and they are certainly within their rights to have whatever policies they wish ("protected classes" excluded... which is also inane). However, I just find it curious that they want to restrict their prime customer base. Somehow I just don't see the business sense in that.

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They have the same problem in Henrico.

You can always boycott them, I certainly won't go to a range like that, but they have a captive audience and they know it.

There just aren't that many places in the burbs to shoot.

Out my way, people who don't own land or belong to the club, just stop on a likely place near the road and check their scopes. No one thinks anything about it.

That wouldn't go over very well in the developed areas.

peter nap said:

The only rules are:
No dogs in the club house (Zeus hates that one)
and
3 seconds between shots.

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3 seconds between shots? Let me guess, only five rounds in the magazine, too.

I hate those Fuddite rules.

KBCraig said:

3 seconds between shots? Let me guess, only five rounds in the magazine, too.

I hate those Fuddite rules.

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Well, let me tell you about that Fuddite rule Craig.

Someone invited a bunch of their stupid assed relatives from out of state and let them shoot his AK at the pistol range.

There is a farm about a half mile past the berm at the pistol range and these idiots lined up clay skeet and anything else that wasn't nailed down, on the top of the berm and commenced to bumping the gun and emptying magazines as fast as they could.

They didn't hit many skeet but hit the farmers barn roof with damn near every shot.

Thankfully, he didn't sue but the 3 second rule was part of the agreement and no, there isn't any magazine limit.

Now I've been to Texas and as I recall, couldn't OC my gun at all there, so why don't you mow your own hay.

Making up the rules as they go along

I purchased my first gun a Ruger 10/22 from Erinie at Gilbert's at age 18. Then on my 21st birthday Erinie sold me my first handgun. I have been shooting there for 27 years minus a few years off for time out of the area. When the security guard company bought the business and it became sharpshooters the whole place changed big time. The staff has become real authoritarian, obnoxious and often anti-customer. They enforce rules that aren't on the form you sign, basically making them up as you go along so you never really know what they will come up with next. They always seem to have some smart ass comment to throw out. These are not the typical gun store commandos but rather a band of anti- social misfits ( with a few notable exceptions). When my membership is up, I'm done going there.

The last time the wife and I went there they were concerned about her Walther since the slide was not locked back. We showed that it was cleared but with hers you can't manually lock it back without having an empty magazine in it. She would eject the mag and have it cleared but unless you put in an empty one the slide closes.

My Experience at Sharpshooters Has Been Entirely Positive

92fan said:

I purchased my first gun a Ruger 10/22 from Erinie at Gilbert's at age 18. Then on my 21st birthday Erinie sold me my first handgun. I have been shooting there for 27 years minus a few years off for time out of the area. When the security guard company bought the business and it became sharpshooters the whole place changed big time. The staff has become real authoritarian, obnoxious and often anti-customer. They enforce rules that aren't on the form you sign, basically making them up as you go along so you never really know what they will come up with next. They always seem to have some smart ass comment to throw out. These are not the typical gun store commandos but rather a band of anti- social misfits ( with a few notable exceptions). When my membership is up, I'm done going there.

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I always take such negative comments "under advisement" until I independently dispel or confirm it.

Especially when it is a member's very first post. Of all the possible subforums and threads upon which one could post, this comment on this thread was the posters very first. Which is another way of saying, what is the character of a person so bent out of shape that his first post uses the words "band of anti-social misfits"?

My experience at Sharpshooters since Ernie sold the business and retired has been just fine. Tim is still the manager. One of his sons still works there.

Yes, these people are not froo-froo hand-holders who "sir" every customer and cater to every customer. They're salt-of-the-earth. But neither are they outright rude unless you are a bit sensitive or something.

I'll continue shopping there and shooting there.

Agree customer service has gone downhill lately - but found it was never that good. At least for a woman going in by herself.

Since they started catering to the instructors of the female persuasion, they're really nice to them (as a group) and their special snowflake leaders. Can't necessarily say the same for every Tammy, Debby and Harriet who goes in.

As I said, I will be out of commission for a couple of months, and I'm not going to raise holy hell and spoil things for others -- for now.

But they also know they have us by the short and curlies ...

peter nap said:

Well, let me tell you about that Fuddite rule Craig.

Someone invited a bunch of their stupid assed relatives from out of state and let them shoot his AK at the pistol range.

There is a farm about a half mile past the berm at the pistol range and these idiots lined up clay skeet and anything else that wasn't nailed down, on the top of the berm and commenced to bumping the gun and emptying magazines as fast as they could.

They didn't hit many skeet but hit the farmers barn roof with damn near every shot.

Thankfully, he didn't sue but the 3 second rule was part of the agreement and no, there isn't any magazine limit.

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Oh, okay. As long as idiots firing an AK over the berm of the pistol range and hit the farmer's barn only do it once every three seconds, I guess that's okay.

Since your club is set up with farm buildings just a half mile down range and has insufficient berms and no baffling or other protection, I'm surprised it's not the farmer's private gun range now. Pistols will also hit a barn at half a mile, you know.

Now I've been to Texas and as I recall, couldn't OC my gun at all there, so why don't you mow your own hay.

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How'd that work out for you, trying to shoot while keeping your gun concealed? Since that's the only way you can carry in Texas, according to you.

KBCraig said:

Oh, okay. As long as idiots firing an AK over the berm of the pistol range and hit the farmer's barn only do it once every three seconds, I guess that's okay.

Since your club is set up with farm buildings just a half mile down range and has insufficient berms and no baffling or other protection, I'm surprised it's not the farmer's private gun range now. Pistols will also hit a barn at half a mile, you know.




How'd that work out for you, trying to shoot while keeping your gun concealed? Since that's the only way you can carry in Texas, according to you.

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I left it in the car. Isn't anything in Texas worth wasting bullets on.
I did cut a stick about as big around as my thumb. That was enough for the real troublemakers.