Dom
Regular Member
imported post
I went to the Firing Line on Potomoc in Aurora to poke some holes in paper. I actually wasn't planning on shooting my defense weapon at the range, but I naturally OC'd it....these guys must be pro 2A right? I have CC'd in there many times, but of course they didn't really know, except once when I was trying a holster and I cleared before I went in.
I get up to the counter and Opie Taylor (he must have turned 21 in June) who was operating the register looked at my holster and said, "You're going to have to open the action on that". "What?", I said with surprise.
"There's a sign on the front door, all actions must be open", he replied. I said, "Well, this is loaded and chambered, and sitting quite safe in my holster, I didn't think that sign would apply to holstered weapons". He said it does and repeated his request-demand.
At this point there was a decision to be made, do I comply with his request and go to the range, or refuse and leave? The fact that I'm making this decision in a gun store perplexed me...oh and by the way the employees behind the counter were all OC'ing, except for Opie. I thought about it -- why would they make this rule? Maybe it's for insurance reasons, or maybe they had an incident in the past. I've seen some bozos on the range before myself. I can certainly see a non-holstered weapon or rifle, but why holstered? What if it was in a case, they didn't check my case; maybe I had some dasdardly plan to whip out a cased weapon that was loaded (not as fast as using a holstered weapon, but not incredibly slow). If I was a BG, why would I even show the holstered weapon?
Well I pussed out and asked him how he wanted me to clear the pistol, as I definetely wasn't comfortable clearing a weapon in a place of business (seemed much safer just to leave in the holster to me). He asked me to take it out of the holster and place it on the counter, with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. I did and Opie cleared it, launching the chambered round across the floor which earned Opie a scowl. I took my 9mm back, with the action open, and holstered it. I replaced the rogue cartrige in the magazine and put that in my pocket. I then proceeded to rent a range lane, and Opie asked if I needed anything. I said, "Yeah, a couple dozen B-2 targets please". He then asked if I needed some 9mm ammo. I said, "No, I'm just shooting my .22 today". The look on Opie's face was priceless.
It bothered me though, and still bothers me. I know it was a private business and I didn't have the right to OC there if they didn't want me to, but I thought these guys were "us". Do you think I should have pressed the matter? I'm thinking about calling the owner about it, not necessarily to bitch but to understand why.
I went to the Firing Line on Potomoc in Aurora to poke some holes in paper. I actually wasn't planning on shooting my defense weapon at the range, but I naturally OC'd it....these guys must be pro 2A right? I have CC'd in there many times, but of course they didn't really know, except once when I was trying a holster and I cleared before I went in.
I get up to the counter and Opie Taylor (he must have turned 21 in June) who was operating the register looked at my holster and said, "You're going to have to open the action on that". "What?", I said with surprise.
"There's a sign on the front door, all actions must be open", he replied. I said, "Well, this is loaded and chambered, and sitting quite safe in my holster, I didn't think that sign would apply to holstered weapons". He said it does and repeated his request-demand.
At this point there was a decision to be made, do I comply with his request and go to the range, or refuse and leave? The fact that I'm making this decision in a gun store perplexed me...oh and by the way the employees behind the counter were all OC'ing, except for Opie. I thought about it -- why would they make this rule? Maybe it's for insurance reasons, or maybe they had an incident in the past. I've seen some bozos on the range before myself. I can certainly see a non-holstered weapon or rifle, but why holstered? What if it was in a case, they didn't check my case; maybe I had some dasdardly plan to whip out a cased weapon that was loaded (not as fast as using a holstered weapon, but not incredibly slow). If I was a BG, why would I even show the holstered weapon?
Well I pussed out and asked him how he wanted me to clear the pistol, as I definetely wasn't comfortable clearing a weapon in a place of business (seemed much safer just to leave in the holster to me). He asked me to take it out of the holster and place it on the counter, with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. I did and Opie cleared it, launching the chambered round across the floor which earned Opie a scowl. I took my 9mm back, with the action open, and holstered it. I replaced the rogue cartrige in the magazine and put that in my pocket. I then proceeded to rent a range lane, and Opie asked if I needed anything. I said, "Yeah, a couple dozen B-2 targets please". He then asked if I needed some 9mm ammo. I said, "No, I'm just shooting my .22 today". The look on Opie's face was priceless.
It bothered me though, and still bothers me. I know it was a private business and I didn't have the right to OC there if they didn't want me to, but I thought these guys were "us". Do you think I should have pressed the matter? I'm thinking about calling the owner about it, not necessarily to bitch but to understand why.