Open carry at shooting range?

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Iwould like to know if say Pontiac Lake park<---think that is what it is called If I can open carry at the shooting range. reason I asks is a HATE the way I have to leave mygun with ammo near it as other shooter do on the bench and walk way down range to check target. When I get down there I look back to see not everyone is checking targets and still back there with all the gun out.

Now I know the guns are checked to be unloaded but with the slide back and loaded mags sitting 2 feet away! I was there with a friends gun case and he wouldn't remove the gun from the case or use it. he was uneasy about people seeing is LEO rig as it is very expensive and he can get in major crap if it is stolen.

I am sureit is yes you can OC. Just wanted to know if anyone has or does?

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M16a2 wrote:

Iwould like to know if say Pontiac Lake park<---think that is what it is called If I can open carry at the shooting range. reason I asks is a HATE the way I have to leave mygun with ammo near it as other shooter do on the bench and walk way down range to check target. When I get down there I look back to see not everyone is checking targets and still back there with all the gun out.

Now I know the guns are checked to be unloaded but with the slide back and loaded mags sitting 2 feet away! I was there with a friends gun case and he wouldn't remove the gun from the case or use it. he was uneasy about people seeing is LEO rig as it is very expensive and he can get in major crap if it is stolen.

I am sureit is yes you can OC. Just wanted to know if anyone has or does?

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Depends on the rules of the range. Most ranges will not allow guns to go down range. You might ask this at the MGO site.

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I would highly doubt any public run range would allow guns downrange, I know that from how strict the DNR ranges I go to are that this would not be a possibility there. My only suggestion is that if you are worried about leaving your pistol out is to case it and lock the case and then perhaps even run a bike cable lock through the case handle and around the shooting bench or whatever. This would not allow anyone to open the case or to take off with the case while you are down range.

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cmdio wrote:

SNIP: My only suggestion is that if you are worried about leaving your pistol out is to case it and lock the case and then perhaps even run a bike cable lock through the case handle and around the shooting bench or whatever. This would not allow anyone to open the case or to take off with the case while you are down range.

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I would also suggest not to shoot alone. When i go i always go with a friend or the better half. That way someone can stay and watch the bench while the other checks targets.

Another thing would be to visit ranges with the zip line type setup. That way when you want to check the target you just hit the switch. No need to walk out and look

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Yeah I try not to go to the range alone either if it's one where I actually have to go downrange to change/check targets. One more idea I had would be to partially field strip the pistol and maybe just take the slide downrange in your pocket. I doubt the RO would notice or care about this, and a partially assembled pistol is unlikely to be appealing to a thief. I have a friend with a CCW who does a similar thing when he is going to class, he leaves the frame of his glock locked in the glove box with the ammunition and puts the slide and empty mags in his pack. Even if his car gets stolen they are just going to have a piece of polymer, not something capable of killing anyone.

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cmdio wrote:

Yeah I try not to go to the range alone either if it's one where I actually have to go downrange to change/check targets. One more idea I had would be to partially field strip the pistol and maybe just take the slide downrange in your pocket. I doubt the RO would notice or care about this, and a partially assembled pistol is unlikely to be appealing to a thief. I have a friend with a CCW who does a similar thing when he is going to class, he leaves the frame of his glock locked in the glove box with the ammunition and puts the slide and empty mags in his pack. Even if his car gets stolen they are just going to have a piece of polymer, not something capable of killing anyone.

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I do this exact same thing.... Too bad I'm not allowed to protect myself in school :banghead:

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ChuckB wrote:

cmdio wrote:

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Yeah I try not to go to the range alone either if it's one where I actually have to go downrange to change/check targets. One more idea I had would be to partially field strip the pistol and maybe just take the slide downrange in your pocket. I doubt the RO would notice or care about this, and a partially assembled pistol is unlikely to be appealing to a thief. I have a friend with a CCW who does a similar thing when he is going to class, he leaves the frame of his glock locked in the glove box with the ammunition and puts the slide and empty mags in his pack. Even if his car gets stolen they are just going to have a piece of polymer, not something capable of killing anyone.

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I do this exact same thing.... Too bad I'm not allowed to protect myself in school :banghead:

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Me and Nicholas are working on that as we speak. Meetings with 3 different campus PD's and even Deans. So far not allot of support. they "see no reason" or"will cause panic" or "if I had it my way there wouldn't even be guns"

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I seeno reason I can't CC downrangeas at this point it isn't on the no-no for CCW areas and I couldn't find awritten rule. but then again CC means they can't see it! And yes the M16 stayed locked in the box but not to the bench! I have taken guns apart for gun registrations as I hate how they take it in a back room with all the other officers and rack and dry fire it.

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M16a2 wrote:

ChuckB wrote:

cmdio wrote:

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Yeah I try not to go to the range alone either if it's one where I actually have to go downrange to change/check targets. One more idea I had would be to partially field strip the pistol and maybe just take the slide downrange in your pocket. I doubt the RO would notice or care about this, and a partially assembled pistol is unlikely to be appealing to a thief. I have a friend with a CCW who does a similar thing when he is going to class, he leaves the frame of his glock locked in the glove box with the ammunition and puts the slide and empty mags in his pack. Even if his car gets stolen they are just going to have a piece of polymer, not something capable of killing anyone.

Click to expand...

I do this exact same thing.... Too bad I'm not allowed to protect myself in school :banghead:

Click to expand...

Me and Nicholas are working on that as we speak. Meetings with 3 different campus PD's and even Deans. So far not allot of support. they "see no reason" or"will cause panic" or "if I had it my way there wouldn't even be guns"

Click to expand...

I seeno reason I can't CC downrangeas at this point it isn't on the no-no for CCW areas and I couldn't find awritten rule. but then again CC means they can't see it! And yes the M16 stayed locked in the box but not to the bench! I have taken guns apart for gun registrations as I hate how they take it in a back room with all the other officers and rack and dry fire it.

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Depends on the range. If it is a privately owned range, THEY make the rules. Makes sense to me to view it, tackle it, etc etc... On a range by range basis.

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At my gun club you can open carry. When shooting handguns you may holster your firearm (considered to be made safe) then go down range to check targets when the range goes cold. There is no such exception for long guns or shotguns. So far I know of no firearms being stolen when shooters are down range. If you do not holster a sidearm then you must have an empty chamber and remove the magazine as well as keep the action open, or in the case of a wheel gun, empty the cylinder and keep the action open. No gun handling is allowed while the range is cold.

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I open carry and close carry at Williams Gun Range in Burton all of the time. They do have a range officer when ever it is open. Even in the store I carry. The sign on the doors says just keep it in your holster. While at the firing line if I was open carrying I set it in my range bag and place the shooting gun(s) on the bench unloaded and open breach. Then I back away from the bench letting the range master know I'm ready to go down range the next time. I do not load or touch my guns at all when anyone is down range. When the range is clear and ready. I look down range for myself. I look at the stations to see if all have returned.
Several years ago at that range one of the shooters after placing his targets walked back to the benches then remembered he wanted to place something else on the target turned around walked towards the backstop. He had taken about 3 paces and someone at the other end shot. Neither shooter or returning could see each other. While the returnee was not really in danger. Both the shooter and returnee were nearly parallel to each other. I did get his attention rather fast. A chorus of cease fires from many of us stopped everything. The range officer chatted with the returnee.
All ended well and I still check for myself before resume shooting and I check for myself when I start to walk down range.