Situational awareness is important EVERYWHERE.

[M. Sage]

On Saturday I was taking care of my friend's teenage son while he was out of town, so I figured we'd go hit the range! My friend told me to take his Long Branch No. 4 out of the safe and have some fun with it while we were there, and who am I to refuse?

I've just settled into a sitting position on the ground (there was a bench missing - sweet!!) and am starting to focus on the front sight when I notice something isn't right. I lower the rifle, keep my finger off the trigger since it wasn't there yet and do a quick look left and right. What do I see to my left?

Some knuckle head on the 25 yard bench has decided to wander downrange to check his target!! Without really thinking about it, I yelled out "cease fire!" and opened the bolt on my rifle as I stood up. Working as a safety officer at shoots will ingrain reactions like that into you.

The next thing I thought was "oh, shit! Did someone call a cease fire a minute ago and I didn't notice!?", but the confused looks of other shooters told me I hadn't screwed up. So I asked the most obvious question at the time - "why is that guy downrange?"

Nobody else had noticed him, even guys who weren't on the gun yet.

We had a little chat about when to call for a cease fire, and that nobody is going to get bent if you ask for one. He seemed to understand finally... But damn that freaked me out a little!

Always remember to stay aware of your surroundings and remember rule 4: Know your target, what's beyond it and what's in front of it!

 

[blackwater]

Good call!! Might have saved a life.

 

[Mikewood]

Good call. Safety is everyones job. I can't stress how important is is to "see" downrange. We all know to ID the target and what is around and beyond. You have to really teach "seeing" a target in a dynamic environment that is also full of other targets, unknowns, friendlies and dont shoots. Most people get defensive when you point out they are unsafe. It's great you got thru to him.
Well we all have bad days and brain farts. I know I do.

 

[M. Sage]

Good call. Safety is everyones job. I can't stress how important is is to "see" downrange. We all know to ID the target and what is around and beyond. You have to really teach "seeing" a target in a dynamic environment that is also full of other targets, unknowns, friendlies and dont shoots. Most people get defensive when you point out they are unsafe. It's great you got thru to him.
Well we all have bad days and brain farts. I know I do.

Now you've got me wondering if I noticed him because of all the carbine matches I've shot in...

 

[Texasjack]

I was on an active range some years ago and saw something moving off to one side. I stopped and looked and there was an older man and a small boy walking up the range from the backstops towards the benches! I immediately yelled for cease fire and got everyone to stop. Then we all watched in amazement as the idiot and the kid walked on by us. We tried to explain the danger of what he was doing and the guy just said something like, "Don't get excited; it's all over now." People are amazing, and not always in a good way.

 

[shortround]

Which range, and where was the RSO?

I've seen similar activity at a range west of LAFB, out in the county.

Same one, maybe?

 

[M. Sage]

Which range, and where was the RSO?

I've seen similar activity at a range west of LAFB, out in the county.

Same one, maybe?

Bexar Community range. The patrons act as RSOs, which isn't typically a problem.

As far as I'm concerned, everybody on the line is RSO.

 

[M. Sage]

Which range, and where was the RSO?

I've seen similar activity at a range west of LAFB, out in the county.

Same one, maybe?

I just remembered to add: Don't rely on the RSO! They're human, they make mistakes and they can't be everywhere and see everything.

I have been downrange at a place that did have a dedicated RSO when I heard him call the line hot.

Whether or not you pull the trigger is your responsibility. Verifying that there is nobody downrange before you pull the trigger is your responsibility. Nobody else's.

Relying on the RSO 100% is like relying on your safety to keep the gun from firing when you pull the trigger.

No offense to any RSOs out there!! Like I said, I've done it at run and gun matches more times than I can count, so I have some idea what the job is like.