Basic Range Safety....

[spektr]

Aahhhhhh, we had a small incident that brings up a few good things to remember. I invited a friend to shoot my backup air pistol at his first airgun match. I called the RO ahead of the match and told him I was dragging a new guy there with me and asked him to give him the range ops rundown. So far so good. The RO set him up on the lane, showed him what did what and how to run the target carriers, and off we go...... Later, The RO and I are chatting in the ready room as I'm waiting for a lane to start shooting when my friend, who has never in the time I've known him done something like this, walks off the lane, with my 777, into the ready room, and asks me how to get the sight adjustments to do what he needed. Uncomfortable moments occured, and in very calm way the RO, to his credit, calmly went thru what he did wrong, what was required to be done in the future and we were good. The learning moment here is that when a new guy go's to a new place, he needs to be told ALL THE DO"S AND DONT's. Maybe he got the readers digest version because he showed up with me, maybe not, but I think everybody could use a refresher when he shows up at a new venue..........

[JamesH]

The RO should have been on the range for a start, if someone is inexperienced maybe he shouldn't be diving into a match right away - 1:1 supervision at a club match would have made more sense.

"But he's my mate" seems to negate all need for training and supervision in some people's minds.

[Marc Orvin]

What James H said.

Can't imagine a guy getting clear off the line and into another room completely unobserved by a range official. Pretty odd.

But, on the other hand, thanks for bringing another shooter into our ranks. Just stay close by him from now on until he learns some range etiquette.

[spektr]

the RO and I were behind glass 10 feet from the shooters, I have no problem with that portion of the situation........ He does a great job....

[JamesH]

I don't know how anyone could do any kind of job as a range officer 10ft away and behind glass.

[jliston48]

Much tougher here in NSW, Australia.

New shooters must complete a safety course and have one-on-one supervision on the range.

Also, the RO must be on the range to handle situations such as the one described here.