...a bit too strict?

**pblaauw** · 03-03-2019, 08:31

A mate and myself was out at a well known range north of Pta yesterday, don't need to name it. They have a rule where you need to remove the bolt from the weapon when everyone goes forward, or if the bolt can't be removed, it needs a chamber flag. I found it a bit overkill, but their rules are their rules I guess.

We were shooting out to 500m, finish our shots just in time, and as I get up I take out my external magazine, open bolt but forget my chamber flag (kydex riser on the stock makes removing bolt a ball-ache). We drive out to 500m, come back, and see the RO waiting for us. Did we get a talking to... Now my mate has a RPR, and if I'm not mistaken, to remove the bolt he has to collapse the stock sideways.

When at any of the few other ranges we've been to, drop the magazine from the rifles, open bolt and all is good. Don't touch the weapon when someone is forward. Nope, yesterday we got a scalding...for a chamber flag... Or I'm still moerig from Friday and over sensitive...

**pre 64** · 03-03-2019, 08:57

Rules are rules. I would rather have an RO on duty,watching over this sort of thing than not have an RO and having to watch out all the time. On the other hand,giving someone a real dressing down is not needed,a gentle but firm reminder,in a polite way,is the way for an RO to conduct himself.The advantage of the red flag or bolt removal is that the RO can see if rifles are safe from a static possition and he does not have to patrol up and down. Is leaving your rifle at the firing point while you are 500m away,a safe practice in your scenario?

**Vaal** · 03-03-2019, 09:08

Straight question: was it a real scalding or was it just a token stern warning/ligte uitkak? How would somebody not part of your party perceive the scalding? Maybe he was on a power trip and you gave him a opportunity to bounce around a bit and made a example of you. Try to learn from it. At least you made him feel good about himself and you gave him something to brag to his drinking buddies. Smile and wave.

**pre 64** · 03-03-2019, 09:09

Sorry Pblaauw,i came across a bit pompous there. At the end of the day,we all shoot to enjoy ourselves.
Just looking at this without knowing the full situation. It is never a nice situation when someone leaves a range unhappy.
As an RO.there is a time to really give someone a scalding but not in your case,it should have been handled better.

**ady** · 03-03-2019, 09:24

So you left your rifle and drove 500m away? That in itself is breaking the law.

Not everyone on the range is safety minded. I have seen some amazingly stupid things and sometimes tend to be over cautious. You don't know what the RO had to endure before you guys arrived, but i agree with P, being an ass about something is uncalled for, being firm and still sincere should be the practice.

Next time bag your rifle and take it with you

**pblaauw** · 03-03-2019, 09:27

pre 64, don't apologize. I did look at it from the point of view that a lot of the shooters are guys now getting ready for hunting season, and probably shoot less shots in a season than we do in a month. They are not as safety conscientious, and when confronted by a RO, will then also argue and escalate the situation. We both just apologized to diffuse the situation and packed up and left, I was merely curious about the bolt out rule vs bolt open..

**pblaauw** · 03-03-2019, 09:31

Originally Posted by ady

So you left your rifle and drove 500m away? That in itself is breaking the law.

...ok...point taken...

**Messor** · 03-03-2019, 10:16

Originally Posted by pblaauw

I was merely curious about the bolt out rule vs bolt open..

Must say I am not keen on this idea, whiles the purpose is to disable the firearm, messing with firing mechanisms creates problems on their own.
For example I can tell you my 338 bolt fits perfectly on my 270............

**pdh** · 03-03-2019, 10:55

An interesting point that comes across is the severity of the talking to you got. For me, I find it’s better to make sure the person knows that they have done something wrong rather than being soft spoken so you don’t hurt their feelings.

I prefer it when an RO kaks you out (to a certain degree) so that you remember it and don’t do it again. This was the case a few years back when one of my best mates shat me out for doing something I shouldn’t have been doing. I definitely remember it and won’t do it again. On the other hand, I was at a rifle range this past Wednesday where a guy bagged his rifle while people were forward of the line. The RO didn’t raise his voice and told him it wasn’t alright that he did it. You could see that the shooter didn’t really take to heart what he had done and just accepted and apologized. He was quite oblivious to be honest. I find if I kak someone out, I go to them after the shoot and explain why I did it and they are usually quite understanding.

Back to the point, if the rules are in place, I wouldn’t have an issue with the RO kakking me out in that instance. As previously said, something else could have happened on the range that lead to it. I would rather be on the strictest range than one with lax safety rules and range officers.

**414gates** · 03-03-2019, 12:10

Take it as a learning experience, and be grateful that your wellbeing and safety were well looked after while you were downrange.

I was recently RO at a competition shoot and the match director called for the range to close to repair a hanging gong. Just as the bakkie is about to drive onto the range out to the gong, a shooter picks up his rifle and tests his next shooting position. Bolt was open, no mag, no ammo. None of his squad mates moved to caution him, and I had to instruct him to put his rifle down and step away from the line. He seemed surprised that it was a problem. The shooter knew the range was closed but decided that an empty rifle with an open bolt was fine to sight downrange even though someone was going downrange.

Unless all aspects of safety are rigidly enforced, safety can be compromised.

In your case, the RO may have been a bit irritated with himself at the oversight, because he knew he should not have allowed anyone downrange before that bolt was out or the flag was in.