Range experience with a former competitions shooter and LTCF's

[Tarpit]

On Monday, I stole some time away from work to sight in one of my pistols at the local gun range. Two other gentleman drove in while I was hanging targets. They started a conversation with each other while I was walking back to the tables, and were just getting gear out of their vehicles. I overheard the older of the two (70's maybe) state that he was a competition shooter back in the day, and I thought "wow, I should introduce myself and could learn something here". He said that he hadn't been to the range in a long time, and that he just wanted to get back into shooting.

As I got back to my table, he pointed to my Walther, and said "no, more like that guy's pistol" to the other guy. I realized that the younger shooter had a new S&W revolver that he was sighting in, and that the older gentleman shot a Colt .45 ACP pistol, and was trying to describe the difference. "OK", I thought to myself. "He may just be nervous meeting someone new and didn't distinguish between a pistol and a revolver, but new the design differences". Loss of vocabulary happens. No big deal.

So I introduced myself and stated my intentions that I was sighting this one in, too, asking about firing lines and timings. We met terms and decided to load up. The older competition shooter looked like he was having trouble loading his pistol, so the other guy and I stopped to see what was happening. This is where things went south.

The older shooter turned the Colt upside down with his finger on the trigger, slamming his left hand on the magazine trying to get it to lock in place. The muzzle was pointed at the other shooter, and I quickly said "hey, I am uncomfortable with your finger in the trigger guard while you're trying to load that". He seemed to realize it as I said it and quickly made adjustments. I could sense the embarrassment set in, but made some small talk about the locking mechanism, which seemed to take his edge off.

At this point, I motioned to the other shooter to keep eyes on the muzzle control, which he acknowledged. I felt uncomfortable enough to move to the plinking range next to the pistol range, and sighted in using other targets, knowing there was five feet of dirt between me and the older shooter. I was disturbed at having been muzzle swept with a finger on the trigger. But after getting mine sighted in, decided to check on his progress. I wouldn't be able to sleep right if I walked away and something bad happened.

When I went back, they were talking about being able to carry with their "permits", and the older shooter said that he "knew you had to conceal in PA". This isn't flattery towards pofoa (because this was what gave me my first education), but I asked how he "knew" he had to conceal.

"It's against the law", was his reply.

"Really? I didn't see that anywhere on my license to carry... hold on, let me see this thing again", I said, at which point I produced my LTCF for his inspection. I said that I didn't recall ever seeing that it said concealing was necessary, and in fact, open carry was completely legal in PA even without a license (Philly being the LTCF exception). He was surprised, and made a statement I didn't hear completely, but it was something to the effect of "good, that's the way it should be". I introduced this site to both guys, who seemed surprised to know that such a forum would exist. Maybe some new members, who knows?

Overall, it was a positive outcome that had some potential negatives in the middle. I wish I could have learned something more from the former competition shooter, but time didn't allow for it.

The lesson I learned is actions really do speak louder than words. Because someone had some experience that sounds good doesn't mean you should trust everything they do. At least two lives went at risk because of "stated trust".

-Tarpit

[pacrimescode5904]

My best friend who passed away at 82 and I went to the range once about 10 years before he died. He was a life long hunter and WW2 vet. The tenth time that he pointed his gun at me, of course with his finger on the trigger I had enough (thank God for heavy trigger pulls on DA revolvers).

I tried to respectfully and non-threateningly show him what "they taught us in the police academy" and "how we did it in the Marines" while not trying to come off as a hard ass but 60 years of bad habits overwhelmed any sense of safety/common sense.

I don't think that he thought he was unsafe and if he thought that I was being hypercritical he wouldn't have said. Old dogs can learn new tricks I suppose but only if they want to.