The old gun range...

You know, here's a real mother. You go to the range to blow a little steam and have some "gunpowder therapy", and the crotchety, old, self appointed "range master" gives you the stink eye. What is it with these guys? It's like they belong to some sort of organization that assigns them to every un-attended range in America. When I go I like to run some drills and talk at more than a whisper. I DON'T want to shoot one shot, screw around with my scope settings for 30-45 minutes, cool my barrel, and shoot again. NO FUN. I'm not asking to shoot 500 rounds of ammo in 6.25 minutes, but damn, cut me some slack. When I call "cold range" in a lull, you don't have to start cussing the whippersnappers down the line. Damn, you old fart...I once got cussed out my the self appointed "Safety Master" because I brought my own stand to place my target on, instead of using the club's angle iron frames. Mine was about 1x1, whereas theirs is 3x2. I didn't have any cardboard that big to slide into the frame and mine was placed in the ground, centered, and higher than theirs. I was informed I couldn't use it because too many people had been hitting the frames with rounds by using their own targets and stands. I informed the nice, old, squinty-eyed bastard  fellow that he could have my new .22 if I couldn't hit that gigantic 1x1 target that was, by the way, no where near the club frame. He said no go, and then I asked him would it be ok if I used the official size cardboard, and then hit the frame? He got the point and got in his truck and left; he wasn't even shooting that day.

(And yes, I have been taught to respect my elders and do it on a daily basis. I mean...I'm Eddy Hascal nice, but there is a difference between aged wisdom and old jackwagon.)

That, my friends, is why I like shooting at private locales. No one screws with you and you can run your drill however you see fit, without someone telling you that your thumbs are in the wrong position or the way you're holding your tongue is messing up their mojo. Let me be clear: I have no problem with safety! As The Rocket City Rednecks put it : Safety Third. Behind Safety's #1 and #2.  I always use proper etiquette when handling weapons, as do the people around me. No excuses. I was taught that from a young age. So for you older gentleman(and ladies) please, please don't become the self-important safety warden when you hit that age. It's no fun for the middle-agers. I promise I'm using the approved gun, ammo, target, gloves, socks, underwear, and toothpaste.