Range Safety Officer Duties

@Ganado I think you did the correct thing. You probably should have first talked to the women to see if they were offended as maybe there was some flirtatious thing going on there between them. Nevertheless, I believe you did the correct thing because even if it was some sort of sexual thing going on that conduct should not be happening in a public place by an employee or volunteer or even the customers.

I normal tend to my own knitting when I am on the range. It is my downtime where I don't have to think (or worry) about anything except if I can get that tiny piece of lead into that red bullseye. I did this past Sunday offer a piece of unsolicited advice to a middle-aged couple as the wife wasn't haven't much luck and it was just us on the range. It was obvious that she was leaning away from the pistol, leaning backwards, instead of leaning into it. That is all I said, then went back to my own ball of yarn.

 

I am quite shocked to hear this sort of thing "happens often." Given America is so law-suite happy - well - I am just shocked. And, I agree with you as part of becoming an adult is learning how to live in the big, bad world. Yes, if the women, didn't like it they should have immediately said so and if the conduct continued then I would think the situation should have been escalated via management and/or higher.

Personally, I think the RSO duty is to run the range and they includes more than just safety procedures, that includes conduct of employees and customers alike, littering, foul behavior/talk, etc. and, in general, following the rules of the range.

 

The question requires some context.

Are these "creepy guys" range employees, or otherwise connected to the facility? If so, then it should be reported to management, but do not directly interfere unless the lady is clearly in distress or there is an issue that falls within the realm of RSO duties.

If not, then @ghrit is right, sort of...it's none of your business, but do not approach her. You are are not a chaperone or a bouncer; you're there to enforce firearms safety rules. No one is a "bad" RSO because they refuse to involve themselves with every wannabe pickup artist and wandering eye who walks through the door.

I'm going to assume that any lady who is motivated enough to learn how to use a gun is also assertive enough to slap a guy in the face and/or kick him in the nuts if he gets too handsy.

Leave it alone.

 

O.P. is it common for RSOs to also offer instruction at the range? Or do you have separated instructors on the range? I'm sorta in agreement with others here, if these guys are "Just" RSOs, then they shouldn't be offering any instructions, especially with live firearm! This behavior is still not acceptable from ANY one, PERIOD! I also gotta say, if Ganado is upset about this, it's gotta be serious enough to act on, and while technically not her responsibility to act or intervene, it's the right thing to do!

 

I've had my say with the guy who runs the range and the 'bad' RSO, the next step is up to them.

And I would say its a gun safety issue, never startle a woman with a loaded gun.

2nd these creepers, do ask permission to touch and if your new you don't know that they don't need to touch you to 'help' you.

The RSO was only at fault for not stopping the behavior after I brought it to his attention the 1st time (the creeper is a regular customer) I have asked that he be banned if he can't keep his junk to himself.

 

I run a range with 33 firing positions, I might have upwards of 50 shooters on the line at any time. My job is safety. If I see, hear, or sense something unsafe I am all over it. I have little time for coaching, but will help new shooters that might otherwise be unsafe.

I will help lady shooters who have been given a handgun with more recoil than they can handle if their stance is one where they are likely to rock over on their heels. Same goes for shotgun shooters.

I haven't experienced the "creepy guy" at the range, but I'm certain that it wouldn't be tolerated. (I don't even allow hand holding.) I have read lady shooters complains about men telling them they were doing something wrong. I was not there, but it certainly sounded like a overinflated male ego issue.

I will instantly correct thumbs behind slides, fingers forward of revolver cylinders, fingers on triggers when not on target, and will make recommendations to correct any kind of "as seen on TV" grip. (The tea cup, the hand on wrist, or the sideways shot.)

I feel fortunate to have watched lots of my regular lady shooters grow up, and have enjoyed seeing them come out with new boyfriends and pretend they don't know how to shoot.

 

Neat thing about our range is it's owned by a lady and she don't be a bit shy. A rso here let's that behavior slip by would be gone the second time that happened. IF he survived the chewing out after the first time. We also have a very good ratio of women to men members. If it's a couple and she doesn't seem to mind no problem. Otherwise not at all acceptable behavior and I would be one of the first to tip off the rso on duty or our owner. That comes from a father, grandfather, and great grandfather of girls.

 

Just another reason I'm thankful we have our own range out back. It's simple and not what I consider long distance(200yrds) but it's open 24/7 and I can shoot whatever I want.

 

I will just add that the world is full of asshats in all jobs. Have seen some dumb sxxt over the years on public and private ranges. I no longer go to any range except the one in the backyard. And I sedolm shoot with strangers.
Gafarmboy

 

As an RSO I never touch anyone with out calmly getting their attention and asking first. Touch only extends to hand and thumb position (I am opposed to bleeding on the range).

Same position used by me... Do not distract a shooter!

We had a husband and wife team shooting 9mm mouse guns...
Never a pleasant thing to do. Watched her shooting deteriorate rapidly due to fear of gun.
Asked politely (after the gun had emptied) if she wouldn't mind trying my Buckmark 22 just to help her get the feel the of sight picture. Watched her shooting improve dramatically as she lost her fear of the gun.
When she again shot the 9mm it was with a new understanding that the gun was for self defense, not fun.
Husband said i guess you want me to buy a .22 for you.... Wife said "yep" Now the are range regulars.
I think the personal touch is important as long as it does not interfere with range safety. IMHO

 

@sourdough145 what you did was respectful and helpful... I would love to have and RSO like you at my range... thanks for reminding us there are good RSO's

 

I realize this was a year old thread that sourdough145 responded to, but now that it's active again (and the first time I've seen it), I felt a need to respond.

It sounds like the pervs in Ganado's original post were not RSOs, but pervs who hang around and pull this crap too much. And the "bad" RSO let them. The RSO's job is range safety. And letting these morons accost someone who really just might spin around and shoot them IS a safety issue. And a liability issue for the range, if they let him keep letting the pervs continue, then the range owners are leaving themselves wide open for a lawsuit.

Several years ago our range had a new RSO get reported for this kind of stuff. The board booted him from the club. He had the right to appeal the boot, and he did. I was there the night of the appeal. He showed us how he teaches, using his own adult daughter as a model, using the "here, let me put my hands over yours on the gun while I'm directly behind you" method. Even when told that that kind of touching was absolutely inappropriate, when asked if he would refrain from using that method in the future he admitted that no, he probably would not refrain. He did not win his appeal.

I have over the years occasionally alerted people to unsafe practices before they commit them (like thumbs crossed behind the slide or finger extended past the cylinder gap on a revolver). On the rare occasion that I have actually touched the shooters hands, it has been from the side, at arm's length. But my preference is to have them set the gun down, then demonstrate using my own hands on the gun, then set the firearm down and have them mimic what I showed them.

 

thanks for posting @cpaspr it reminded me to update.... it took 5 months but they did get rid of that RSO. I made an enemy and the board added a ladies nite. So the size of the women shooters has more than doubled.