Posted: 6/20/2013 10:54:55 AM EDT
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Dear Hive,
An indoor range near me is hiring a range officer and I'm going to apply for the spot. Has anyone here worked in such a position before and can give me some pointers? Has anyone been given assignments they would never have anticipated or done things they thought were acceptable, but were not? Thanks in advance! Love, DE |
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Quoted: Dear Hive, An indoor range near me is hiring a range officer and I'm going to apply for the spot. Has anyone here worked in such a position before and can give me some pointers? Has anyone been given assignments they would never have anticipated or done things they thought were acceptable, but were not? Thanks in advance! Love, DE  |
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Dear Hive, An indoor range near me is hiring a range officer and I'm going to apply for the spot. Has anyone here worked in such a position before and can give me some pointers? Has anyone been given assignments they would never have anticipated or done things they thought were acceptable, but were not? Thanks in advance! Love, DE You will see that 99% of gun owners are dangerously incompetent. |
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Done a lot of range officering at my club. It's nowhere near as cool as you think. Honestly its a pain in the ass job. While the majority of shooters are safe there is a significant minority that I wouldn't trust with a sharp pointed stick. Unfortunately all of "those" shooters think they are God's gift to the shooting world.
If you like shooting don't apply for it. You will quickly end up hating the sport. Outside of the LE world I don't think there's a single paid RO in the state of Iowa. DNR may have a few but calling them Range Officers is a stretch. |
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Quoted:
Dear Hive, An indoor range near me is hiring a range officer and I'm going to apply for the spot. Has anyone here worked in such a position before and can give me some pointers? Has anyone been given assignments they would never have anticipated or done things they thought were acceptable, but were not? Thanks in advance! Love, DE Aren't there any fun jobs like jizzmopper at the adult bookstore available? |
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Dear Hive, An indoor range near me is hiring a range officer and I'm going to apply for the spot. Has anyone here worked in such a position before and can give me some pointers? Has anyone been given assignments they would never have anticipated or done things they thought were acceptable, but were not? Thanks in advance! Love, DE You will see that 99% of gun owners are dangerously incompetent. This, I work as a volunteer at a local range. Changed my opinion on a large percentage of gun owners/shooters.... 
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I worked for years as a part time RO at a local indoor range/gun shop before rolling over into sales.
As stated above: 1) beware of idiots behaving dangerously(eventually why I switched roles) 2) Ask about their ventilation and lead abatement/decon procedures. If they don't pay to get your lead levels tested at least every six month, seriously consider something else. It's not worth playing around with your health. |
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Dear Hive, An indoor range near me is hiring a range officer and I'm going to apply for the spot. Has anyone here worked in such a position before and can give me some pointers? Has anyone been given assignments they would never have anticipated or done things they thought were acceptable, but were not? Thanks in advance! Love, DE You will see that 99% of gun owners are dangerously incompetent. My GF just took a CCW class. She said there was an "old guy know it all" in the class. He had to be yelled at several times, for unsafe gun handling, while she was complimented for "paying attention". I don't know if it's 99%, but the bad ones make up for the for it in degree. |
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I was a RO at a public shooting range for about 4 years in college.
-I have had more people than I can count point guns, mostly loaded ones at me, and then get offended when I asked them to leave -the majority of people are incompetent with firearms, and go to the range to do nothing more than make loud noises -multiple times I have had to mop up blood from said idiots shooting themselves in the leg( most all of them IDPA people) -watched a guy blow his brains out -I've had to explain to people that if you can't speak English, you won't be using the range. No, I don't care if your buddy acts as a translator --I've had the explain to the FSA mopes that came in that being a felon means you can't shoot, All for shit money, with shit body armor that management refused to replace/fit to people. Got to take a bunch of free training and discounts on guns though. |
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I worked full-time as an RO at a county government-operated range complex. Rifle range, pistol range, law enforcement range and trap, skeet and sporting clays complex.
I worked 55+ hours a week, a good 30% was after hours maintenance. The guy who said something about 'not enjoying shooting' has a point...(lol) If I found myself with free time I rarely opted to spend it shooting at the range. Especially when the range was busy or crowded. Best advice I can give you--take as many NRA courses as you can. RSO course had a lot of 'I know this stuff already' moments, but really, all those things YOU know and things other shooters SHOULD know are really things that you have to be 100% committed to. Muzzle safety . Muzzle safety. Muzzle safety. Seriously--when the line is hot you have to be hyper-aware of whats going on around you and yet avoid 'tunneling in' on one particular shooter(hot chicks excepted). There will be dozens if not hundreds of shooters, and from the first time novice to the competitive shooter to the seasoned cop, all of them will break a rule of firearm safety at one time or another. Keep both eyes open, and stay consistent. Treat everyone equally. Letting one person get away with something while busting someone else's balls for the same thing will make you a hated pariah. Be fair and be polite. Don't be a dick. If anything, be extra nice and polite but DO NOT back down and let violators walk over you. In my years as a RO I might have been strict, but I was always fair and never rude or nasty. You are both a ambassador to the shooting sports as well as responsible for the safety and well-being of the range staff and customers. My range has an infamous Range Nazi/SEAL Sniper who might be safe and run a safe firing line, but he is also one of the most insufferable assholes on the face of the earth. Don't be 'that guy'. Be the type of guy who people come to for help or advice. Be the guy who shooters know by name and greet with a smile. Be the guy who other shooters recommend to their friends as a reason to come to the range. Best of luck to you. P.S. Bathe regularly and wear clean clothes! |
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Dear Hive, An indoor range near me is hiring a range officer and I'm going to apply for the spot. Has anyone here worked in such a position before and can give me some pointers? Has anyone been given assignments they would never have anticipated or done things they thought were acceptable, but were not? Thanks in advance! Love, DE You will see that 99% of gun owners are dangerously incompetent. This! Wen you call "cease fire", watch how many dont clear they're firearm before attempting to change or paste new target up. |
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Not many gun shop that pay a decent wage for hourly employees. Range Officers are paid like store clerks. Might as well be a crappy retail job but with guns. If I was young, single and abled bodied I would head to the recruiting station. Hell, where I have duty, the RSO's are volunteers. But we do have a few perks. |
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I volunteer as an RO at my local club. It allows me certain privileges, so I do it.
1. Its mind-numbing work; 2. You will realize that most people at the range cannot shoot for shit. I am not an MOA all day kind of guy. I do however put 100% of my rounds on paper even at the jaw-dropping distance of 200 yards. At first, I thought it was because everyone was showing up to zero. I've been there, sometimes it takes a few rounds to get on paper at a hundred. After watching a guy blow through 60 rounds with RRA and aimpoint, I asked if he'd like some assistance. He was agreeable and allowed me to zero his rifle. I had him in the black in 6 shots. He looked at me like I was a wizard. Since that day, I get a kick out of politely offering to help folks zero. About half tell me no thanks and I wish them well with a smile. 3. You also realize that most folks can not follow directions. Like really simple directions: Unload your firearm, lock the action open, insert chamber flag, set it down on the bench, stand behind the red line, do not touch anything on the bench until the range goes hot again. Whats the first thing people do when the line is cleared to service targets? Fuck with their firearm. 4. I do enjoy watching many of the womenz at the range. Its interesting that most girls think a range day is an opportunity to show skin. I don't question it, but I do enjoy it. 5. If you take this job, buy electronic ear-pro. You'll be amazed at the crazy shit that comes out of peoples mouths. Seriously, insane shit. Stay safe. |
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I'd rather lick clean all the McDonalds bathrooms in Tucson every night for less than minimum wage than be a RO. Why? Very few gun owners are capable of following even one of the four safety rules. What about the ones in Sun City or even Douglas? Douglas yes. Sun City? I'd have to make sure they're as nasty as the Douglas McDonalds bathroom. Going to the range as a visitor/consumer is bad enough some days. Convoying back and forth from Camp Fallujah to the CMOC in the middle of Fallujah seemed safer than being around most other gun owners. |
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Dear Hive, An indoor range near me is hiring a range officer and I'm going to apply for the spot. Has anyone here worked in such a position before and can give me some pointers? Has anyone been given assignments they would never have anticipated or done things they thought were acceptable, but were not? Thanks in advance! Love, DE Is this a public range? Is then I wouldn't do it for all the tea in China. Eff that! 
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I'd rather lick clean all the McDonalds bathrooms in Tucson every night for less than minimum wage than be a RO. Why? Very few gun owners are capable of following even one of the four safety rules. What about the ones in Sun City or even Douglas? Douglas yes. Sun City? I'd have to make sure they're as nasty as the Douglas McDonalds bathroom. Going to the range as a visitor/consumer is bad enough some days. Convoying back and forth from Camp Fallujah to the CMOC in the middle of Fallujah seemed safer than being around most other gun owners. Grew up in Douglas...actually Mc Neal. I rather drive fron Camp Spann to Deh Dadi II and thats only about 5 miles! |
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I'd rather lick clean all the McDonalds bathrooms in Tucson every night for less than minimum wage than be a RO. Why? Very few gun owners are capable of following even one of the four safety rules. What about the ones in Sun City or even Douglas? Douglas yes. Sun City? I'd have to make sure they're as nasty as the Douglas McDonalds bathroom. Going to the range as a visitor/consumer is bad enough some days. Convoying back and forth from Camp Fallujah to the CMOC in the middle of Fallujah seemed safer than being around most other gun owners. Grew up in Douglas...actually Mc Neal. I rather drive fron Camp Spann to Deh Dadi II and thats only about 5 miles! It's sad when an active combat zone (2-way range) seems safer or is at least preferable to what should be a 1-way square range... |
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I volunteer as an RO at my local club. It allows me certain privileges, so I do it. 1. Its mind-numbing work; 2. You will realize that most people at the range cannot shoot for shit. I am not an MOA all day kind of guy. I do however put 100% of my rounds on paper even at the jaw-dropping distance of 200 yards. At first, I thought it was because everyone was showing up to zero. I've been there, sometimes it takes a few rounds to get on paper at a hundred. After watching a guy blow through 60 rounds with RRA and aimpoint, I asked if he'd like some assistance. He was agreeable and allowed me to zero his rifle. I had him in the black in 6 shots. He looked at me like I was a wizard. Since that day, I get a kick out of politely offering to help folks zero. About half tell me no thanks and I wish them well with a smile. 3. You also realize that most folks can not follow directions. Like really simple directions: Unload your firearm, lock the action open, insert chamber flag, set it down on the bench, stand behind the red line, do not touch anything on the bench until the range goes hot again. Whats the first thing people do when the line is cleared to service targets? Fuck with their firearm. 4. I do enjoy watching many of the womenz at the range. Its interesting that most girls think a range day is an opportunity to show skin. I don't question it, but I do enjoy it. 5. If you take this job, buy electronic ear-pro. You'll be amazed at the crazy shit that comes out of peoples mouths. Seriously, insane shit. Stay safe. I volunteer as an RO at my club as well. And for the same reasons. Done it for about 11 yeras or so. This is a spot on post right here. I will only add. The public cry's about public ranges being unsafe as is evidenced by many posts here. And the instant you attempt to enforce any safety rules be prepared to become the dreaded RANGE NAZI..  As an RO you are damned either way
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I'd rather clean toilets at WalMart. 
I've been a full time range officer than a range master for about 5 or so years. To sum things up: "Prepare for hours of boredom followed by seconds of sheer terror." Lessons learned: The majority of people with firearms are incompetent, dangerous and generally suck. NRA Instructors are incompetent, dangerous and generally suck. Working conditions are hazardous, dangerous and generally suck. Lead exposure is hazardous, dangerous and generally sucks. Cleaning up toxic waste is hazardous, dangerous and generally sucks. Sucking chest wounds are hazardous, dangerous and well.......suck.....chest's that is. The pay is low, hazmat suits and body armor are hot, and it all generally sucks. The repercussions for shooting a moron out of anger are hazardous, dangerous and will inevitably......suck. Fuck my Life. Need I continue?
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