My view from the range at Bill's in Robbinsdale today

[340PD]

Gun ranges are scary because you don't know how safe the other people on the range are. It's even worse when you can't rely on the employees to follow the rules.

Bringing a gun back without it being checked reminds me of an experience I had at Metro MANY years ago. I was young and the Desert Eagle was pretty new. I had gone to Metro and rented a .44 magnum Desert Eagle and a box 20 shells to try it out. The thing was massive. I literally only put one round in the magazine just to see how the recoil was. I had visions of putting rounds into the ceiling from the recoil. After I finished shooting, I brought the gun back to the counter and handed everything back to the young woman working the counter. She asked me if I would mind pulling the slide back to show her the chamber was empty. I thought it was odd but went ahead and locked it back and showed her it was empty. She thanked me and said that she wasn't strong enough to pull the slide back on those. She said just recently they had a customer rent a gun and they brought it back to the counter with a live round IN the chamber. She said they had to be very careful now and check every gun that comes back to make sure there isn't a round in the chamber. Scary stuff.

[ArtVandelay]

You some sort of business competitor, or ex-employee of Bill's?

I'm neither.

I'm a gun owner who doesn't want to get shot by one of the rent-a-boomstick-crowd and be around anyone negligent with a firearm.

Guess you better go set up your own range on private land then.

Anytime you go to a range that the general public has access to you have the potential that there will be some douchebag around that needs adult supervision.

Yea but like I said before when it's the staff that needs the supervision it becomes a huge problem.

[JohnGageMN]

I'm neither.

I'm a gun owner who doesn't want to get shot by one of the rent-a-boomstick-crowd and be around anyone negligent with a firearm.

Guess you better go set up your own range on private land then.

Anytime you go to a range that the general public has access to you have the potential that there will be some douchebag around that needs adult supervision.

Yea but like I said before when it's the staff that needs the supervision it becomes a huge problem.

No argument with that, when I was a member at OGC we took our shifts as RSOs seriously and didn't tolerate people **** around. I just think XDM45 is overcompensating for bullet drop if he thinks he's going to go to another range and never see someone do something stupid.

[ex-LT]

Anytime you go to a range that the general public has access to you have the potential that there will be some douchebag around that needs adult supervision.

Fixed that for you. I've seen as much douchebaggery and asshattery at member only clubs as I have at ones that are open to the public.

[XDM45]

You some sort of business competitor, or ex-employee of Bill's?

I'm neither.

I'm a gun owner who doesn't want to get shot by one of the rent-a-boomstick-crowd and be around anyone negligent with a firearm.

Guess you better go set up your own range on private land then.

Anytime you go to a range that the general public has access to you have the potential that there will be some douchebag around that needs adult supervision.

I go to a private club as well, and I'm actually looking to buy some land, so it's in the works.

[Squib Joe]

I've seen as much douchebaggery and asshattery at member only clubs as I have at ones that are open to the public.

Not to mention ski slopes, swimming pools, and golf ranges. All of which are probably MUCH more dangerous than any gun range in Minnesota.

[Holland&Holland]

I've seen as much douchebaggery and asshattery at member only clubs as I have at ones that are open to the public.

Not to mention ski slopes, swimming pools, and golf ranges. All of which are probably MUCH more dangerous than any gun range in Minnesota.

Yes but when someone does this who worked at such an establishment they typically are fired for their douchebaggery. Not telling you how to run your business but bad experiances with an employee form the reputation of a businesses and determine its future.

[Squib Joe]

Yes but when someone does this who worked at such an establishment they typically are fired for their douchebaggery. Not telling you how to run your business but bad experiances with an employee form the reputation of a businesses and determine its future.

Bill's isn't my business to run, however I can tell you that I've seen many, many people fired over the years!

[XDM45]

Yes but when someone does this who worked at such an establishment they typically are fired for their douchebaggery. Not telling you how to run your business but bad experiances with an employee form the reputation of a businesses and determine its future.

Bill's isn't my business to run, however I can tell you that I've seen many, many people fired over the years!

After reading the OPs post and the other one which mentions an infraction after which the employee still works there, I say that apparently that some which should be fired clearly haven't been. Maybe others don't mind putting their life on the line just to target practice, but I do. I shoot at a private club, on private land when I can, and if I do go to a public range, I usually go to BPR which doesn't rent guns. It doesn't mean I haven't seen negligence at BPR by patrons, but never by the staff. As for the private club and land, never seen anything wrong go on there at all. You can't eliminate risk, but you can mitigate it.

As for any gun range, not just Billl's:

If the staff doesn't know better, they shouldn't work there.

If they do no better and do not care, they shouldn't work there.

If they know better, do care, but still work there, they are willingly putting themselves unnecessarily at risk, but that's their own choice.They apparently don't value their own life, so I couldn't trust them to value mine. NO ONE is that desperate for employment and even in this economy, it's not impossible to land a gig.

[adoptedson]

Do all the RO's at Bill's handle the class 3 weapons? I don't think they do, but I'm not positive about that.

I doubt the employee did what he did because he didn't know the rules. This was obviously a special instance since there were multiple full-autos being rented. Someone mentioned earlier that management handles the class 3 weapons differently when transporting them in and out of the range.

I'm not excusing it, but I'm sure he knew the rules and knew he what he was doing was against the rules. I'm sure there's more to it than an employee showing blatant disregard to the rules posted.

[ronin069]

It is always interesting to me that for the most part, Bill's seems to be the only range that folks LOVE to complain about. Myself included. Why is that? I think a big part of it is the way "they used" to run their business...upstairs the guys treated most of the customers like it would be better if they were not there...down stairs the range guys were so condescending and RUDE I felt the need to warn my friends in advance of what was coming.

In the past year or two the culture has changed quite a bit, but it takes a long time change a reputation and scenarios like what the OP described bring up old memories.

[Holland&Holland]

Do all the RO's at Bill's handle the class 3 weapons? I don't think they do, but I'm not positive about that.

I doubt the employee did what he did because he didn't know the rules. This was obviously a special instance since there were multiple full-autos being rented. Someone mentioned earlier that management handles the class 3 weapons differently when transporting them in and out of the range.

I'm not excusing it, but I'm sure he knew the rules and knew he what he was doing was against the rules. I'm sure there's more to it than an employee showing blatant disregard to the rules posted.

There is no excuse to have a muzzle pointed at you period. If you ever do, you are doing it wrong.

[XDM45]

It is always interesting to me that for the most part, Bill's seems to be the only range that folks LOVE to complain about. Myself included. Why is that? I think a big part of it is the way "they used" to run their business...upstairs the guys treated most of the customers like it would be better if they were not there...down stairs the range guys were so condescending and RUDE I felt the need to warn my friends in advance of what was coming.

In the past year or two the culture has changed quite a bit, but it takes a long time change a reputation and scenarios like what the OP described bring up old memories.

I never knew them doing things that way. My biggest complaint WAS the rent-a-boomstick crowd, but now it's that PLUS whoever the incompetent people are be they customers or staff in that place.

[Dakotared]

There is a range in North Branch called Bullseye. Nice a clean I would call the air very good, and if need you can rent a gun. I know that I am looking for one for my wife so it is nice to be able to try before you buy. They are more expensive than Bills. I know that I am looking for one for my wife so it is nice to be able to try before you buy.

[Snakeman721]

Many, MANY years ago (1975) I worked retail at the Woolworth's in Northtown (remember Woolworth's?). Back then they had a sporting goods department and sold long guns (no handguns). I had one customer with his son bring back a Winchester model 190 .22 rifle because he said it wasn't working. The FIRST thing I did was pull back the bolt and wouldn't you know it, out pops a live, unfired .22 round from the chamber. Yep, they're out there. douches walking into stores with a loaded cocked and locked firearms! Hmmmm, I can't remember if we exchanged his rifle or not.