Worst Handgun Range in TN - Stones River TWRA

[SavageSig]

Sounds like the OP is a he-man woman hater. I wonder why you specifically singled out the woman when there are a TON of crotchety old men who work the range as well. I really dislike that a woman gets labeled a "bitch" with an extremely negative connotation for being forceful with men. It's really not fair at all, and men who do say things like that just sound like sulky children. I've shot with Jenny running the show before, and she is a very nice lady. Most of the RSOs are pretty nice if you show an ounce of respect.

I like the excessive rules and safety because I like not getting shot. Read the posts about the Prentiss Cooper range in the "Events" subsection. If that's what you want OP, head on over there. Or get rich and buy some land so you don't have to go to a public facility. I've seen attitudes like the OP's before on the paintball field. Some people just can't stand being told to do something no matter what it is. I see it as their problem.

Also, if they yell, it isn't personal. You're wearing ear protection, right? How the hell else are they going to get through to you? Perhaps they should come up, tap you on the shoulder, and speak in a loud whisper.

After reading the rest of the posts....

Yes, they will let you use a chrony. I saw a fellow testing out loads for his Savage a few weeks back. He set it on one of the barriers at about 10 yards and set his rifle up behind it.

The way some people paint it, these RSO's are up your ass all the time about everything. That is not the case. It's very simple to follow the rules, ESPECIALLY if you know about firearms.

Yes, you can keep your brass, but don't put it in the bucket.

The long range lanes (everyone was saying 400, but I thought they were 200?) do not require any sort of certification, but they must approve the caliber you're shooting. It's got to shoot flat enough to pass through a tunnel.

I've encountered the range nazi. He made me mad because I was trying to calibrate the iron sights on my CZ452 .22 and he said something about "Why the **** is he using a rest to sight in that dinky gun". Got my blood up a little but I managed to let it go. Got my rifle sighted in and put the rest away. Then he came over and started talking about different .22 ammo and it was all good.

Edited March 12, 2010 by SavageSig

[mikegideon]

I've encountered the range nazi. He made me mad because I was trying to calibrate the iron sights on my CZ452 .22 and he said something about "Why the **** is he using a rest to sight in that dinky gun". Got my blood up a little but I managed to let it go. Got my rifle sighted in and put the rest away. Then he came over and started talking about different .22 ammo and it was all good.

The range Nazi doesn't think anybody should use a rest. Real men shoot off hand. I shoot anything (even .22's) on a rest until it's dialed in, and if it has significant recoil, I use a lead sled.

BTW... I have had a few RSO's (including the range nazi) tell me that you have to qualify to get on the 200 yard tubes... 3 shot group into the 10 ring at 100 yards. My bolt guns will do that all day.

[gregintenn]

I was born and raised in Chicago and lived in the area for 48 years. When relocating, my family could have literally landed anywhere. We CHOSE Tennessee for many reasons; cost of living, family values, climate, beauty of the land, educational opportunities, etc. We are happy to be here; we live here, work here, send our son to school here, serve here.

I guess I've heard one too many times in my life the "you're not from around here, are you?" so that I'm a little sensitive to it all.

I'm the son of an immigrant who was proud to become an American. I'm a veteran and a strong supporter of the Constitution. I believe strongly in states' rights and our individual right to choose the state we want to live in. I came from a city where I couldn't legally buy or own an handgun. I appreciate the personal freedom and respect for the Constitution that Tennessee represents.

If I don't belong here, just say so. I'll sign off.

LOL! As long as you don't start telling us how we should do things like they do in Chicago, we'll all get along fine. There was a girl who moved in down the road from me when I was a child who came from Michigan. She confessed to me that she was amazed to see that we actually wore shoes. I've never forgotten that. It struck me as funny.

[Chris]

Jennys a woman ?

That's just mean. Funny, but mean.

Seriously though, Jenny's a little gruff but I've gotten some excellent advice from her in the past. If you can get past the attitude, she's got a lot of shooting knowledge.

[iyaoyas98]

Give her some 30-30 brass and she warms right up. I've never heard anything but "pick up your brass" from them.

[Guest jimdigriz]

Give her some 30-30 brass and she warms right up. I've never heard anything but "pick up your brass" from them.

She's always pretty cool with me. But I understand and abide by their rules, so I never get reprimanded. However, some of the RSOs have a tendency to hover, insert themselves where not wanted, and pontificate endlessly. One of the guys at the inspection station was a jerk to me for no reason. I much prefer Owl Hollow, but it's too far away to go there every week.

[MikeW]

The long range lanes (everyone was saying 400, but I thought they were 200?) do not require any sort of certification, but they must approve the caliber you're shooting. It's got to shoot flat enough to pass through a tunnel.

.

It is 200 but you do have to have your name on the list that is on the clipboard that hangs on the the wall. It is not hard to qualify. Three shots within the black on a 3-4" black area target. You only have to qualify once then you gan ride in the golf cart all you want LOL

[SavageSig]

It is 200 but you do have to have your name on the list that is on the clipboard that hangs on the the wall. It is not hard to qualify. Three shots within the black on a 3-4" black area target. You only have to qualify once then you gan ride in the golf cart all you want LOL

Haha, that's good to know. I asked a RSO about it once and he told me that all I needed was a flatter shooting gun. But the qualification sounds easy enough.

[E4 No More]

I'm amazed that this thread has gone on for 9 pages.

[Jasongar8]

My Dad was shooting groups that you could cover up with a dime with the Ruger No.1 in .204 and the old man range nazi told him he wasnt qualified to shoot at 200. Just another reason I will NEVER go back.

[Almond27]

Sounds like a range I would definitly avoid. There is a way to treat people and sounds like some of their RSO's might need a memo.

[MikeW]

My Dad was shooting groups that you could cover up with a dime with the Ruger No.1 in .204 and the old man range nazi told him he wasnt qualified to shoot at 200. Just another reason I will NEVER go back.

YET another "rule".. It has to be on one target and it has to be a 3-shot group. Not sure why that is but it is their "rule".

I shot three times... went and got the target and they put my name on the board. Your dads' shots were better than mine I bet.

M1A

You being a Mod here ... you might understand that there are those that come to TGO that cannot for some reason follow or understand all the "rules" here. They learn to follow them, leave, or get the boot, Same as the SR range.

[Jasongar8]

You being a Mod here ... you might understand that there are those that come to TGO that cannot for some reason follow or understand all the "rules" here. They learn to follow them, leave, or get the boot, Same as the SR range.

True. I didnt agree with their rules. Actually I think some of them are complete bull . So I fixed the problem and joined a private range.

[MikeW]

Private or having your own land (range) is for sure the way to go

Any rules at the private range? We can send Jenny down there if necessary LOL

[Guest pws_smokeyjones]

if it is Stones River Hunter Education Center that we are talking about, I have to say that I like that range very much. I have never had a problem there at all and I don't take issue with the safety rules. However, apparently this Jenny person is new and I have not had the pleasure of dealing with her. but my mother did and it pissed me off. My mom and step dad went there so that he could teach her how to handle/shoot her new .38 revolver they got for home defense. My mother is a fairly shy person anyway and this Jenny lady made my mom feel like an idiot just because she was a new shooter. Now, my mother simply won't go back to the range. We have to find private property that we can shoot on so she can practice. In the words of my mother, 'that woman scared me and made me too nervous to be handling a gun'

[mikegideon]

if it is Stones River Hunter Education Center that we are talking about, I have to say that I like that range very much. I have never had a problem there at all and I don't take issue with the safety rules. However, apparently this Jenny person is new and I have not had the pleasure of dealing with her. but my mother did and it pissed me off. My mom and step dad went there so that he could teach her how to handle/shoot her new .38 revolver they got for home defense. My mother is a fairly shy person anyway and this Jenny lady made my mom feel like an idiot just because she was a new shooter. Now, my mother simply won't go back to the range. We have to find private property that we can shoot on so she can practice. In the words of my mother, 'that woman scared me and made me too nervous to be handling a gun'

I just left there. Jenny was totally cool, and even helped my girlfriend (first time pistol shooter) with her grip. I even heard her explian why they want you to point the muzzle shraight up while changing lanes. Even got a grin from her when my girl moved from the P22 to the 1911 in the first five minutes.

We shot the rifle range for awhile, and then moved over to handgun. All of the RSO's were nice. They're just pretty stern about the rules.

Great experience today, and another leftie chick ruined for life

[Guest jackdm3]

I just left there. Jenny was totally cool, and even helped my girlfriend (first time pistol shooter) with her grip. I even heard her explian why they want you to point the muzzle shraight up while changing lanes. Even got a grin from her when my girl moved from the P22 to the 1911 in the first five minutes.

We shot the rifle range for awhile, and then moved over to handgun. All of the RSO's were nice. They're just pretty stern about the rules.

Great experience today, and another leftie chick ruined for life

And that is ...?

[mikegideon]

And that is ...?

Because when you're changing lanes, someone can wind up downrange of you as you're moving. Sounds like one of those rules that came from practical experience.

[Westwindmike]

Has anyone ever complained to the management about these two RSO's? Just wonder what their response might be?

[Major Kong]

After reading through all 10 pages of this thread, I'm more thankful for ORSA than ever. Probably the best $120 I spend all year.

[~Emily~]

I go there because it is close and cheap and they have free targets if I forget mine. I've seen all the RSO's and the (real) old codger is more annoying to me because I hear his strange opinions about people's guns. Guns he's probably never shot and doesn't know what he's talking about. The only time I talked to Jenny was when she saw me using an UpLula and stopped by to show me the one she had as we discussed how wonderful they are.

Once, when I was new, I had small targets and was putting two on the target holder. An RSO just told me not to put up two targets at a time and that was that. No biggie.

I've also swapped handguns with someone beside me right under their noses and they didn't say anything. We didn't even lock the slides back, just handed the gun and a mag to each other with the barrel pointing down.

[BryanP]

I'm amazed that this thread has gone on for 9 pages.

Go into your User CP settings and change it to show 40 posts per page like I do. Then it's only 3 pages.

[ncomarc]

I think the range is for newer people to shooting and those that have had one or more "experience" with an unsafe act by other people. I don't like the attitude of a few RSO's, but I like the idea of safety they try to enforce. Hopefully I get a chance to try Owl Hollow and compare, but I have no issues taking my kids to Stones River.

[mikegideon]

I think the range is for newer people to shooting and those that have had one or more "experience" with an unsafe act by other people. I don't like the attitude of a few RSO's, but I like the idea of safety they try to enforce. Hopefully I get a chance to try Owl Hollow and compare, but I have no issues taking my kids to Stones River.

It's on the sign out front... Hunter Education Center. In defense of the RSO's, you never know when somebody is going to do something totally stupid (unsafe). When that goober shot himself last year, they had to deal with the fallout. Since it's state sponsored, they're much more vulnerable to anti-gun sentiment than any private range.

Any time you give someone the title of "Officer", there's the possibility that it could go to their head a little. It's also possible that they can get crabby after a day of dealing with idiots. It has been my experience that if you follow the rules, they leave you alone. If I encounter an occaisional butthead, I don't blame the facility. The only butthead I've encountered is the range nazi. I don't CARE what he thinks about my gun, even if he's right .

I would prefer something like Owl Hollow. I'm sure I'll go when time permits. I wish it was only a 5 minute drive.

Edited March 13, 2010 by mikegideon

[latisimusd]

I shoot a the Stones River Range and have met the cast of RSOs and to be honest, they really don't bother me that much and I find them all to have different and varying levels of firearm knowledge (most of it good and some so-so). I have been an NRA certified range officer at an indoor range and believe the volunteers do a good job with the varying levels of public that they have to deal with. It may not be everyone's cup of tea and some will find other places to shoot that they like better. It is nice to have a choice of ranges Owl Hollow, Maury County Gun Club, TWRA, etc... and I choose the Stones River for it closeness.

I bring my chronograph to the range frequently and have never had any issues setting it up or using it. I like the folks and facility well enough to be on my second annual membership (don't like waiting in line and only like to spend a couple hours shooting). All in all not that bad a place to spend a couple hours shooting your firearms, honing your skills, and chatting with other shooters.

I've been shooting firearms and reloading for over 30 years and have lived in many parts of the country and belonged to several various ranges.

It's a Good place and can be good times - remember they are just fickle about your and my safety, I'm glad they are.

My $.02