Range Report: Honey Island Shooting Range

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  • DAVE_M

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    Apr 17, 2009
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    Range Report

    Honey Island Shooting Range
    January 18, 2015

    I know that there are some members, here, that are range officers or deal with the range, so I'm here to relay this information.

    I asked some friends of mine, at the last minute, if they wanted to go shoot. Honey Island sounded just fine, since the weather was going to be nice. I asked if they would like to go around 8-9am and they insisted we go around noon. That was a train wreck waiting to happen.

    We arrived shortly after noon and made our way up to the check in station. There was roughly 15 people ahead of us. We patiently waited our turn, pulled a number, guns checked clear, signed in, and paid our range fee. Then the RO told us to wait a moment and then announced that a group of ten were going to the pistol range (ten, not including our three). Of the ten included one man, multiple women, and young children. The RO then announced three shooters to the pistol range and we walked down to the range.
    The lanes were filled to the brim and I kindly asked the nearest RO if there were any plate rack lanes open. He came back a few minutes later and said we could have the one "right there." Well "right there" turned out to be the only lane with a busted plate rack. Normally, I wouldn't complain, but I noticed an elderly fellow watching next to us wearing a hat that read "Range Officer" next to us, as well as three stalls (one with a functioning plate rack) full of gear and handguns. I kindly asked the assumed RO if he knew who owned the firearms, as they were partly in our lane. He informed us that they were his; So, my first flag went off. I thought, "Why is a range officer shooting on a crowded day?" He left his gear and began conversing with my friend, who is a beginner to the gun community and bought into his jargon. I overheard something about him being a range officer for another range; I was more concerned when he was going to move his junk.
    The real RO's came on the mic and announced to "Range is now cold." Sounded good to me, since we just walked up.
    Well the elderly gentleman, next to us, proceeds to place out three paper targets on three target stands, side by side, partly entering my line of fire into the far right plate. I asked if he could move it over and he pretended not to hear me. Before I could walk out and move it myself, the range was announced hot :mad:
    Then the elderly man begins to "Test his fawty-five" by shooting at our plate rack, instead of his own. This is where my blood started to boil. My buddy told him something and he stopped, but it was useless as his three targets at a whopping 5 feet where placed in a manner that shooting through the far left would land directly at our plate rack :mad::mad:

    I decided I had enough and quit for the day. When I looked over to my right, past the cobra commando, I noticed a man firing a 12 gauge at the plate rack (I've been told that's not allowed) and the entire family of children sweeping each other with .22lr rifles while the women shot down range as if nothing was going on.

    I had enough, I made it a point to tell the nearest RO of safety concerns, to which he replied and yelled towards them, "Step back behind the red line!"

    Honey Island is too nice of a place to be infested with ignorant buffoons and RO's that could care less. Every time I've been in the AM, the range is quiet and full of 'Shooters'. Anything past 11:30 am and it's full of Fobus Holsters and Bubba'd AK's.

    For a moment, I thought I was in the Sherburne WMA.
     

    DAVE_M

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    That place is dangerous and overrun with derps.

    I'll never shoot there again.

    JR1572

    I wouldn't even call them derps. I saw a seven year old twirling a 10/22 in the air, while his mom had a conversation with the other lady during a hot range.
     

    whodat247

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    Sep 12, 2014
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    Mandeville
    I was there Saturday from 9-12. No one was there at 9 had my pick of what lane I wanted at r the rifle section.
     

    nolaradio

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    Sep 8, 2012
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    Parts unknown
    I made it out there one Friday when I had the day off of work. Talk about a great experience! I've also driven out there ahead of a rain shower. Got there just in time for when the pistol range went cold. Two others and myself had the whole pistol range to ourselves. If you don't mind dodging the rain to change your targets, that is also a great time to go.
     

    Magdump

    Don’t troll me bro!
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    Dec 31, 2013
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    Hammond, Louisiana
    I guess there's nothing like having your own private range. There's no way I could tolerate that level of public nusaince

    - - - Updated - - -

    I wouldn't even call them derps. I saw a seven year old twirling a 10/22 in the air, while his mom had a conversation with the other lady during a hot range.

    Awesome!
     

    noob

    enthusiast
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    Mar 18, 2008
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    New Orleans
    I always try to go as early and generally have a good experience. Most of the time I'm on the rifle range. I do admit, almost every time I had a negative experience, it was on the pistol side. Mostly due to mall ninja doing mag dumps with their AK or AR on the rifle line.... Then smiling at each other, laughing about how "cool" it was shooting from the hip. Also saw a guy trying to figure out why the 7.62x54 wouldn't fit in his AK....
     

    Emperor

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    I wouldn't even call them derps. I saw a seven year old twirling a 10/22 in the air, while his mom had a conversation with the other lady during a hot range.

    Mom had to choose between shooting time and the kid's majorette practice. I guess she doubled down!
     

    Emperor

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    The truth: She was in her mid 60's, grey hair, and tatted up, far from "smokin' hot". The yoga pants were throwing everyone off LOL





    Doing some quick math, that would mean she was around 18 in 1968. And if memory of history serves me well, tattoos were not vogue until the '80's. So this pinup might have been near 30 when she decided to get a tat? And that is being conservative on my guess.

    :doh:
     
    Last edited:

    Kraut

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    Oct 3, 2007
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    Slidell, LA
    Although the following experience was at Honey Island (at least 4 years ago if not more), my particular range officer gripe applies across the board, wherever one might go:

    I went to Honey Island with another police officer, and they allow marked units to pull up and park in view near the check in table (One of our officers had all four tires slashed when parked out of sight in the general parking area, they have graciously extended a courtesy to prevent this in the future), so we pulled up in a marked Crown Vic and began unloading what we brought, to include duty belts which we carried up slung over our shoulders. No one questioned this at the table or mentioned any issues related to drawing from a holster, there was barely anyone there on the pistol line, but upon arriving to the line and beginning to set up, the range officer approaches and tells us that we can't do any shooting drawing from a holster, following with: "We know y'all know what you're doing and all, but we can't just let everybody draw from a holster. Some of these idiots that come out here'd be blowin' their toes off."

    Here's my beef with that: You're a range officer. Your job is to watch for safety issues and address them. If I draw from a holster and appropriately address my target and safely re-holster, yay for me. If I muzzle-sweep everyone or start some 'Doc Holiday' twirlin' with my iron, call me on it and disperse me from the range if need be. If you legitimately 'know I know what I'm doing' then step out of the way and let me do it. If you see an idiot, take action.
     

    DAVE_M

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    Here's my beef with that: You're a range officer. Your job is to watch for safety issues and address them. If I draw from a holster and appropriately address my target and safely re-holster, yay for me. If I muzzle-sweep everyone or start some 'Doc Holiday' twirlin' with my iron, call me on it and disperse me from the range if need be. If you legitimately 'know I know what I'm doing' then step out of the way and let me do it. If you see an idiot, take action.

    I agree. However, Honey Island Range Officers are volunteers. A few of which are clueless about gun safety.




    I spoke with a friend of mine last night, who volunteers as an RO some weekends, and I showed him this thread. He said he knew exactly who the elderly cobra commando was. He is a Honey Island Range Officer that works in the mornings. When his shift is over, he takes off his vest and shoots at the range. Mr. Tactical War Veteran, I hope you are a member here and are reading this, because I'll tell you what you did wrong...

    1) You were hogging up 3 lanes.
    2) You placed three target stands side by side at 5 feet, clogging up the lanes.
    3) You came to the far left lane and shot at our plates while standing 2 feet from my friend. He's a new shooter and was nervous about asking you to move.
    3.1) Since you were shooting at your targets from the same location, your rounds were passing through at an angle, sending rounds into other targets and plates.
    4) You have no range etiquette.
    5) Please watch your muzzle and don't sweep the guy next to you.
    6) If you're not "on duty," take your Range Officer hat off.
    7) Don't dump three magazines from your new Kimber, to show off. I would expect better from a RO.
    8) My friend informed me, that when you are "on duty," that you carry your 1911 in condition zero. That is insanely stupid and you're going to get someone killed!
     

    WrenchGuy

    ARmed ARtisan
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    Aug 10, 2014
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    Slidell, Louisiana
    I hate shooting at the pistol range, thats where most of the idiots go to shoot.
    The rifle and shotgun are a lot better most of the time, both the guests and the ROs seem to have better range etiquette, and new shooters almost always welcome help from veteran shooters.
     

    bayoushooter

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    Jul 9, 2011
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    Metairie
    I hate the HI noobs that shoot my plate on the rifle range, then argue when you try to explain that each lane is color coded red/white/blue. Happens every time I go.
     

    Rhandhali

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    Jan 26, 2013
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    New Orleans
    That's sad to hear, I go there pretty regularly and haven't had any problems. I'm surprised to hear that a range officer was shooting, I offered to let the guy watching the shotgun bays to shoot my new JM 930 and he refused after telling me that ROs weren't allowed to shoot on duty. If someone turns down free ammo and gun time then you know they're serious about following the rules.

    I haven't seen too much idiocy from the crowds but I usually try to be there around 8 or 9 or as early as I can manage on a Friday if I can do it. I still like it better than the indoor range in Harahan.

    Has anyone seen them actually kick someone off of the range for bad behavior?
     

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