Right Actions?

[dendrokeeper]

Last week I finally purchased my first 1911! A few days ago I went to break it in. Soon after I arrived another person in his early 20's shows up and begins asking me if he could shoot my gun. I declined, then explained that in NY, you cannot shoot a handgun unless it is registered to you and listed on your permit and it would be illegal for me to allow him to shoot it.

Then the guy tells me "I didnt know you needed a permit for a gun" ( he had a revolver he was shooting)

So now I'm thinking the guy had an unregistered gun, which is illegal in NY. I packed up my guns and got out of dodge. There was no cell service there, so I called the police when I got service telling them what happened and I gave them a plate number.

I've been playing this over in my head. Did I handle this right? We were the only two people at a range out in the mountains, and I must admit the thought he would try to take my gun crossed my mind due to him not having a permit.

 

[Treo]

You don't know he didn't have a permit and you aren't legally empowered to find out. MYOB

That said, there's no way in hell I'd let some random stranger handle my firearm on a range especially if we were the only 2 people there and I only had the one gun (which would never happen anyway)

 

[Axeanda45]

Well, you did a few things right, like not letting a stranger use/handle your firearm... and leaving when you didnt think staying was a wise choice...

However, IMHO, you should be sent to your room without supper for calling the cops.... Like Treo said, Mind Your Own Business!!!!

Calling the cops in the situation as you described it was WAYYYYY over the top... (IMHO)

To me, your actions (calling the cops) are worse than some anti-gunners would have been, At least the Anti-gunners hate guns and dont hide that fact, but you seem to have something against the 2nd Amendment UNLESS it is exercised exactly in the way YOU APPROVE OF....

Hey, you asked for opinions.....

 

[dendrokeeper]

I am not a cop, so no way I would try to verify his permit status, which is why I told the dispatcher what happened and let them take it from there.

This got me thinking though, a range is a place a criminal could steal a gun. Has this happened.?

That day I only had my Kimber and a .22 target pistol. Does anybody carry concealed while at the range? I usually practice with the guns I bring and do not keel one concealed, but I believe I will be changing that practice.

 

[dendrokeeper]

To be honest, thats why i asked for opinions. The only reason I called was because the guy was acting a bit weird after telling me he didn'g have a permit. After I called though, I began thinking I missed a "teachable moment" about handgun laws.

Btw- my wife said the same thing as you and Treo when I told her about it.

 

[KCD1974]

I am not a cop, so no way I would try to verify his permit status, which is why I told the dispatcher what happened and let them take it from there.

This got me thinking though, a range is a place a criminal could steal a gun. Has this happened.?

That day I only had my Kimber and a .22 target pistol. Does anybody carry concealed while at the range? I usually practice with the guns I bring and do not keel one concealed, but I believe I will be changing that practice.

Do you have a permit to conceal one? If not I would not be going that route, but YES people have been robbed at ranges. If I were at a busy range and someone asked to try out one of my guns, I would go with my gut. If the person had brought along several of their own firearms and appeared to be safe and knew what they were doing, I'd probably allow them a try, especially if they had one that I wanted to try out. Living in MN, I generally shoot at indoor ranges that are closely monitored, the threat of theft is pretty low.

But I did go shooting at a public outdoor range in IA, there were 4 of us shooting on the rifle range. There was one guy over on the pistol range. The other three went to check our targets and I stayed behind to pick up brass (the shell catcher was left behind). The pistol shooting fella was making his way back to his car as the other three were heading off. I had a concealed pistol on me and a loaded mag next to my AR. Which made me feel safer as he was making small talk with me and taking a VERY keen interest in what guns we had brought. I mean really giving all the gear a good visual inspection. He left without incident, but it was a good reminder to me about having someone watch your stuff if you leave even briefly and being prepared even at the range. My "spider senses" were telling me to keep a very close eye on this guy. Probably just a normal guy, but there was something about him....Just like your story...only he left instead of me. But I wouldn't have called the cops based on just the fact that he may or may not have had a permit. HOWEVER, if you really felt he was shady and may have in fact been a criminal, well that may change my mind. It's hard to get after the fact opinions from a forum as none of us were there to see and hear and FEEL what you felt. If YOU think you made the right call, well then you did.

 

[Foldermandave]

Go with gut, as previously stated none of us were there, if you feel you did right based on your experience then let your mind sit at ease.

 

[Deserteagle]

You called to report a possible law violation, nothing wrong with that.
Would I do it? I've reported something similar before, but in this case I'm not sure. I would definitely leave though. The guy sounds like an idiot and I would not shoot next to somebody who is probably breaking the law and is too stupid to research the laws.

 

[SGB]

 

[Hamilton Felix]

I will help others to try to understand the laws that apply in this time and place. BUT:

There is no way I would ever bring trouble onto another, who was not actually engaged in a criminal act, for being armed. Yes, I see all the NAZI-style propaganda these days, "rat out someone you suspect of...." But there's no way a decent man who loves freedom would do so. I've seen too many lives destroyed because someone suspected or even deliberately falsely accused.

Besides, many here (and I do NOT want anyone to say so) have been armed for their own protection at times and places where it was not exactly legal. A man makes his choices. Why ******* him over for it?

 

[defender829]

Well, you did a few things right, like not letting a stranger use/handle your firearm... and leaving when you didnt think staying was a wise choice...

However, IMHO, you should be sent to your room without supper for calling the cops.... Like Treo said, Mind Your Own Business!!!!

Calling the cops in the situation as you described it was WAYYYYY over the top... (IMHO)

To me, your actions (calling the cops) are worse than some anti-gunners would have been, At least the Anti-gunners hate guns and dont hide that fact, but you seem to have something against the 2nd Amendment UNLESS it is exercised exactly in the way YOU APPROVE OF....

Hey, you asked for opinions.....

What Axeanda45 said!!!

I agree completely!

 

[Treo]

This got me thinking though, a range is a place a criminal could steal a gun. Has this happened.?

Frequently

That day I only had my Kimber and a .22 target pistol. Does anybody carry concealed while at the range?

Well, unlike you I live in America and I can open carry at the range (or on the street) if I choose; but to answer the basic question I am always armed while at the range. Actually I'm always armed period.

 

[Caribou]

You did just fine by not letting a stranger shoot your gun. I will frequently show a special interest in a gun. I have had others show an interest in mine. I take it as a compliment. I don't ask to shoot someone else's weapon because I feel that would be rude but I will sometimes say yes when they make an offer.

By the sounds of it an other basically honest person is going to jail in NY. Should he have known the law? Certainly. Was it your duty to report him? No. Well, he was acting weird. I would be acting a little weird if you told me that I had broken a gun law. Inform me that I have committed a felony and I will certainly be distressed. Didn't sound like this young man had threatened you. The only thing he did was to express a lack of knowledge of the laws of the State he was in. For your information not all States require a hand gun to be registered. When my State issues a permit they are not allowed, by statute, to collect any data regarding your hand gun.

This man may well go to jail and lose his right to own a hand gun because of what he did. Whether or not he knew the law the penalty will apply. You committed no crime but I believe you are complicit in the injustice that may befall this man. Every year hundreds of otherwise honest people go to jail in NY for this type of crime. I find these stories disturbing. The fact that a gun owner will participate in something like makes it worse in my opinion. When a BG uses a weapon while committing a crime, be it a gun, bat, or anything else, then throw away the key.

For those of you that don't already know, don't discuss guns with anyone in NY.

 

[Steelhawk]

Once, long ago, I let a complete stranger shoot my pistol. We traded and I shot his, too.

A couple of years ago, I let someone shoot my Browning BDM. I didn't know him, but it is a private range and you need a combination to get in. Also, the whole family was there and they had at least $10,000 worth of guns there at the time. I felt OK doing it.

Someone asked about being armed while shooting. I always have one loaded in a holster or in my hand, with a loaded mag on the belt.

 

[dendrokeeper]

Well I can rest assured I did the right thing. I called the club president after I called the police. He followed up with the police department and called me back this evening. The person I had reported was a convicted felon. He was arrested at the club the day I reported him. The revolver he had was reported stolen. The club filed tresspassing charges because he was not a member as well.

While many Americans do have the luxury of owning firearms that are not listed on a permit, in NY we don't. I really hope national carry is approved, but in the mean time state's rights rule. I'm glad i made the right call. Something did not feel right, thats why I called the police.

 

[Raider-3]

I would not have called their cops

 

[Deserteagle]

Well I can rest assured I did the right thing. I called the club president after I called the police. He followed up with the police department and called me back this evening. The person I had reported was a convicted felon. He was arrested at the club the day I reported him. The revolver he had was reported stolen. The club filed tresspassing charges because he was not a member as well.

Looks like things worked out rather well then! Good job!

 

[BassNut]

You were right by not letting him shoot your pistol but................... IMO you were WAAAAAAAAAAAY wrong in calling the LEO's. You didn't say he was acting strange nor suspicious. He probably just didn't know. Poor guy is probably spending the night in the pokey because of your actions and will now never be able to own a firearm again.

Maybe you should of explained the law to him and told him that HE should get out of there. That way he could of went and got the proper permits or whatever it is you poor people on the East Coast need to own/shoot a firearm.

BAD FORM!

 

[Firefighterchen]

While many Americans do have the luxury of owning firearms that are not listed on a permit, in NY we don't. I really hope national carry is approved, but in the mean time state's rights rule. I'm glad i made the right call. Something did not feel right, thats why I called the police.

If the national carry goes through, will we still be able to carry in NYC? They will have to accept my permit, but we will have to follow the local laws, and my handguns aren't registered to my permit, I'm not following local law then.

 

[Lowjiber]

Does anybody carry concealed while at the range?

Of course! At the range if frequent, almost everyone is carrying concealed. The only exceptions are those without a permit.

When I'm preparing to go to the range, I often strap on a gun that I don't intend to shoot that day...but I'm never without a weapon on my person.