Warren Zevon famously asked his father for lawyers, guns and money. The latter two are perpnip. If you’re carrying or holding firearms or folding, you’re a target for a violent attack. When you go to places where these items are acquired, traded or displayed, there’s a strong possibility that someone will seek to relieve you of them without asking your permission or exchanging anything worthwhile in return. To wit this from [kirh.com]: “Wagoner County Sheriff Bob Colbert said 73-year-old Kenneth Payne of Wagoner [above] was shot multiple times and had at least four guns stolen around 8:30 a.m. while he was at the Fort Gibson Wildlife Management Area Shooting Range east of Wagoner on Toppers Road . . .
Payne was left for dead, but was able to call a family member on his cell phone for help, according to the Oklahoma Bureau of Investigation who was asked to help in the investigation by the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office.
There are a couple of ways to avoid a shooting range attack. First and foremost, never shoot alone. Mr. Payne’s fate is not his fault per se, but his decision to shoot at 8:30am all by his lonesome was the wrong one. Shooting at a public place is best accomplished when there’s a public with which to shoot.
Second, make sure that you and you ballistic BFFs keep a hot gun on your person at all times. Maintain situational awareness; the “brothers in arms” “armed society is a polite society” thing is not a gimme. If you see someone or a group of someones who set your Spidey senses tingling, leave.
Alternatively or in addition, make a really loud phone call to a friend. “Hey honey I’m at Fort Gibson. Yup Jack and the guys should be here any second. They were supposed to be here ten minutes ago. No, Harry’s not on patrol today. He’s coming too.”
Third, be ready to fight. If someone or a group of someones want your guns and they have a gun or guns and you’re not in public view, you, sir, are in deep shit. Have your keys ready, watch for flanking maneuvers and prepare for the worst.
But most of all, again, never shoot alone. Predators look for weakness; there’s nothing weaker than lone prey. No matter how badass you think you are, taking on a bad guy or pack of bad guys on your own puts you on a hiding to oblivion. Where’s the fun in that?