Most ranges I go to are more privately owned, and he would likely have gotten off with a documented warning, forced repeat of the required range safety/rules course, then termed if there were a repeat offense. As you say an accident can have incredibly bad publicity and put not only that range, but all nearby ranges at risk of more legislation, restrictions, or eliminations. Sad the world has come to this, but it has and we need to protect those valuable resources as you did.
I know, and in a way I was a bit surprised the decision was made to revoke membership, a decision I had nothing to do with. The problem is that if it wasn't dealt with effectively a precedent is set I guess; at least this the membership-base is under no misconceptions abour how safety breaches are going to be handled. It su led to have to be the person to start the process however I take firearms safety seriously and I couldn't not act.
There's no leeway here when incidents happen Kris, an accidental shooting would probably see an end to the range.
Totally understand the concerns. Our rules were set back in a time when accidents were not as big of a deal, just another accident, made the news, people went about their business. The political climate here is now in similar shape where a single event no matter how unlikely of repetition would be the cause of left wing outcry and closure.
It's sad really. I mean safety should never take a holiday where firearms are concerned but the reactions of
societygovernment and media are rarely justified, warranted or logical. Society plays along from there like lemmings.