With time on my hands Thursday afternoon, I paid a visit to the Albany Rifle and Pistol Club at Saddle Butte east of Shedd, combining a bit of target practice with the social distancing we are obliged to practice now.
My timing was good because today, the club emailed members to say, among other things: “Do not use the ARPC ranges if you do not need to.”
According to the email from ARPC board President Ben Lalonde, the club was informed that a vendor who had been on the property several times in the past month had come down with Covid-19 and was “well on their way to recovery.” The vendor “did not use the facilities,” and “We do not believe any member was directly exposed.”
The club’s ranges remain open for use by members. The stated reason is the reported rise in gun sales, which presumably increases the likelihood that some members want to train relatives or friends in firearm safety and gun handling for personal protection.
Otherwise, the club’s advice is to stay away. For those who do go, the club advised, use the precautions recommended by the Centers for Disease Control, avoid the restrooms and club house, and leave the doors of the outdoor range buildings propped open.
But on Thursday, before all that, the pistol range I was using offered what seemed like a safe harbor from the corona virus and the disruption and dislocations it has caused. I was there alone, and the only things harmed were some cans and the target stakes on which they were propped.
As the video below reflects, the nearby Linn County countryside too was a picture of normalcy and calm. (hh)
The rise in gun sales, like hoarding, is a survivalist reaction to fear and uncertainty.
Some say these behaviors are idiotic. Some say they are rational, given the times we live in.
Would it surprise you to learn that between 2016 and 2018 the gun industry experienced a decline in sales? Some called it the “Trump slump.” Why did this happen?
And then in 2019 gun sales went up. Why did this happen?
And now people are standing in long lines to buy a weapon and personal items. Idiotic?
Hardly.
Thanks for the video. Iwas wondering what was planted on the east side of Saddle Butte. The mountain you saw could be Mt. Jefferson.
In predictable form, Western man takes to firing deadly weapons as stress relief.
And you probably drive them on a daily basis.
So H. H. would you be one of those …”I like the smell of napalm & gun power in the morning” type of guys??! From my past experience it went well with the C-rats we were heating up for breakfast while in ‘Nam.
ARPC is just a couple miles from our house (we can hear the gunfire sometimes) and we are members as well. In fact, I volunteer there as a range safety officer and enjoy my time and contribution. I have appreciated the vistas of our central Willamette Valley, the buttes and mountains that can be seen on both sides of the valley. It’s a beautiful place to live!