Open Carry?

[Savage Shooter]

I was shooting my AR 223 Sunday @ 300 yards and the only one on the range. The line is about 50 yards wide and I was set up on the right end. I flipped on the flashing lights (which are located about every 20 feet along the range), meaning the range was COLD, and went down range in my mini-van (not a small car) to reset some targets. I left my hearing protection on because I was the only shooter (Which I won't EVER do again) and while I heard some muffled gun shots, I didn't think anything of it, since we have pistol bays which are located along the left side of the rifle range on the other side of the berm which runs down the 300 yards of the range. When I got back, I noticed a group on the far left of the line and thought ,"hmm, they got set up fast" and asked them if they were ready to go live and they said yes. Then the safety range officer came over from the adjacent pistol range and asked me if I realized they had been shooting when the lights were on and had I been downrange? I went pale as I realized that they were shooting toward me when I was down range! Turns out they were new members and had just rushed up to get some sighting in shots in before the range closed and didn't bother to pay attention to the flashing lights or even look down range to check if it was clear or wonder where the shooter was who had a bench full of gear at the other end of the range. We have pretty rigorous safety training and new members must be shadowed by another member for six months before they are allowed to shoot on their own; this group broke MANY protocols and rules and there is a big sign with most of them not 8 feet in front of the bench where they were shooting. Still, there are some idiots who are just extremely careless.