Pistol shooting is fun — that’s reason enough to head to an indoor range. In addition, all CCW permit holders should definitely practice regularly. For many people, indoor shooting can be done in the evening, after work, relatively close to home. Indoor ranges are most convenient for those who live near urban centers, where the biggest threats to public safety currently exist. This article talks about indoor firearms training and the proper procedures you should follow at indoor ranges.
This Video Covers Basic Gun Range Safety Rules and Etiquette
FIVE IMPORTANT SAFETY PROCEDURES for Indoor Ranges
1. Follow the Three Fundamental Rules for Safe Gun Handling
ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot. ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.
2. Follow ALL Range Officer Instructions
ROs are the first and final authority on any range and their decisions are generally final. Arguing with a Range Officer may just get you thrown out.
3. Don’t Bother Others or Touch Their Guns
Respect other shooters’ privacy unless a safety issue arises. Do NOT engage other shooters to correct a perceived safety violation unless absolutely necessary – inform the RO instead. NEVER handle or touch another shooter’s firearm without their permission!
4. Know Your Range’s Rules
Review and understand any and all range rules and requirements/expectations. For example, what is the range’s maximum rate of fire? Are you allowed to collect your brass?
5. Know What To Do During a Cease Fire
IMMEDIATELY set down your firearm, pointed downrange, and STEP AWAY from the shooting booth (or bench). Range Officers do not want shooters trying to “secure/unload” their firearms in a cease fire situation — they want the shooters separated from their guns instantly.
BAD RANGE BEHAVIOR — Five Things NOT to Do at the Range
Here are the five worst behaviors we’ve seen at indoor ranges. These behaviors are both dangerous and inconsiderate. Any one of these behaviors can get you permanently banned from an indoor range.
1. Sweeping other individuals after loading a weapon behind the firing line is very bad. All your weapons should be empty until you reach your shooting station.
2. Turning the handgun sideways while trying to clear a malfunction or insert/remove a magazine. This will point the muzzle at a fellow shooter. Or, after shooting a gun, the shooter fails to clear the weapon and then places the gun somewhere near the shooting station with the muzzle in an unsafe position.
3. Reacting unpredictably when firing a high recoil handgun. We’ve seen people take a second shot by accident with the muzzle way off target.
4. Not obeying range commands — in particular continuing to shoot during called cease-fires.
5. Poorly aimed shooting that hits target frames or carriers, causing ricochets.
Double-Up on Hearing Protection When Shooting Indoors
When shooting indoors we recommend quality muffs with earplugs underneath, offering double protection. When inside an enclosed range, with other shooters blasting away right next to you, you really need effective hearing protection. But you also need to hear range commands and be able to communicate. That’s why we recommend electronic muffs with plugs underneath.
For indoor pistol shooting, we like the Howard Leight Impact Pro Muffs. These offer an impressive 30 dB Noise Reduction Rating (NRR). In addition, the electronic functionality allows you to hear all range commands clearly. These muffs are a good value. These are available for $76.99 at Palmetto SA. Howard Leight also makes good protective safety eyewear with ANSI Z87.1-2010 (High Impact) rating. These milspec, wrap-around Genesis safety glasses can be purchased for $16.63 on Amazon (#ad).
Be prepared to have your mind blown by Max Michel. This guy is FAST. In this video he puts 18 shots on three targets with two (2) reloads, in a total of 4.79 seconds. That’s right, drawing from holster, he sends 18 rounds in under five seconds, with two mag changes in the process. That works out to a rate of fire of 225 rounds per minute. Consider this — Max shoots faster than a 19th-century Gatling Gun (which had a rate of fire of roughly 200 rounds per minute). And Max is accurate as well as speedy — 16 of Max’s 18 shots were in the targets’ A-Zones, with the other two just barely outside.
Click Speaker Icon to hear sound (audio) — it’s even more impressive with sound!
Max Michel is a legend within the world of competitive shooting. He is the SIG Sauer Team captain with an unrivaled record of major pistol titles. Max is a 7-time World Speed Shooting Champion, 7-time U.S. Steel National Champion, 13-time USPSA National Champion, and 20-time U.S National Champion. He is also a Guinness Record holder and past IPSC World Champion. Michel also owns multiple World Speed Shooting records as well as being the first Action Shooter to win all USPSA Area Championships in the same season. Born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, Max began shooting when he was just five years old. In 1999 Max joined the USAMU’s Action Pistol Team and served in the U.S. Army for 10 years as an Army shooter and trainer. Today, Max is recognized worldwide as a top-tier athlete and instructor.
We’ve found ten great discount/rebate programs. These specials can save you big bucks on pistols, shotguns, ammo, or bullets. Some of these rebates are worth big bucks. For example you can Save 10% on a new Browning rifle, save $50 on a new Stoeger pistol, save $75 on a new Beretta pistol, or save $300 on a new Beretta shotgun. And with the Smith & Wesson and Springfield Armory promotions you get a free reflex optic with a pistol purchase. Note: most of these promos are good through the end of April or May, but some expire on April 15th — so check the dates.
Mark your calendars for the return of the Civilian Marksmanship Program’s Bianchi Cup International Pistol Tournament. The second longest-running pistol championship in the world, the 2025 CMP Bianchi Cup is set to run May 20-23, 2025 at the Green Valley Rifle & Pistol Club in Hallsville, Missouri.
About the CMP Bianchi Cup
The Bianchi Cup International Pistol Tournament was first held in 1979, making it the second longest running pistol championship in the world. This year, it will be hosted by the CMP May 20-23, 2025, at the Green Valley Rifle & Pistol Club in Missouri. The Bianchi Cup has been called the most prestigious pistol tournament in the world. Due to the high accuracy required in each stage of the Bianchi Cup, the tournament is considered one of the most difficult handgun championships on the planet.
The Bianchi Cup is Comprised of Four Events:
Practical Event: Competitors fire at distances from 10 yards to 50 yards under varying time limits from the shooting line.
Barricade Event: Competitors fire at targets on either side of the barricade at different distances and under varying time limits from within shooting boxes and behind barricades.
Falling Plate Event: Competitors fire at eight-inch round steel plates arranged in banks of six at distances from 10 to 25 yards under varying time limits.
Moving Target Event: Competitors fire from within shooting boxes at distances ranging from 10 to 25 yards at a target moving from left to right, with the target exposed for six seconds.
Bianchi Cup Open Class Pistol — Features in Review
Above an Australian lady competitor shoots Open Class pistol. Note the large flared grip extension, ported muzzle compensator, and elevated optic. Open pistols may also have special custom fittings: wings for barricades, mover base for leads, and prone pad for stability. Open Class pistols rule at the Bianchi Cup: “Unlike USPSA, all divisions compete heads up at Bianchi. While Bianchi recognizes wins in other divisions, only the absolute top score can win the Cup. Since Bianchi is typically won only with a perfect score, and often by X count, guns other than open are not really competitive.” See Pistol-Training.com.
Position Shooting with Pistols at Bianchi Cup
Competitors shoot from both standing and prone positions and are also required to shoot with both strong and weak hands at various stages. There are no make-up shots in the Bianchi Cup, adding to the difficulty.
Bianchi Cup 1911 Pistol Giveaway
Looking for a 1911 pistol? The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) is giving away a vintage 1911 pistol (plus mags, holster, and ammo) for competitors who register for the upcoming 2025 CMP Bianchi Cup.
The 2025 Bianchi Cup match runs May 20-23 in Hallsville, Missouri. Those who sign up for the CMP Bianchi Cup BEFORE April 27, 2025 will be automatically entered to win.*
To have a chance to win, you must officially register for the 2025 Bianchi Cup. ALL paid registrants will be automatically entered for the raffle. To learn more and REGISTER for the 2023 Bianchi Cup, go to the CMP 2025 Bianchi Cup Web Page.
* The raffle is open to U.S. citizens only. If a non-U.S. citizen is drawn, he or she will receive $500 in place of the 1911 pistol. Those who have already purchased a pistol are still permitted to win.
So, are you feeling lucky? Then you may want to sign up for the ShootOn.com Giveaway contest. The “Ready to Carry” Shoot ON contest prize pack includes an FN Reflex 9mm pistol, a Burris FastFire Red Dot Optic, a Crossbreed SuperTuck Holsert, and 5 boxes of Fiocchi CovertX defensive ammo. The total retail value of the “Ready to Carry” Giveaway prize package is $1,331.90.
CLICK HERE to visit the contest entry page. NOTE: No purchase is required to enter the “Ready to Carry” Giveaway. Simply go to the Shoot ON “Ready to Carry” Giveaway page and enter. You can also boost your odds of winning through the Daily Bonus Entry option. The Shoot ON “Ready to Carry” Giveaway ends April 17, 2025, so enter today!
Giveaway Items — Total Value $1331.90
Handgun: FN’s new Reflex XL MRD micro-compact 9mm is a rugged, accurate optics-ready pistol with good ergonomics and up to 18-round capacity even with a compact format. FN claims the Reflex EL series pistols off “best-in-class triggers” for optimal performance.
Holster: The Crossbreed SuperTuck is an IWB holster developed for deep concealment. This combine a Kydex pocket with a combat-cut premium leather backer for security and comfort. The SuperTuck also has powder-coated steel belt clips adjustable for height and cant (angle).
Red Dot Optic: The Burris FastFire E is an enclosed red dot optic with a large 22×17 mm sight window for the 3.5 MOA dot. The FastFire E offers 100 MOA of elevation and windage adjustment range so it works with handguns, shotguns and rifles. A tough housing protects the unit which is waterproof, shockproof and fogproof. The FastFire E offers an “always on” function.
Ammunition: The contest package includes five, 20-round boxes of Fiocchi’s new CovertX personal defense ammunition. This CovertX ammo features a new jacketed HP projectile specifically engineered for controlled expansion when fired from short-barrel handguns.
In recent years, the California Legislature has passed a series of laws restricting the rights of California gun owners. The latest example of anti-gun legislation will hit gun owners in their pocketbooks….
If you want to practice your marksmanship in California from now on, get ready to open your wallet and pay the taxman. With the passage of AB 211, recently signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom, California shooters who use paper targets at indoor ranges will have to pay a fee for every hole they put in paper — literally. This new law, codified in the California Penal Code, states that commercial gun ranges must collect a charge of $0.38 per shot, as established by holes made in approved paper targets. This fee, the “Target Tax”, can be raised in the future at the discretion of the California Dept. of Justice. Newsom has justified this new tax, stating that it will be used to fund vital relief programs in the wake of the recent massive Southern California wildfires.
Here’s how it will work, starting June 1, 2025, when the new Target Tax law goes into effect at California ranges. First, all shooters must purchase California DOJ-approved paper targets (you may no longer bring your own). When you purchase a certified target at an indoor range, your name and the number of targets you have purchased will be recorded in a state database. Then, after your shooting session, the targets must be scanned, with the number of shot holes recorded. A charge of $0.38 per scanned hole will be added as a line item for your range session, along with the DOJ target-processing fee of $5.00 per target.
How the Tax Works — Count the holes: With 30 holes, the California target tax on this left target would be 30 x $0.38 or $11.40. By contrast, the tax on the target on the right would be just 38 cents, because there is only one hole, though five shots went through the same hole. Obviously, exceptional marksmanship skills can help reduce your target tax liabilities. But even with just one hole, there is still the DOJ processing fee of $5.00 per target, which applies to every target.
California Targets Must Be Culturally Tolerant and Non-Discriminatory
AB 211 also includes a series of provisions which specify the types of targets which may be purchased. First, as you might expect, all targets must be printed on recycled paper. Second, no target may contain any “hate speech” or “micro-aggressions”. Third, while targets may still show human silhouette-style outlines, any targets which depict a protected minority type or non-binary gender type are forbidden. Likewise, any target that shows discernable culture, religion, or national origin are forbidden. So, a target showing a bearded male wearing a turban would be forbidden. If you had such a target, the range owner would be required, under AB 211, to confiscate it. Shown below are two types of targets that would be illegal in California under AB 211. NOTE: It is unclear whether a zombie target would be allowed, if the Zombie is unknown gender, ethnicity, or culture.
If you are looking for a modern, extremely powerful semi-auto pistol, you may want to consider the impressive S&W Performance Center M&P 10mm M2.0 pistol. This boasts a long 5.6″ barrel for extra velocity. The barrel is also ported for reduced muzzle flip and less perceived recoil. The gun would be a very powerful defensive pistol and S&W says it can also serve for hunting.
Smith & Wesson states: “The new Performance Center 10mm was conceived with both the hunter and target shooter in mind. The goal was to build upon the M2.0 10mm series, with the intention of having reduced felt recoil and quicker follow-up shots. Popular features previously seen on other 5.6-inch PC pistols are present in this design and, when paired with the flat-shooting 10mm Auto cartridge, provide the end user a total package for hunting, self-defense, or at the range.”
Building off the success of the M&P 10mm M2.0, Smith & Wesson incorporated new features designed to increase the new Performance Center 10mm pistol’s performance. Chambered in 10mm Auto, this full-size polymer handgun boasts a ported 5.6-inch barrel to reduce muzzle rise, optic-height tritium night sights for a clear sight picture in low-light conditions, and a Performance Center-tuned flat M2.0 trigger with a crisp break and audible reset.
The Performance Center 10mm slide is cut for optics and ships with Smith & Wesson’s C.O.R.E. plate system, two 15-round magazines, and four interchangeable palmswell grip inserts. This 10mm pistol is made in the U.S.A. and has an MSRP of $749.00.
When it comes to shooting targets, “Variety is the spice of life”. Shooting the same old target over and over again can get boring. We like to shoot a variety of targets. And we have to admit, the arrival of a new set of colorful targets in the mailbox has been known to motivate us to grab our guns and head to the range.
Midsouth Shooters has a large selection of colorful Champion and Birchwood Casey printed targets, both the splatter variety and conventional types. Here are some of our favorite fun-shooting targets available from Midsouth Shooters. These are in-stock currently or can be back-ordered. For sighting-in a hunting rifle, we really like the Big Burst 12″ adhesive orange-on-black grid target. This offers the aiming benefits of a precision grid along with bright shot splatter effects so you can instantly see shot point of impact.
And here four FREE fun targets, courtesy the NRA Blog. Right-Click for printable PDFs.
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has vetoed two dozen anti-gun bills passed by the Democrat-controlled Virginia General Assembly. These bills would have curtailed individual gun rights and attacked gun dealers/manufacturers throughout the Commonwealth. The NRA and NSSF (National Shooting Sports Foundation) praised Governor Youngkin for standing up to those who want to destroy gun rights in Virginia.
The NRA praised Gov. Youngkin for his actions to preserve Second Amendment rights: “[We] thank Governor Youngkin for standing strong in his support for the Second Amendment by vetoing the litany of gun control bills pushed through the General Assembly this year,” said John Commerford, Exec. Director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA). “For the second year in a row, [Virginia] gun control activists tried to enact dozens of radical, California-style laws that would have severely restricted the Second Amendment rights of gun owners in the Commonwealth. The NRA applauds Governor Youngkin for upholding his promise to protect our Constitutional freedoms.”
The bills vetoed by Governor Youngkin came from the long wish list of radical gun control activists. This included attempts to restrict the Constitutional rights of 18- to 20-year-old adults, dramatically expand gun-free zones that would have left law-abiding Virginians defenseless and enact a mandatory waiting period to take possession of a legally-purchased firearm. In addition, the vetoed legislation would have banned a wide range of common firearms used for hunting, competition, and self-defense
Notable anti-gun bills vetoed by Gov. Youngkin this year include:
SB 848 — Remove the right of anybody under 21 years of age to purchase certain semiautomatic rifles mislabeled as “assault weapons.”
SB 891 — Mandates 5-day waiting period of five days for the purchase and transfer of firearms.
SB 1181 and HB 1607 — Bans the sale of many semiautomatic firearms and bans magazines having a capacity of more than 10 rounds.
SB 1329 — Imposes restrictions on concealed carry and storage in vehicles.
SB 1450 and HB 1608 — Creates new civil liabilities for companies engaged in the sale, manufacturing, distribution, or marketing of firearm-related products.
CLICK HERE for the official list of Virginia legislation vetoed by Gov. Youngkin so far this year. This includes the two dozen anti-Second Amendment bills he recently vetoed.
The NSSF notes that the defense of Second Amendment rights by Governor Youngkin proves that Elections DO matter. All gun owners should register and VOTE to ensure that your rights are preserved. Take time to research candidates and support those who will protect your Second Amendment rights.
In our Shooters’ Forum there is a popular photography thread. Along with some great nature and hunting images, you’ll find quality photos of handsome firearms. Among the many images were head-turning photos of some very impressive pistols belonging to Forum member Beiruty from Texas. He has some of the most handsome mag-fed handguns we’ve ever seen. Here are six of his favorite semi-auto pistols from his collection. Three of these handguns boast beautiful engraving.
FN Browning High Power Renaissance
This 9mm hand-engraved High Power with silver finish was made in Belgium in 1971:
NOTE: This is one of a near-matching pair of FN HP Renaissance pistols featured in the top photo.
Hämmerli .22 LR Model 208, Special Edition
This Special Edition, one of 500, marks 125 years of Hämmerli Sportwaffenfabrik (1863-1988):
The handsome grip is factory carved. This Model 208 pistol shipped in a fitted case, shown below.
Colt .45 ACP 1911 Commander
This 1975-vintage Colt Commander 1911 sports fully-engraved frame and slide:
Smith & Wesson .22 LR Model 41 Long Barrel
This target pistol features a 7-3/8″ barrel with factory compensator. Grip is custom:
Browning .22 LR Medalist Pistol
This handsome Browning Medalist, all factory standard, was made in Belgium in 1964:
The video below shows another Browning Medalist of the same design and relative vintage:
Stoeger Arms American Eagle Navy Model Luger
This stainless Stoeger Navy Model 6″ Luger Pistol is vintage 1978-1980:
