Shooting Range Safety & Etiquette — NSSF Video
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) has created a new Range Safety and Etiquette video. This 8.5-minute video is intended to promote safe practices, especially at indoor ranges. In the video, the moderator list the basic rules of gun safety, before covering key range etiquette topics such as range officer commands, how to uncase your firearm on the range when you first arrive, and what to do if a firearm is accidentally dropped. There are also safety tips specific to handling both semi-automatic handguns and revolvers.
BAD RANGE BEHAVIOR — What NOT to Do at the Range
Based on decades of shooting, indoors and outdoors, here are the five most problematic behaviors we’ve seen at indoor ranges.
1. Loading weapons BEHIND the firing line and then “sweeping” other individuals while approaching the indoor shooting bay.
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 on a bench, chair, or range bag 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.
Why This NSSF Video is Important
“More than ever, NSSF is focused on helping our industry better engage their customers. Paramount to that is ensuring all shooters have a pleasant and safe experience every time they head to the range for a practice session,” explained Zach Snow, NSSF Director, Shooting Range Services. “This is particularly important for those coming to firearms ownership and the shooting sports for the first time, and this video will go far to making that first time on the range safe and fun for everyone.”
Thanksgiving is almost here. At this time of year many Eastern and snow-belt shooting ranges halt operations for the winter. If you’re an avid rifleman who enjoys shooting regularly, the dark days of winter can bring withdrawal pains. The closure of outdoor ranges can mean months of forced inactivity… unless you have an all-weather indoor shooting solution.
If you are involved with the management of a range or shooting club, you need to be concerned with lead pollution issues. Both state and federal agencies are becoming much more agressive regarding lead issues for shooting ranges.
