Range Bag First Aid Kit

[Waitone]

My range bag is pretty much to my liking.

Then I realized I have nothing in the way of first aid. No bandaids, no handiwipes, no nuthin'.

Not really a good position to be in.

My question: If you were to start from scratch, what would you put into a range bag first aid kit. I'm not talking about the full blown ones on the wall that hopefully most range have. I'm asking about the "just in case" kit you'd throw into you range bag as you walk out the door.

 

[Bacchus]

Antiseptics
Bandages
Basic anti-sting kit for bees, wasps, etc.
Snake anti-venom (depending on location of range)
Benadryl
Anti-inflammatory meds

 

[El Tejon]

Luckily we don't worry about snakes (or bears) here, we shot them all!

I would add:

1. some sort of anti-burn cream [El Tejon rubbing scars on back and neck from .223 brass];

2. something to stuff in new holes. I used to carry Kotex, but guys on TFL told me about Curlex;

3. eyewash;

4. tweezers, pieces of copper and lead coming back;

5. card with your blood type and allergies to medications.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

I don't have a "range bag first aid kit," but I keep one in my truck at all times. Since I drive to the range I'm covered.

I bought a pre-assembled first kit at REI but of course you could save some money and DIY.

 

[JDSlack]

Along with the other stuff mentioned...4" gauze compress bandages, and "Ace" type bandage.

 

[Kharn]

El Tejon:

I used to carry Kotex, but guys on TFL told me about Curlex;

Whats's the difference?

Kharn

 

[fastbolt]

Shallow scalp wounds can bleed a LOT. You can't have enough absorbant gauze-type dressings.

We see quite a few scrapes, cuts, gouges, abrasions, pinches, dings & dents resulting from "normal" loading & shooting manipulations ... and a nice selection of different size bandaids is a nice thing to have on hand ... on cheek ... on forehead ... on arm ... etc., etc ... Sorry, couldn't resist. The water (sweat) resistant types last better ...

Iodine & alcohol sting a LOT, so some Hydrogen Peroxide is better than nothing ... at least until you can get to better aid. Of course, if you're concerned about ANY infectious contaminants ... Betadine/Povidine works very well, but it's messy when it gets on most clothing.

First aid kits are one thing, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to take at least the basic Red Cross First Aid class, you know ... People do some really silly things in an uniformed, but genuinely considerate, attempt to "Help", sometimes ...

Never let anyone near a range without eye protection. Carry extra safety glasses in case someone shows up without any ... Prevention is gentler on folks than first aid ...

 

[Jack19]

I added TraumaDex to my FA kit not long ago. Worth every penny if things go really bad.

 

[jsalcedo]

I just carry some black powder so I can pour it on the wound and light it up.

Stops the bleeding real quick so I can get back to shooting.

 

[BerettaNut92]

I also carry an extra pair of Rx eyewear. Because you never know.

 

[JDSlack]

Jsalcedo...

Bet you carry a bottle of "red eye" for snake bites and the ocassional arrow wounds.

 

[Navy joe]

Think of everyday things that could go wrong at the range, for them add:
-Moleskin
-Band-aids
-Sunscreen/chapstick
-insect repellent
-anti-histamine
-swiss army knife
-tissues/wet-naps
-eye drops
-any perscription meds.
medical info. card.

For the most obvious possible trauma:
-USGI battle dressings,
-Curlex and Kotex (one is an absorbent gauze, the other a tampon. Both absorb blood really well when shoved in a hole.)
-Ace bandages
-Tape.

 

[jsalcedo]

Bet you carry a bottle of "red eye" for snake bites and the ocassional arrow wounds.

Naw I just chaw on a bullet till I get back to the homestead....

I was faced with a situation in my first CHL class where the hammer bite on my sistema had eaten a hole near my thumb the size of a 9mm slug about halfway through qualification.

Blood was pouring off my hand and mixed with rain it looked a lot more serious than it really was.

I had to keep on shooting and everytime that knifeblade hammer tore the
ragged hole deeper it made it difficult to concentrate on the target.

After it was all over I looked in my range bag for something to stop the bleeding and all I found was an old silicone treated reel cloth soaked with
about 15 years of hoppes 9, rem oil, and black stuff.

It worked. I was able to tie it around my hand and finish my paperwork.

Maybe gauze and a bandaid or two wouldn't be such a bad idea.
But I'm keeping the hoppes as an antisetic

 

[45R]

I usually carry a "Level 4" First Aide kit that you can get at Target:
Comes with

Lots of bandages all kinds
Neosporin
OH wipes
Tweezers
Scissors
Lots of guaze
Chemical Hot and Cold Pack
Tape
Asprin
Burn Cream
Gloves----Very important to take universal precautions
Those super long Q-Tips
Theraband-added on my own
Blanket-added on my own
Multitool-added on my own
I am going to add some contact lens solution to the kit now... after reading about eye drops

This sits next to my BOB: Small Snowboarding type backpack that was a birthday present from my sister. It contains.
2 Sterno Cans
Peanut butter from MRE
Crackers from MRE
Apples FRom MRE
Swiss Knive
Parachute cord : 100 FT very useful!!!!!
Entrenching tool
Hammer
Axe
Mirror
Water Treatment tablets
Tent Stakes
Fire Starting tools
Compass
Sog Seal Pup
Anti mosquito repellant
Emergency Blankets
Emergency Pancho
Top Ramen packets (2)
Change of clothes
Zip Ties
Flashlight
9 Volt Battery
Steel Wool
Tape Sports


Between those two kits I have most things covered.

 

[willyjixx]

45r

thats really great !!! mind if i copy that so i can build one up?


i use my combat lifesaver bag from active duty. i get it refilled an toss the IV kit cuz im not certified anymore

 

[45R]

Willyjixx

You can get the First Aid kit at Target for about 12 bucks.

The rest of the stuff should run you less than 50-60 bucks bucks
Sterno cans 4 bucks
Hammer 10
Axe 10
Entrenching tool is about 10-15 bucks at Suplus stores comes with Alice Clips


I also have a Camelbak that I take with me when I shoot at BLM land. It holds 3 Liters of H2O

Most of the Stuff from the Big BOB can be transfered to the Camelbak if you need to huff it. ( I would take the entrenching tool, multitool, mirror, zip ties, knive first aid kit and parachute cord. )


My first aide kit was helpful when one of the fellow THR shooters developed a case of hammer bite.

Get the 3M bandages. They are nice and flexible.

45R

 

[45R]

PS Also add 1 weeks worth of any meds in a kit that can stay nice and cool in your car.

 

[wingnutx]

Bondo.

 

[CWL]

Duct tape works well to seal wounds, makes a good pressure-bandage, wrap or tourniquet in emergencies.

 

[NRA Instructor]

The accident may happen to others so always be ready to lend assistance.
A cell phone and paper and pencil should always be available.
If there is a major problem the cell phone is too call 911 and the paper is to have others write down what they saw happen for an accident report. It's call CYA.
Must add this comment. At my club's outdoor range in the 40's plus years we have had it we have had two insurance claims.
One was for a fellow who shot a staple into his finger while trying to put up targerts. The other was for a car damaged when the gate started to close on his car as he was leaving. We do have a chain to hold it open but he "forgot" to use it.
We don't screen new members IQ.

 

[DMK]

A few months back, there was a guy at my public range who shot his hand with a snubbie. I was very glad to have had a first aid kit and something to clean the wound in my range bag. Luckily it wasn't that bad, just a graze, but it bled a LOT. The guy was panicking at the blood all over his hand and ground. All I had to do was get a compress on it, clean it as best I could and tape it tightly. A gave him some water and after that he was visably much better. Of course that was the end of his shooting day.