We Need Range Rules for Private Range

Status
Not open for further replies.
P

Paulgibs

Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2010
Messages
43
Location
Louisiana
My wife and I have set up a handgun range on our property. We use it often, and we invite our friends who have completed concealed carry training to come over and practice. Sometimes, there may be six or seven of us sharing the range at the same

We've noticed that over time, some of the most basic safety rules are not being followed 100% of the time by 100% of the folks. None of us are by any means "experts" and I think that's why we are seeing just a little laxity.

Does anyone here have a concise set of "Range Rules" that we can post and distribute to our friends to help keep the practice sessions as safe as possible?
 
The Four Rules (as handed down by Col Jeff Cooper [insert angelic chorus here]):

1) Always treat every gun as though its loaded.
2) Never point any gun at anything you are not willing to kill or destroy.
3) Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are aligned on target and you are ready to fire.
4) Know your target and what is behind it.

Follow those simple 4 rules and that's all you need.
 
A basic point you need to address is if you're going to run a Hot range or a Cold range.

A Hot range would have the guns always loaded, which means they need to stay holstered unless actively shooting.

A Cold range would always have the guns unloaded, unless shooting an exercise
 
happygeek said:
How does a hot range work with long guns?
Click to expand...
The OP was asking about a handgun range and CCW practice.

I've always trained with longguns, MP-5 and AR, on a Cold range...when the guns were Hot, they were safed, slung and pointed down or up
 
If someone other than you and your wife is going to shoot with you, begin with a safety meeting. Yes, a formal meeting, with a checklist.

Does everyone have eye and ear protection?
Are all guns taken to and from the firing points unloaded and cased?
No one shoots alone; one of each pair or group is designated range officer to ensure muzzle control. And the position rotates so everyone can shoot.
Explain that "cease fire" means stop right now and is only called in an emergency.
Define the firing line and make sure no one goes in front of it.

A formal moment before shooting emphasizes safe practices and gets everyone thinking about safety before anything else.

You might try to protect yourself further by having them sign a liability waiver. It probably would not hold up in court, but it is further evidence that you are trying to emphasize safety, and it might help them take things a bit more seriously.
 
Last edited:
Why should this surprise you? The rules are not always followed at licensed private ranges either.
 
Thanks for your most excellent suggestions. We are going to incorporate the safety meeting, checklist and range officer designations.

You are quite correct, Rimfire, and I am not really surprised. I am concerned, though, that the laxity is an indicator of overconfidence. I realize that we may not achieve 100% from 100% of the folks. But those who won't work hard to achieve 99% compliance just won't be invited back.

Thanks again to all of you for this excellent information.
 
There are a couple important rules. The one that casual ranges have a problem enforcing is having guns unloaded at the bench when people move up to their targets. I personally have no problem with this as long as folks pay attention and not treat it too casual. You certainly don't want any accidents on your property as you might well be held liable. Hence, I would be rather discriminative as to who you allow to shoot there.
 
How does a hot range work with long guns?
Click to expand...
I always leave the action open on guns when they are not in my hand or holster. If I lay them on the table, pointed downrange, they have the action open showing everyone they are safe. I encourage that with anyone who shoots with me. Sometimes I have to be pretty stern, but hey, they'll get over it, or not.
 
But those who won't work hard to achieve 99% compliance just won't be invited back.
Click to expand...

That is the best rule of all, and you should be commended for trying to keep everyone safety minded.
 
I have the same problem at my range behind my house getting people to comply with "the rules".

I require all firearms to be unloaded until the shooter steps up to the shooting position and that all others stay up on the deck. Ammunition can be handled and magazines can be loaded, but no ammunition is to be in the firearm until the shooter is off the deck and in shooting position. I have a side berm and a shelf/rail so that all firearms can be pointed away from the deck and away from the range. No firearms are to be handled while anyone is off the deck. If you don't load it and you don't handle it there won't be any negligent discharges and no tragic results.

I explain this any time anyone comes over and still I find that some people just can't seem to remember that the rules are there to keep me, their friends and themselves safe. I have told one person not to come back because they would not follow these simple range safety rules.
 
Here are the rules for our club. http://www.danvilleconservationclub.org/Rules.pdf

Every new member has to go through a 30 minute safety orientation.

We have several restrictions that you might not have, but the basics of etiquette are on page 3:

• Keep all muzzles pointed straight up or downrange toward the backstop at all
times.
• Never allow the muzzle to point (“sweep”) down the line toward other
shooters, regardless of whether you think the gun is loaded or not.
• Keep your finger off the trigger until you sights are on the target and you are
ready to fire.
• Keep all guns unloaded and actions open until the “line is hot” command is
given.
• Load and unload only at the firing line with the muzzle pointed downrange and your finger off the trigger.
• Never handle any firearm for any reason while the line is cold, there are people downrange, or during a cease fire, regardless of whether you think the gun is loaded or not.

(The biggest problem with the last rule is people who are just arriving or leaving and want to pack/unpack their stuff, or people who are adjusting sights/scopes.)
 
I have a range at my home also and a group of us meet every Tuesday morning for a few hours. The rifle range is 300 yards long (soon to be 600) with a firing line 150 feet wide. On one extreme end there is an IDPA type pistol range. Anywhere from 4 to 8 shooters usually show up. All of the regulars are older (50 to late 70s) and experienced shooters although the occasional newby shows up. They are more than welcome and we all try to accommodate and teach new people.

We don’t use a range officer but it has been discussed, it’s a good idea and may happen at some point. At the moment we are all watchful of who is where and what are they doing. Long guns are unloaded and locked open when people go down range. The pistol range is HOT and I believe that to be safer than a cold one as there is never any doubt about the condition of the weapon. Handguns are kept holstered when the range is called cold.

One important point to make is that it’s your range and you MUST deal with any safety issue immediately. You don’t have to be a Nazi but do be firm. I have unwelcomed one person after repeated violations of rule two. It wasn’t loud, it wasn’t embarrassing but it was firm.
 
many carbine classes use a 'hot' range with long guns. They generally require slings so you can carry muzzle up or down without pointing the gun at classmates. When not shooting, you are expected to basically let the gun hang on the sling and not be diddling with it. i.e. keep your hands away from the action. pretty much the long-gun equivalent of a holster.
 
^^^
taliv's advice for hot ranges and long guns.


Don't get bogged down with too many rules. Jeff Cooper always felt those Four were enough to handle guns safely. Ranges need more rules, like minimum safe distances on steel, eye and ear protection mandatory. Examples like that. But remember, if you add too many and clutter them up too much, people forget them.


Also remember there's a difference between Range Rules and proper Range Etiquette. Avoid making range etiquette into a range rule.
 
right... there are "gun safety rules" and there are "range rules". The four rules listed in the 2nd and 3rd posts are good for "gun safety rules" and should be SIMPLE, particularly on a hot range.

range rules are like what ken mentioned: eye/earpro required (or not), all rounds into a berm (or not), age limitations, caliber restrictions (e.g. no 50bmg), ammo restrictions (e.g. no armor piercing, lead-free), etc. Basically, stuff that your insurance company dictates, and to give everybody else who's not paying your insurance bill something to whine about.

and then you may have other safety rules related to matches, like the 180* rule in ipsc/idpa. and specifying a procedure for 'safe-ing' guns (e.g. "show me an empty chamber, slide down, hammer down, holster")

most "square" ranges are cold ranges, and that's probably a good thing, especially if you are already having problems with people not using common sense.
when dealing with knuckleheads, some additional cold range rules are advisable, like not allowing anyone to handle guns while people are downrange hanging targets. (keep in mind, some places we shoot don't have a "downrange", so these are not hard and fast for all ranges, but situationally dependent

eta: i think of range etiquette as stuff like: not touching other people's guns w/o permission, not trying to show the cute girl how to shoot her pistol, using a silencer or at least not positioning your 300winmag's brake right in front of the 10 yr old, etc.
 
I can't thank you all enough for this excellent information. I have reviewed all of your advice and the information you linked. What I am taking away from this is that the "rules" need to be clear but concise, and enforcement has to be consistent so that they become second nature. (sort of like the posting standards on this board).

Cyndy and I are going to use your advice to come up with a plan, and I'll pass it on to you.

Thanks so much!
 
At my range they add a couple more, 1 no gangsta sideways shooting or any other unsafe ways of shooting. They also have 1 second between shots and no quickdraw (had a guy shoot the floor and one of the tables doing that.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Z
  • Locked
Private Ranges
Replies
7
Views
622
lonegunman
L
M
  • Locked
Range Ammo Rules
2
Replies
27
Views
2K
Kharn
K
N
  • Locked
Range Rules
Replies
12
Views
867
Blackrock
Blackrock
J
  • Locked
Need Some Range Safety Ideas
Replies
5
Views
416
Kali Endgame
K
Skribs
  • Locked
Private range
Replies
8
Views
906
FROGO207
FROGO207
Back
Top