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To gun enthusiasts, hunters, plinkers, and competitive shooters, as well as law enforcement personnel; shooting ranges are where the action happens. The first and foremost protocol while at the range is safety. The second is accuracy, and the third is courtesy.
Green Bay Packers legend Vince Lombardi once said, “Preparation is half the battle”. Being prepared to go to the range will make your time there much more pleasant. To that end, there are certain things that are necessary to have, and then there are some things that are just plain nice to have. |
If you regularly go shooting at the range, you’ll want to assemble some safety gear. Get a range bag. In it, you’ll want to keep safety glasses, hearing protection, a first aid kit, a water bottle, and sunscreen. It helps to stay organized within the bag, so get one with compartments.
The safety glasses are an absolute must, as you only have one set of eyes. You want to protect them against shell casings and flying debris. Make sure to get polycarbonate lenses. Lens tint is really personal preference. Don’t forget hearing protection either. The best kind is electronic earmuffs, so you can block out the loud noises but still hear range commands. It’s also a good idea to include a first aid kit, for cuts, “slide-bite” and “hammer-bite”. Aspirin or ibuprofen is nice to include also. |
From a practical standpoint, you’ll also want to take along extra magazines, ammo, cleaning supplies, and maybe some spare parts. Having separate compartments within the range bag is a good idea, too. Some compartments should be padded, and others lockable. It always adds to your peace of mind to know that your pistol is in a padded case where it cannot get scratched, and that it is secure behind a lock. Not very secure, like it is when it’s in your safe, but at least its secured better than it would be if it were out in the open, just sitting on a table.
If you spend a lot of time at the range, especially with the price of ammo these days, you should consider getting a .22lr conversion kit. You’ll save money. So much so, in fact, that many small police departments are currently looking into this option. If you’re looking for a practical and inexpensive alternative to shooting pistol ammo, consider investing in some .22lr conversion kit. Sooner or later it’ll pay for itself.
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| Lastly, at the range just as in daily life, courtesy, respect and consideration will go a long way, especially if you’re there with people you don’t know: “Please”, “Thank you”, and “Pardon me, but…” will win people over, and can help make friends. People will generally show you their best, if you give them a chance, but they have no problem with showing you their worst, if you don’t. Be polite to others, and respectful to the range master, the equipment, and the property. |
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