Range Safety Class

[Sir Henry]

You pass if you show up and listen for an hour. I must say the class wasn't all that great. On the website and posted at the range they said you have to use a chamber flag but in the class they said it was optional.

[BrokenolMarine]

He left his target up for another firing round, but the ROs had to send him out again to correct it. He had mounted the target facing down range, away from the shooting booth. Go figure! Kind of makes one wonder what this guy was thinking and doing....

During the academy, we often mounted the targets with the buff back side facing the students and the black target side facing away for center of mass drills. You want the students to concentrate on shooting for the center of mass of the target and not looking for scoring rings. They draw and fire at the center of mass, firing the number of shots indicated by the range master, and then "reluctantly re-holster," after checking for additional targets or threats. You repeat the drill until the exercise is completed. We would often have them fire fifty to one hundred rounds at that blank buff side of the target.

Once the firing is completed, we bring the target frames back to the tables and turn them over and inspect the target faces, where they can "score" their targets at that time. Many are amazed at how well they did, without being able to see the "targets" and just shooting for center mass. The odd duck may have been conducting a center mass drill.... or he could have been an idjit.

[Mr Bill]

I've seen some unsafe behavior from time to time, I usually steer clear or even leave.
Most common infraction is when the range is in safe condition and the shooter is still
fiddling with firearm, loading up mags or adjusting sights. Nine times outta ten it's a
newbie, for the most part they're understanding when it's pointed out why it's unsafe
behavior but there are a chosen few that will never really get it. Safety First, Cheers.

[clovishound]

At my second home the range has concrete floors and one time I went there and it was covered with blood. Lots of blood in the bench area. Speculation was someone shot themselves but no hospital reported anyone coming in with a gunshot wound at the time.

Not necessarily. At the local range, I once cut my hand on the sharp edge of the front sight on a muzzle loader. Bled like a stuck pig.

[BrokenolMarine]

The other common injury with new shooters... scope bite. You shoot a heavy recoiling rifle with a short eye relief scope... and don't have the rifle locked tight in your shoulder and a solid cheek weld... bloodshed ensues. Facial cuts bleed freely.

Years ago, I was stationed in Hawaii and our Gun Club gunsmith had patented a stock design.. foam surrounded by fiberglass with a rigid bridge of some sort where the action mounted. Very popular with mountain hunters in the west. Weighed nothing. I made the mistake of test firing a short barreled 30-06 for accuracy before he shipped it to Montana. I still have the faint scar.

[clovishound]

A little while back at our local indoor range, I was talking with an older lady in the lane next to me. They sometimes have a van full of folks from a retirement community come to the range. Anyway, she wanted to show me the gun she was shooting and turned around holding the gun pointing right at me. I quickly made her point it down range, and then went on to politely explain the need to be careful of where the muzzle is pointed.

[GFK]

Hopefully, she listened to your words and will keep them in mind for the future.

[The Wiz]

This is timely. I wasn't going to tell anybody this cause I am embarrassed what happened today at the range. I was fighting a series of FTL with my BBB .357 when a round went off unexpectedly down range. I put the gun down and backed out of the station . I was shook up to say the least. I was thinking , boy that was lucky the round went where it did. My second thought was that it wasn't luck, it was the training that I got in the military and the safety course that I took, that steered that bullet down range. No luck at all!! Always, ALWAYS keep the barrel point down range is repeatedly taught. It is the first commandment of gun safety. And that training paid off today!
I am still a little spooked by what happen, since I never had that happened before.