Staying Safe at the Range

What does range safety really mean? Everyone talks about it a lot and thinks they are observing it. And, why is range safety so important? Range safety is every single person’s responsibility. It’s not only the range owners responsibility. It’s not only the gun club’s responsibility. It’s not only the other person at the ranges responsibility. If you are touching the gun, you are responsible for EVERYTHING that happens with it. Your gun handling can mean the difference in whether someone lives or dies. The stakes are very high and “casual gun handling” simply isn’t an option. Are you part of the solution or part of the problem? Don’t know? Lets ask the following questions and read about each of them below.

Here are some points to think about:

Do you walk around in the bay with the gun in your hand?
Do you show your firearm to others without paying attention to what’s around you or the safe direction?
Do you follow all posted safety rules? Do you know where those rules are at your range?
Do you clear ALL firearms before going down range? The safety on isn’t enough!
Do you make sure everyone else clears their firearm before anyone goes down range?
Do you know what to do if someone is down range?
Are you a certified Range Safety Officer?
Do you teach the rules to others or refuse to shoot around others because of their lack of safety adherence?
Do you understand what trigger finger discipline looks and acts like?
Do you handle your gun in gun handling areas only?
Do you give anyone attitude if they try to talk to you about your gun safety?
Do you only shoot occasionally and learned from a family member?
Did you learn all you know about a gun from the military?
Can you list at least 3 gun safety rules without prompting? Anything?
Do you really understand what a safe direction is when handling your firearm?
Have you EVER taken a class or lesson with a certified instructor?

Time for some self reflection

If any of these questions give you pause or you aren’t 100% sure of the answer, or you know you are doing one of them incorrectly, then you are part of the problem, not the solution. Range safety should be thought about like a religion. We adhere to our religion everywhere we are, in every situation, and observe it and teach it to our children. I’ve heard numerous people say they refuse to shoot with other people because of other’s bad safety habits. Uh huh. Then they get on the range with me and my teaching team and get some schooling as they are a habitual abuser of every safety rule while preaching about how good theirs is. This hasn’t happened just once or twice. It happens often. So, lets dive into all of the questions above and see how you stack up. There’s no one next to you judging you. So, if you learn something or several things, please be humble enough to grow in your firearms education and get some training so you can be part of the solution and help others be part of the solution as well!

Do you walk around in the bay with the gun in your hand? When you are just walking around back and forth to your target in the bay, you are pointing your firearm in unsafe directions. How about from your car to the shooting area? That isn’t safe either. A safe directions means that should your firearm discharge there is something substantial enough to stop the bullet! So, walking back from the target you are pointing it probably down (at your feet and legs) or waggling it back and forth and then when you get close to the bench it comes up and pointed out of the bay. This is not okay. Nor is it the sign of someone that knows and understands safe gun handling. It’s the sign of an amateur, a novice. Either clear your firearm, lock the slide back and bench it OR holster it. Those are the only 2 options. Uncomfortable with a gun on your person in a holster? Take a class about it and learn the correct way to perform this task.

Your Group Guyde is an expert on range safety and can answer any questions or concerns you have. It’s their job to maintain a high level of range safety so if they ever say something to you about a violation, it isn’t personal. Take a class with them to really develop the range safety rules in all situations. Hold the safety standard high and live the standard! Pass this high standard on to your family, children and friends.

Stay safe and keep on training!