A
shooting range or
firing range
is a specialized facility designed for
firearms practice. Each facility is typically
overseen by one or more supervisory personnel, called variously a
range master in the United States or a
range
conducting officer or
"RCO" in the UK. These
supervisory personnel are responsible for ensuring that all
gun safety rules are followed at all
times.
Shooting ranges can be indoor or outdoor and possibly restricted to
certain types of firearms, e.g. handguns only or rifles, or they
can specialize in certain shooting sports such
Skeet shooting or
10 m Air Pistol/
Rifle.
Specific locales
This article discusses Shooting Ranges in a general sense. For more
specific discussion of shooting ranges in specific locales, see:
Likewise, in countries with gun laws heavily restricting the
ownership and use of actual firearms,
Airsoft guns often are used instead for
"shooting range" practice. By their nature, "shooting ranges" for
Airsoft competitions may be located nearly everywhere, even
in-doors, with no significant restrictions other than the wearing
of protective face masks. This article, and the articles for
specific locales, do not address "shooting ranges" intended for
Airsoft guns.
Type
In urban areas, most shooting ranges will be at indoor facilities.
Similarly, in less-populated areas, shooting ranges are often at
outdoor facilities.
Indoor
Indoor pistol shooting range.
- Stationary target practice
Indoor ranges usually have a back wall with a sloped earthen berm
or bank, with reinforced baffles additionally situated along the
roof and side walls. Ranges with proper ventilation pull smoke and
lead particles away from the shooting line and discharge them from
the building to reduce potential
lead
poisoning. When ranges lack proper ventilation, employees and
users are exposed to lead dust from bullets or cartridge primers.
It can be inhaled or can settle on skin or clothing. Additionally,
discharge of firearms in indoor ranges can produce noise levels of
over 140 dB
sound pressure
level. To combat this, it is commonly recommended to "double
up" ear protection by using both earplugs and over the head
earmuffs. To protect range bystanders from sound exposure, many
modern ranges have an air-locked corridor for sound-proofing, with
two doors at opposite ends of the egress corridor. Most indoor
ranges restrict the use of certain powerful calibers, rifles or the
use of fully-automatic weapons. In many shooting ranges 50 caliber
or higher bullets are not allowed.
Outdoor
Outdoor shooting ranges are often required for longer distance
shooting sometimes exceeding . Training might also specifically
require exposure to the elements such as wind or rain.
Outdoor shooting ranges usually are backed by a high retaining
wall, earth mound,
sandbag barrier or
specially-designed funnel-shaped traps to prevent the ricochet of
bullets or shots going outside the bounds of the shooting range.
Most outdoor ranges additionally restrict the maximum caliber size,
or have separate ranges devoted to use for higher-powered
firearms.
- Air rifle
- Outdoor air rifle ranges are usually for the practice of the
sport of Field Target shooting where
metal targets are placed in natural surroundings at various ranges
and elevations.
- Small-bore rifle
- Small-bore (.22 Long Rifle
caliber) rifle ranges are typically to accommodate the Olympic
50 m Rifle event, but they can extend to
. These ranges are found around the world as part of various cadet
shooting programs sometimes reduced to .
- Full-Bore Rifle
- Range for large calibre rifles are seldom shorter than except
in the case of “Zero” ranges (for setting or checking a rifle and
telescopic site “Zero”). Military ranges are typically at least —
to safely accommodate the range of most assault rifles (up to ).
Public ranges can be as long as and typically accommodate hunters
and sportsman participating in sports such as 300 m Standard Rifle, metallic silhouette or benchrest shooting (ranges up to ).
- Shotgun
- Specialist ranges cater for various clay pigeon shooting events and require
special layouts and equipment.
Firing point
The firing point will normally be at a defined point on the ground,
and on a civilian range will usually be level and flat. Outdoor
ranges without a covered firing point are usually grass, often on a
slightly raised, flattened mound. Outdoor ranges with a covered
firing point are usually concrete or tarmacadam. Outdoor military
range firing points are not usually covered and may have other
configurations, e.g. sloping, a gravel base or hole in the
ground.
The firing point cover can be as simple as a tent, to a frame with
only a roof (to keep off rain or sunshine) to a substantial
building with appropriate apertures to shoot through.
Targets
Civilian Targets are usually made of paper or a plastic coreflute,
sometimes with a canvass or hessian back on the larger long range
types. Most competitive targets are a solid black circle on a white
background. The black circle may have scoring rings. Targets of
other shapes may be used such as used in pistol (hand gun) target
shooting.
Those who choose to use military surplus rifles in competition on
firing ranges at set distances include bolt and semiautomatic
actions, with targets used as per military standards, current and
historic. Same for the matches they shoot. Older bolt action
matches fall into; Pre WWI, Between the wars, WWII, Post WWII to
the Vietnam War. A number of countries have recently limited the
use by civilian populations of the semi and full automatic
firearms, to the detriment of competition at an international
level.
Other target types include a metal plate that is knocked over by
the bullet such as in the air rifle sport of Field Target or
handgun discipline of IPSC, and stationary metal plates of scaled
animal outlines on which bullet strikes mark as well as those that
mark the paint which is painted over again after scoring.
Butts/Backstop
The butts/backstop is the area behind the target into which the
shot safely falls. Outdoor and sometimes indoor ranges have earth
or sand butts. Indoors angled plates with collectors may be used,
often with a rubber curtain through which the bullet passes and is
then stopped by a metal plate.
Ranges without automatic target placements sometimes have concrete
bunkers where personnel can reposition and replace targets.
Wind flags
Outdoor shooting ranges sometimes have wind flags, positioned
between the firing line (where the shooters are) and the targets.
Shooters observe these flags to make an estimate of wind speed,
which is then converted into lateral minute of arc point of aim
corrections or, alternatively, windage holdoff corrections.
The flag method is the most common method used to estimate wind
speed. A flag blowing in the wind will naturally blow away from the
flagpole, with the angle of the bottom of the flag to the flagpole
increasing with increasing windspeed. To estimate the wind speed in
mph, the angle in degrees between the bottom of the flag to the
flagpole at the mid-range position between the shooter and the
target is divided by 4. For example, an angle of 60 degrees between
the bottom of a flag and a flagpole would be estimated as a
windspeed.
The clock method is then used to determine full value, half value,
or no value corrections in minute of angle for this wind. Aligning
the target at the 12 o' clock position or direction, with the 6 o'
clock direction being directly behind the shooter, winds at 3 or 9
o'clock are equated to full value, winds at 1,2,4,5,7,8,10,11
o'clock are equated to half value, and winds at 12 and 6 o'clock
are equated to no value.
The minute of angle correction (full value) is then commonly
estimated as ((Range meters/ 100) times Wind mph) / C, where C is a
constant. The constant C equals 15 for ranges from 100 to 500
meters, 14 for 600 meters, 13 for 700-800 meters, 12 for 900
meters, and 11 for 1000 meters. For full value winds, this full
windage correction is used. For half value winds, the minute of
correction in windage given by this formula is halved; for no value
winds, no minute of angle correction in windage is required.
Multiple flags are required for two reasons. First, the wind speed
closest to the mid-point of range has the greatest effect on the
projectile. In addition, the wind at one part of the range will not
always be the same at another part.
Wind flags are not always actual flags, sometimes streamers are
used, small triangle flags, or even pin wheels. Factors such as the
range length and expected strength of the wind determine the best
type of flag to use. When no flags are available, a small leaf or
other small light object can be dropped from shoulder height, and
the object is then pointed at by the shooter; the angle between his
arm and his torso can provide an equivalent wind speed estimation
as a wind flag, although it will not be at the mid-range location
along the bullet's trajectory.
Common safety practices
Typically, all public ranges require that all guns be unloaded and
variously securely encased and/or trigger-locked prior to entering,
or leaving, the range facility, irrespective of whether one holds a
concealed carry license in
jurisdictions where concealed carry is legal.
Whether indoors or outdoors, all shooters are typically required to
wear eye protection as well as hearing protection (ear muffs or ear
plugs) at all times when within the defined boundaries of the
range. Indoor ranges can be particularly unsafe, due to high lead
exposures and increased noise exposures.
The
National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health recently issued a
new Alert,
Preventing Occupational Exposures to Lead and Noise at
Indoor Firing Ranges.The Alert presents five case reports that
document lead and noise exposures and examines firing range
operations, exposure assessment and control methods, existing
regulations, and exposure standards and guidelines. More
information about reducing occupational exposures at indoor firing
ranges can be found at
NIOSH
Firing Range topic page.
Likewise, the rules of the appointed supervisory personnel are to
be followed at all times.
Specialized classes and licenses
These will vary from country to country, and even within a country.
In some countries, no license or advanced training beyond just gun
familiarization (for rental guns) and range rules familiarization
is required for using a shooting range. In other countries,
participants must be part of an organized club, and must hold
licenses for ownership of individual firearms. A common requirement
is that the shooter must be of legal age (or have a guardian
present), prior to shooting.
In the
United
States
, concealed
carry license classes are often available at shooting
ranges.
Other services
Many gun ranges offer services to aid both novice and expert
shooters.
Typically, a gun range will offer safety courses, concealed carry
courses, and advanced training in firearms techniques, for a fee.
In addition, some states in the USA require employees who use
firearms on the job (e.g.,
armored car drivers, security
guards) to have certain certifications. In most cases, a shooter
may take a class and qualify for these certifications at a gun
range.
Many gun ranges will let shooters rent firearms, as well. In most
cases, ranges (especially indoor) rent out handguns and rifles in
various calibers, however there are ranges that rent
Class III/NFA firearms (full-auto
weapons,
suppressed weapons, etc). Some
ranges offering gun rental also provide instructors at little to no
cost as part of the rental fee.
References
- "RISKS OF LEAD POISONING IN FIREARMS INSTRUCTORS AND THEIR
STUDENTS, Anthony M. Gregory, THE ASLET JOURNAL, March/April 1990
Volume 4 Issue 2 "[1]
- Take Aim at Protecting Yourself: Solutions for Preventing
Lead Poisoning and Hearing Loss at Indoor Firing Ranges.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
- Preventing Occupational Exposures to Lead and Noise at
Indoor Firing Ranges. National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health, Publication No. 2009-136. April 2009.
- Sniper Training. Field Manual No. 32-10, 17 Aug 1994,
Headquarters Dept. of the Army, Washington, DC, p. 3-31.
- Sniper Training. Field Manual No. 32-10, 17 Aug 1994,
Headquarters Dept. of the Army, Washington, DC, p. 3-30.
- Sniper Training. Field Manual No. 32-10, 17 Aug 1994,
Headquarters Dept. of the Army, Washington, DC, p. 3-33.
- Sniper Training. Field Manual No. 32-10, 17 Aug 1994,
Headquarters Dept. of the Army, Washington, DC, p. 3-34.
- Sniper Training. Field Manual No. 32-10, 17 Aug 1994,
Headquarters Dept. of the Army, Washington, DC, p. 3-32.
- Sniper Training. Field Manual No. 32-10, 17 Aug 1994,
Headquarters Dept. of the Army, Washington, DC, p. 3-31.
See also
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