{"id":676,"date":"2024-02-25T23:54:12","date_gmt":"2024-02-25T23:54:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunfiring.net\/guns-and-shooting\/good-gun-etiquette-at-the-range-regular-guy-guns\/"},"modified":"2024-02-25T23:54:19","modified_gmt":"2024-02-25T23:54:19","slug":"good-gun-etiquette-at-the-range-regular-guy-guns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunfiring.net\/guns-and-shooting\/good-gun-etiquette-at-the-range-regular-guy-guns\/","title":{"rendered":"Good Gun Etiquette At The Range | regular guy guns"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Whatever your motivations may have been, you have taken a big step into the world of individual rights and freedoms – you\u2019re now an armed citizen and budding Second Amendment Radical<\/a>. You got the gun<\/a>, through the grace of the Almighty or a well-funded bank account, you\u2019ve got the ammo<\/a>. You\u2019ve researched the Four Rules<\/a>, and you\u2019re training. You\u2019re going to the range, but maybe it\u2019s been a solo affair and you\u2019re Grogu<\/a> without a Din Djarin to show you the subtleties of good gun etiquette\u2026<\/p>\n

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Selecting a proper gun range<\/a> can be a tedious task, but once you\u2019ve got that out of the way, you\u2019ve got to be down with the little niceties of the \u201cgun nut\u201d world. Despite the hype and stupid viral videos, people of the gun are safety-conscious and are congenial about educating new folk. All you gotta do is ask, and certainly avoid glaring social gaffes at the range. And they are very glaring since you\u2019ve got yourself an AR-15 rifle<\/a> or a shiny new FN pistol<\/a>. \u201cExcuse me\u201d doesn\u2019t cut it when you\u2019re swinging a loaded weapon around.<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t want to be \u201cthat guy\u201d or \u201cthat girl\u201d. I\u2019ve personally left ranges where I\u2019ve felt unsafe, and it didn\u2019t look like the range staff was up to the task of keeping things safe. As gun owners we try to police ourselves, but we don\u2019t have 360 vision and can\u2019t be everywhere at once. Anyways, here\u2019s some guidelines on how not to be a complete ass at the range.<\/p>\n

\"Brownells\"<\/a><\/p>\n

One of the Four Rules dictates that we don\u2019t point a gun at something we\u2019re not prepared to destroy. Another is to assume the gun is always loaded. You\u2019re at a range, it\u2019s probably loaded. Pointing a gun at someone trips off instinctive wiring in their mind. Danger Will Robinson<\/a> sort of things. They don\u2019t know if it\u2019s loaded or not.<\/p>\n

Also, in a range environment, no one likes to break their concentration. It\u2019s hard enough with all the banging and booms, including the guy 3 rows down with the obnoxious muzzle brake on his AR. Or the other guy who got an AK pistol<\/a> for the laughs. Or the 50 BMG<\/a> aficionado. Adding \u201cHoly Shit – watch where you\u2019re pointing that thing!\u201d and the range officer calling for a cease fire is a good way to get dirty looks, not make friends, and probably get escorted from the premises.<\/p>\n

Simple procedures and precautions ensure you won\u2019t muzzle someone. Whichever gun you are training with that day, bring it into the range unloaded and in a case. If you\u2019re training with your carry pistol, have that cased, and have a second pistol as your carry pistol that day if possible. Of course don\u2019t draw that back-up gun in the range. When loading and making ready, make sure it\u2019s always pointed downrange. Also be wary if the range officer or staff has called for a cold range. If the range is cold, don\u2019t touch your gun.<\/p>\n

You might be part of the Miculek clan. You could be Colion Noir\u2019s long-lost brother. You could be the resurrected Lt. Col. Jeff Cooper. But no one really likes unsolicited advice from a random. Outside of people violating the Four Rules, it\u2019s usually best to leave well enough alone. If someone has a weird stance or a rather strange grip, let them find out on their own. Or maybe lead by example. They\u2019ll see your impressive technique with an AR-15<\/a> and decide to mimic it. Of course if you\u2019re a range officer, do your job and keep the peace and educate. People expect it.<\/p>\n

But if you\u2019re just someone going to the range? Don\u2019t offer help unless someone asks.<\/p>\n

\"Primary<\/a><\/p>\n

One of the cool things about a proper gun range is that it\u2019s usually a rather congenial atmosphere. People of all stripes gathered practicing their craft as Pro-2A folk. You\u2019ll also see a lot of cool guns and accessories in use. Or someone may ask a question about your gear. That\u2019s actually a good way to lead into getting to check out other\u2019s guns. If you\u2019re running an FNX-45<\/a>, and someone asks about it – you can be a nice guy or girl and let them run that .45 ACP beast. Conversely they\u2019ll automatically let you run whatever it is they got. Maybe you\u2019ll get lucky and it\u2019s something exotic in 300 BLK<\/a> or similar.<\/p>\n

In this case, switch lanes\/people, not guns. He shoots your gun in your lane, you shoot his gun in his. That way you\u2019re not dragging potentially-loaded guns around and muzzling people.<\/p>\n

A durable rifle or pistol will just keep running. A well-made AR-15, with a little TLC, won\u2019t have many malfunctions. Thousands of rounds, and no jams or misfires. A proper pistol<\/a> will just keep blasting. But sometimes, things go awry. If an immediate action doesn\u2019t clear it, set the gun on the table, pointed downrange. If it\u2019s a hang fire (click rather than bang with a loaded weapon) then wait a few minutes before attempting anything. If further action is required, it\u2019s best to summon a range employee. If you\u2019re shooting in unsupervised land, keep the gun pointed down range and be extremely cautious about any sort of field service.<\/p>\n

For the most part, a range won\u2019t let you disassemble a gun in the lane to address a malfunction. The range employee will help your render the weapon safe, and from there\u2019s it up to you to seek remediation and repair.<\/p>\n

At any dedicated shooting facility, there\u2019ll be one or more employees in the bay or at the lanes. These are the Range Safety Officers aka the RSOs. For the most part, these guys and gals have all taken an NRA-accredited course to get the job, so they know a thing or two about policing the range. The best way to think of them is as the captain of a ship. What they say, goes.<\/p>\n

Three key phrases to keep an ear out for are:<\/p>\n