Range safety is paramount, please listen to instructions from the Range Officer (RO) in bay 1 on the right hand side or wherever they are stationed. Range commands are;
Load / Fire when ready / Unload / All clear
If the RO shouts STOP! STOP! STOP! you must IMMEDIATELY CEASE FIRING. If the situation requires urgent evacuation of the firing point the command DOWN ARMS AND CLEAR THE FIRING POINT will be given. If you see an unsafe situation shout STOP! STOP! STOP! to halt firing and to attract the RO’s attention.
Safety & Handling procedures
Your firearm must be in a clearly safe condition at all times until you are on the firing point and have been given the order to load. Safe condition means - bolt open and magazine removed. Air rifles should be broken, muzzle loaders should be at ½ cock and revolvers should have the cylinder open. When moving onto the range, pistol muzzles must be pointed in a safe direction downrange, and rifles carried vertically with the muzzle up. Never, EVER, point your gun at another human being. Practice good muzzle control.
- No firearm may be loaded or fired until the RO has given the order to load and to fire.
- Never handle a firearm when anyone is downrange.
- Aiming or dry firing an unloaded firearm is NOT allowed except when in the firing position on a firing point, and then only if it would be safe to fire a live round.
- When loading, firing, unloading or clearing a misfire, the barrel must at all times be pointed in a safe direction towards the target.
- Misfire procedure, always keep the firearm pointing towards the target, get the attention of the RO, wait 30 seconds before safely unloading the round with your face and hands well away from the breech – do not attempt to re use the misfired round.
- During a detail, no one is to enter or leave the range, this is both distracting to shooters and can introduce a noise hazard to the gun room, conversation during a detail is also distracting and should be done in the lounge, not on the range. Mobile Phones must be turned off.
- Once the shooter has expended all shots on target, stand back from the bench and do not handle the firearm.
- The firearm must be unloaded by every shooter at the conclusion of each detail, or on the order of the RO. The firearm and/or magazine of every shooter is to be inspected and proven “clear” by the RO before he/she gets out of the firing position and quits the firing point, and before anyone goes forward of the firing point. If there are only two shooters then each one is expected to prove their firearm clear to each other.
- Firers and spectators must wear ear defenders at all times during firing, eye protection is highly recommended.
- Probationary shooters and guests are to be introduced to the RO and other shooters are made aware of their presence to extended supervision.
- Firearms are not to be handled in the lounge, the gun room is provided for this purpose, use the gun rack when leaving the firing point after a detail.
- On the outside range the red flag is to be raised and the RO must inspect the range for hazards before shooting can commence.
- On the outside range only .22 rimfire (prone) and air rifles may be used. Targets must be in line with the bullet catchers in the butts, only paper targets can be used.
- On the indoor range jacketed & magnum rounds are prohibited, home reloads are permitted if they do not exceed the range limits of muzzle velocity 1410 feet per second and muzzle energy 475 foot pounds.