I’ve been busy lately with a lot of things lately, I’ve been trying to work up an article about what you need to bring to the range, a little check-list if you will. But I keep coming up with lists that are too long, or too complicated, or take a lot of time to explain.
I’ll break it down like this:
Every range trip, you need something to shoot with (a firearm), something to shoot (ammo), and something to shoot at (targets) the range is where you do this. Depending on your range you’ll need some protective equipment to protect you from noise, and possible stuff flying around: Safety Glasses and Hearing Protection (ear plugs or muffs, I recommend both).
Depending on what kind of range you’re going to, if it’s outdoor, some ranges have concessions, many don’t, pack a lunch, pack water and drinks, save the booze for the drive home. There are also usually fairly limited bathroom facilities, so this can mean nowhere to wash your hands before or after, bringing along some hand wipes, some fast orange, and some hand sanitizer can make that a bit more pleasant. Also, gives you the ability to wash your hands before eating, and when you’re packing up to leave.
If you’re a casual flat-range shooter type, you are probably familiar with all of the above. However, if you’re just starting out, or looking to turn it up a bit, lets hit on a few quick points:
- Build a range bag, include a small trauma kit in your range bag
- Get a shot-timer
- Go to the range with a plan – e.g. I’m going to shoot pistols at these targets at these distances
- Make your own props – Build your own target frames, make your frames so you can hang different targets (tennis balls are a great reusable pistol target)
- Take your friends with you and compete against each other
These are all things I have been doing for a very long time. I’m trying to do more and different things, and get more people to go with me. This is just a start.