Shooting range

A shooting 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 at a shooting range.

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.

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 additionally often available at shooting ranges for interested parties.

Where shooting ranges are located

In urban areas, most shooting ranges will be at indoor facilities. Similarly, in less-populated areas, shooting ranges are often at outdoor facilities.

Outdoor range activities

Moving Target practice (e.g., skeet)
Stationary Target practice

Outdoor shooting ranges usually are backed by a sandbagged barrier or specially-designed funnel-shaped traps to prevent bullets from ricocheting back at the shooters. Most outdoor ranges additionally restrict the maximum caliber size, or have separate ranges devoted to use for higher-powered firearms and airguns.

Indoor range activities

Stationary Target practice

Indoor ranges usually have a back wall with a sloped earthen berm or bank, with re-inforced baffles additionally situated along the roof and side walls. Ventilation is carefully controlled to pull smoke and lead particles away from the shooting line, and to exhaust them from the building. Modern ranges also usually 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 magnum calibers, or the use of fully-automatic weapons.

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 safety goggles as well as hearing protection (ear muffs or ear plugs) at all times when within the defined boundaries of the range.

Likewise, the rules of the appointed supervisory personnel are to be followed at all times.