Range Etiquette

[slackerisme]

Long story somewhat short.... I was at the range and when I arrived there are 3 guys from Michigan there. They called a cease fire to do some work downrange, so I put my rifle on safe, stood up and walked away from the firing line. I was then informed that I should have opened my bolt, so I said sure and racked it open. I then said, they should put that in the range rules, to which the MI man replied "well, it's just common sense."

Now his reply got me thinking. Why exactly is that common sense? Is my Remington 700 prone to self firing? Is the .300 Win Mag cartridge prone to self ignition? Is this one of the dangerous "assault weapons" that go around killing people all by themselves?

I understand that with the bolt open there is no possible chance of accidental firing, however I was away from the rifle. Short of burying the rifle in the ground behind the clubhouse, it could not have been safer. I looked for a range etiquette page that mentioned this. I also know that it is required to prove a cleared weapon in competition.

My questions are Was I in the wrong? and Why?

I have heard several people say "I always do it" that's not what I'm looking for.

 

[JetGirl]

I think in some range venues, it IS in the rules. Open chambers or chamber flags during a cease fire. I'd be inclined to think it might be in the written rules of the range you were at, too. Ask for a written copy and check it out for yourself.

 

[6birds]

I will say that it is "common" to the ranges , competitions, and hunting events that I frequent.

 

[Pami]

It is required at a lot of ranges.

It does make sense in that people can see at a glance that your weapon is unloaded and you're not going to sneak up and grab the gun and start shooting at them when their backs are turned. (You would have to at least load the gun first and give them two seconds to notice you moved).

From your perspective, I guess you'd see it more as a habit or common rule than common sense, and that makes sense. Maybe a courtesy?

Or, think of it from the Four Rules perspective. Treat every gun as if it's always loaded. Know your target and what's beyond it. Finger off the trigger until your sights are on target and you're ready to shoot. Never point the gun at something you're not willing to destroy. You never want to break any of those rules, but if you have to break any, you don't want to break more than one. Since the gun was pointed down range, and people were walking down range, it's a comfort for them (and you) to be able to see at a glance that the gun is actually unloaded.

 

[XMil]

Hows this? It is a good idea AND it should be spelled out in the rules.

 

[IndyGunSafety]

I'm an NRA Chief Range Safety Officer. The NRA teaches "ACTIONS OPEN" as part of the range going cold procedure.

I don't think it is common sense. I think it is something you must learn as part of safe gun handling. It is good practice. IMHO you should open your action when the range goes cold, and most ranges require this.

The rule on a cease fire is different. Unless there was imminent danger, THEY should NOT have called cease fire. CEASE FIRE is used when there is a safety issue. The rule there is: STOP SHOOTING, MUZZLE IN A SAFE DIRECTION, FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER, WAIT FOR RSO INSTRUCTIONS.

It sounds like there was no RSO, so once you determined there was no safety issue, actions should be opened and cleared prior to anyone calling the line safe or going down range.

Hows this? It is a good idea AND it should be spelled out in the rules.

Yes!

 

[VUPDblue]

At most ranges, this is the rule. At ranges where it is not expressly in the rules, it is the right thing to do because it is a good visual clue that the firearm is in it's "safest" position...

 

[femurphy77]

Ditto above, every range I've ever used (except the quarry) explicitly stated open bolts or chamber flags. Not necessarily a common sense item but learned behavior. I'm sure MI dude was just trying to impress you with his knowledge. I'm sure you were impressed. . . . .right?

 

[shooter521]

My questions are Was I in the wrong? and Why?

I'm not going to say right or wrong; not my place to judge. At every public range or gun club I've been to, the procedure for making the line safe includes unloading the gun and leaving the action open. But then, that has also been a part of the verbal or written range rules at those places, too.

 

[Fergy35]

Yep, part of the rules at our range. Actions open or chamber flags inserted. If nothing else, it is just a good practice for everyones sake.

 

[243rem700]

All of the ranges that I have been to that have ROs require actions open when going down range. I wouldn't call it common sense though. There is just less that would be possible to go wrong with a firearm if the action was open.

 

[Indecision]

I wouldn't go as far as to say common sense, but I would say that it's good habit and common courtesy. When I'm not shooting a firearm at a range, bolt is locked to the rear or the slide is locked back unless it's not an option. That's what they teach in the Army, so it's kinda second nature.

 

[kingnereli]

The range I use most often isn't as strict/structured as others. So, there isn't a precise procedure for going cold. I am personally quite comfortable if no one is handling a firearm regardless of the condition it is in. In fact, there it is most common for people to stand back from the shooting line when the range goes cold. If you aren't near a gun the position of the action is irrelevant. However, when in Rome do as the Romans. When I'm at a range with the explicit rule (obviously) or if I have reason to believe someone I am shooting with or beside is more comfortable with the actions open that is what I do.

 

[ihateiraq]

I wouldn't go as far as to say common sense, but I would say that it's good habit and common courtesy. When I'm not shooting a firearm at a range, bolt is locked to the rear or the slide is locked back unless it's not an option. That's what they teach in the Army, so it's kinda second nature.

the army also teaches you to pull the trigger at the clearing barrel. but locking the bolt back doesnt seem like a bad practice.

 

[Indecision]

the army also teaches you to pull the trigger at the clearing barrel. but locking the bolt back doesnt seem like a bad practice.

That was only in basic (at least for me), and I think it's because if there's going to be an ND, they would rather have it there than in someone's chest. In my unit, we just use a buddy clearing system now, no pulling the trigger.

 

[Beau]

I don't see it as common sense. More of a feel good rule. If the range goes cold you put your firearm down. Or put it in a case or your holster. How can unloading and leaving the action open make it any safer? If the range is cold do not touch your firearm. Whether it is unloaded or not. Seems safe to me.

 

[ihateiraq]

That was only in basic (at least for me), and I think it's because if there's going to be an ND, they would rather have it there than in someone's chest. In my unit, we just use a buddy clearing system now, no pulling the trigger.

MND-N instituted the buddy clearing and the trigger pull at the barrel. i always looked at it like this- if you dont pull the trigger, it wont fire. if someone is stupid enough to leave a round in their weapon after mission, they are stupid enough to find a way to get one in there on accident any other time. i just prayed that anyone who had a nd put it into their own dome, and not mine.

 

[kludge]

Yes, In a normal situation "Open Bolt" is required before anyone can go downrange, and IndyGunSafety pretty much said it.

I'm an NRA Chief Range Safety Officer. The NRA teaches "ACTIONS OPEN" as part of the range going cold procedure.

I don't think it is common sense. I think it is something you must learn as part of safe gun handling. It is good practice. IMHO you should open your action when the range goes cold, and most ranges require this.

The rule on a cease fire is different. Unless there was imminent danger, THEY should NOT have called cease fire. CEASE FIRE is used when there is a safety issue. The rule there is: STOP SHOOTING, MUZZLE IN A SAFE DIRECTION, FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER, WAIT FOR RSO INSTRUCTIONS.

It sounds like there was no RSO, so once you determined there was no safety issue, actions should be opened and cleared prior to anyone calling the line safe or going down range.

At DCC (no RSO on duty) our rule is if "CEASE FIRE" is called it's fingers off triggers, guns on the bench, step away from the bench. Assess the situation and go from there, and COMMUNICATE.

We don't want people trying to unload if there is an emergency downrange as it adds stress to the situation. We just want the guns on the bench and the people not touching them.

When it is safe to do so, then the command can be given "Make the line safe. Magazines out. Actions open."

IMO, as IndyGunSafety said, this was a misuse of the cease fire command.

Our procedure is this:

"Ready on the line?" or "Ready?" (Everybody check downrange, everybody check eyes and ears. Now is your chance to say, "No, Wait!")

"The line is hot." (Now OK to handle firearms, take them out of cases, put them into cases, load, and shoot.)

"Clear?" (Indicates that someone wants to go down range, you do not need to stop firing if you're not ready, but remember to be polite to others who want to change targets, etc. Everyone on the line must repeat back "Clear" when they have removed the magazine, opened the action, and checked the chamber.)

"The line is cold." (Do not handle any gun for any reason while the line is cold. Wait until the line is "hot" if you want to case or uncase your gun, or move it to the rack.)

When everyone is back on the firing line, it repeats, starting with "Ready?"

 

[TripleL]

As soon as I hear the whistle and "the line is cold", I take out the mag, lock the slide back on the pistol I've just shot (if it's not open, yet) and make sure all the others that I have on the table are in the same condition...and then I walk away. It just makes sense to me.

 

[Pale Rider]

That was only in basic (at least for me), and I think it's because if there's going to be an ND, they would rather have it there than in someone's chest. In my unit, we just use a buddy clearing system now, no pulling the trigger.

I don't think i can count the number of ND's we had at basic with blanks. Guys would go to the barrel and instead pulling back the charging handle would just pull the trigger then start the clearing process...