Range Recon Blog – All about gun ranges, shooting sports, and more

Quantified Performance “A Weekend in the Arena” Long Range Gas Gun Match

We headed out to Blakely Georgia for Quantified Performances “A Weekend in the Arena” long range gas gun match for the fourth time last weekend. There was some concern the hurricane might dampen the fun. And the thought of shooting targets at distance, in rain, in hurricane force winds only sounded fun for a second. The storm passed and it turned out perfect shooting weather.

We arrived at the Arena Training Facility on Friday. This is the day you go to the unknown distance range to sight in your guns on the 100 yard targets. With plenty of targets stretching out to around 2500 yards, more than a few people took shoots at the longer distances. Everyone making those last minutes checks on their guns and equipment to make sure everything is dialed in for the match. Fridays before the match are great. Pros are out mingling with amateur shooters going over equipment and generally just jaw jacking about shooting stuff. Jeremy Tye was out on the zero line helping out and spotting for people. It’s not often you get a shooter of that caliber hanging out helping folks zero guns. It’s really pretty cool. He was also pimping some or the sponsors gear, Kahles and Swarovski optics. Scopes, Binos and Spotting Scopes. Pretty sweet prize table stuff at this one.

As people clear off the zero range they tend to head back to the clubhouse of the Arena or the cabin areas. Beers are cracked, BBQ smells replace the smell of gunpowder for the night. Personally, I don’t know which I like more! The comradery is a great thing to be around. Friends who haven’t seen each other in a while joke, tell stories and reminisce. New shooters who venture out are brought into the fold. It’s really one of the friendliest groups you can find at any match. Drinking tends to be light Friday night, but the good times are not.

The food is great and beers go down easy. If the guys at Tbox Barrels and Sgt of Arms ever want too, they could probably start a pretty strong BBQ joint.

Saturday morning starts early. This year of the Corona virus, the match is officially eight events. We all group up in our respective squa………event areas and get a quick talk from Ash and Eddie. The safety brief was digital due to restrictions and we all watched it on our home devices prior to showing up. It was kind of a disappointment as Jack has given some seriously entertaining safety briefs in the past. I think most of us look forward to them. It’s quite a privilege rubbing elbows and getting the opportunity to shoot with guys of this caliber.

We were event 1. Our first shot of the day was a thousand-yard target, then eight hundred and finishing up with five hundred from the prone position. Easy peasy, right? In past QP matches, the thousand-yard shot was a bonus shot. Hell, you even got a certificate for hitting it. Nope, not this time, not any more buddy. It’s time to put your big boy pants on and let her rip. Ash informed us the matches would become more challenging as time went on. He did not lie. (Or his printer broke) What a way to get the butterflies out.

Tyler and Scott were on our squad and I have to say it was a great learning opportunity watching them shoot. You can not understand how good these guys are until you shoot with them. Watching the foot work, how they hold the gun and the positioning they use to achieve stability is highly educational but annoyingly difficult to replicate. If you pay attention to the good guys it’s a great way to learn and improve, and there wasn’t a shortage of great shooters at the match. By our last stage Tyler and Scott let it rip. I think most of the guys were caught off guard, stunned even. What the f@&k just happened? Tyler said “I figured I would try and go fast on this one” as he walked off. He did, it was hard to believe how fast he went.

There were a couple groups who showed up in force. Sgt of Arms with Tbox Barrels, Sons of Liberty Gun Works and the Hood Rats of Title 2 manufacturing had their crews out there. Learned some cool stuff about the hood rats. Seems like they really press innovation over there. One of the guys developed his own round and shot it in the match. Who would have thought Cameron Hays would have pulled 7^th place with his new 6mm CHyeetA (soon to be HAZE) . Probably a lot, dude can shoot.

Jack and Ash did a great job with the stages. There was a good mix of long range and “short” and fast. One of the most talked about stages was in honor of Russell Norman. The one armed dude who shoots with us. Five targets at 250 yards, shot at a total of fifteen times, one handed, using a 55 gallon barrel as a rest. Reloading was tricky. If you had to reach for and wound up touching the gun, or the prop, or the bag, you timed out and missed all the targets you hadn’t already shot. I think our level of respect for what Russell Norman does easily went up another couple notches.

Jeremy Ty was there ROing the stage dedicated his buddy Bill Guesman. All the RO’s were great, but he was probably the best RO out there. I’m sure a lot of folks would like him to continue his RO responsibilities at the next match. Not really for the tremendous job he did, but it would leave more stuff on the prize table. This was definitely one of the more challenging stages, as he said his buddy Bill would have liked it. Hope to see you ROing next time Jeremy!!

One of my favorites was the last stage. Starting with a relaxed siting position. Feet kicked up on the table and all. We shot at five targets at around three hundred yards from two positions on the porch. It was pretty cool and in todays political climate, it just seemed fitting!!

The trailer stage is always a challenge. Trying to go fast, but not fast enough to make the trailer move. More than one of the shooters I’m sure would like some revenge on that thing. It’s one of those stages that looks really easy until you get up there. Should I shoot it left handed or risk getting my butt up on the edge and risk making it move more? Do I walk slowly or get into position quickly and hope it doesn’t move to much? And you have the guys that make it look easy.

Scott Peterson with the Army Marksmanship Unit

Ash was out and about talking it up with all the shooters. It’s a pretty big deal when him and Jack come by to shoot the shit with everyone. Kind of gives you that warm and fussy feeling, like you are special or something. They do a pretty great job of having little chit chats with everyone there. Checking in to see how people are liking the match and getting feedback. If you were wondering, there will never be a pistol stage at this match. Fairly sure Ash set that in stone this weekend, for me anyway.

After the match everyone goes back to the office to talk about the match and have some beers while waiting for the scores to be tabulated. As expected, the AMU guys kicked butt. Tom Fuller with Armageddon Gear donated a Numero Uno we shot off to the person who won the stage.

Tyler Payne with the Army Marksmanship Unit.

Just happened to be Tyler Payne who used magic on that stage. For the short time I’ve been around the long range sport shooting, I have to say Armageddon Gear does a amazing job supporting it. All of the sponsors for this match threw in some super nice stuff, and we all appreciate them for it. This time around, the prizes were really freaking nice for the guys who placed toward the top.

Saturday night the BBQs were raging again. The alcohol flows a little more freely on Saturday night with people not as concerned with the next days performance. This leads to great stories and that unique brand of humor you find with groups like this.

Only thing missing from the nights festivities was the AXE throwing. Eddie was out checking on everyone and the owner of Arena even stopped by to say hello. It’s an amazing group of people who make all this happen.

Sunday morning there is more opportunity to learn the craft. The AMU shooters put on a Q&A for all of us mere mortals. I’m sure folks learned a ton having their ears for that time. Cameron Hays brought up some basic reloading equipment and was in the clubhouse putting on a reloading class for any who wanted to attend. Sponsors were out letting guys check out their equipment and the entire range was open for those who wanted to re-shoot the stage they didn’t get quite right. Or they just learned some new stuff and got a chance to immediately apply it to the stage that got the best of them, or the stage they thought could go a little faster.

If you take advantage of everything this weekend has to offer, I don’t think there are many other places you can walk away with so much, if not prizes, a really good time and certainly the satisfaction of knowing you learned some things, and will be a better shooter because of it. This idea was put together by Ash Hess and Jack Leuba who started Quantified Performance. They’ve done a damn good job making it a reality! If you own a range or know a range owner, Ash and Jack would like to spread this format around the country. Give them a shout. They will even help fill the event. This one sold out in days!!

Thank you to the match sponsors who continue to help grow the sport:

Forward Controls Design

Sons Of Liberty Gun Works

Tactical Brass Recovery

BlackPoint Tactical

Blackhound Optics

Liberty’s Defense

The lasting effects of training

So I had a convo today that set me thinking to day & dreaming about the good ole days. The convo was normal enough, a guy mentioned shooting steel case ammo. I thought about how I shot a bunch of steel case in a class long ago.

Once upon a time, back in the heart of the GWOT, I was a young Swat officer looking for good training. I found a course a couple hours away I wanted to take badly. There was a retired police sniper who ran a really nice facility that had an 8 year contract with the Feds to train contractor SDMs and snipers going over seas, lots of which came from a little company called Triple Canopy.

At the time I was an entry team guy and really wanted to get better with my issued M4 and Eotech holosight. I signed up for a week long Tactical Carbine Employment class. The training budget at work was tight so I ended up footing a lot of the cost myself, but I was single and Gung Ho as they came at the time. I did however balk a bit at the required round count. It was shockingly high. So to save some pennies I bought a couple thousand Hornady Steel case 5.56.

It was dirty burning ammo but shot surprisingly well for its intended purpose in that 14.5” Colt. At the course I ended up being buddies with a stocky, friendly Hispanic guy from some OGA/contract company with a lot of initials in it. He had some really nice kit but a couple days in his rifle optic started giving him some issues which surprised me. Tony explained that he had flown in and the rifle was actually a loaner pulled from the armory at Fed headquarters in Dallas. Tony could flat burn it down in CQB stuff though. I couldn’t keep up. But talking to him, CQB and working the “Narco Belt” in South America was his area of expertise. He came hoping to work on his long range before his next trip.

We got the chance mid week. There was a 6 story tower on the range overlooking a UKD area that went at least 1200 yards with a mock town and cut outs of tanks and technicals with insurgent targets scattered about. (Cool shit right?)

It was on that tower that events occurred that would ripple through my shooting for years to come.

We were up there engaging targets out to 500 yards. Even though I was shooting steel case through a hand me down & pretty stock 14.5” Colt M4 with an old N battery Eotech & resting my 30 round mag on the deck, I was wearing targets out at distance. I figured out my holds pretty quick, I turned the brightness level as low as I could stand it to minimize dot bloom and get the smallest 1moa center dot I could and just went to slaying steel on demand.

The instructor saw this and pulled me to the side. He told the other guys to continue with something or other but he and I moved over to get a direct line on some real distance. He set up his spotting scope, pulled up a chair and said “I want to try something. You see that torso target on the tree line?” I strained a bit to peer out where he pointed. There was indeed a grayish white spec on the horizon at the base of the trees. He said he wanted me to shoot it. I thought he was crazy. It was waaaay out there. He gave me a SWAG (Scientific Wild Ass Guess) on where to hold that amounted to “3/4 of the way up such and such tree is a funky branch, start there.” I sent a round or 2, he gave me a correction or 2 and before you know it he called “impact”. Then “reengage” and once again “impact.” He nudged my foot and I looked back. He was a very serious dude of pretty few words but he was smiling pretty big. After that he told me some stuff about how even tough the setup I had wasn’t designed for that distance, it was more about the Indian than the bow. That was a proud moment for me, and to this day I carry an affinity for accurate gas guns and shooting farther with them than is commonly thought possible. That’s far from the only thing I picked up in that class but it was a big one.

Funny thing was several years later I got to return. This time as part of my team’s pair of Snipers in an advanced sniper course. There had also been a couple admin changes at my department. My new Chief and that retired Sniper had worked at the same agency many years before. I could tell there was some water under that bridge but a lingering professional respect was present. When I got back to my agency I got called in the Chief’s office. (That’s a lot like being called in the principal’s office at school. You start wondering what you’re going to get chewed out for as soon as your name is called).

So I walked in a little anxious. The Chief looked up and said “I got an email about you” (ohhh shit, here we go)

But instead of the ass chewing I was expecting he said the email called my partner and I real assets to the department and some of, if not the best, police snipers that had ever come through there.

I figured we’d done alright, we passed every qual he could come up with on the first attempt (which he said was rare) and my partner had shot something like a 198/200 on the Long range qual with me helping call wind for him. If we had one, I’d say our weakness was the stalks. I wish I’d trained on that more.

So what course has had the biggest effect on you?

PRO TIP: SCOPE RINGS

How often do you torque your scope rings? When the temperature changes it can cause metal to shrink or expand. The metal on your scope tube is thin & different materials have different rates of thermal expansion, your rings may be aluminum, steel, maybe magnesium this can cause a variance. This paired with normal bumps or vibrations a rifle & optic is subjected to riding in the truck or being in the field can loosen things over time. Every time you zero you should check torque prior. If you are hunting it might not be a bad idea to let that scope acclimate for a while before throwing it in your truck and torque it down before you hit the road. It could mean the difference between a great shot and a “how in the hell did I miss that” Same if you are traveling to a big match.

There are a lot of great torque wrenches out there which can fit nicely into your range or hunting bag. Vortex makes a nice torque screwdriver and Fix It Sticks are great kits you can even use with drivers most of us have laying around the house.

PRO TIP: Water Test

If you reload do you water test your ammo? Some might ask, How do you water test your ammo? When you are at the range with a chronograph get some data on your ammo. Then fill a magazine with rounds and pour a full bottle of water into the magazine. Let the water drain out and fire that wet ammo through the chronograph. Did the velocity change? Did your brass or primers show any signs of pressure? If even small amounts of water gets in between the case and the chamber walls it can cause additional pressure when the powder goes off. It’s a hydraulic effect. Meaning it takes up space and doesn’t compress. That’s the same reason they use hydraulic fluid in big equipment like forklifts and loaders. Pressures in our chambers are very important and need to remain consistent if you want the gun to run and shoot well. If pressures change the. outcomes can be significant. If your ammo is already loaded hot this can cause problems like pierced primers, unseated primers, case separation which can result in broken firing pins. It can also cause your velocity to change & thus your flight path to change. You can’t always keep water completely off everything. Make sure you leave yourself some cushion. Probably even a good idea with factory ammo.

Clay’s Cartridge Company Classic PRS match

Great weekend shooting at the Clay’s Cartridge Company Classic PRS match. Got my butt kicked as expected. I was shooting a Tikka T3X Tact A1 with a Vortex 4-27 Razor HD Scope. Really great equipment, but it’s amazing how high these guys set the bar. Small, far targets in cold 25 MPH winds and then rain. Some of the gusts might have reached 35ish MPH. Targets were 8- 10″ circles and 10″? squares going out to 8 or 9 hundred yards. They did have a few IPSC targets. Not many. When we showed up the targets were painted black. I haven’t seen this before, but I would assume to add another layer of difficulty? I think they also had an orange target, but if I remember right it was in a area with orange dirt. A black target in the shade of a brush pile can be challenging to find under pressure in a scope. By the end they were mostly all grey.

Lots of cool barricades to shoot off. This is one of the areas I need a lot of practice. Sorry neighbors if you soon see me with a gun on my fence or a tank trap popping up in the back yard.

Raining Hard. Take a look at the white tape in the background!

Learned a lot. Wind calls are HARD. Changing wind calls while you are shooting is HARDER. The affect the wind has on your ability to aim when you are hit with gusts on a barricade is surprising. 100 fps can have a significant effect on how a bullet flies. That goes back to my reloading and testing. How to keep you equipment running well when the conditions fill your gun with dirt. Little tricks to keep your scope clear in the rain. How water can potentially affect your gun, ammo and velocity. There are so many variables that go into shooting well. All need to line up to be competitive at one of these events. It takes LEGIT training and LOTS of experience to get there.

A big thanks to Chase Lions and Eric Lee with Sgt of Arms for sharing so much knowledge and making the trip a great one. Both of whom did well taking 1st and 2nd in the gas gun division! I really need to get one of those Sgt of Arms guns.

Ashton shooting off a pipe fence. Shooters bags needed to touch the white paint.

Met some great shooters and awesome people. A fifteen year old girl, Ashton Glasscock, in my squad kicked my butt!! And when I say kicked my butt, she smoked me. It was really cool watching her shoot and adapt to barricades she could barley reach. Super smooth and exuding confidence. All of this while babysitting two or three of a shooters kids. Amazing. #Kidgoals. My daughters really need to meet her!!

The family putting on the match, owners of Clay’s Cartridge Company, did an amazing job. Saturday lunch was some of the best BBQ I’ve ever had. Sunday dinner was Prime Rib (I’m pretty sure it was off their ranch) with the best green beans I have ever tasted. All the sponsors were great and the prize table was overflowing with great prizes. Surprisingly I walked away with a $100 MAGPUL bi-pod. All in all it was a great weekend. Very challenging but rewarding.

Back to school- Long Range lvl2

I got to spend this past weekend going back to school. It had been a while since I attended a structured course. This past shooting season it became apparent that I needed some outside help to keep progressing. To do so I signed up for the Level 2 Long Range class with Sgt. Of Arms.

I’ve been shooting with the owner Eric for a while, we are both precision gasser guys and he builds some great ones as well as directing a number of matches at Triple C range in Cresson Texas. At the first Quantified Performance match at Arena Training in Georgia I caught up with Eric & he introduced me to Jeff W. Jeff ended up 3rd overall at that match, when we returned for this past Weekend in the Arena, Jeff won it outright. I was in his squad and got to watch the impressive execution. After seeing his capabilities, when I was told about his instructing and a little of his background, I decided right then I would be in the next class.

Finally on a beautiful December morning I rolled over the cattle guard, past longhorns under a pinkish sunrise to assemble on the range near where west Texas begins.
For this particular class you needed Lvl 1 first or a mil/Leo sniper course under your belt, a 1moa capable rifle, magnified optic with exposed turrets, a kestrel with ballistic solver and 250 rounds of match ammo.

We wasted no time getting rolling & started off on rows of 3/4” dots at 100 yards. It quickly became apparent that Jeff is a data driven person. We tested how our rifles reacted to various types of input. We checked scope tracking and deflection. We chronographed our ammo & trued our ballistic solvers on targets at distance. Jeff was full of knowledge on the why as various rifles, optics and accessories reacted certain ways. It was very enlightening to hear the science behind some of the products and methods I was familiar with. We returned to the flat range for a bit and I got really humbled by some of those 100 yard 3/4” dots this time as we ran a challenging series drills with some time pressure as well as getting on and off the gun repeatedly. Lunch was amazingly good barbecue right there on the range.

We spent some time really studying wind, terrain and the indicators available to us as well as a good bit more shooting. There was a little class room time late in the day as we went through some data analysis running examples of calibers, cartridges, chasing widgets and what factors have the most influence on hit probability.

The next day was mostly a mix between shooting positions and wind. A thorough breaking down and refining of the positional shooting you’ll see in most tactical matches was performed. Including how to navigate various common props and stages. Improvements were made in efficiency as a timer was utilized a lot. Then as the wind picked up conditions were perfect and we made the best of it by hitting the real long range lanes to refine our wind reading. I was really happy with the progress made. A personal highlight was being able to achieve a first round impact on a 3moa plate at 1404 yards in 12-16 mph wind with my JP enterprises 6.5 Creedmoor & Leupold optic. By the end I was hitting even small targets inside 1200 yards if not always on the first shot then the second consistently. Good progress was made on my time management as well. I felt like I got exactly what I needed from the course and had a blast doing it.

Signed NS

A Weekend In The Arena

Got to shoot a match this past weekend. Super excited to shoot a gun at The Arena Training Facility since the last time I only took a camera. Left the house around 5:45 Friday morning. Once I got on the highway the car started vibrating. Picked up Chase Lions and we proceeded to start the Aggie tire change after determining we couldn’t drive 11 hours in massage chairs. The very last tire we put the spare on was the culprit. Must have broken a steel belt. After an hour at Discount Tire we were back on the road. Talked a lot about shooting and life on the way. Listened to some motivational stuff. Chase put a ton of emphasis on preparation. A missed turn and close to 14 hours in the car (close to 16 for me) we arrived in Blakely GA. Chase Lions was navigating by the way! We get to the range early Saturday morning. Figured I could get my gun zeroed and a little data on ammo the day before, as I expected to get there in time. Preparation was lacking. Tried to rush a quick fix to no avail. I need to listen to Chase more. Thankfully Chase brought a backup for me to shoot. A “backup gun” that has apparently served this purpose in the past. Got squaded up and gotta say it was a hella fun squad. We had a barrel maker Brandon Haas from T Box Barrel Company, a guy that makes one hell of a precision rifle Eric Lee with SGT OF ARMS. The one he made won the match with the barrel makers barrel I might add, with a little help from Jeff Williams. Some guy who does some evaluating and testing or something for some branch of the military. We had a dude who is simply amazing in his ability to overcome and kick ass no matter how heavy of a gun he is lugging around. An ex swat sniper. A bullet maker and a bunch of other guys that made for one of the coolest matches. Jeff Williams antics and personality were a joy to behold. Might be the least serious, laid back group I have shot with. That is until they started shooting, and dammit they can shoot. They taunted and played off each other in a way that makes it impossible not to have a good time. Kind of stuff where you are thinking, man this group should be in a sitcom. (It would have to be on late night cable). Just watching I learned a ton. Got some great advice on fixes to the gun I didn’t get to shoot. Got some great advice on positioning and stance as well as wind. I even learned about the Dallas Dick from a guy out of Pennsylvania. Didn’t know it had one. The stages ran from 100 yards out to 1000. Shooting off all types of obstacles. On one stage shooting through all types of obstacles. It was meant to be a match which challenged guys with the bigger 6.5s or similar, and the smaller 556. Stages were set up to put them on a more level playing field. I think they did a pretty good job of accomplishing that. All these guys shot great and most of all had a great time.. I think. Ash Hess, Jack Leuba of Quantified Performance and Arena Training Facility put on a tremendous match which ran very smoothly start to finish. The prize table was overflowing with goodies. Everyone who shot got something. I came in 55th out of 80 and actually won a prize!! Went to dinner after and got to talk to a bunch of other shooters including the Extreme Long Range group. They cleared up some misconceptions I had on the sport. Apparently you don’t just aim at the sky and pull the trigger until you hit something. Who Knew. Had dinner with Jeremy Tye who was there helping to celebrate the life of one of his buddies, Bill Guesman, who passed this year. As it turns out I had dinner with Bill the last time I attended a match at the Arena. Super nice and well respected guy that everyone seemed to know and like. A stage was dedicated to him with a plaque all the winners of that stage in the future will have their names engraved upon. When the plaque fills up, it will be sent to his wife. Super cool memorial and a great way to have his memory live on. Can I say again how cool this shooting community is. After dinner it was back to the cabin area for a little AX throwing, drinking and general bullshitery. Found out I might be a better AX thrower than shooter. I even gained a new perspective on hunting from the group. Normally I look for areas 1-2 hundred yards. If I could confidently hit a target at 800-1000 yards would that change how I looked at my hunting plan. Hell yes it would, and in hindsight it would have presented so many more opportunities. We apparently made it back to the hotel and bed at some point. All in all it was a great weekend. And it was a real privilege to meet so many great people and unbelievable shooters. You can see a video of what the match was like @
https://www.facebook.com/RangeRecon/videos/406234733610644/?view_public_for=383862722153005

RangeRecon.com
sgtofarms.com
https://www.tbox-barrels.com/
https://www.arenatrainingfacility.com/
https://www.facebook.com/QuantifiedPerformanceLLC/

Don’t Go It Alone

Burglar alarm at a church came out zero dark thirty one night a couple months ago. I didn’t normally answer a lot of those anymore and I wasn’t real thrilled about getting out in wet freezing temps but I happened to be rolling around within a stones throw from it so I check up and whip in the parking lot. I’m well ahead of any back up unit but I proceed to walk the perimeter and check doors and out buildings alone.

As I reach the back of the building I notice dark alcoves and external but enclosed stairwells. My John Wayne saunter starts to fade as I recall the rookie that got killed in my neighborhood as a kid when he split from his FTO and went around back of a feed store alone on just such a call. Then I thought of the local cop a year or two ago that was knocked unconscious behind a grocery store answering an alarm alone. I consider even the Lone Ranger had Tonto and Batman had Robin. I check up a bit and just about this time my second unit rolls up and immediately calls out that a guy in a black hoodie is running out from the shadows behind me. The perp has the jump and the chase is on. Straight into the pitch black flooded woods and underbrush we crash.

The perp dumps his flashlight and manages to break contact quickly. The terrain plays to his short term advantage but I get a good perimeter set and have K9 and air support pretty quick tonight. With a little time to shiver & consider his odds in the freezing swamp while the sound of helo circles and the land shark announces his enthusiasm as we close in the perp starts yelling that he doesn’t want to get bit and comes crawling to us.

Then to top it off A couple hours later I get a call from a friend.

I’d spent some time a little over a year ago lending my ear to a brother from my friend’s agency. Not everyday you answer a welfare concern on a peer in a motel room. Of course he knew what not to say but I got a vibe that I couldn’t shake. Went back later even to check on him a second time. In the end listen, empathize & make some calls to ensure people in his circle knew that things didn’t feel right was about all I could do. Apparently it just delayed the ultimate outcome. It took nearly a year but He eventually took his own life. I hope he found peace on the other side.

I guess my point here is that there is more to survival than cold steel and skill. Don’t face the world without back up if you don’t have to.

Signed NS

http://www.copline.org/

http://www.badgeoflife.org

Pro Tip for Long Range Shooters

If there are any in here thinking about getting into rifle competition.
I saw an AAR somewhere that made me think of this.

I’ve had this card on my rifle nearly 2 years.

Ash Hess talks about shot process, one of the best pieces of advice I have received (thanks Ryan Hey maker of lists) is to develop a stage process. One of the easier things to change to improve your performance is to minimize the little mental errors and hiccups.

Check your turrets. Make sure your magnification and parallax are set for first engagement.

Do not have an empty mag or a mag with less rounds than is required for the stage on your person. (You will inevitably grab it if you do)

Find your targets ahead of time, confirm distances.
(I’ve seen more than one match book be wrong)

A marker you can see with the naked eye to keep you oriented for far targets eliminates a bunch of hunting in a zoomed scope. (Big time saver)

When dialing or holding multiple ranges always double check your math.

Little hiccups add up, try to visualize a smooth execution. You need to have seen it a time or 2 in your head before that buzzer scrambles the eggs.

This is the best advice I can give as a mediocre shooter. Maybe create your own list, this is just mine & a direct result of mistakes I’ve made.

First Trip to the Shooting Range: Tips for the First Time Shooter

Slightly less than one-third of Americans (31 percent) have never fired a gun. Are you part of this group?

Many people who lack experience with a gun want to learn, they’re just not sure how to go about it.

If you’re interested in learning to fire a gun, it’s best to learn at a shooting range. It’s a safe place where you can learn from professionals and get comfortable handling a gun.

Your first trip to the shooting range can be a bit nerve-wracking. If you keep these tips in mind, though, you’ll be sure to have a great experience.

Learn Basic Range Etiquette

Before you head to the shooting range, it’s important to familiarize yourself with basic range etiquette.

The following are some essential practices you need to engage whenever you’re at the shooting range:

Read the range’s rules online before you arrive
Always assume that all guns are loaded
Remove your finger from the trigger as soon as you’re finished shooting
Never point your gun at anything other than the target
Always leave the safety catch on when you’re not shooting
Show respect for the range officer

Remember to never touch anyone else’s equipment, either.

Get Familiar with Range Commands

A range officer is an individual who’s responsible for making sure everyone is safe and following the rules of the range. From time to time, they may call out certain commands.

The following are some of the most common commands you might hear from them:

Cease Fire

This command means that everyone must stop shooting immediately. The range officer usually calls out this command.

Anyone can use it, though, if they see unsafe conditions on the range. When you’ve heard the cease fire command, you should totally avoid touching or handling your firearm.

Make Safe

When you hear this command, you need to apply safeties, holster your firearm, and remove your finger from the trigger of your gun. It’s all about making sure the area is safe for everyone else.

Range Going Hot

This means that live fire is about to start. When you hear this command, keep listening. The command to commence firing will come soon after.

Commence Fire

When you’re told to commence fire, this means you’re allowed to disengage the safety on your weapon and begin firing. Always listen carefully for this command before you start firing.

Range is Cold

This command means that live fire has ceased. When you hear this, wait for the range officer to tell you that you can check or change your target.

Bring a Friend

It’s a good idea to bring a friend with you for your first trip to the shooting range.

You won’t be able to do a lot of socializing, but having a familiar face there with you can help you feel more at ease. You’ll also have someone to talk to after about how cool your experience was!

Plan Your Outfit Ahead of Time

You don’t need to dress to the nines to go to the shooting range, but you should think about your outfit.

Most people prefer to wear long sleeves and pants to the shooting range, especially if they’re going to an outdoor range.

Be sure to wear clothing that can get dirty, too.

It’s a good idea to avoid wearing low-cut shirts, and wear close-toed shoes as well.

Don’t be Ashamed of Being a Beginner

Whether you arrive alone or choose to go with a friend, don’t be afraid to let the people who work at the range know that you’re a beginner.

There’s no shame in it, and everyone else who’s there was a beginner at some point.

If you let them know that you’re new to shooting, you’ll be able to get some extra guidance and tips on how you can get the most out of the experience.

Don’t be Afraid to Ask for Help

Speaking of tips and guidance, don’t be afraid to ask for help, either.

No matter how prepared you are, you still might have questions or feel lost. The sooner you ask for help, the sooner you can start improving.

Remember, the folks who work at the range are there to help you out. All you have to do is ask.

Pack Your Bag Properly

Make sure you have everything you need before you leave for the range. In your bag, you should include the following items:

Your firearm and ammunition (unless you’re going to rent from the range)
Ear and eye protection
Targets (if the range allows you to bring your own)

You don’t need much to have a successful trip to the range. You should make sure you at least have these necessities, though.

Always Wear Protection

Ear protection is essential when you’re at the shooting range.

Millions of Americans are at risk of losing their hearing from the loud noises created by firearms—don’t be one of them.

Be sure to bring a pair of shooting glasses to protect your eyes, too.

If you don’t have these things, you can likely buy them at the range. It’s more cost-effective to bring your own, though.

Clean Up After Yourself

Finally, don’t forget to clean up after yourself when you’re finished for the day.

Take your targets down and pick up brass casings on the floor in or around your lane. Don’t forget to throw away your trash, too, and return all equipment to its original place.

Be sure to wash your hands and face when you’re done, too. This will get rid of lead and gunpowder residue.

Find a Shooting Range Near You Today

Now that you know more about how to behave and what to expect from your trip to the shooting range, are you ready to go?

Do you know where the nearest shooting range is located?

If you’ve never been to the shooting range and need help finding one near you, be sure to check out our free search tool today.

We make it easier than ever for you to find ranges in your area.

We also have filters so you can find specific types of gun ranges and learn about the different amenities they offer! You can find everything you need in one convenient location.