Shooting ranges in the United States

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Main article: Shooting range

There are many shooting ranges in the United States open to the public, both indoor and outdoor. Usually, both privately owned guns or rental guns rented from the shooting range may be used, although there are some public ranges (relatively few) that only permit their own leased guns to be used. Those that only permit their own leased guns are most often those few ranges catering to international tourists in major tourist destinations (e.g., Orlando, FL, etc.) Usually, there is adequate instruction of rental guns at shooting ranges by a range master or other individual to enable easily learning any rental gun in just a few minutes. Each shooting range facility in the United States is typically overseen by one or more range master(s) to ensure gun safety rules are stringently followed at all times.

Specialized classes and licenses

Typically, no license or advanced training beyond just gun familiarization (for rental guns) and range rules familiarization is usually required for using a shooting range in the United States; the only common requirement is that the shooter must be at least 18 or 21 years old (or have a legal guardian present), and must sign a waiver prior to shooting.

Self-defense classes are also usually available for a fee at shooting ranges, covering gun use in much more detail.

Some states additionally permit anyone to obtain a concealed carry license upon taking a short course, and shooting ranges often schedule such classes, usually on a Saturday. For example, in Florida, the typical cost for a 4 hour long CCW course is $35-50, covering in-class lectures, the taking of 2 passport style photos, and assistance with filling out the paperwork, and the fee for going to the shooting range and firing an actual gun, after which one has all the necessary paperwork and training certificates needed to apply to the state, pay a fee of $117, and obtain a CCW license within a few months. By reciprocity, such a CCW license is recognized in over 30 states for Florida non-residents, and in 37 states for Florida residents. Similar reciprocity agreements exist with nearly all CCW licenses from all states that issue them.

Where shooting ranges are located

Most cities in the United States with a population of 50,000 or more have one or more public-access shooting ranges. Exceptions include cities in the states of Hawaii, California, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, and Washington, DC, all known for gun control policies in general, where the numbers of ranges may be only one for every few hundred thousand people, or none at all.

Throughout much of the rest of the United States, especially in areas where the dominant side of the gun politics debate leans towards gun rights, and where no license is usually required to own a handgun or rifle or shotgun, and there is often no requirement even to show any identification prior to buying ammo, the typical number of ranges approaches one for every 15,000 to 25,000 people.

Of particular interest to international tourists interested in public-access shooting ranges in the United States while on holiday, especially gun-friendly states include Kentucky, Nevada, Tennessee, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Arizona, and Utah, among others. All of these typically have public-access shooting ranges with rental guns available at a very modest fee. Ammo costs for rental guns varies, of course, but 9mm Luger (usually the cheapest service caliber round) is often available for around $11 per 100 at Wal-mart, or slightly higher ($13-14) at most public-access shooting ranges. Costs of .22LR cartridges often run less than $0.02 per round.

Private or restricted-access shooting ranges are also owned and used by police departments, private companies, private membership shooting clubs, and the military for qualification and/or continued firearms practice and training. These private ranges typically have more-specialized features not seen in public ranges (e.g., large caliber rifle, fully automatic weapons ranges, etc.)

There are several types of shooting ranges, each catering to different classes of firearms, and meeting different needs. Some are inside buildings; others are outdoors and cover many acres.

Outdoor ranges

On a shotgun or trap range, the shooter aims to hit sporting clays or skeet that are mechanically-fired (or in some cases, thrown by hand) across an open field. These involve shooting clay disks also know as clay pigeons thrown in various ways. Both skeet and trap are Olympic Games and the sports are practiced by many bird hunters to sharpen their marksmanship.
On a rifle range, shooters typically fire at targets 100-300 yards (91-275 meters) or greater distant. Many rifle ranges feature mechanized steel targets that automatically re-set upon being hit. Hunters in particular often use rifle ranges to calibrate or sight-in their weapons prior to hunting.
On a handgun range, shooters fire semi-automatic pistols and revolvers at stationary targets along, or at the end of, a 15-100 yard (13-91 meter) long lane.

Most outdoor ranges have established strictly-followed procedures for ensuring that a range is either Hot or Cold. Upon everyone on the shooting line agreeing for the line to go Hot, actions may be closed, and magazines may be loaded, and rounds may be chambered and guns may be fired. Upon everyone on the firing line agreeing for the line to go Cold, magazines must be removed, guns must be unloaded, actions opened, and all the guns must be placed on their respective shooting tables, prior to the line going "Cold". Only upon confirmation, often with everyone with their hands in the air, does the line actually go Cold. Guns may not be loaded or even touched when the line is operationally Cold.

Most outdoor ranges use an earthen berm, called the impact berm or backstop, to contain the bullets. Although there are other alternatives for backstops, they are extremely expensive and offer no particular advantage over an earthen berm. Some outdoor ranges provide separate ranges for small bore rifles, pistols and heavier caliber cartridges. Many outdoor ranges do permit the use of fully automatic firearms on separate ranges.

The largest problem currently with outdoor ranges is the lack of sufficient area behind and beside the impact berms. This area, usually called the Surface Danger Zone or SDZ is a fan shaped geographic area that extends lengthwise to the ultimate ballistic length of the round fired. Often outdoor ranges use baffles to contain fired rounds within the range and with proper design can reduce the surface danger zone area. Guidelines for surface danger zones vary widely. The National Rifle Association maintains guidelines for range design, but often the US Military range design guidelines are more prescriptive, specific and easier to use for range design.

Indoor ranges

On a rifle range, shooters typically fire pistol caliber carbines at targets 100 yards (91 meters) distant. The common practice is to follow rules much like those required on outdoor ranges.
On a handgun range, shooters fire semi-automatic pistols and revolvers at stationary targets along, or at the end of, a 15-100 yard (14-91 meter) long lane. Paper or cardboard targets are hung from a dummy or target holder positioned on a slide; this arrangement allows the shooter to control the shooting distance and retrieve targets for closer inspection. The target is typically hung from a replaceable hanger attached to a mechanized or motorized assembly that can be placed at variable distances from the shooter, usually through using an electrical controlling switch to activate the motor on the moving target hanger, although some older ranges still have mechanical pulleys without motors. Common range shooting distances are 5 yards (4.5 meters) to 7 yards (6.4 meters), minimum, up to 25 yards to 33 yards (23-30 meters). Most such ranges do have minimum safety distances (set by the range master) that are permissible for shooter-to-target spacings.

Fees for using indoor public shooting ranges vary, but a common rate is $10 per hour of use, with targets costing around $0.35 each if you do not bring your own. Additional fees usually will also pertain to damaging PVC target hangers, often $2, up to damaging motors ($200), per incident. Unlike for outdoor ranges, or for indoor rifle ranges, indoor public handgun shooting ranges are usually run continuously Hot. The only exception is if a target falls from a holder and needs to be retrieved. In this rather rare scenario, the range will go Cold, after all guns are placed on the firing line table with their actions open.

Indoor ranges usually have a trap consisting of angled steel plates or shredded rubber, with reinforced 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 through special HEPA filters. Such ranges also usually have an air-locked corridor for sound-proofing, with two doors at opposite ends of the egress corridor. It is an extreme breach of etiquette to open either door when the other door is also open. The most modern ranges additionally include anechoic chamber technology (foam trapezoids) or shred rubber planks built into, and placed along, walls and ceiling surfaces for additional sound absorption.

The maximum caliber size is usually posted on the door of the airlock on each particular range. Most indoor ranges restrict the use of certain magnum calibers, or the use of fully automatic weapons.

Common safety practices

Nearly all public ranges require that all guns be unloaded prior to entering, or leaving, the range facility, irrespective of whether one holds a concealed carry license. The same is true for rental guns leaving or returning to the rental counter, going to and from the shooting range.

Whether indoors or outdoors, all shooters are required to wear safety goggles (although some ranges will allow corrective glasses as the only eye protection) as well as hearing protection (ear muffs or ear plugs) at all times when within the defined boundaries of the range, and when ranges are Hot. These must be put on prior to going through the air-locked door for indoor ranges, and kept on until once more outside the high noise area.

Likewise, the rules of the appointed range master are to be followed at all times.

Holster drawing and cowboy action shooting are never allowed except on specially-designated action shooting ranges, often which have additional safety requirements and equipment.

Cost of shooting

If one brings one's own guns and hearing protection earmuffs and safety glasses, it is often possible to buy a 50 round box of 9 mm ammo, rent an indoor lane for an hour, buy a target, and enjoy shooting for under $25 in the United States. Fees for outdoor ranges are often even less, often running $6.50 for 3 hours of range time; coupled with a 500 round brick of 22 LR that often runs less than $9.00, it is possible on an outdoor range to enjoy an afternoon of shooting for under $20. Rental fees vary depending on the gun and caliber for those interested in also renting a gun, but for those wishing to rent a typical, non-exotic handgun at the shooting range, costs are only modestly more.

Many shooting ranges that cater to foreign tourists have special packaged deals for under $20 for instruction, assistance, and shooting, for tourists interested in shooting handguns. Larger caliber guns, and fully automatic weapons are also available for shooting at some shooting ranges by tourists as well. Fees for renting larger guns are only modestly more, but rental fees for fully automatic weapons can rise quickly, to hundreds of dollars, depending on the number of rounds one wishes to fire.

Hearing protection and eye protection rental fees are modest, often available for under $2-3 each at rental gun shooting ranges.

For those interested in more heavy use of the local shooting range, annual memberships are also available at many indoor US shooting ranges. Both individual and family memberships are often available. Typical costs vary but annual membership is usually available for around $200 USD per person, or slightly more for an entire family. Such plans typically have an "all you want" usage of the range, unlike the typical 1/2 hour or 1, 2, or 3 hour rental time slots when renting a shooting lane as an occasional shooter. For anyone shooting more than 8-10 times a year, annual membership is often cheaper than paying by the hourly rate. For the more exotic outdoor sporting club private ranges, mandatory annual membership in the NRA is also usually required.

Environmental issues

Over the last decade, many outdoor publicly owned ranges in Government-owned facilities and parks in the United States have been temporarily closed due to concerns regarding lead-contamination and ground water contamination issues on public property, mostly a result of legislator responses to gun politics issues. Privately owned facilities have largely gone unbothered by recently-passed regulatory changes. Gun politics issues are a concern for shooting enthusiasts, who feel that their access to public shooting ranges is being infringed.

Almost all outdoor ranges are under scrutiny because many were poorly designed and lack the Surface Danger Zones required for safe operation. Though they existed in this form for many years without problems, the encroachment from residential and commercial growth along property lines have increased concerns over safety.

External links

Florida Today article on shooting ranges

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