Safety is our first concern and must be observed at all times. The safety of members is of paramount importance and requires continued and careful attention to handling of firearms when moving about in the ranges. Self-discipline is necessary on the part of all.
Where such self-discipline is lacking, it is the duty of range officers to enforce discipline and the duty of shooters and officials to co-operate and assist in such enforcement. In the interests of safety, a range official may stop shooting at any time. Shooters must immediately notify the Range Officer(s) of any situation that may be dangerous, or which may cause an accident.
Firearms must be unloaded at all times when they are not in use.
For firearms, unloaded means that no cartridge or pellet is:
- in the chamber or on the loading platform.
- in a fixed magazine; This must be checked by a fellow shooter.
- in a removable magazine which must be removed from the firearm.
- In addition, the bolt or action of a rifle or pistol [live or air] must be open and the chamber entrance must have a breech flag inserted. Alternatively, the action should be removed.
Under no circumstances
- may a firearm be loaded except on the firing point with the muzzle pointing in the direction of the butts.
- be fired in any direction other than towards the target/s appropriate to that firing point.
- be removed from the firing point without being visually checked as empty by a fellow shooter or Range Officer.
- be taken from the firing point whilst loaded.
- be pointed at any person, whether loaded or unloaded.
- be placed on the ground, a shooting bench or elsewhere whilst loaded, in a manner such that it ceases to be under the immediate physical control of the shooter.
Pistols may be loaded only at the firing point. No magazine or chamber may be loaded before the commencement of a detail. Whilst loading, the pistol must be held over a bench or table when provided, muzzle pointing downwards and in the direction of the target.
When the appropriate command to stop or cease fire is given, the shooter must immediately unload his pistol, make it safe and place it on the bench or table.
All pistols must be kept unloaded when not in use and may not be touched whilst personnel are forward of the firing line. They may only be touched again at the start of a detail. Dry firing and aiming exercises are permitted provided there are no personnel forward of the firing point.
After the last shot, the shooter must ascertain, before leaving the firing point, that there are no cartridges or pellets in the chamber or magazine. Any pistol or revolver must be observed to be unloaded with breech or cylinder open and any magazine removed on a suitable bench or table in between courses of fire.
No unsupervised person may handle a rifle or pistol or its ammunition, unless acquainted with the relevant safety rules, familiar with the equipment and/or ammunition. Not precluded from doing so by the provisions of the Firearms Acts or any other relevant legislation or requirements.
The firing point is described as: –
Indoor ranges
Forward of the doors from the clubroom
[When going forward to change targets, those shooters not going forward should stand a minimum of one metre behind the firing line.]
50 metre range
Forward of the line of tables.
[For the purpose of going forward of the firing point all remaining shooters should be behind the yellow line on the floor.]
100-yard range
The complete floor area forwards of the preparation area.
[When going forward to change targets, those shooters not going forward should stand a minimum of one metre behind the firing line].
Talking must be kept to a minimum volume so as not to disturb other shooters.
Moving of equipment or tables on the firing point should not take place until shooting detail has ended.
Any person who interferes with, disturbs or annoys shooters in any way will be warned to desist, and upon failure to do so, will be ordered from the range.
Shooting on firing points that are in close proximity will normally be of only one format in terms of type of firearm used and course of fire. Shooting in two or more formats will take place only where there is no risk of safety being compromised.
Confusion or distraction of shooters by any circumstance and/or different rates of fire) must be avoided.
The use of Airsoft or BB pellets is not permitted on any of the ranges