Four Basics of Gun Range Safety
As a leading gun range in Cape May County, the team at Range 609 holds gun safety as a top priority. We want everyone that visits our range to feel safe and secure knowing that they are being well taken care of by a professional staff that understands the importance of a safe environment. In the following blog, you will learn four basics of gun range safety that you can implement next time you visit us. Come on in today or contact us for more information!
Keep Firearms Pointed in a Safe Direction
The simplest, yet most overlooked safety tip is to keep firearms pointed in a safe direction AT ALL TIMES. Never point your firearm towards anybody, especially if it is fully loaded. Although firearms are safe pieces of equipment that rarely detonate by themselves, it is best to mitigate the risk by keeping your aim towards the range!
Keep Your Finger off the Trigger Until Ready to Shoot
In combination with our first tip, always keep your finger off of the trigger until you are ready to shoot down range. Depending on the weapon, its trigger can be quite sensitive and any amount of pressure can cause the gun to shoot. Unless you are aiming down range and ready to shoot, we advise that you keep your finger outside of the trigger guard.
COLD/HOT Range
When visiting a fun range that you are not familiar with, it is important to figure out whether it is a cold or hot range.
Cold Range — This is a firing range where all weapons, magazines, clips, or speed loaders are unloaded at all times, except on the verbal command of a range or safety officer.
Hot Range — On the opposite end, a hot range is a range in which all firearms, magazines, clips, or speed loaders are allowed to be loaded at all times.
Cease Firing
Cease firing is a command that you may rarely hear but is important to be aware of as it can keep everyone safe during an emergency. If you ever hear a range or safety officer yell “cease fire” or “cease firing,” stop shooting immediately. Depending on the range, you may also have to unload your weapon, point the gun in a safe direction or holster, set the gun down, and step away.
Target shooting is a fun and thrilling way to learn how to perfect your gun skill. That said, safety should always be top of mind because you are responsible for those around you. The team at Range 609 strives to provide a safe and comfortable environment within our gun ranges, as our experts understand the importance of gun safety like no other!