Unlike the wild outdoors, where you are your own range master, gun ranges are typically considered the safer option to pop off a couple rounds and test your abilities. But there are some things to consider while you’re there. When it is just you out in the woods, you are the only one you need to worry about. At the range, you have yourself and a bunch of other people to watch, too, not to mention a host of other secondary dangers that could make your shooting experience a lot less enjoyable.
You likely understand the basic safety rules when it comes to guns, but are you up to speed on shooting range protocols and the dangers posed by shooting in such an environment? The following is some important information from your local gun store in Olathe, KS about the secondary dangers on the gun range and how to avoid them.
Shooting with strangers
One of the sketchiest parts of going to a public range is that you never know who you are lined up next to. It could be an off-duty police officer with nothing but safety on their mind, or it could be the 21-year-old with a new handgun they don’t know how to safely operate. The point is that you should be aware of your surroundings and not reliant on the overextended range master to catch safety issues. Guns can be a lot of fun to shoot, but they are deadly weapons if mismanaged. Don’t let someone else ruin your fun by being unsafe.
Hot and cold
One of the most important things about shooting at the range is respecting relevant safety procedures. When the range is “hot,” you can fire away in accordance with the rules. When they call a ceasefire, do not touch your guns, approach the bench or do anything else that could resemble an effort to shoot while others are checking or changing their targets down range. If you mess up enough, you are likely to get kicked out permanently. It’s important to listen to those around you during ceasefires as well—if the range master says the range is hot, but there are still people changing targets, make sure other shooters and the range master are notified immediately.
Wash up
While some states are trying to kill lead rounds in their tracks, lead is still common in a lot of ammunition. Loading and shooting lead bullets inherently means you will get some on your hands. If you don’t wash up, you’re likely to ingest some lead during your next meal. It may not be enough to do any real damage in one sitting, but it only takes a minute to thoroughly wash your hands, so why not do it?
Now that you are better acquainted with gun range safety and some of the secondary dangers you may encounter, you might be ready for a new firearm, or at the least need to pick up more ammunition. Harrison Street Pawn is the premier gun store in Olathe, KS for firearm products and services. Come in today!