Range Officer Guidelines
For purposes of the Adirondack Foothills Pistol League (AFPL), the designated Range Officer, either in practice or league-relay phases, shall act in accordance with NRA rules with regards to safety and shooter conduct. Note- Each AFPL shooter should obtain and be familiar with the NRA Rulebook.
NRA Rule 10.1
“The safety of competitors, range personnel and spectators require continuous attention by all to the careful handling of firearms and caution in moving about the range. Self-discipline is necessary on the part of all. Where such self discipline is lacking, it is the duty of range personnel to enforce discipline and it is the duty of competitors to assist in such enforcement.”
The primary duty of the Range Officer is safety – over and above everything else.
· Ensure no one handles a gun until directed to do so
· Ensure muzzles are always pointed downrange
· Ensure no one loads a gun before directed to do so
· Ensure the line is safe before anyone goes downrange
· Ensure no one handles a gun until everyone is back behind the firing line again
· Ensure that guns are safely boxed after the match
· Give formal warning to any competitor who violates any of the above safety issues
· Disqualify, and remove from the range, any competitor who requires a second warning, or who commits a flagrant safety violation
The Range Officer should be especially watchful while preparing for and giving the command to load.
· Shooters sometimes load too early
· Shooters sometimes turn their gun sideways to facilitate loading
When changing relays, ensure that the on-coming relay doesn’t start handling guns before the off-going relay is clear (i.e. guns safe, targets collected, etc.)
The Range Officer shall be familiar with how to operate the range equipment.
The secondary duty of the Range Officer is to run practice and the match smoothly and efficiently.
Practice Firing:
· Shooters will enter the range observing “host club” rules concerning the wearing of safety glasses and ear protection. The Range Officer will remind anyone not in compliance.
· The Range Officer will inspect the firearms on the line to ensure that they are unloaded in the chamber and the magazine is out before anyone goes forward to hang or change targets.
· When the Range Officer determines that the downrange area is clear, the command to “Load” followed by “Commence Firing” may be given. Those shooters wishing to practice will be given one practice target with a 10-15 minute time limit depending on firing point availability. This will be determined by the Range Officer whose responsibility is to see that the match starts on time, but that those who wish to practice are given an opportunity to do so. (As long as time permits)
League Firing:
NRA Rule 10.7 “Firing Line Procedures and Commands”
(Note- NRA Rule 10.7 is lengthy and some literary license is taken here to mesh it with AFPL practice for clarity. Each Range Officer should read and be completely familiar with the entire 10.7 section)
· Ensure that each shooter is at his assigned firing point.
· Verify that the previous relay hung slow fire targets or have everyone hang their slow fire targets
· Start the preparation period as soon as all shooters are at their assigned firing points with slow fire targets hanging.
· Call the range commands in a clear loud voice with approximately three seconds between commands
· The first command “Is the line ready” isn’t really a question. Don’t ask until you’re sure everyone is ready
· If someone says “Not ready”, tell the line to “stand easy”. When the person is ready, tell the whole line to re-grasp their weapons and come to a downrange position. Start the commands over with “Is the line ready”.
· The commands are as follows:
Is the line ready
The line is ready
Ready on the right
Ready on the left
Ready on the firing line
Turn the targets (or sound a buzzer) 3 seconds after the last verbal command
At the completion of the allowed time, turn the targets away (or sound a buzzer)
Inquire if there are any alibis for that string of fire
· Allow or disallow any claimed alibi’s
At the end of the 10 shot series, the Range Officer shall personally check each firearm to ensure that the firearm is lying on the table, the slide is locked open (or the cylinder is open), and the magazine has been removed (or that the cylinder is empty). This shall occur before anyone is allowed forward of the firing line. Shooters shall not be allowed to touch their pistol for any reason after the line has been declared safe. Anyone violating this rule will be given an official warning or disqualification – depending on the severity of the offense. [Note: Shooters may fill magazines while the line is “safe”.]
Prior to each portion of the match, the Range Officer should announce what will occur during that portion – that is, number of shots, number of strings, time limits, etc.
An announcement should be made for:
· The Preparation period – 3 minutes
· The Slow fire stage – 10 shots in ten minutes
· The Timed fire stage – 2 five shot strings – 20 seconds each string
· The Rapid fire stage – 2 five shot strings – 10 seconds each string
Do not start the preparation period until all shooters are at their assigned firing points.
Do not rush shooters between strings or stages. Give them sufficient time to check targets, load magazines, etc.
Allow no talking or any other distractions on the range while anyone is still shooting
Allow no eating, drinking, or smoking on the range
Try to establish a calm relaxed atmosphere on the range. Talk in a slow and deliberate manner and do not raise your voice more than necessary.
An alibi is basically a malfunction of the gun or ammunition – it is not a shooter error.
When a person has an alibi, he is expected to lower the gun to the table and raise his non-shooting hand. He may elect to attempt to clear the malfunction (or ignore a range problem) and continue shooting if he so chooses, however in doing so, he forfeits any right to re-fire the string.
During shooting, if the Range Officer notices a malfunction, he should watch to see if the shooter attempts to clear it – and thereby forfeits the right to re-fire. At the end of the string, if a shooter is claiming an alibi, the Range Officer should proceed to that shooter and enquire as to the problem. The shooter should explain or point out the problem. If the gun malfunctioned, or the ammo misfired, the shooter is allowed the alibi. If the shooter cleared (or attempted to clear) the malfunction before the Range Officer could verify it, the alibi is not allowed. If the shooter made an error (like loading an empty magazine), then the alibi is not allowed.
Examples of acceptable alibis:
· A round misfires (equipment alibi)
· The gun jams (equipment alibi)
· A target falls off when the targets turn (range alibi)
· The Range Officer omits one of the standard commands (range alibi)
When firing an alibi round, the shooter is instructed to load five rounds, other shooters are instructed to stand back from the firing line, and the alibi shooter will fire five shots.
The Range Officer shall mark the alibi target as to the total number of shots fired.
A shooter is only allowed one alibi per match.
A shot fired before the command to load is given constitutes a serious safety violation, and requires immediate disqualification of that shooter.
A shot fired after the command to load is given, but before the indication to fire, is scored as a miss (the shooter does not get to put a round back in the gun). If the shot goes in a direction deemed unsafe by the Range Officer, it also constitutes an unsafe act and requires immediate disqualification.
Range officers should read the NRA rulebook completely cover-to-cover. Ask questions about any part you don’t understand. Feel free to call and discuss any part of the rulebook, or any other question about performing as a range officer, with any of the members of this committee.
Steve Kraynak 273-6969
Don Record
Chuck Boykin 882-9352