Range Safety

Range Safety Rules

1. Keep all firearms pointed down range at all times.

2. Keep firearms unloaded & actions open until the "LOAD" command is given.

3. When a member of the range safety committee is not present and more than one member is shooting, one member must take responsibility as the range safety officer in order to control when the range is clear (safe) and hot. If a clear range is needed, ask for it.

4. Whenever people are forward of the firing line, all firearms will be unloaded & grounded with actions open.

5. When "CEASE FIRE" is called:

(1) STOP FIRING IMMEDIATELY

(2) UNLOAD ALL FIREARMS

(3) KEEP ACTIONS OPEN

(4) GROUND ALL FIREARMS

6. Eye & ear protection must be worn at all times forward of the fence separating the parking lot from the firing area.

7. All shooting must be done at the firing line, not in front or back from the firing line. All firing will be straight on to the target. No cross firing is allowed.

8. No shooting at target frames; do not place targets in front of frames. Paper targets should be centered on the target backers to minimize damage to frames, and should be placed on the front face of the target backer only. Stapling targets on the front and back of the target backer results in staples protruding in both directions, increasing chances for puncture wounds to shooters using that backer in the future. Under no circumstances will target frames, shooting benches or any range equipment be used for targets.

9. Targets placed on range are to be paper targets, authorized metallic silhouette, soda cans, metal gongs, bowling pins, and plastic jugs. No rocks or glass may be used for targets and all targets must be placed to ensure impact of bullets or slugs in a designated backstop. At the conclusion of shooting, shooters will police their target area, and remove their paper targets, authorized metallic silhouette, soda cans, metal gongs, bowling pins, or plastic jugs and store or dispose of them appropriately. If you bring it in, pack it out as well.

10. When a cease-fire is desired the designated range officer will issue the following commands:

CEASE FIRE--CLEAR AND GROUND ALL FIREARMS

ACTIONS OPEN--STEP BACK FROM THE LINE

IS THE LINE CLEAR?

Only when the range officer is satisfied that the line is CLEAR will he continue with:

THE LINE IS CLEAR--YOU MAY GO FORWARD OF THE FIRING LINE

During the time that people are down range, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL ANY FIREARM BE HANDLED. (THIS INCLUDES SIGHT ADJUSTMENTS.) Before firing is resumed, the designated range officer will verify that all persons are again behind the firing line and he will ask in a loud clear voice:

IS THE DOWN RANGE AREA CLEAR?

Only when he has an affirmative reply and visually checked that all shooters have returned will he issue the command:

THE LINE IS HOT"; "NO ONE MAY GO FORWARD OF THE FIRING LINE"; "YOU MAY COMMENCE FIRING

All range commands should be given in a loud clear voice so that the entire firing line can hear them at the same time. It is recommended that a cease-fire be called at least every half-hour.

11. Each shooter is responsible for cleaning up his firing point (includes all brass, paper, and targets placed on the range) and replacing his target backer in the proper storage shed.

1. Keep all shotguns pointed in a safe direction, or in the provided storage racks.

2. Keep shotguns unloaded & actions open until the shooter is on the trap or skeet concrete pad and it is his/her turn to shoot. Firearms will be unloaded & actions open before the shooter steps off the pad.

3. Whenever people are forward of the firing pads - all firearms will be UNLOADED & ACTIONS OPEN, OR UNLOADED & PLACED IN THE PROVIDED SHOTGUN RACKS.

4. When "CEASE FIRE" is called:

(1) STOP FIRING IMMEDIATELY

(2) UNLOAD ALL FIREARMS

(3) KEEP ACTIONS OPEN

5. Eye & ear protection must be worn at all times when forward of a line marked by the field light poles. This includes observers as well as shooters, since broken clay pieces do not make a distinction.

6. For formal practice or matches, all shooting must be done at the designated trap or skeet concrete pads. Only on specific occasions, such as club sponsored sporting clays type events, Annie Oaklies, or informal practice with ground or hand traps described below will firing at other specified locations be allowed.

7. No shot larger than 7½ will be fired on the shotgun ranges. Shooters wishing to shoot larger shot or shotgun slugs must use the rifle & pistol ranges to do so.

8. If no formal skeet or trap practice or matches are underway, members may set up personally owned ground or hand traps for informal shotgun practice using their own clay targets. Such traps should be set approximately between skeet station #4 and skeet station #8 on field one or two, or in a similar position in the unimproved fields left and right of the installed fields, and the clays launched such that their flight path does not cross any of the fixed trap or skeet buildings. Members should take great pains to ensure their shot patterns do not impact these fixed gun club installations, and that their fall of shot is within the normal shotgun range impact area. The limitations on shot size still apply. During informal practice, the shooter will be beside or forward of the trapper and ground or hand trap. If the shooter wishes to be behind the trap, the ground trap must be remotely operated. Formal skeet or trap practice or matches will take precedence over informal shotgun practice.

9. Each shooter is responsible for cleaning up the shotgun fields (includes all hulls, boxes, soda cans, lunch wrappers, etc., and refilling the trap and skeet machines. Plastic barrels are provided for unwanted hulls, and a burn barrel is provided for burnable trash. Please separate your trash accordingly.

10. Trap shooters desiring to enter the trap house should place the orange safety cone on top of the house so others know they are there.

11. Shooters, even with their actions open, will be mindful of the direction of their muzzles so as to not sweep across other shooters or spectators.

1. Ranges may be closed during the Deer Gun Season, so check the monthly newsletter. Dates generally run from the beginning of the week of Thanksgiving to the first Saturday in January. The ranges are open for general shooting on Sundays during this season, and may be open on other designated days.

2. Combination for the club gate is changed at the August work party.

3. Make sure you read your newsletter to keep informed about club functions and activities.

4. All club members are allowed to bring guests and are expected to act in a safe and responsible manner. However, no guest will be allowed on any range unless accompanied and supervised by a club member.

5. No member of the family (Associate Member) of a Club member is allowed on any range unless accompanied and supervised by a Club member.

6. Serious violations of range safety and club rules constitute grounds for permanent expulsion from the club per the by-laws.

7. No alcoholic beverages are allowed on the firing ranges and any person under the influence of alcohol is barred from the ranges.

8. Discharge of firearms (of any type) or archery equipment is restricted to the range facility designated for such use. Shotguns firing larger than 7½ shot or slugs will utilize the rifle and pistol ranges because of their more substantial backstop.

9. No full automatic weapons of any type are to be fired on the club property.

10. Tracer or incendiary ammunition will not be fired at any time on the club property.

11. Firearms must be unloaded when brought onto the club property and will be loaded only when ready to fire on the firing line.

12. Actions of un-cased firearms will be open (slides back, cylinders open, bolts back, magazines out) at all times except when on the firing line ready to fire.

13. Muzzles of all benched or grounded firearms will be pointed downrange or placed in racks, if provided. No loaded firearm may be left unattended.

14. When loading, sighting, firing, resting, or dry firing, the firearm must be pointed down range.

15. Firearms .50 Caliber and over are prohibited except for Shotguns, Pistols, and Black Powder firearms.

VIOLATION OF RANGE RULES WILL RESULT IN DISCIPLINARY ACTION UP TO AND INCLUDING PERMANENT DISMISSAL FROM THE CLUB. THERE ARE TO BE NO EXCEPTIONS FROM THE ABOVE RANGE RULES.

The Northern Virginia Gun Club amends this policy for use of the NVSF property at the monthly meeting March 19, 2005.

1. The owner must be utilizing any tent, truck camper, motor home, trailer, or travel trailer (hereafter called a pop up) erected or parked on the NVSF property. The camping fee shall be $1.00 per day the camper is on the NVSF property. Camping fees will be remitted to the Club treasurer within 15 days of completion of camping. This fee does not apply to tent camping.

2. Vehicles are required to have:

(A) A current vehicle tag;

(B) A current state inspection according to the state issuing the tag;

(C) Must be road worthy;

(D) Must be moveable in the event of an emergency (fire, wind, etc.), i.e. the vehicle must be capable of being relocated;

(E) The owner’s name, address, and telephone number must be located in a place that is visible from the outside;

(F) ONLY trailer jacks may be used to support the vehicle. The vehicle wheels must rest on the ground to permit moving if required;

(G) Vehicles WILL NOT be blocked up in such a manner that the wheels are off the ground preventing moving in an emergency.

3. Waste: No dumping of holding tanks is permitted on the property. All trash will be removed from the property.

4. Any member considered in noncompliance with this policy shall be notified by phone, e-mail, USPS, or commercial delivery service advising why they are considered not in compliance, and given a reasonable period (stated in the communication, generally two weeks) to correct the noncompliance.

5. During hunting season, 1 October to the end of January, campers/trailers can be parked on the Club property by owners who live greater than 25 driving miles from the facility property with all other conditions of daily fees and Club rules remaining in effect, except for the occupancy requirements.

6. Members who fail to bring their camper into compliance within the specified period, or failure to remit the proper camping fees within the specified period shall be considered in arrears to the Club. As such, the provisions of Article IV of the Club By-Laws will apply.

This policy will become effective April 16, 2005.