Does A Hand Gun Need To Be Registered In Ca To Go To Shooting Range

Well, you lot bought your new gun.

You lot've done a bunch of dry fire practice and have a good handle on how your gun works.

There'south only one matter left to practise…off to the gun range!

Simply you might be a piffling unsure of what to look, etiquette, and how to keep safe. That's where nosotros come in!

Table of Contents

Mindset

In that location are a few things you should know before yous head out to the range. Your very first trip to a range can be a bit intimidating if not scary. I fully acknowledge to having some cold sweats…

Don't hesitate to ask one of the employees any questions you lot might have. Trust me, they'd rather answer a beginner's question than have to worry most the repercussions of a fault.

Even if you're out on the range already!

Raise Your Hand at the Range — Enhance your hand at the range and inquire the RSO whatsoever questions you take.

Whether yous're renting, accompanying someone, or bringing your own guns, hither's some information to make your trip to the shooting range a fiddling more enjoyable.

Full general Shooting Range Tips

Every shooting range has its own set of rules, but here are some full general tips.

Listen to the Range Officer (RO).
Follow the 4 Firearm Safety Rules:

Bring eye and ear protection…go started with our Best Hearing Protection.

But our favorite beginner electronic one is the Axil TRACKR.

at AXIL

Prices authentic at fourth dimension of writing

Prices accurate at time of writing

Sunglasses and prescription glasses are by and large ok…only check out our Best Shooting Glasses.

Our become-to is the Wiley Ten Saber for rated ANSI Z87.ane protection.

Gun Rentals

Some shooting ranges offering rentals of guns. However, in that location might be some age limits (18 for shotguns/rifles, and 21 for handguns).

Or you have to be in a group to rent (to mitigate possible suicides).

Renting is a great way to bank check out different styles and calibers.

Even before you ever buy your kickoff gun, see if any of your local ranges rent guns and become give it a shot.

Keep in mind, these guns are usually maintained just plenty to keep them working (if that). They are going to be a bit on the dirty and driveling side. Still, it's a cheap way to endeavor some different guns out.

Before you buy a gun make sure you know the gun's MSRP and what it's being sold for at other stores and online. — In some cases, ranges will let you rent guns.

If yous aren't 100% sure how the gun operates, ask an employee. On the range with live ammo is not the time to figure out how it works.

In the meantime, you tin can beginning with our Beginner's Guide to Guns.

Curious Case of Gun Cases

Yous'll want some sort of case for your gun. The manufacturer box or plastic instance is fine. Merely don't only comport it in!

Nosotros've got you lot covered in our Best Gun Cases and Gun Numberless.

Also, and I'm going to blazon this slowly and in bold letters to make absolutely sure the point is made…do not, under any circumstances, carry a loaded gun into the range.

Checking for Empty Chamber — Checking for Empty Bedroom

Unload your gun, make certain it's unloaded, double and triple-check that information technology's unloaded earlier you put it into the case earlier you lot exit your house.

Gun ranges don't mess around with this blazon of matter.

Become With The Flow

Here'south a loftier-level walk-through of what to await from the moment you walk through the front door.

Some things might be unlike depending on your range only this is essentially what is going to happen on your first trip:

Brand sure you take your gun unloaded and in its instance before you go in.

Get up to the counter, pay the range fee and buy some paper targets and ammo, if you lot need it. But become with the cheapest stuff. You may also have to sign a liability waiver.
Put on your ear and center protection and and so caput into the range itself. Some places volition walk y'all in and usher yous to a bay. Other ones simply hand you your receipt for the fees, point to the door and tell you "accept a good time."

Putting on Eye and Ear Protection — Putting on Middle and Ear Protection

Ready your stuff downward on an empty bay. Go alee and unpack your guns and mags and supplies. Keep your gun pointed downrange ("downwards range" ways "towards the far side of the range where everyone is aiming and shooting their guns").

Locked Back Slide at Range — Locked Dorsum Slide at Range

Somewhere, usually by the door, volition be a big stack of cardboard sheets and a staple gun. Take 1 of your targets and staple it to one of those sheets. You only need i staple per corner. It's ok to leave your stuff in your bay while you lot do this. Trust me, no 1 is going to mess with it. It's astonishing how polite and trustworthy people are when they're in a small room where everyone is carrying multiple firearms.

Virtually indoor ranges have electric target hanger…thingies. They are operated by a switch located within your bay. Pull the switch in 1 direction and the clip comes towards y'all. Button information technology in the other and it goes further abroad. Clip your target up then move it down range. Distances are ordinarily marked on the walls or floor. If it's your outset trip, swallow your pride and first with the 7-yard marking. Work your way to the back of the room over several trips. Outdoor ranges may accept specific times where y'all walk out to place your targets.

This is the fun office: Load up your magazines, load up your gun, and shoot.

When you're all done, remove your target from the cardboard bankroll and put information technology back on the stack you got it from. You can either salve or throw abroad your target although I like to save mine then I tin can rails my progress. Throw away the empty box your ammo came in. Toss off any brass that may accept landed on the counter.

Finally, near ranges have signs saying "sweep spent brass forrad" or something to that issue. If you look around, there's ordinarily two or three brooms lying effectually. Take one and sweep the spent brass to the other side of the counter and away from the area where people are walking. Essentially: exit your bay cleaner than when you lot constitute information technology.

Range Commands

Again, each range varies but they unremarkably focus on letting you know when it is ok to shoot.

A "hot" range means it is ok to shoot.

For ranges that have "cold" or "ceasefire" range fourth dimension, the RO will permit you lot know how much time is left during the "hot" phase.

On ranges that have one, that man or woman is your king/emperor/god.

What they say goes and you are not allowed to argue with them. These people aren't on some kind of power trip.

Crimson Trace RAD Pro Gunsite Class — Listen to your RSO's and instructors, y'all.

Their job, their sole purpose for existing is to brand certain that you and anybody else in the room are as safe as humanly possible. It is a difficult chore and i they don't take lightly. If they make a mistake, if they miss one item, there's a good chance that someone volition get hurt or worse.

Keep that in mind when they're telling you to do something. That range is their world and they're graciously allowing you to shoot in it.

During the transition fourth dimension when you can go mess with your target gear up upwards at outdoor ranges, you will demand to unload and lock your actions open.

This ways locking your pistol slides or bolt back. Then footstep back and have the RO double-check. He will then let anybody to get downrange to put up or gear up targets.

Checking if Gun is Safe at Range — Checking if Gun is Prophylactic at Range

Some range will also require you lot to utilise "chamber flags" which are plastic indicators that show there's nothing in the bedroom.

Do not touch your guns at this time!

Indoor Shooting Range Tips

Indoor ranges are usually only around 25 to 50 yards and cater to pistols. Some will allow burglarize and shotgun rounds only may have additional ammo restrictions.

You can see in a higher place that at that place are many shooting stations separated by panels. Endeavor to move towards your bench so that your flying brass hits the panels instead of the person next to y'all.

For just about every gun range, the bays are first come, first serve.

Indoors Range with Multiple Bays — Indoors Range with Multiple Trophy

Once you're there, that bay belongs to you and the only person that can tell you to go out are the employees. That said, don't be a wiggle nearly it.

Don't just ready your stuff down then go for a walk — merits your bay, prep your target, load upward and burn down your ammo.

When you're all washed, pack up, make clean upwardly and become out as quickly equally possible so that other fellow gun owners may enjoy themselves. Most ranges simply have a dozen or so bays so anybody needs to exist considerate about things.

If yous're with a big group, attempt not to bother the shooter. I've seen it too many times where the shooter turns around with his gun and accidentally "sweeps" people with the muzzle.

There's also some sort of machinery for moving paper targets back and forth.

Unremarkably, yous don't have to wait for a cold session. I've seen everything from draw-strings to loftier-end electronic systems. Yous can probably figure that stuff out on your ain.

Outdoor Shooting Range Tips

Outdoor ranges tend to exist longer than indoor ranges (100 to 1,000+ yards) which really allows you to stretch out the legs of your rifle.

I find fewer outdoor ranges have rentals since information technology seems like you tin bounce out of there with it a lot easier.

Outdoor ranges as well usually don't have closed partitions, but rather benches or private stations. Targets can also vary a lot based on the range, but they tin include metal targets (ting!) and places to put upward paper targets.

Putting Down Targets at Range — Putting Downwardly Targets at Range

Check out the review of my get-to outdoor range (Angeles Shooting Range in Sylmar, CA) for how one place does it.

Pro Tip: Flattery Will Get You Everywhere

There's something unique about gun owners. Nosotros are a very proud grouping.

We love our guns and love to show them off.

Womens Concealed AIWB — Look, look, look at my gun!

We're also, for the almost part, a generous lot. I'll give yous an example: I was at the range one twenty-four hours and, betwixt magazines, I noticed that the person in the next bay over had a very overnice pistol.

He happened to be reloading his mags at the aforementioned time so I complimented him on it.

His reply threw me completely off guard, "Thanks! I love this matter. I've got a bunch of others only I usually wind upwards just shooting this ane. Would y'all like to take a couple of shots?"

This complete stranger was offering me his gun and his ammo.

Nigh of united states of america are pretty happy to share our beloved of guns.

I politely declined as I was yet new to shooting and, as a issue, was afraid I'd somehow impairment his gun. The matter is, this wasn't an isolated incident.

I've had more one person offer the use of their gun later I've complimented their pistol. That's never happened to me with any of my other hobbies.

Non once has some other golfer at the driving range said, "Here, attempt out my driver." Nor have I e'er heard, "Here, try driving my 1957 Chevy around the block" or "become ahead and practice a couple of touch on and goes with my Cessna."

Car Crash Off Cliff — Me on a test drive.

I'd say mostly, still, gun owners take generously offered their guns to me and I have since offered mine to quite a few people as well.

With guns, and frankly with life, a little sincere flattery goes a long way.

Conclusion

Heading to the range can seem a little overwhelming at times, specially if it's your get-go fourth dimension. Only it doesn't have to be intimidating.

Make sure your gun is unloaded beforehand, gather your supplies, and just show upward and be respectful and it volition exist a practiced time.

Pew Pew Tactical Handgun Course for all your beginner needs!

Want to learn more so you're truly confident at the shooting range? Check out our video Beginner Handgun Class…full of only the important stuff…and without the attitude. And…love gear? Check out our Essential Gun Range Gear article.