I'm not really sure I'll get the most bang for my buck posting this here but here goes.
I shoot at an indoor range and we're debating rules for handling firearms. I've shot bullseye, highpower, smallbore, IDPA, skeet, trap, and a few other disciplines. There seem to be different rules for different disciplines as they pertain to the handling of firearms. Of course safety is what's most important but how do you deal with different disciplines?
Bullseye shooters open their box on the line and then remove their pistol. The NRA now mandates that a ECI now be used but when is it inserted, before or after you get to the shooting line?
Highpower shooters roll their rifles around on a cart with an ECI inserted, sometimes in a case, sometimes not. ECI is inserted when rifle comes out of it's case.
The IDPA matches I have shot, it used to be that you went to a safe area and put your pistol in your holster. Now we go to the first stage and under the watchful eye of the range officer, take the pistol out of it's case, show it is empty, drop slide or close cylinder, pull trigger, and insert in holster.
When I shot smallbore, you arrived either at the ready line or clubroom if it was an indoor match, opened your case and inserted your ECI. The rifle either stayed in the case, went in the rifle rack, or went into the range.
Trap and skeet shooters just open the action when the shotgun comes out of the case and it goes to the line or gets put into a rack, where the action is closed again.
Ok, now back to my question. How should an indoor range that shoots pistol and smallbore rifle deal with safety and the handling of firearms? We do not allow the removal of cased firearms unless you are at the shooting station, no moving firearms between ports. Seems like the safest method. Now throw smallbore shooters into the mix with their large pile of equipment. Trying to get a 2-gun case out in a narrow shooting station is difficult at best. Most times if you're carrying two rifles, they are pointed in opposite directions. How do you deal with this? All the smallbore indoor events I shot at (haven't shot in 3 years) you arrived in the clubroom, opened your case, and inserted your ECI. No one blinked and eye.
Throw loaded carry guns into the mix, no wonder it gets confussing.
How is this handled at your club? What are your rules?
I shoot at an indoor range and we're debating rules for handling firearms. I've shot bullseye, highpower, smallbore, IDPA, skeet, trap, and a few other disciplines. There seem to be different rules for different disciplines as they pertain to the handling of firearms. Of course safety is what's most important but how do you deal with different disciplines?
Bullseye shooters open their box on the line and then remove their pistol. The NRA now mandates that a ECI now be used but when is it inserted, before or after you get to the shooting line?
Highpower shooters roll their rifles around on a cart with an ECI inserted, sometimes in a case, sometimes not. ECI is inserted when rifle comes out of it's case.
The IDPA matches I have shot, it used to be that you went to a safe area and put your pistol in your holster. Now we go to the first stage and under the watchful eye of the range officer, take the pistol out of it's case, show it is empty, drop slide or close cylinder, pull trigger, and insert in holster.
When I shot smallbore, you arrived either at the ready line or clubroom if it was an indoor match, opened your case and inserted your ECI. The rifle either stayed in the case, went in the rifle rack, or went into the range.
Trap and skeet shooters just open the action when the shotgun comes out of the case and it goes to the line or gets put into a rack, where the action is closed again.
Ok, now back to my question. How should an indoor range that shoots pistol and smallbore rifle deal with safety and the handling of firearms? We do not allow the removal of cased firearms unless you are at the shooting station, no moving firearms between ports. Seems like the safest method. Now throw smallbore shooters into the mix with their large pile of equipment. Trying to get a 2-gun case out in a narrow shooting station is difficult at best. Most times if you're carrying two rifles, they are pointed in opposite directions. How do you deal with this? All the smallbore indoor events I shot at (haven't shot in 3 years) you arrived in the clubroom, opened your case, and inserted your ECI. No one blinked and eye.
Throw loaded carry guns into the mix, no wonder it gets confussing.
How is this handled at your club? What are your rules?