What to bring to the range?

[Shortrangelong]

I’m going to start going to the range to practice shooting and I was wondering what all I should bring aside from the obvious (gun, ammo, hearing protection, eye protection)?

 

[Evintos]

Water (stay hydrated), tools (like a torque wrench in case stuff gets loose), med kit (especially if it's a public range), some snacks.

Depending on the target, spray paint (for steel), staples (for paper), cardboard backers (if needed), etc.

Most important - a positive attitude.

 

[19dsniper]

Depends on what kind of shooting range you are at Andy what kind of shooting your into. On my personal range at home I use sandbags up front and a squeeze bag in the rear for load developement. I also take a good spotting scope with me but depending on what optic is on your rifle, you may not need one. However, if I’m going to do some field shooting it depends on the rifle. A few have bipods on them all the time, but for the most part I will use my camel back or backpack across a branch or log. A sling comes in handy as well. I think it really depends on what you have access to do. Before hunting season starts, I always take my son down and we practice shooting offhand, from minimal support like thin branches and from a tripod. The tripod comes in handy at some of our stands in south texas because of his size. He is too short to shoot sitting, and too tall to shoot standing because of the blind window, so we practice off a manfroto tripod for those situations.

Can you tell us what kind of shooting you are looking at doing and if it’s a public range or privately land.
You really don’t need a lot of gadgets. A rifle, ammo, ear pro, and backpack will take you anywhere you want to go.

 

[Aggrofish]

my range bag has:
Tools for scope, base, rings, etc including a fat torque wrench
Ears - both foam and electronic
StaplerPaper targets
Pen/notepad/ log
Cell phone for ballistics app
Ammo (obv)
Couple rear bags
Shooting glasses that I never wear
Extra mags
Box of factory ammo in case my hand loads were somehow screwed up

 

[19dsniper]

Water (stay hydrated), tools (like a torque wrench in case stuff gets loose), med kit (especially if it's a public range), some snacks.

Depending on the target, spray paint (for steel), staples (for paper), cardboard backers (if needed), etc.

Most important - a positive attitude.

Sorry, this is an excellent post. I didn’t think about targets, staples, etc. I guess I’m spoiled to have steel targets scattered around 100 acres. Definitely a med kit wether on private or public. I have one in every vehicle and carry a small one daily, so again something I overlooked. When we go hunting I carry at a minimum a TQ, 2 14 ga. Needles for decompression, a rapid Z fold, a few 4x4 and some self adhesive wrap, and the education to know what to use and when. As much time as we all spend reading about the latest bullets, powder, optics, etc. we need to make sure and fit some time in there for medical. Hopefully we never need it for ourselves, but you may need it for someone else.

 

[fastfwd]

I'd add:

NRA membership card -- some ranges give discounts, some won't let you become a member without proof of NRA membership
Extra foam ear plugs-- they cost nothing and it's nice to be able to offer them to someone in need
An empty-chamber flag -- some ranges require it, and everyone will appreciate it
A bag for your brass, and another for trash -- leave your station cleaner than you found it

 

[Pester]

I think the guys have covered a lot of it and I like the idea of the medical stuff as 19dsniper points out.

To answer your question....and not being sarcastic here.... go with a plan. If you are going to practice have a plan at least to start with. I try to start out each practice session with a run through of safety items and then fundamentals. After some dry fire I always try to do the cold bore target at 100yrds. From there I work on different things. One day it may be shooting from different positions, or trying different loads(or brands if you dont reload yourself), or trigger control.

The other thing I try to bring along is someone that is better than I am . As an example...I was having a consistency problem and just as I was getting ready to give up my buddy said I was holding my breath. I called BS on him but he was right.

Maybe that's not exactly what you were asking for.....just my 2 cents.

 

[308pirate]

my range bag has:
Tools for scope, base, rings, etc including a fat torque wrench
Ears - foam and electronic
Stapler Paper targets
Pen/notepad/ log
Cell phone for ballistics app dope cards
Ammo (obv)
Couple rear bags
Shooting glasses that I never wear
Extra mags
Box of factory ammo in case my hand loads were somehow screwed up
shooting mat
sling
sling glove
target frame (depending on which range I go to

My list is almost exactly like yours with changes in yellow

 

[Shortrangelong]

This is all really good information. @Pester I didn't take it as sarcasm. I am just getting into this and going with a plan sounds like a good idea. I tend to not think about first aid but it is very important. This all may sound very fundamental but to new guys like me, this is the information we need.

I guess I have never been to a public gun range, only to private ones you have to pay for. I may set up some steel targets on my in-laws land.

@308pirate What is a sling glove?

Once again, I appreciate everyones help.

 

[308pirate]

@308pirate What is a sling glove?

 

[308pirate]

You can use any heavy duty glove to take the sting of the sling off your hand. I just happen to have one of those left over from when I competed in NRA highpower and smallbore.

 

[spife7980]

Since the stapler has been mentioned Ill say: a sharpie. I use one all the time and now just leave one dedicated for shooting in the truck after getting pissed at forgetting it one time too many.

I also keep a couple cans of white spray pain and a can of red for the center dot in the trucks back cubby pocket. We always go up and look at the targets when were done so you might as well give them a coat right then and have them ready to shoot next time.

For the actual shooting materials I just keep a bag with everything in it and take it along, It has a fat wrench with a bit for each fastener on my rifles. It has my ear muffs and a spare set of foam plugs. It has the silencer spanner wrenches as well as the benchrest wrenches, it has a mirage cover, it has my weathermeter. I have a rangefinder, normal rear bag, wedgie rear bag (I hate it but someone always brings an ar and the normal rear bag isnt tall enough for the thin stocks) and a roll out shooting mat.

Ill fill a jug with ice water if Ill be out more than an hour, almost always because even if I shoot fast I still fart around the ranch.

The best suggestion in a past thread like this was from culpepper in which he recommended... "snacks"

 

[Mooncake]

If your shooting position is fixed and you're in a sunny climate, the utility of a patio or beach umbrella (or golf umbrella attached to a 3 gun cart) cannot be overstated. Nothing will conserve energy more effectively than staying hydrated and hiding from that furious ball of gas.

 

[308pirate]

If your shooting position is fixed and you're in a sunny climate, the utility of a patio or beach umbrella (or golf umbrella attached to a 3 gun cart) cannot be overstated. Nothing will conserve energy more effectively than staying hydrated and hiding from that furious ball of gas.

Oh yeah...….Shooting mat and sun shade all rolled in one

 

[Shortrangelong]

@308pirate Is that you shooting in the picture?

 

[308pirate]

@308pirate Is that you shooting in the picture?

Nope. Just some random pic off the net to show you what a sling glove is and how it's used.

 

[Just Chuck]

Didn't see this mentioned , but I like to have a cleaning rod on hand in the event of some barrel obstruction/bullet/debris/etc. In addition to range bag with markers,pens, load data, stapler, ears, glasses; I'll have a 3-pound hammer for pounding in target stands (made from T posts) and tool box with Fat Wrench.

 

[Dougie308]

I’m going to start going to the range to practice shooting and I was wondering what all I should bring aside from the obvious (gun, ammo, hearing protection, eye protection)?

Don't bring any weed or beer. That is apparently a no no.

 

[hlee]

Has a wind meter been suggested? If not, it goes along with having a plan. Range time is practice time. Don’t guess the wind speed. Know it...

And, have a tool for every fastener on your gun. Nothing like getting to the range and finding out that some important screw is loose.

Cleaning rod for stuck cases?

Gun oil/grease?

I’m looking at the range bag(s) I’m taking to a 22 match in the morning. One goes with me to the stages, one (hopefully) just stays in the truck...

Fat wrench
Ear protoection
Eye protection
Rear bag
Nonmarring hammer
Screw driver
Ammunition
Bore snake
Range rod
Towel
Gun oil
Gun grease
Staple gun
First aid kit
Paper
Pen
Wrist coach
Appropriate Allen keys
Wind meter
Lens cleaner
Wiebad fortune cookie
Wiebad mod pump pillow
Range finder
Binoculars
Flash light
Sling
Appropriate magazines for gun
Shooting mat

 

[19dsniper]

Didn't see this mentioned , but I like to have a cleaning rod on hand in the event of some barrel obstruction/bullet/debris/etc. In addition to range bag with markers,pens, load data, stapler, ears, glasses; I'll have a 3-pound hammer for pounding in target stands (made from T posts) and tool box with Fat Wrench.

This is something I didn’t start carrying till recently. I have only 1 rifle that I run with the seating depth set at a jam. We used it on a hunt one night and after coming back empty handed, I dumped the box mag and ran the bolt back. Case came out and I couldn’t figure out what the stuff all over my arm was in the dark. When I went to grab my loaded cartridge off the ground I realized that it was missing something. The bullet was still in the lands and what I felt was the powder spilling everywhere. I remembered to bring a backup gun, but no cleaning rod. So that bullet sat in the chamber till the trip was over and I made it home. Definately bring a cleaning rod even if you don’t plan on cleaning at the range. A cleaning rod is now always in my secondary rifle case.

 

[TheGerman]

Fleshlight. Obviously.

 

[Black max]

Haven't read the whole thread but if it hasn't been mentioned it needs to be. Tacticool gloves are an absolute MUST!!! Do not leave home without them.

 

[sled_mack]

Chrono. Having a LabRadar makes it easy to check a few rounds while checking zero or running a dot drill.

 

[chris173airborne]

I've got an Eberlestock Gunslinger II packed with the following items:

1. HS Precision 2000 SA w/a MDT Chassis and Leupold Mark 6
2. Ranger Vortex 1300 Rangefinder
3. Kestrel 5700 Elite
4. P.R.S.T. (Precision Rifle Shooting Tripod) with Feisol CB-50D Ballhead
5. Leupold Mark 4 Tactial Spotting Scope w/cheap tripod
6. Corn shooting sock/Homemade
7. Mildot Master Range and Bullet Drop Calculation Guide
8. Allen wrentches (for the optic)
9. Data book from www.impactdatabooks.com (awesome company..not a plug)
10. TAB Sniper Bag
11. Wilderness Tactical Rifle Rest Accubag
12. ANPVS-22 (Universal Night Sight)
13. AN/PAS-13 Thermal Weapons Site
14. ..other stuff