Your first time at the shooting range: what to bring, what to expect, how to behave

Almost everyone feels nervous on their first range visit: the noise, the rules, the sense that everyone else knows more than you. The good news is that range staff are used to beginners, and nearly everything you need to know can be learned in advance.

Before you leave home

• Pick a range. Not every range suits beginners. The range map shows ranges by distance, opening hours and amenities. 8 things to check before choosing will help you decide.
• Call or check opening hours. Many ranges close early, and evenings and weekends get crowded.
• Check the price. Entry fees, lane rental and ammo are set by each range. The ammo price comparison shows what a round costs at each place, and how to compare price per round explains how to do the math properly.

What to bring

Item	Why
Photo ID	Identification at the door
A valid firearm license, if you bring a personal firearm	The range checks that the license and the firearm match
Hearing protection	Mandatory. Earmuffs or plugs, ideally both
Safety glasses	They protect against hot brass and fragments
Ammo for your caliber	Or buy it on site, if the range sells it
Magazines and a loader	If you have them
Closed clothing	A shirt with a closed collar and closed shoes. Hot brass down the collar is no fun

Practice only at the range, and only with an instructor. Even practice without live fire ("dry") is done only at an authorized range, with a licensed firearms instructor present, in a designated area. Under the Authority's standing orders for ranges, the instructor verifies your ID, your license and the firearm (including the serial number stamped on it) before every training, and records you in the shooters' log. Arrive with ID, a valid license and the firearm itself.

What the visit looks like

1. Sign-in and payment at reception, plus a document check.
2. Safety briefing. The range officer or instructor explains the house rules: where a loaded firearm is allowed, when you may fire, and what to do on a "cease fire" command.
3. Entering the lane. You load and handle the firearm only at the lane, muzzle pointed downrange.
4. Shooting. Start calm: a close target (5-7 m / 15-25 ft) and a small number of rounds.
5. Finishing. Unload, make sure the chamber is empty and show it for inspection, following the range's procedure.

The safety rules you'll hear at every range

• Treat every firearm as loaded, even if it looks empty.
• Keep the muzzle in a safe direction, meaning downrange.
• Keep your finger outside the trigger guard until your sights are on the target and you've decided to shoot.
• Know your target and what is behind it.
• Listen to the range officer. If in doubt, stop, unload and ask.

Getting the most out of the first visit

Keep your expectations small. The first visit is for getting used to the noise, the rules and the feel of the firearm, not for accuracy. Fifty focused rounds beat 200 with no direction. If you want to learn properly from the start, a certified instructor saves you from bad habits that are hard to fix later. The guide to training types and choosing an instructor explains what to look for.

When you're ready for a plan, 100 rounds, 5 drills is a good starting point for your next session.

Log it from day one

In Kadurim you can add your firearm to your vault and log every visit: how many rounds, which firearm and which ammo. That way you always know how many rounds went through the gun and when it's due for cleaning (how often to clean a pistol).

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This article is general information only and does not replace instruction from a certified firearms instructor or the range officer's rules. Entry rules, required documents and the use of rental firearms vary by range.