Range trips can be a very relaxing activity. Working on your technique or testing your new gear is usually very therapeutic. You get the occasional mishap with a jam or red dot not working like you thought it would, but generally speaking I always leave the firing line feeling a little better then when I got there.
Taking your family to the range can be a little different. You are now responsible for the safety of the ones you love most as well as everyone around you, which adds a new level of stress to the experience. Things like making sure everyone has the proper eye and ear protection, teaching range courtesy, loading magazines, and all the little things that come with it can suddenly become a bad day if you aren’t prepared. Here are a few tricks to make sure you and your family have a rewarding experience so that they can’t wait to go back and do it again:
SAFETY FIRST! Take a minute to go over range etiquette and safety rules before you go. Trying to talk over an active firing line can be tricky and very distracting for a new shooter.
RESEARCH the RANGE: If you have never been where you are planning to shoot, be sure to visit the website if possible so you know what to look for when you arrive. If they have a social media presence, look at their content so you can get a feel for the vibe. If it is your home range, you will have a much more solid understanding than the new folks you are bringing.
ESTABLISH A PLAN: If you are going to a range where you are on a strict timeline, it’s a good idea to have some idea what you are going to do when you get there. Time wasted is money wasted, and we all know we can’t afford that right now.
HAVE YOUR GEAR READY: One thing that will save you time is to have all your gear organized and ready to go. Digging for that earplug or loading your first round of magazines on the clock just wastes time. Have your mags loaded when you arrive if allowed by the range (see rule 2).
MAKE SURE THE GUN MATCHES THE SHOOTER: This is super important for anyone who is trying to bring people into shooting sports. Bringing a turkey load 12ga shotgun for a first timer isn’t funny and is a good way to ensure that whoever you bring isn’t coming back. My favorite “starter gun” is a Ruger 10/22. Not too heavy, no recoil, and not too loud.
DON’T USE TINY TARGETS A MILE AWAY: If you are bringing new people to the sport, you want them to feel like they can do this! When teaching someone to shoot, I always start with a paper target about 10 ft away. People will laugh or snicker but being able to see hits on paper is huge for a new shooter. You can always move the target out for more experience shooters but bringing it in just makes them feel like they are failing.
PLAN ACTIVITIES BASED ON SKILL LEVEL: This goes hand in hand with number six above. Don’t baby it down. If your last name happens to be Miculek, basic shooting drills aren’t going to cut it for your crew. Make sure your plans are on the level of your shooters. If you have a mixed experience level, spend more time with the novice shooters and guide your pros as best you can. They don’t need much.
TAKE A PICTURE: Making memories is a priority for me and my family. We have given up on gifts and now take trips and go for experiences. I’m a photographer, so maybe I’m a little biased about this, but even taking one selfie with your loved ones can be huge years later. Just be sure you are mainly focused on safety and not taking a thousand pics for the Gram.
REVIEW YOUR EXPERIENCE AFTERWARDS: The drive home is a great place to do this. Ask everyone what they thought about the trip and what they liked/ disliked. You will also have had the opportunity to see them for input. Make notes on what worked or didn’t work and consider that for the next trip.
HAVE FUN! We all like fun and going to the range should be just that. If you start to feel overwhelmed, call a cease fire (for your family), and talk about it. If you have a larger family, you may want to go in shifts or take some help. I’m most comfortable one on one so I can be sure everything is going smoothly.
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