Range commands and etiquette

Range commands are how a range officer controls when people load, shoot, stop and go forward. The exact words depend on the discipline, the national body's rules and the club's own standing orders, so your safety briefing will tell you the ones used that day. The pattern behind them is much the same everywhere.

Common commands

• “Range is open”

  The range officer has opened the range for shooting.

  What you do: Take your place at the firing line and set up. On some ranges this also means you may load and start; on others, wait for a separate load command. Your briefing will say which.

• “Load”

  You may now load.

  What you do: Load with the muzzle pointed downrange. Never load before this command.

• “Is anyone not ready?”

  A check before shooting starts.

  What you do: If you aren't ready, say "not ready" loudly and clearly.

• “Commence fire / Start”

  Shooting may begin.

  What you do: Begin shooting, and stop as soon as you hear a cease fire.

• “Cease fire / Stop”

  All shooting stops now.

  What you do: Stop immediately and keep the muzzle downrange. Under many range rules a cease fire also means unload straight away. Follow the range officer's instruction.

• “Unload and show clear”

  Shooting is over for now.

  What you do: Unload, remove the magazine, open the action and let the range officer check it is empty.

• “Range is clear”

  Every firearm has been checked.

  What you do: Step back from the line and don't touch firearms. People may now go forward to the targets.

• “Range is closed”

  No shooting is allowed. Ranges use this before shooting starts, during a cease fire and at the end of the session.

  What you do: Keep your hands off firearms and follow the range officer's next instruction, which may be to go forward or to pack up.

International rifle and pistol rules use short versions: LOAD, START, STOP and UNLOAD. IPSC action shooting has its own sequence, starting with "load and make ready" and ending with "unload and show clear". Some ranges also use an emergency call, such as "stop, stop, stop".

If you see something unsafe

On many ranges the range officer calls cease fires. Australia's fullbore rifle rules go further: anyone on a range can call a cease fire when they see an unsafe act, and everyone must stop immediately. Ask at your briefing how your range handles this. If you see something unsafe, say so loudly and clearly to the range officer or call a cease fire if your range allows it. If you hear a cease fire, stop, even if you can't see why.

Etiquette on the firing line

The commands come with habits that ranges expect from everyone:

• Muzzle downrange. At the firing line, the muzzle always points towards the targets.

• Hands off when people are forward. Nobody touches a firearm at the line while anyone is in front of it, even an unloaded one.

• Actions open between strings. Between strings, firearms stay unloaded with the action open. Many ranges ask for an empty chamber indicator, a brightly coloured flag that shows at a glance the chamber is empty.

• During a cease fire, do what the range officer says. Stop, then unload and make your firearm safe as directed. Some ranges then send everyone behind a marked line; others ask you to stay in place with your firearm unloaded. Either way, once it's safe, don't touch it again until told.

• Listen and acknowledge. If you can't hear or don't understand a command, don't guess. Ask the range officer. One Brisbane club requires members to understand range commands given in English.

• Wait to be called. When a range rotates shooters through details, the range officer calls the next detail forward.

Flags and lights

Many ranges use flags or lights to show whether the range is active, but the meaning isn't the same everywhere. Some ranges fly a red flag while the range is open, while national fullbore rules use a red flag on the firing point to show the range is closed. Under the South Australian Clay Target Association's rules, a red flag or an official at the trap house means open and unload your gun straight away. Ask what the signals mean at your range during your briefing.

Where to learn more

Read Safe handling rules for the habits behind these commands, and The range officer's role to see the range from the other side.