The range officer, usually called the RO, is the person in charge of safety on the range. When they're on duty, their instructions come first. Club shooting generally happens under an RO's supervision. Target Rifle Australia says club shooting always takes place under a qualified range official, and SSAA Victoria says all its ranges have a qualified range officer in attendance whenever they operate.
Authority on the range
SSAA South Australia's range officer manual (version 2.3, from 2018) sums up the role: the RO has total control on the range in matters of safety. The NRAA handbook says an RO acts on behalf of the club committee and has complete authority and responsibility for everything that happens on the range while in charge.
In practice, that authority means an RO can:
open and close the range and give the commands on the firing line
caution anyone who breaks a range rule or acts unsafely
send someone off the range if that's needed
overrule a competition referee on a safety matter
If a shooter disagrees with an RO's decision, the manual says to take it up later with the club's senior range officer or committee, not on the firing line.
Before shooting starts
An RO checks the range before anyone loads. The SSAA manual lists the main checks:
the physical layout of the range and the safety equipment
that only approved targets are used, placed so aimed shots end up in the backstop
that they know the range rules, and that copies are displayed
The RO also briefs shooters on the course of fire and any local rules before calling them to the line.
During shooting
Once shooting starts, the RO stays in control of the firing line. They watch the line and the area downrange, call commands in a loud, clear voice, and call a cease fire whenever one is needed. On fullbore rifle ranges, the NRAA's rules also let anyone who sees an unsafe act call a cease fire. Because everyone on the line should be wearing hearing protection, the manual stresses that commands must be easy for every shooter to hear and understand.
Before anyone goes forward of the line, or takes a firearm off it, the RO or a delegated assistant personally checks every firearm is unloaded and safe. On a busy line, assistant ROs check their section and report back.
In IPSC practical shooting, the RO's role is even closer. IPSC Australia explains that only one competitor shoots a stage at a time, under the direct observation and control of a trained range officer. In clay target shooting, referees do much of this work and watch that shooters handle their guns safely.
Responsibility for juniors
The NRAA handbook makes the RO responsible for the safety of minors while they're on the range, until they are back in the care of a parent.
After shooting
When shooting finishes, the RO makes sure every firearm is cleared and the range is closed. If there's an incident, the RO reports it through the club. The SSAA SA manual sets a deadline for written incident reports to the state body.
What makes a good RO
The SSAA manual notes that the way an RO runs the line affects everyone's enjoyment. Good ROs are polite and courteous, firm and fair when a rule is broken, and they treat honest mistakes from inexperience as a chance to give advice. The NRAA handbook adds that ROs need to know the rules, including the range standing orders, and make sound and timely decisions.
If you're interested in becoming an RO, see Running a detail and Range officer accreditation.
Reviewed against: Range Officer Manual, version 2.3 (SSAA South Australia), Range Officers Handbook, version 1.2 (National Rifle Association of Australia), Standard Shooting Rules, version 2.0 (National Rifle Association of Australia), Range Officer Course (SSAA Victoria), FAQ (SSAA Basic Range Rules) (SSAA SA), About IPSC (IPSC Australia), How to Become a Referee (Australian Clay Target Association), Participation (Target Rifle Australia)Reviewed Suggest a correction
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