Carrying handguns at the Range?

Johnn Peterson said:
Years back when my buddy and I were doing a lot of serious bullseye shooting, we belonged to a couple of well structured clubs. For indoor and outdoor shooting we shot at the Naniamo club Monday nights and at the Cowichan facility Wednesday nights. Very basically the protocal when a call to cease fire was given the handguns were unloaded, left open and not touched until signaled to resume fire. Much the same, as I recall, on the rifle range, left open and usually placed in a rack. Again, not touched until safe to do so and a command along that line was given.

I've rejoined the Cowichan club, for range access when needed, and also belong to the smaller and somewhat less formal Chemainus club. At this smaller less formal club, with handguns, I usually take a holster and when I go down range to the target butt, the handgun is unloaded, holstered and comes with me. Fairly recently, I was questioned on this by who I believe was possibly a young RCMP officer. My explaination, as informal as the facility is, I'm not going to leave a firearm behind when I don't have a clue who some of the other shooters may be. Shooting rifle, I sling it on my shoulder and it comes with me as well.
Click to expand...

Sorry for the hijack..where is the Chemainus range?..I did not know there is one there
 
waynesixgun said:
Sorry for the hijack..where is the Chemainus range?..I did not know there is one there
Click to expand...

A couple of km's up the Copper Canyon logging road, on the left going up at about where I've marked #1 on the map.

CopperCanyonLoggingRd2.jpg


A side issue that I've made mention of previously, is the 'relocation' of the logging Co. gate, from roughly point #2 on the map to just east of point #1, which restricts access not only to Copper Canyon:( but also some municipal property where the club has a lease for the range. It appears to be too difficult for the logging Co and/or the municipality to move the gate so as not to curtail access to the municipal property. The excuse seems to be lack of power and a phone line. :rolleyes:I can only assume that between those two primary groups, neither has a generator or cell phone access available for the gate attendant. Pardon my rant but it's a pain in the ass!! I guess a possible explaination is a Liberal party sympathetic and supporting Logging Co. and the same for the municipal government:mad:.
 
Danimal247 said:
I honestly wish I could holster at my range - it's fking stupid to have to leave it on the bench if everyone is responsible and the mag is out. what do you think happens at IDPA events where everyone is holstered with no mag in the gun - do innocent people get ripped a new one? heck no - but if we can't carry anywhere else in this country why does it have to be restricted at a range where we are entitled to enjoy our purchases (if need be make it a requirement to be club level holster certified for the "safety" of other members)
Click to expand...

I hear you on that. The only other place you can pack heat without an ATC is in your own home.
 
Slavex said:
Thump_rrr- there are laws saying you cannot wear a holstered gun down range. There are some CFO's pushing an agenda of their own and obviously some clubs that have restrictive rules in place. At my range as long as you're safe you're good to go. I always carry my pistol downrange as I've been stalked by a bear a couple times and seen dodgy people on the road outside the range.
Click to expand...

Maybe a range policy, but no law that I am aware of.
 
No real issue at my range, as the pistol and rifle ranges are separate and one can only fire rifle on the rifle range and pistol on the pistol range.

There is an exception to that rule for rimfire (.22 and .17 cal) firearms, both rifle and pistol can be fired on the pistol range.

When I'm done shooting my rifle (or pistol) it goes into its case and into the truck, then I bring out the next one.

During scheduled shoots such as Steel Challenge, competitors walk around with holstered pistols, but they must be unloaded.
 
When I go downrange to change a target, I load my pisto and take shots at stuff on the way out.:)







(We can move and fire on one of our ranges)
 
Last edited:
There are no national "rules", each club sets their own.
Any club that allows IPSC shooting, and some other pistol shooting disciplines, generally accepts unloaded (no magazine), securely holstered firearms on the range, for qualified individuals. Right out of the IPSC rulebook.
 
Adding to the joy is the CFO in some areas, Ontario in particular, are getting sand in thier ######s about holster carry between ranges. By some stretch of logic, they think we need to unholster, trigger lock and box, and then unbox and holster to move between ranges beside each other at an IPSC match.

Frankly I think that holster carry makes a hell of a lot of sense, increasingly so with the more rural and isolated, and sparsely used ranges.

I don't feel safety is compromised if implemented with common sense.
 
thump_rrr said:
This is how I was taught. I assumed that everyone went through the same course but I guess I'm wrong.

http://www.gov.pe.ca/photos/original/CFSCmanualVer2.pdf

Page 164 5.3 A
6. Upon the command "Cease Fire" all firing stops at once. Firearms are unloaded. Actions are opened. Firearms are laid on the mat or on the table. Their muzzles point in a safe direction down range. The shooter steps backfrom the firing line, behind the cease-fire line.

7. The Range Officer will inspect each firearm before allowing anyone to go forward of the firing line.

On a side note Quebec is the only province which doesn't allow any type of competition where a person can be forward of the firing line while the range is active.

So for all you people out there who think your rules are restricive think again.
Click to expand...

That is what the CFC suggests for safe range operation and is not law. They put this in the manual so if a new person is on a range they will have an idea what things like cease fire mean. Just because it is in the manual does not make it law.

Read the firearms act, it's not that long, only 75 pages:

http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/F-11.6/

If it is not in the act it is not law.

There is no law in Canada saying what you can or can not do with you firearms once at the range. Assuming you break no other law.

Range Rules are a different matter. Every range will have different rules and it is your responsibility to know and follow these when using a range. But if you choose to not follow range rule all they can do is ask you to leave.

So basically we have:

Law = no law regarding the use of holsters
Range Rules= depends on the range

I am a holstered kind of guy, by the way.

Shawn
 
If I'm shooting at the pistol side of the range I keep it in the holster, unloaded. I, haven't had any problems personally with it. I've been standing there B.s.-ing with one of the executive club members with a shoulder holster on, and he never mentioned a thing. I didn't even think about it until now. My buddy had his 1911 in a leg holster too.
 
Dave_K said:
If I'm shooting at the pistol side of the range I keep it in the holster, unloaded. I, haven't had any problems personally with it. I've been standing there B.s.-ing with one of the executive club members with a shoulder holster on, and he never mentioned a thing. I didn't even think about it until now. My buddy had his 1911 in a leg holster too.
Click to expand...

as long as your not using a shoulder holster, your not allowed to use those here cause the muzzel is pointed behind you.
 
GunGuy34 said:
as long as your not using a shoulder holster, your not allowed to use those here cause the muzzel is pointed behind you.
Click to expand...

:)When, as in my 1st post on this thread, I was discussing the 'holster issue' with the young RCMP officer, I had the 8 3/8" 500 S&W in an inexpensive Uncle Mike's shoulder holster. When I purchased the holster, it was with the possibility in mind of a Moose hunt in Alaska with that handgun. That hunt is waiting patiently for a degree of success on the next 649 draw. Anyway;), in that holster, the muzzle points straight down:D.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom