Gun Club Orentation video

Bill Wynne

Bill Wynne

Active member
Our gun club, like so many others has an on going problem teaching new members and old how to safely use our ranges. We have two rifle ranges and several pistol bays and a place to shoot shotguns.

http://www.sanangelogunclub.org./home.htm

We have many members and orentation has always been a problem. We are considering the use of several videos on our website as well as handouts to show how to use our ranges and what not to do.

Has anyone ever tried to deliver this message by video and how did it work for you. I would like to get some ideas.

Concho Bill
 
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Bill,

Back in 2005 we had safety problems at our range which was mostly an open range for the membership to use. We were forced to shut the range down.

We called in experts from afar, NRA. We found the solution to the problem was to have a Range SOP that follows the NRA guidelines and to require that a club certified RSO was on duty if the range was open. Shooters have to sign with with the RSO. Club requires that RSO be NRA certified. Lots of paper work and lots of attention to detail. However, this is the only way a range can limit it's risk and associated liabilities.

We opened ranges in 2006 with all the new rules. Shortly after opening we had one party test the rules with beer and shooting bottles. His RSO rating were dropped and we have not had a problem since. We now have a very safe range enjoyed by many family members.

Our Chief Range Officers run the NRA RSO training program. It works. A big part of this 9 hour course is teaching the membership just what our Range SOP is and exactly what the rules are. Is is made easier because or SOP and rules match NRA.

Our most basic rule is the range can only be open by an RSO, Range Safety Officer. The duty RSO is 100% responsible for the range when he has it open. Before he opens the range he is responsible to do the range inspection per the check list. He must leave the range correct for the next RSO to open the range. If there is a range problem it is either in the log or was caused by the last RSO to open the range.

Our sign in paper work avoid finger pointing. Without it unknown things seem to happen.

The solution to training is the NRA. They are the experts.

If you need more info please email me and I can send you copies of our SOP and related forms.
 
Octopus,

I believe that you have the ultimate system for operating a range. We are charging a modest fee for membership ($80 per year) and a system like you have is one that we cannot afford at this time. We are located in West Texas on ranch land that has a sparse population. I am sure that we are headed in the direction that your club took but we are not there yet.

Our biggest problem is that some people will place their targets in a place that will allow the bullets to ricochet out of the range and not impact our well placed berms. We are not harming neighbors and we haven't had complaints, yet. We have had some of our stuff shot up by careless people or vandals.

Has any other Gun Club produced a gun safety video shot on their range and included it on their websites?

Concho Bill
 
Bill
That is an excellent idea. Most people have a greater ability to retain and recall information when it's presented in some type of graphic, either video or picture book with simple directions. As a teacher I've had great success with graphics and as a coach, well nothing is better then having a video that models technique, execution, rules etc.....................in fact I video tape my self shooting on the bench inorder to self-evaluate. To quote my college coach "the eye don't lie". Video is a great teaching tool.
 
Bill,

I suggest you contact NRA. They may have videos that could be used.

The bullets going out of the range was the problem that shut down our range.

We are a limited private membership range. Our first major problem was to raise the funds needed to rebuild the range to match NRA range guidelines. This was the major cost. The membership donated the money and labor needed. In 2005 when the range closed we had less than $1.000 in the funds.

We do not charge any range fees. We charge $135 for the RSO course. The CRSOs who teach the course donate all the instructor fees back to the range less the NRA fees for the books.

We run fund raiser events twice a year. The fund raiser events start with a 22 shoot for the kids on the 25 yard pistol range. We have lots of moving targets and every shooter wins. We give awards and Certificates to all shooters under 18. We supply all 22 ammo and rifles. Or they can bring their own rifles. After shooting at the 25 yard lines the kids can mover over to the 50 yard line and shoot as much as they desire. On the 50 yard line we usually have two NRA Certified Rife Instructors to help with the shooting. At a typical youth shoot we will have a duty CRSO and 8 to 10 RSOs on the lines. The shoot usually last from 8:30 to near Noon. Parents must attend with the kids.

Lunch, hamburger, hot dogs, drinks and etc is supplied and is free.

The auction starts after lunch. All items donated are sold. We have been lucky and usually have a professional auctioneer donate his time. If it is donated we sale it. We have raised a lot of money from paintings and other stuff wife's like. Usually over 50% of the items are gun related. We have sold a lot of new in the box reloading equipment that the membership has laying around. The free shooting, the free lunch and the very good auction deals brings out the membership.

With this program we have funded and built a new building for the 25 yard line and keep up with a range expenses. Our funds balance is usually 8 to 10,000 dollars. Since 2006 we have build and operated a new range. It was all paid for this way. No membership fee and no range fees. This program is somewhat similar to the Ducks Unlimited fund raising. And as you expected most of the real work is done by a small part of the membership.

I contribute much of our success to the RSO training program. In 2006 we trained about 90 ROS. In 2007 we trained 60 more. Since we have been training about 25 per year. (You do not have to be an RSO to shoot but and RSO is required to open each of the ranges.) Our membership know range safety and practice it. At the range prior to 2006 we did not have an RSO program. Many members especially family groups were not using the range due to safety issues. The NRA RSO training program changed this. On a daily basis each RSO who opens one of the ranges runs the range to NRA standards. Much like a BR match. Week ends we often see two fathers at the range with kids and one will be the duty office giving the range commands. Often I will have very senior BR shooters on the line with 10 year olds and all perform to the same safety standards. It all comes down to an educated membership.

Other local private ranges have heard about our program and have been sending people to our RSO training classes. The reason for this is liability. In the event of an accident on the range the big legal question is how was the range being operated. The correct answer is: "In accordance with the national safety standards". Any other answer is a looser to the officers of the club and the land owner in court. The NRA Range Guidelines are the National Standard. Court case proven! Key to the NRA program is the present of an NRA certified Range Safety Office on the range when anyone is present. Note when anyone is present. Liability issues are the same for non shooters as shooters.

Our insurance carrier was very happy when we started our new range SOP. We got an A+++ on risk management.

We have had such major success with our RSO training class we expanded to include a Concealed Weapon class this past year and will be offering the Firearms Home Safely class later this year. Next year we will offer NRA Pistol, Rifle and Shotgun Classes. This year three more of our members have been NRA Instructor certified.

Regarding the Video and teaching. Take the NRA training for CRSO and the other instructor rating. NRA has been around since 1885. They have evolved the process of teaching to a very precise operation. They have books visual aids and everything. The NRA teaching process is a total involvement process.
 
vinny said:
Bill
That is an excellent idea. Most people have a greater ability to retain and recall information when it's presented in some type of graphic, either video or picture book with simple directions. As a teacher I've had great success with graphics and as a coach, well nothing is better then having a video that models technique, execution, rules etc.....................in fact I video tape my self shooting on the bench in order to self-evaluate. To quote my college coach "the eye don't lie". Video is a great teaching tool.
Click to expand...
Vinny,

Thank you very much for your comments and your teacher's insight. A teacher spends his or her life trying to teach people and along the way, they are bound to learn a few things that work and a few things that don't.

We have a few people who are active in our club that are exceptionally gifted in speaking and transmitting thoughts and ideas. We have someone who would be perfect with the camera and editing and lots who would work very well as shooters and extras. Between us we have at least one of every firearm ever loaded and fired by man. I think that what we need is a good outline of what we would like to teach shooters at our range. A good teacher would be great at putting together a good lesson plan. We could do a script and film it on our range for the benefit of our shooters, new and old. This would be much better than all the signs that we have that nobody seem to read.

It is my feeling that we should make short videos that show how shooters are supposed to use the rifle range, as well as, what is unacceptable. We would make a separate video concerning the pistol area and one for the shotgun area. The reason for making several is so these are shorter and easier to download and easier to watch. The idea is transmit ideas in an efficient way.

This idea was brought to our regular meeting last night and it was well accepted. We have appointed a committee that is going to plan this thing out and put it together.

If this has been done by others, we would sure like to see your work. We will need all the help we can get. I feel like we all have something at stake in making our ranges safer for all who use them or live by them.

Concho Bill
 
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Bill
Feel free to email me if you need ideas on structuring a lesson plan. Organizing and focusing on your objectives/goals is key. You then figure out how to teach it, like a person demonstating on video how to handle a ftf.
Feel free to ask for help if you need it.
 
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