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Newbie question, but... what's considered good etiquette when you go to the range wanting to shoot your carry gun? Do you just take the gun unloaded in the range bag? Or could you unholster the gun on the firing line, set it on the bench, get situated, and proceed from there? My range has a rule against drawing and firing from a holster and I believe they mean drawing and immediately shooting, but I don't want to do anything that would cause problems.

I carry out to the firing line in my holster then put it on the bench while I get ammo and extra mags from my range bag. If in doubt I'd ask before I went out to the firing line.

What I do

Depends on the range. You should ask about drawing your gun from holster on the line. My range will allow you to draw once from concealed to use your carry gun, then when you are completed hsooting you can reload and reholster before leaving the line. You cannot darw and shoot from holster.

This. There are plenty of both types of range rules in my area. Call ahead - if I were in doubt, I'd unholster discreetly in my car and unload, before placing my CCW in my range bag and coming in. The ranges who have rules against unconcealing at the firing line are pretty serious about it.

Grillmark55 wrote:I carry out to the firing line in my holster then put it on the bench while I get ammo and extra mags from my range bag. If in doubt I'd ask before I went out to the firing line.

I also do this!
Guess it may depend on the range rules too. I usually go to the same range & have to walk through the store. It's ok at my range to enter the store & range concealed.

Well, I'll plan to carry to the range and ask when I get there. I know they're fine with concealed carry (I think the answer was something like, "it's concealed, none of our business") but I haven't yet had occasion to be called out by the RSO and I'd like to keep it that way. :)

This is usually my order of attack...

• I move into the range to the range table area and set my bags down.
• Remove cover garment.
• Remove the nifty little paddle holster that came with my gun from the bag.
• Move to the line and remove my gun from concealment and clear it.
• Lay the gun on the shooting table.
• Insert paddle holster in waistband.
• Condition four pistol goes into paddle holster visible.
• Move back to range table to get what I want to take to the firing line.

I don't leave my pistol unattended. It stays condition four in the holster when not on the line.

The ranges I have been on have had no issues with the above.

I checked before heading out to the range area, and they said as long as I'm removing it from the holster at the firing line and keeping it pointed in a safe direction at all times, it's cool. He also commented that since I'm there all the time and they know I'm not an idiot, they wouldn't be too worried about me. I've made the "not an idiot" list!

johncanfield wrote:What I do

me to

I usually call and ask ahead of time what their rules are but most of the time just to keep things easy going I will unload the weapon place in either the case it came in or range bag and proceed into the range once I get into the range I will ask the RSO how he feels about it cause you could get a different answer than what the clerk told you on the phone. Just be polite and ask. Always works for me.

The two ranges I frequent also have CHL classes but I still called ahead to confirm their policy. Don't pull it out until you're on the line, and please do so discreetly. I typically shoot my other cased handgun and/or long guns first. Then I'll draw my carry gun, drop the mag and chambered round, and then shoot some preloaded fmj mags. When I'm done I'll reload my carry gun, reholster, and be on my merry way.

If I'm going to a range that does not allow draw from the holster & fire, I put the gun that I plan on shooting into a range bag & carry an alternate. If I'm going to a range that does allow holster-draw, I just go as-is.

MotherBear wrote:Newbie question, but... what's considered good etiquette when you go to the range wanting to shoot your carry gun? Do you just take the gun unloaded in the range bag? Or could you unholster the gun on the firing line, set it on the bench, get situated, and proceed from there? My range has a rule against drawing and firing from a holster and I believe they mean drawing and immediately shooting, but I don't want to do anything that would cause problems.

I shoot at a hot range so there's no issues but if I was going to a no-holster range, I would carry a BUG and put my EDC in the range bag and treat it like one of my target guns for that session.