Once you have a shooter certification card, please remember that to retain it you will have to attend regularly, and comply with the safe shooting system we all learned on our safety course.  (See below.) You MUST have the card with you to every Sealand Shoot.

THINGS WE  NEED TO KNOW

We all  have to have a certificate of competency issued by our clubs if we want to shoot on Ministry of Defence ranges other than whilst being supervised on a “one-to-one” basis.

The national  course for this certificate is set by the NRA, and  is somewhat long-winded and Bisley oriented, so I’ve put together some information from the course and question papers which will be of use to you.

  • “Prove a gun is clear” = Demonstrate clearly to another person that your gun has no ammunition in the chamber, magazine or any other part of it. This is usually done by opening the gun so that the chamber can be seen as well as removing any magazine (if possible) or showing the top of the magazine to be empty. In the case of a lever-action rifle, operating the lever mechanism at least four times to show that there are no rounds in the magazine. At all times the gun must be pointed in a safe direction. Muzzle-loading firearms are a different case.
  • Moving onto the firing point – best done with the gun in a slip or case. On the firing point the gun should be uncased whilst pointing at the target area, and the breech opened as the gun is uncased. It should then be placed on the firing point facing the target. If the gun is carried uncased to the point, it should have the bolt out. If this is not possible, a breech flag should be in place and obvious, and in any case the rifle should be carried with the muzzle pointing directly upwards.
  • Moving off the firing point. Before removing any rifle from the firing point, it has to be proved clear to the Range Conducting Officer (RCO) or firing point supervisor. When this has been done, the rifle can be placed in a slip or case, and the breech closed, with the rifle pointing towards the targets. It can then be removed with the permission of the RCO. If NOT cased, then it must be carried muzzle upwards, breech open, with a breech flag in it, or bolt removed.
  • The Range Conducting Officer (RCO) is in charge of the range, and you must obey ANY order given by him or her, IMMEDIATELY and without question.
  • The RCO will tell you when to approach the firing point and lay out your gun and equipment, when to load and fire, and when to stop. The emergency order is “STOP! STOP! STOP!” which can be given by anyone on the range who sees a potential problem. When this order is given, take your finger off the trigger immediately, and await further instructions. DO NOT unload, operate the safety catch, or anything else until instructed.
  • A Home Office Approved Target Shooting Club allows members to possess firearms and ammunition without a certificate solely for the purpose of target shooting. If you wish to have a gun SOLELY for target shooting, then you have to be a member of a club approved by the Home Office for that class of gun.
  • A Firearm Certificate is a document issued by the police for the area where you live, which allows you to possess specified guns and ammunition. It lasts for five years. Your shooting organisation can help and advise on the completion of the application forms, which can be confusing.
  • Range Standing Orders are a set of instructions detailing the way in which a shooting range may be used safely.
  • As a probationary member of a Home Office Approved target shooting club, you may possess firearms and ammunition only in connection with target shooting without a firearm certificate.
  • When you have a firearm certificate, you are personally responsible for the security of your guns and ammunition, and must take reasonable precautions to prevent people without certificates from having access to them. On the range you should take precautions to ensure that your guns and ammunition cannot be stolen.
  • An outdoor range usually consists of a firing point, (often slightly raised) a “stop butt” or backstop which catches bullets behind the targets, and a mantlet which is a bank in front of the targets to protect the people marking the targets.
  • The mantlet, targets and stop butt are collectively known as “The Butts.”
  • There will usually be a red flag (or lamp, or sign) flying from the range area when the range is in use. There will also be a “stop butt” flag, which is flown when firing is NOT taking place on an individual range although the range is otherwise in use – for example when people are moving between the butts and the firing point. No firing must take place on that range when the “stop butt” flag is flying.
  • The Range Conducting Officer (RCO) controls the use of any flags, lamps or other signals, and is in charge of everybody on the shooting range. When in doubt, ask the RCO !
  • Most rifles have:
    a stock (wooden or plastic) which holds the gun together. The butt rests on the firer’s shoulder, and the left and right hand control the gun’s movement by their position on the stock.
    A barrel (the tube through which the bullet is fired).
    sights (which enable accurate aiming).
    A trigger mechanism.
    A bolt – which helps to load and eject a round, whilst sealing the back of the barrel.
    Some have magazines, which hold rounds in the gun in readiness for firing.
  • Other than a rifle and hearing protection, a shooting mat and a spotting scope are useful accessories. Hearing protection is MANDATORY when firing on shooting ranges. Eye protection is advisory.
  • Any accessories should be laid out on the firing point exactly in front of your target, and without encroaching on other firer’s space. The spotting scope should be set up so that you do not need to move your body to look through it. An ammunition box can also be useful, and this should be positioned naturally by the hand you use to load your rifle.
  • A properly fitting shooting jacket is essential for Target Rifle Disciplines, and a shooting glove is likewise very useful.
  • You must position yourself and the rifle so that when you are completely at rest, the sights are pointed at the centre of the target.
  • You should know what the correct “sight picture” is for the type of target and sights you are using. EG: the cross hairs of a telescopic sight should be in the centre of the bull.
  • You should take a few deep breaths before firing to get oxygen into your bloodstream, then let the last breath out to a natural stop – not forced. You should then operate the trigger whilst not breathing, and the keep on aim as a “follow through” for a second or so before taking your next breath. DO NOT hold your breath for a long time, as this will cause you eyesight to deteriorate, and your heart rate to increase. Neither should you move in any way immediately after the shot, but rather see where the gun sights have ended up after the recoil – this will help you to know where the shot landed.
  • On MoD Ranges, you MUST have the rifle pointed directly at the target area at all times when the breech is closed.  (It’s called the “70 mils rule” ) This is particularly important when loading a round into the chamber, or when the rifle is on a bipod, as it is too easy to allow the butt to drop and thus have the gun pointed over the backstop. THIS MUST NOT HAPPEN. The same applies when the gun is being unloaded.
  • You may only load or fire your rifle on the direct instruction from the RCO, such as: “In you own time, load and fire when ready”
    or
    “Load and make ready.” In the first instance you may fire if your target is in place, but in the second you may load, but must wait for a further instruction to fire.
  • If you can remove the bolt from your rifle, you should do so at the end of the detail, and/or insert a “breech flag” into the chamber. This is so that everyone can see that the rifle is unloaded. If you cannot remove the bolt, then a breech flag must be inserted unless the Range Conducting Officer clears the gun on the firing point, and allows you to put it into a gun slip or case for removal.
  • In NO case must you ever remove a firearm from the firing point unless it has been “proved clear” by the RCO or anyone deputised by him for this purpose. This simply means that the RCO or his deputy has looked into the breach and magazine, and has seen that there is no ammunition in the rifle. (See also  underlever rifles).
  • Rarely, a cartridge will fail to fire at the moment the primer has been struck by the firing pin, but instead will fire a second or so later – and this is known as a “hangfire.”
  • If the gun fails to fire immediately, the RCO should be alerted – usually by raising a hand. The gun MUST be kept pointing at the target for 30 seconds. Then the gun (still pointing at the target area) should be turned with the breech pointing away from the firer and anyone on that side of the firing point nearby should be removed. The breech should be opened carefully, facing away from the firer and the round ejected and given to the RCO. In the case of bolt-action rifles, the finger and thumb should be used to operate the bolt, with no part of the hand behind the bolt in case the round fires as the bolt is opened, forcing it backwards.
  • The round should be examined, and if there is an indentation in the primer it should be handed to the RCO for disposal.
  • There are many different targets used for different shooting disciplines at different ranges – you should familiarise yourself with the scoring system on each target you use, and with the methods of indicating each hit, if employed.
  • There are various methods of communication used on ranges, usually radio or telephone. If you are required to operate these, you should ensure you know what calls signs are used, and how the system works on your range. The RCO will be able to assist. The most common (and important) line of communication is between the butts and the firing point. There will also be communication between the lookouts and the range control office.
  • Sights – There are several different types of sighting systems, such as telescopic, vernier, leaf etc. You must know how to use the sights on any gun you are using, particularly the “sight picture” for that type of sight. You must know how to adjust them for windage (horizontal adjustment) and elevation (vertical adjustment.) You should know the measurements on the sights (if applicable) and how to adjust them for changes in range (eg: from 100 yards to 200 yards.)
  • You should also know how to “zero” your sights IE: adjust them so that your group of shots on your target fall around the aiming point for a given distance. You need to zero your sights if they have suffered damage, or have been misadjusted, or any major repairs have been made to the rifle or sights, or a different type of ammunition is used. All zeroing should be done at relatively short ranges, such as 100 yards:
    The process is:
    Determine the current setting of your sights.
    Set the correct elevation for the distance at which you are zeroing your rifle.
    Make any appropriate changes for wind.
    Fire a carefully aimed 5 shot group at the centre of the target.
    Adjust the sights to bring the group into the centre of the target if necessary.
  • You must be able to shoot a group of shots (5 or more) which is no more than 1 foot across when shooting at 100 yards. (This can be an equivalent, such as 2 feet at 200 yards for example.)
  • Only If you shoot the formal Target Rifle (TR) discipline, you should make yourself familiar with the score sheet on which you record details of every shot you take, and is an aid to analysis of your shooting.
  • You should know how to clean and prepare your firearm for shooting – the bore/barrel should be clear of obstructions, dirt or oil. The operating parts should move freely, all screws etc should be tight, and any magazine inserted properly. After shooting the gun should be dried (if wet!) and the bore cleaned using the appropriate solvents and equipment, leaving only a very thin film of oil. The gun should be checked for any obvious signs of damage.
  • If you shoot “F Class” or similar disciplines, you may use bipods or sandbags as a support for your rifle.
  • If you shoot gallery rifles (usually underlever carbines) You must “prove” the gun is unloaded to the RCO by operating the mechanism at least four times after all cartridges have been ejected/fired. This must be done with the rifle pointed at the target area. The underlever should remain in the open position when the gun is not in use or in its case or slip.

Muzzle-loading pistols have a different safety regime: The method of proving them clear to the RCO will vary with the type of pistol, but will involve the removal (or absence of) the ignition system – eg eg: no priming powder in the pan of a flintlock, no match OR priming powder present in a match lock, no cap(s) on the nipple(s) of percussion firearms. Before using this type of firearm you must make yourself familiar with these methods. The misfire procedure also varies with the firearm, but the basic rule remains that the gun must be pointed at the target for 30 seconds before any action is taken to resolve the problem.
For Information

The 70 Mils rule – A loaded rifle must not be elevated more than 70 Mils above the horizontal. 70 Mils = 3.9 Degrees = 236 Minutes of angle.

Over 100 yards, one MoA (Minute of Angle) is approximately equal to 1 inch, so if you raise your rifle by 5 minutes of angle when shooting at 100 yards, your shots will fall about 5 inches higher on the target.

(Version 2.8  8/10/19)