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OAK HARBOR CONSERVATION CLUB

PROPOSED Safety Plan and Range Rules 12-12-2022

Preamble Page 1

Definitions Page 1

Section I. General Range Rules Page 2

Section II. Matches, Leagues, or Organized Shooting Events Page 5

Section III. 25 Yard Indoor Range Page 7

Section IV. 50 Yard Indoor Range Page 8

Section V. 100 Yard Indoor Range Page 9

Section VI. Injuries Page 10

Preamble:

This safety plan has been established by Oak Harbor Conservation Club, Inc. to ensure the health and safety of those members and guests who use or frequent the ranges and the community at large. It is a plan developed to assure the continuity of the facilities through concerted action of the officers, trustees, members, and guests to insure good public relations, strict enforcement of safety rules, and efficient use of the facilities by the members and public.

Definitions:

OHCC – Means the Oak Harbor Conservation Club, Inc.

President – Means the President of the Oak Harbor Conservation Club, Inc.

OHCC Chief Range Officer (CRO) – Is appointed by the President and is responsible for drafting range rules and standard operating procedures for the ranges and overseeing all operations on the ranges. The Chief Range Officer may or may not be a certified Range Safety Officer. The Trustees adopt rules and SOPs for the ranges. The Chief Range Officer may appoint a Chief Range Safety Officer (CRSO). The Chief Range Officer or Chief Range Safety Officer must approve a person wanting to act as a range officer at a club event.

OHCC Chief Range Safety Officer — The CRSO is responsible for training and supervising range safety officers (RSO) and works with the Match Coordinator and Match Directors to ensure that the ranges are run according to the range SOPs and range rules. When the CRSO is not present, a RSO will be in charge of the safe operation of the range.

OHCC Match Coordinator – A match coordinator may be appointed by the President. The match coordinator is to promote matches and coordinate scheduling of the ranges with groups using the ranges, promote the maximum use of the ranges, and work with match directors for safe and efficient use of the ranges.

Range Officer -assists a Chief Range Officer pursuant to Section II, 4, in conducting NRA competitive shooting events as defined by Rule 11.5 of the NRA Rule Books, conducts Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) events in accordance with CMP Rules, or the Glock Shooting Sports Foundations. The Range Officer is also a term for a person responsible for safe conduct of a shooting activity on the firing line working with a Chief Range Officer and need not be a certified range safety officer.

Section I. General Range Rules

  1. NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ARE ALLOWED ON THE RANGES BEFORE OR DURING ANY SHOOTING ACTIVITY.
  2. All firearms not on the firing line must be:
    1. In a holster, loaded or unloaded
    2. In a box or case and unloaded
    3. If there is no box or case, unloaded with the action open, magazine removed, and Empty chamber indicator inserted.
    4. On the firing line, except during preparation time or a string of fire, the guns should be grounded or tabled and unloaded with their action open, magazine removed, and empty chamber indicator inserted.
    5. Guns should be carried to the firing line in a range bag, case, box, or holster and placed on the firing line. Upon completion of the range session, the case or box will be brought to the firing line and the gun unloaded, action closed, and cased keeping the muzzle pointed down rangeFirearms should not be handled behind the firing line except when instructed by the person in charge of the range or event.
  3. All OHCC members must attend and satisfactorily pass the Oak Harbor Conservation Club (OHCC) orientation/safety class conducted under the auspices of the Chief Range Officer prior to using either the indoor or outdoor ranges. Upon satisfactory completion of the orientation/safety class, a member may be issued an electronic key (FOB) that will provide access to the club building and the range or ranges approved by the Chief Range Officer or his designee. Each member will complete and sign the RANGE RELEASE, WAIVER, HOLD HARMLESS, INDEMNIFICATION AND ASSUMPTION OF RISKAGREEMENT before using an OHCC Range each calendar year.
  4. Owners of Class III firearms must be in possession of any special permits or paperwork required by law. Prior to use of Class III firearms, except those classified as Class III solely due to having a suppressor, must get prior approval of the Chief Range Officer before use. Each person using a fully automatic firearm must receive prior approval of the Chief Range Officer or his designee.
  5. Due to health considerations, consumption of food or beverages are discouraged on the indoor ranges during any shooting event. (Smoking is prohibited throughout any of the club buildings.)
  6. Only smokeless powder firearms may be fired on the Indoor Ranges.
  7. Permitted calibers of pistols, rifles, shotguns, and types of ammunition are set forth in the rules for each of the OHCC ranges.
  8. Commands issued by Range Officers and Range Personnel must be obeyed immediately. Arguing with or disrespect to a range officer or match official is grounds for a person to be removed from the range.
  9. Any person on the range can command “cease fire.” When the command “Cease Fire” is given:
    1. Stop shooting IMMEDIATELY
    2. Remove your finger from the trigger
    3. Keep the gun pointed in a safe direction
    4. Wait for further instructions from the Range Officer
  10. The National Rifle Association Safety Rules will be applied.
    1. Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
    2. Keep you finger off the trigger until your sights are aligned on the target
    3. Don’t load your firearm until you are ready to fire
    4. Know your target and what is beyond.
    5. Know how to use the gun safely.
    6. Be sure the gun is safe to operate.
    7. Use only the correct ammunition for your gun.
    8. Wear eye and ear protection as appropriate.
    9. Never use alcohol, over-the-counter drugs or prescription drugs that effect your normal abilities before or while shooting.
    10. Store guns so they are not accessible to unauthorized persons.
  11. Use the appropriate size target, placed at a level, to ensure that your shots strike the backstop and not the floor, walls, ceiling, or target holder. No exploding targets or devices, such as Tannerite, are allowed on the ranges.
  12. Intentional cross firing of targets is prohibited on the 50 yard range.
  13. All firing must be aimed fire. Aimed fire means that shooters use the sights to direct the rounds onto the target. Rapid fire may only be conducted at a speed that allows the shooter to recover from recoil and place the sights back on the target.
  14. Shooting from a holster. Shooters MUST:
    1. Draw only from a holster that is on the same side as the shooting hand
    2. Insure that during the draw the muzzle will not sweep any other shooters on the range and will traverse only the floor or ground until level into the backstop
    3. be done forward of any shooting table or stand
    4. be on line with any other shooters taking part in the string of fire
    5. insure finger is not on the trigger during the draw until the muzzle of the gun is on target
    6. ensure that the non firing hand is placed on the chest or other appropriate position to ensure that it does not go in front of the muzzle
    7. remove your finger from the trigger after the last shot and during the reholstering of the gun
  15. Always wash your hands and face immediately after shooting and/or cleaning your firearm. Lead removal soap is provided and cold or cool water should be used.
  16. Any firearm or ammunition to be used on OHCC Ranges is subject to inspection by OHCC club officers, trustees, or Range Safety Officers for range rule compliance and for safety considerations. Guns with triggers with minimal pull weights may not be allowed.
  17. If during a string of fire, a magazine or ammunition is dropped to the ground, the gun will grounded or benched before picking up the dropped item.
  18. Members will sign in when entering the range. A club member may invite guests to use the range only in accordance with the OHCC Constitution. The guests must sign the release and waiver form provided on the range before shooting and sign in on the range log book. The member must be physically present with the guest or guests during all shooting. It is the responsibility of the club member to ensure that the guests follow all safety rules. The member is responsible for any damage done to the range or facilities by their guests.
  19. Prior to leaving the range, each person will clean up any trash, empty ammo boxes, and police all brass and place it in the appropriate containers.
  20. At no time will a gun be pointed at any person. No one will sweep themselves with a gun or put any part of their body in front of the muzzle. Revolvers shooters should be aware of the possibility of injury if they allow part of their body to be on line with or forward of the front of the cylinder.

Range Damage:

If you are not sure of where your gun and ammunition combination will hit, fire 1 or 2 rounds and check the target to locate the shots to ensure that your rounds are hitting where you intend.

Range users are responsible for each shot they fire to ensure that the rounds do not damage club property or cause injury. Safety is every shooters responsibility. To prevent damage or injury, do not shoot at a distance greater than your ability to consistently hit the target. Do not shoot faster than your ability to control you firearm. Do not use firearms with triggers that have a light trigger weight that may allow the shooter to discharge the gun during recoil or when the action cycles.

If you have a round that hits the wall, ceiling, or above the target area of the backstop, you are required to contact the Club President or Chief Range Officer or the person conducting the match, league, or event prior to leaving the range. The person conducting the match, league, or event will notify the Club President or Chief Range Officer. The shooter involved and Event Chairman are responsible for the cost of repair of the range.

Gross negligence or vandalism. Any person using the facilities and intentionally causing damage by shooting or damaging club property is subject to prosecution and termination of their membership.

Indicators of intentional damage with a firearm include by way of example and not of limitation, groups or multiple shots placed in target holders or an area other than a target, rounds placed in the numbers of a firing point or target holder, or rounds in a structural member of a target holder or post or pole used to support fencing or belting erected as target holders.

Section II. Matches, Leagues, or Organized Shooting Events

  1. All leagues, matches, and shooting events must be approved by the OHCC trustees and put on the club calendar. All planed, scheduled, and approved shoot/matches take precedence over any individual or personal activity on the range.
  2. Event Chairman. It is the intention of the OHCC to attract and host organized matches, leagues, and other shooting events. The Event Chairman is the person responsible to conduct a specific league, match, or event. The Event Chairman may be an OHCC member or a designated member of an organization with a vested interest in the match, league, or event. If the Event Chairman is not a member of the OHCC, an OHCC member will be designated as a liaison to support of the league, match, or event. The OHCC Match Coordinator will work with the event chairman to ensure the necessary schedule, supplies, resources, and logistics can be obtained and ensure compliance with the OHCC Range Rules.The Event Chairman is tasked with:
    1. Conducting the match, league, or shooting event within the planned schedule.
    2. Ensuring all necessary resources, such as RSO and any other needed safety personnel, are in attendance while the event is taking place.
    3. Designating a Match Director, who may be the Event Chairman.
  3. Match Director is a person in charge of conducting a match or event and is responsible to the club for payment of club fees established by the trustees. The match director appoints such people as are needed to conduct the match for purposes of registration, scoring, reporting, and operation. The match director appoints one or more Range Officers, determines the course of fire, squads relays, and ensures that the match is conducted in compliance with the rules for the match.
  4. Primary Range Officer is the person who is conducting the firing portion of the event. The Primary Range Officer will hold a current NRA Range Safety Officer Certificate or a comparable certification from the organization sanctioning the event, such as the CMP, SASS, IDPA, etc. The primary range officer is the person will be giving the commands for the match and each string or courseof fire. There will be a minimum of the Primary Range Officer on the range and one other Range Officer available during all firing stages. A Primary Range Officer or Range Officer will not shoot on any course or string of fire for which he/she is serving as RO.
  5. A. When transporting firearms to the firing line, follow Section I General Range Rules number 2.
    1. During matches, the commands specified by the sanctioning organization will be used, such as NRA or CMP.
    2. When the string of fire is completed, the Range Officer will ensure that all firearms are grounded, benched, or holstered.
    3. Grounded or benched firearms will have the actions open, magazines removed, ejection port facing up, and empty chamber indicators inserted.
  6. At the conclusion of the event, police all brass and trash and place them in the appropriate containers.
  7. Prior to and after each match, league session, or event, a range inspection will be conducted and any damage noted on an inspection sheet. Any damage not noted on the inspection sheet that is discovered at the next inspection will be presumed to have occurred during the prior event and the event will be responsible for the cost of repairing the damage, unless security camera review shows otherwise.
  8. Each relay of a league event, match, or other event will begin with a range safety briefing that will include as a minimum:
    1. the NRA range safety rules,
    2. that the OHCC ranges do not have bullet proof walls or ceiling,
    3. that any negligent discharge into a wall, ceiling, shooting table, or above the target holders will result in a disqualification from the match
    4. muzzles of handguns especially, will not be raised above the 2 foot by 2 foot target backer during shooting
    5. pistol shooters will bring their gun up onto the target not down from above the target backer
    6. Firing points 1 and 12 shall not be used for live fire.

Section III. 25 Yard Indoor Range

  1. All general range rules and gun handling rules apply to the 25 yard indoor range. The range is open for member use, unless there is a scheduled event, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. for centerfire, .22 rimfire may be fired anytime.
  2. Rifle limitations: Only air rifles and .22 short, long, or long rifle rimfire rifles using solid lead, copper coated, or hollow point bullets are allowed. .17 caliber rifles are not allowed. No center fire rifles are allowed on the range at any time, and bringing a centerfire rifle onto either indoor range is subject to a $200 fine, except during non shooting events, such as gun shows. Pistol caliber carbines or rifles are not allowed
  3. Handguns allowed: Handguns firing a bottle necked or shouldered cartridge, including .17 caliber, or any magnum cartridge are not allowed. Steel core, armor piercing, tracer, incendiary, shot, rat shot, explosive, or magnum cartridges are not allowed. Handgun cartridges more powerful than .45 GAP are not allowed, including Casulls; .50 S&W; .50 AE; or similar rounds. Magnum head stamp on cartridges not allowed, even reloads. Handguns shooting rifle caliber rounds, such as .30 carbine are not allowed.
  4. Only smokeless powder cartridges are allowed. Black powder substitutes, black powder, black powder cartridges, or muzzleloading firearms are not allowed.
  5. The 25 yard range consists of 12 numbered firing points. Firing points 1 and 12 are not to be used as active firing points for matches or for other shooting.
  6. When the range is in use, all doors should be closed. Prior to beginning shooting, the range should be inspected behind the backstop to insure that no one is present. The front of the range should be inspected and any unplugged holes noted prior to beginning to shoot. The exhaust fan should be turned on, the switch is located at the back of the range by the gray metal cabinet. Eye and hearing protection should be worn when anyone is shooting on the range. Prior to beginning shooting, the shooter should insure that everyone on the range is aware that shooting is about to begin and give a warning to apply hearing and eye protection.
  7. Range usage is on a first come, first served basis. However, sharing the range is encouraged to allow more members to utilize the ranges. Coordination between all shooters on the range is required to insure that all safety rules are followed.
  8. Paper and cardboard targets are allowed. All targets must be hung or supported off the floor. Targets should be placed at a level to ensure that shots strike the backstop and not the floor, walls, ceiling, or target holder.

Section IV. 50 Yard Indoor Range

  1. All general range rules and gun handling rules apply to the 50 yard indoor range. The range is open for member use, unless there is a scheduled event, from 7:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. for centerfire, .22 rimfire may be fired anytime.
  2. Rifle limitations: Only air rifles and .22 short, long, or long rifle rimfire rifles using solid lead, copper coated, or hollow point bullets are allowed. .17 caliber rifles are not allowed. No center fire rifles are allowed on the range at any time, and bringing a centerfire rifle onto either indoor range is subject to a $200 fine, except during non shooting events, such as gun shows. Pistol caliber carbines or rifles are not allowed.
  3. Handguns allowed: Handguns firing a bottle necked or shouldered cartridge, including .17 caliber, or any magnum cartridge are not allowed. Steel core, armor piercing, tracer, incendiary, shot, rat shot, explosive, or magnum cartridges are not allowed. Handgun cartridges more powerful than .45 GAP are not allowed, including Casulls; .50 S&W; .50 AE; or similar rounds. Magnum head stamp on cartridges not allowed, even reloads. Handguns shooting rifle caliber rounds, such as .30 carbine are not allowed.
  4. Only smokeless powder cartridges are allowed. Black powder substitutes, black powder, black powder cartridges, or muzzleloading firearms are not allowed.
  5. The 50 yard range consists of 12 numbered firing points. Firing points 1 and 12 are not to be used as active firing points for matches or for other shooting.
  6. When the range is in use, all doors should be closed. Prior to beginning shooting, the range should be inspected behind the backstop to insure that no one is present. The front of the range should be inspected and any unplugged holes noted prior to beginning to shoot. The exhaust fan should be turned on, the switch is located at the back of the range by the gray metal cabinet. Eye and hearing protection should be worn when anyone is shooting on the range. Prior to beginning shooting, the shooter should insure that everyone on the range is aware that shooting is about to begin and give a warning to apply hearing and eye protection.
  7. Range usage is on a first come, first served basis. However, sharing the range is encouraged to allow more members to utilize the ranges. Coordination between all shooters on the range is required to insure that all safety rules are followed.
  8. Paper and cardboard targets are allowed. All targets must be hung or supported off the floor. Targets should be placed at a level to ensure that shots strike the backstop and not the floor, walls, ceiling, or target holder.

Section V. 100 Yard Out Door Range

  1. All general range rules and gun handling rules apply to the 100 yard range.
  2. Any rifle or handgun can be fired on the outdoor range up to .50 BMG. No incendiary, tracer, or explosive rounds are allowed.
  3. Prior to beginning shooting, the range should be inspected behind the backstop to ensure that no onebackstop than the people at the pond or picnic area. Do not shoot past people who are off to the side of the range.
  4. The outdoor range is open from 8:00 a.m. until the earlier of sunset or 8:00 p.m Monday through Saturday, Sunday from 10:00 a.m. until the earlier of sunset or 8:00 p.m. Night shooting or night or low light training must be approved by the trustees.
  5. Range usage is on a first come, first served basis. However, sharing the range is encouraged to allow more members to utilize the ranges. Coordination between all shooters on the range is required to ensure that all safety rules are followed.
  6. All targets are to be placed at the backstop. Targets are not to be attached to or placed in front of supporting posts for belting or fencing placed to hang targets. Shooters are encouraged to bring their own target holders, staplers, targets, tape, and staples. Do not place targets in front of or near any visible rocks, bricks, or other solid objects on the backstop.
  7. “Short Shooting” (placing targets away from the backstop between the 100 yard line and the area prior to the backstop) is not allowed. For instance, placing a target 25 yards from the 100 yard line is prohibited.
  8. Shooters are to ensure that muzzles on any gun with the action closed are raised above the midpoint of the backstop. Guns with actions closed are to be fired with the muzzles coming up onto the target, not from above the backstop or target. It is IMPERATIVE that no round miss the backstop by going either over the backstop or to either side of the backstop. Shooters should locate each round after each string of fire so as to ensure that each round fired went into the backstop or is accounted for.
  9. No glass targets, tin cans, fruit or vegetables, or non-biodegradable targets are allowed. Paper and cardboard targets are preferred. Shooters may bring steel targets that are designed to absorb rounds or set to deflect rounds and splatter into the ground at the base of the target. Steel targets that allow ricochets that may leave the property are not allowed.
  10. Prior to leaving the range, police up brass and trash and put them in the appropriate containers.
  11. Shooting at thrown clay targets is prohibited.
  12. Driving on the range is prohibited, except for maintenance purposed.

Section VI. Injuries

Shooting activities are some of the safest activities due to the constant emphasis on safety. However, injuries can occur. If someone is injured on club property, assess the seriousness of the injury.

Minor injuries. If the injury is minor and should not require medical attention, a first aid kit is located on the east wall of the meeting room. A report of the incident should be made to the Chief Range Officer.

Serious injuries. If a serious injury occurs, apply immediate first aid. Call 9-1-1 for medical attention. A phone is located in the front of the meeting room with the club address posted next to it. If possible send someone to meet the squad and direct them to the injured party. Make note of all the people who are present. Write down in detail what happened as soon as possible after the incident and who all was present. Contact the club president immediately, if he is unavailable, contact the vice- president or other officer or trustee. Telephone numbers for club officers and trustees are posted in the front of the club meeting room and a telephone is located in the front of the meeting room as well.