South Kent Sportsman’s ClubMember Orientation

Range Orientation and Safety

Gate Operations

Agenda• Our Club – Your Club

– Our Members– Our Property and Neighbors– Our Ranges

• Safety Fans

• Ranges and Rules– Shotgun– 200 and 500-meter Ranges– General-Purpose Bunkers

• Target Placement• Gate Operations

South Kent Sportsman's Club

Our Club - Your Club

Memberships

Ranges

Welcome to SKSC!• Member-owned & member-operated• Family membership:

– You– Spouse– Dependent children in your household

• Family members in your household that are 18 or older and have taken this class can use the ranges unattended

• You may bring guests – we welcome them!– They must be under your direct visual supervision at all times– You are the “Range Officer”

Memberships• Memberships from January 1st to December 31st • Annual Membership Fees:

– Dues: $60– Work Fee: $40– Assessment $40 (until new property is paid-off)

• Work fee will be waved for the following year by volunteering just 4 hours in current year– See a board member for details– Work days are usually the 4th Saturday of March - September

• Seniors (62 & over) may receive work credit• One-time $10 fee for electronic key card for main gate• Board and General Membership meetings are held on

the 2nd Monday of the month

Club News Letter

• Currently published every-other month• Available by e-mail (faster and cheaper) or

delivery by the US Mail• Contains:

– News– Shooting events schedules– Club events– Range closures– Club calendar

Club Web Site• http://www.sksc.org• Contains:

– News– Shooting events schedules– Club events– Range closures– Club calendar– Shooting event information & contacts– Training class schedules & contact info

Our RangesTrap and Skeet

500-meter200-meter

General-Purpose Bunkers

SKSC Neighborhood

N

SKSC

SKSC Property

140th Avenue

N

1 Mile

1 Mile

24th S

tree

t

26th S

tree

t

SKSC Ranges

N

500meter

SouthRanges

Trap&

Skeet

GPB

• Shotgun– 2 Trap– 2 Skeet

• 6 Bunkers– Pistol– Rifle– Shotgun

• Match-Only Bunkers

• 200-meter South Ranges– Pistol– Rifle

• 500-meter Range– Rifle

MOB

SKSC Ranges

andGates

500Meter

200Meter

Trap 2Trap 1Skeet 1Skeet 2

500MRangeGate

SouthRangeGate

Rim-Fire

Range

GeneralPurposeShootingBays

ClubHouse

N

Main Gate

RangeSafety Fans

N

Extended Safety Fans

N

Remember the homes

that are down-range!

Range Rules

General Rules – All RangesTrap and Skeet Ranges

200 and 500-meter RangesGeneral Purpose Bunkers

General Safety at SKSC

• Alcoholic beverages must be kept on the West side of the drive and in the vicinity of the clubhouse at all times.

• Please refrain from consuming alcohol until after your shooting day is done.

• Firearms must remain unloaded with the chamber open until you are ready to shoot.

Trap & Skeet Ranges

• Lighted fields• Voice-release

on Trap fields

ClubHouse

Trap #2Trap #1Skeet #1Skeet #2

N

Trap & Skeet Range Rules• Mandatory eye and ear protection

• No shot size larger than 7½ - No magnums!

• Actions open & empty until on station & ready to shoot

• Keep all muzzles pointed down range

• Trap:– Only 1 shell loaded at a time, except for doubles

• Skeet:– No more than 2 shells loaded at a time

– Station #8 is loaded and shot one at a time

• Clean up after yourself, but don’t pick up your empty hulls until the line is finished

500-meter Range

• Center-fire– 200m– 300m– 385m– 500m

• Rim-fire-ONLY– 40m– 60m– 77m– 100m

500-meter

385-meter

300-meter

200-meter

ParkingFiring Line

Rim-Fire-ONLYBack-stops

AccessRoad

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500-meter Range

Range Access Gate

Firing Line as seen from the parking lot looking to the South

Shooting Bench

500-meter Range500m Back-stops

Rim-fire-only back-stops

200m 300m385m 500m

40m 60m 77m 100m

BrowCatchers

200-meter Range• Center-fire

– 50m– 100m– 150m– 200m

• Handgun– 25 yard– 50 yard– 75 yard– 100 yard

• Rim-fire– 25 yard– 50 yard– 75 yard– 100 yard

Parking

CommonFiringLines

50, 100, 150 & 200meter

General Use

25, 50, 75 & 100yard

Field Pistol

AuxiliaryPistol Bunkers

(special use only)

25, 50, 75 & 100yard

Rim-Fire

All 3 firing lines are part of 1 range!

200-meter Range Complex

Rim-Fire-Only firing line

200-meter firing line

Handgun firing line

200-meter Range Complex

(looking East)

• Rim-Fire-Only

• 200-meter Range

• 100-yard Handgun

50m, 100m, 150m & 200mGeneral Use

200 & 500-meter Range Rules• Mandatory eye and ear

protection• Actions open & empty until on

station & ready to shoot

• Do not handle firearms when anybody is down-range

• Keep all muzzles pointed down range and below the top of the back-stops

• Clean up after yourself

• Share the range with your fellow members

Six General-Purpose Bunkers

• May be used for rifle, pistol or shotgun

• Bunker #3 contains two falling-plate target machines

• Each bunker is its own firing range

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

Parking

SouthRangeRoad

FallingPlate

Machine

N

General-Purpose Bunkers

• Typical bunker • Falling-Plate Machines

General-Purpose Bunker Rules• Mandatory eye and ear protection• Actions open & empty until on station & ready to

shoot

• Do not handle firearms when anybody is down-range

• Keep all muzzles pointed down range and below the tops of the back-stops

• Position your target at the base of the backstop– Adjust the position of your firing line for the distance needed

– The covered bench is not always the firing line!

• Clean up after yourself

Target Placement & Other Range Rules

The Right WayThe Wrong Way

Why Wrong is WrongProper & Improper Targets

Select-fire and Automatic Firearms

Target Placement – All RangesRight Way Wrong Way!

Less than 1 yard More than

1 yard

SKSC is your clubIf you see improper target placement,

call a cease-fire and correct the situation!

Your Target

The Dangers ofImproper Target Placement

Wrong Way!

When too much space exists between the target and back-stop, the bullet can skip completely off the range!

“Proper Target” Rules• Right Targets:

– Paper (paper plates make great cheap targets)– Cardboard, cardboard & wood lathe and cardboard boxes– Swinging (metal) targets – But be very careful of ricochets– Tin cans are OK, but must be picked up when you’re done

• Watch out for sharp edges

• Wrong Targets:– Anything that breaks or shatters (example: glass)– Anything flammable (example: propane tanks)– Anything that may cause a ricochet off the range

• Don’t shoot at our posts and silhouette rails!– Don’t place targets in front of our posts or silhouette rails

• They are meant to hold targets; not to be targets!

• Clean-up your targets & debris after you’re done!

Proper Target Placement

Above &behind rail

Target framesStaple your targets to the black material

Bad Target Placement

In front of post and rail >

In front of post >

< Short rim-fire backstop

Additional Range Notes• Targets may be placed farther from the back-stop

during organized shooting events (such as USPSA) when shooting is controlled by a designated Range Safety Officer using documented stage setups

• Short back-stops on the 200 and 500 meter ranges are for rim-fire use ONLY! No center-fire rounds!

• Falling Plate Machine Rules:– Only lead, center-fire pistol bullets may be used

– Do Not Use:• Rim-fire Firearm (rifle or pistol)• Any Rifle• Any Shotgun• Jacketed rounds• +P or Magnum rounds

Let’s be a little more careful ! !These rounds nearly left the range

Example Firing Line Commands• Is the line ready?

• Ready on the right, ready on the left

• Commence firing

• Cease Fire! Cease Fire! (loud & clear)

• Actions open

• Is the line clear?

• The line is clear

• You may go forward and change targets

Range Safety• Treat all firearms as if they are loaded• Actions open & empty until ready to shoot• Keep muzzles pointed at the backstop• Know your target and what is beyond it• Eye and ear protection is required at all times• No tracer, armor-piercing or incendiary ammo• Never use center-fire ammunition on any of

our rim-fire-only ranges• Never handle firearms when anyone is down-

range during a cease-fire• Any violation of these simple rules may result

in the termination of your membership

Select-Fire and Fully Automatic Firearm Use at SKSC

• More than 5-round bursts are prohibited

• Approved range exercises and training requiring fully automatic fire are conducted on weekdays noon - 5:00pm

• Users of fully automatic firearms must call the Allegan County Sheriffs Department (269-673-3899) and advise them that legally registered machine guns will be in use

• Shooters must use only the two southern-most general-purpose bunkers

• Shooters may use other ranges if a request (in writing) is submitted to, and approved in writing by the SKSC Board; at least 30 days prior to use

• Sub-Machine Guns and select-fire rifles/carbines using straight-wall pistol cartridges may be used on designated ranges from 9:00am until sunset

Gate OperationsMain Gate

Range Gates

Your Gate Card

500m Range Access Gate 200m Range Access Gate

Main Gate• Always Closed and Locked (automatic opener)• Exceptions:

– Work Days 4th Saturday 9:00am to 1:00pm– Club Meetings– Trap and Skeet Hours

• Sunday 10:00am – 3:00pm• Tuesday & Thursday 7:00pm – 10:00pm

– Scheduled Events• CMP and NRA• IHMSA• IPSC / USPSA• IDPA

– Special Events announced in news letter & web site

Main Gate Operation• You may stay in your vehicle

• There are 2 reader pads– outside & inside the gate

• Use your Main Gate Card by holding it within a few inches of the reader pad

• The gate will then open automatically

• Drive completely through the gate

• Be sure the gate closes automatically behind you

• Use the same process to leave the club

Each vehicle must be “carded in” separatelyDo NOT tail-gate in behind the car ahead

Range Access Gates• Closed anytime the Main Gate is Open• Exceptions:

– Work Days (No shooting from 9:00am – 1:00pm)– Scheduled Events

• IPSC / USPSA• IHMSA / IDPA South Range Complex Gate

Open• CMP• NRA 500-meter Range Gate Open

• May be left open if the Main Gate is closed• When in doubt – Close & Lock the range gate

Your Main Gate Card

• Operates the main gate• Never loaned-out to others

– Your friends are always welcome at SKSC, but they must remain under your direct supervision at all times• You are the “Range Officer”• You are responsible for their safety as well as those around you

– If a non-member is caught using your gate card, it will be confiscated and your membership will be terminated• No refunds

• These cards will break if bent

The End

Enjoy Your Club!Don’t forget to have the instructor enter your name and date on the attendance log book

to receive credit for taking this class

Think Safety and Shoot Responsibly