FCSA / Offas Dyke Range Safety Training

[Charlotte the flyer]

Not so much a range report but read on. Yesterday I attended a range safety session that had been organised by Offas Dyke / FCSA.

There were various sessions including a piece on how ranges are booked, setting up and zeroing, how to use ballistics programs and range reports. The bit that I learnt the most from was a collection of photographs taken on the point which captured issues that the RCOs had seen and explained what the problems were and how to recify it. The whole day was littered with collections of stories of events and was presented in a friendly and educational way with lots of banter. All of the instructors had a whealth of experience and were happy to share their experiences. I came away amazed at some of the things that I had been told, particularly the issues of using old ammunition and just exactly what happens when bullets don't exit the barrel and another round is fired.

My other hobby, although semi lapsed is flying. As a pilot, I know that the most dangerous point is the 90 hr mark, you have passed all of the tests and you think that you're invincible. It's usually at this point that something happens that scares you silly or worse and makes you realise that you don't know much about your sport after all. I find very strong parallels with shooting in this respect, I've got an FAC yet I'm just beginning to learn what shooting really is all about.

I would encourage any newbies to attend these sorts of courses if/when they come up with your club. For the cost of a bit of fuel and a tenner it was well worth making the effort.

Charlotte