Area		Updated
When We Shoot		08/21/06
Info for New Shooters		02/22/05
Photo & Movie Gallery		05/10/04
Directions To FWR&R
Links

1. Treat every firearm as a loaded one!
2. Never point a firearm at anything you are not willing to destroy.
3. Be sure of your target and what is behind it before firing.
4. Keep your finger off the trigger until your muzzle is down range.

1. This is the first place you will need to go after you've signed in to a match. You may put on your holster, load magazines and otherwise get ready for the match at your car. But to handle your gun you must be in a Safe Area. Just take your gun bag to the Safe Area and transfer your gun from the bag to your holster.
2. Safe Area's are plainly marked, and are the only place you are allowed to handle your firearm without being under direct range officer (RO) supervision.
3. A Safe Area is also the only place where you MAY NOT handle ammunition.

1. Handling your firearm. Keep your gun in its holster until told to "Load and Make Ready" by the Range Officer. If you need to handle your gun for any reason: you want to show someone your gun, you want to make sure something isn't broken... etc. just go to the Safe Area to do it. Having your gun out of its holster for any reason (unless you are on the range under the supervision of an RO) will get you DQed.
2. Finger in trigger guard while moving or while reloading. You may hear the RO yell "FINGER", this is a warning that you left your finger on the trigger while moving from spot to spot, or while making a reload. If you do it again the RO will stop you and you will be DQed.
3. Breaking the 180 (muzzle pointed uprange). This is an imaginary line that runs parallel to the backstop. Think of it as a line running from the left sideberm, through you, to the right sideberm. It also runs from the ground up, so pointing the gun straight up, or straight down, is very close (too close) to breaking the 180. Pointing the muzzle of your gun even close to it will prompt the RO to yell "MUZZLE" which is just a warning that you are very close to breaking a safety rule. If you break the 180 the RO will yell, "STOP". It is very easy to break the 180 during a reload or movement. The thing to keep in mind is that if your gun isn't pointed at the backstop then it probably isn't pointed in a safe direction.
4. Dropped gun during course of fire. If you drop your gun while you're shooting you will be disqualified. If you drop an UNLOADED gun while you are helping to set steel or paste targets DO NOT PICK IT UP. Just ask an RO to come over, he will pick it up, check it to make sure that it's unloaded and hand it back to you. Put it back in your holster and there's no problem.
5. An AD (Accidental Discharge). Basically this is anytime the gun goes off when you didn't intend it to. It is also considered an AD if you shoot over the backstop or if you shoot the ground within 10 feet of where you are standing.
6. Handling ammunition in a Safe Area. You may handle ammunition and load your magazines anywhere EXCEPT a Safe Area.

1. "Load and Make Ready" - This is when you take your gun from its holster, load it and get yourself ready to shoot the course of fire.
2. "Are you Ready?" - Your chance to tell the RO that you need more time before you shoot. If you're not ready just say "No". If you don't say anything it is considered a "Yes, I'm ready" answer.
3. "Standby" - The timer is set and ready to "BEEP".
4. "If you are finished, Unload and Show Clear" - The RO will say this when he thinks you are finished. If you're not finished just keep shooting. If you are finished, remove the magazine from your gun and place it in a pocket or mag pouch. Pull the slide back to eject the live round in the chamber and hold it open so that the RO can look in to verify that the gun is now unloaded.
5. "If The Gun Is Clear, Hammer Down, Holster" - The RO is saying that your gun is clear (unloaded). Lower the slide down, point your gun at the backstop and pull the trigger. This is a final safety check to show that the gun is really empty. Holster your gun as soon as your hammer is down, don't wait to holster it while you pick up magazines or bullets on the ground, they're not going anywhere.
6. "Range is Clear" - This tells the other shooters that it is safe to go down range to score and paste targets and set steel.