Setting Up Your Shooting Area

When you go to the range, it is important that you set up your shooting workspace to be safe and efficient. Set up your equipment properly and with good range etiquette, so everyone knows that you are safe and competent.

First, identify your safe direction, which is the backstop at the range, and place your closed pistol case on the bench so that your firearm is oriented towards it. Your AG & AG bench bag or pistol pouch has a muzzle indicator on the outside, so you can be confident that your muzzle is always pointed in a safe direction.

If you are at the range, you may have already put on your eye protection and hearing protection. You may also use a shooter’s towel to create a mat for your workspace.

Next, give your pistol the priority it deserves. Being very mindful of all of the Safety Rules, reach into your bench bag or pistol pouch and — with a straight trigger finger that is indexed along the frame — secure a proper grip on the pistol and lift it out of the bag. Place your pistol on your work surface with the ejection port facing up and your slide locked open.

If you are right handed, set your magazine to the left of your pistol so that your support hand can easily load it into the firearm when you are ready to shoot. If you are left handed, your magazine is set to the right side of your pistol. As a left-handed shooter, you may choose to orient the pistol with the ejection port facing down, so using a chamber flag informs everyone around that the pistol is clear of ammunition and in a safe state.

Keep your workspace clear of distractions and leave only the essentials: eye/hearing protection, pistol(s), magazines, ammunition, Uplula, shooter towel, chamber flag, snap caps, and your Shooting Journal.

In these videos, Tatiana walks you through the equipment so that you can be prepared for your practice session at the range:

As Tatiana explains, if you are right handed, lay your strong hand over the gun and get a firm, high grip. Lift it off of the bench with your finger off of the trιgger and obeying all safety rules. Take a firm, high grip. Use your support hand to pick up the full magazine and insert it into your pistol to shοot.

If you are left handed, you have a few options: (1) If gun is set with with ejection port up, flip over grip right-to-left (keeping the barrel facing down range) to pick up gun with your strong hand. Take a firm, high grip. Use your support hand to pick up your magazine to load your gun. (2) If gun is set with with ejection port up, carefully reach under with your strong hand keeping your index finger along the slide. Take a firm, high grip. Use your support hand to pick up your magazine to load your gun. (3) If gun is set with ejection port down it must have a chamber flag in place. Pick up with strong hand. Use your support hand to pick up your magazine to load your gun.

After shοoting through your ammυnition and your gυn is in slide Iock, remove your magazine and lay your gυn back down on the bench facing down range with the ejection port up.

If you are shοoting a revolver, set it down on the bench with the cylinder open, so that all chambers can be seen and felt that they are empty and safe.