Safety Rules

MTSA Range Safety Rules

Below are the most current MTSA Range Rules. They are subject to change at any time for any reason deemed necessary by the Board of Directors.

Range is open Sunday from Noon to sunset or 8PM whichever occurs first.
Mon-Sat from sunrise to sunset or 8PM whichever occurs first.
The range is for MTSA members only and their immediate family (same household), and guests.
Each guest is limited to two visits per year. Members can bring only two guests at a time. Guests must read the Safety Rules before using the range.
Membership cards shall be worn at all times while on MTSA property.
Eye and ear protection are required for all shooters and non-shooters.
The first person on the range shall assume the duty of Range Safety Officer (RSO) until a trained RSO, a Board Member, or the Chairman presiding over the match is present.
This is a COLD RANGE. All firearms shall be unloaded until they are on the line and all shooters acknowledge the range is “HOT”. Do not wear a loaded pistol on the property. Firearms can only be brought to the range shed when the line is hot. All firearms carried to and from the shooting area shall be either cased, holstered, or with the action open. The action of firearms must be open when not in use.
When you want the firing line COLD, check with the other shooters to make sure they are ready to go COLD. They may have a round in the chamber they need to fire, or shoot a couple shots to finish a group.
- When everyone is ready to go COLD:
  - Everyone going down range: You will flip your switch and your red light comes on at your bench, the horn blows for 2 seconds, and the red beacons start flashing. Unload and open your action.
  - Everyone not going down range: You will unload, open your action, step away from the bench and stay behind the yellow line. No firearms will be handled at this time, including loading or unloading vehicles.
  - When you return from down range, turn off the switch at your bench. When all return and turn off their switch, the red beacons will stop flashing.
- Make sure everyone is ready to go HOT before approaching the benches or handle firearms.
- The green lights at the eave in the parking lot are on when the range is HOT. You can unload firearms and approach the benches. They are off if the range is COLD and you must wait to unload firearms or approach the benches until the range is HOT. While the range is COLD, get your targets ready and put them down range.
Members are responsible for bringing their own target stands and targets for practice. Police your targets, bowling pens, brass, boxes, etc. before leaving the range. Do not shoot bottles, rocks, blocks etc. Keep the range clean for mowing and the use of others.
Steel Gongs on the Rifle range: Velocity deteriorates steel more than weight. Small bore rifles do more damage that large bore rifles at the same velocity.
Targets are rated for conventional lead bullets, lead core copper jacket bullets, and shotgun slugs.
NO green tip armor piercing or LAP (Light Armor Piercing) rounds allowed on steel at any yardage.
NO Solid copper, A frame style hunting bullets, steel jacket, or bi-metal jacket bullets allowed on steel.
NO magnums or long action cartridges at 100 yards, must be shot at 200 yards or longer.
556 / 223 is limited to 55gr FMJ and a 16 inch barrel, lighter bullets must be shot at 200 yards or longer.
Cartridges with velocity over 2850 fps like hot varmint loads must be shot at 200 yards or longer.
Shoot the gongs from benches directly in front of the gongs. They are set on bench 9, 18, and 27. Do not shoot across the range at a different set of gongs.
Gongs will take some maintenance. The hangers will eventually fail. If you’re shooting and a gong falls, retrieve it and put it on the wood tables at the far (north) end of the rifle shed. It will be repaired and rehung.
If you are shooting your own paper targets, don’t set them up in front of the gong frames. Be aware of what is behind your target.
Metal targets shall not be shot any closer than 100 yds. on the rifle range. (Exceptions: 22 LR rim fire spinners and 22 LR targets). Personal metal targets can be shot in the pistol bays, not on the Rifle Range. Minimum distance is 15 yards.
The Bianchi Plates are in the Pistol bays and are for all members. They are for HANDGUNS and PISTOL CARTRIDGE CARBINES ONLY. NO RIFLES (or rifle conversions), NO SHOTGUNS, and NO MAGNUM handgun rounds, 45 ACP MAX. Plates shall not be shot any closer than 15 yds. and must be shot directly in front of the plates, not at an angle.
No fully automatic weapons or “bump-firing” allowed. No tracers, incendiary, or explosive rounds are allowed on MTSA ranges. The use of exploding and/or pyrotechnic targets is strictly prohibited.
No rifles chambered for 50 Browning Machine (50BMG) will be allowed on MSA shooting ranges.
Shotgun ammunition containing pellet sizes no greater than 7 ½ may be used at any time on the trap or 5-stand shotgun facilities. Shotguns firing pellet sizes larger than 7 ½ including buckshot and slugs may be fired at the pistol bays or rifle range.
Hunting is not allowed on MTSA property. Be aware of deer, turkey, and other animals on the range and ceasefire when they are present. No shooting any wildlife on the range, game or varmint.

MTSA Range Safety Rules - Adopted July, 2020