Standard Operating Procedure Version 1.8
October 2012 ~ (Amended on October 8, 2012)
PREAMBLE
The elected officers in their role as directors of the Woodstock Rifle and Pistol Club and operating in accordance with the club charter have ascertained a need to protect the club, its members and officials. This need is the enforceable regulation of firearms safety while on club property. Accordingly, the following regulations are promulgated as a requirement for each member to read, understand and agree to as a condition of membership. Enforcement will be by the club’s range safety officers, initially consisting of the officers, but to be later supplemented by members that have become certified range safety officers.
STANDARD OPERATING P ROCEDURES
At the Woodstock Gun Club safety is our top concern. Whether shooting alone, with friends or in a sanctioned event, safeguarding people from injury and danger has to be in the forefront of every member’s mind and reflected in their actions.
Toward this end, the following rules have been created and must be strictly followed by all members and their guests. Breaking the rules will result in your being asked to leave the grounds and may result in the revocation of your membership.
These rules are subject to change without notice at the direction of the Board in order to maintain the safest possible environment.
For questions or suggestions, or to report unsafe activities at the Club, please feel free to email the Club at the addresses posted at woodstockgunclub.com or call any of the officers at the numbers listed.
Always observe these four fundamental rules of safe gun handling:
Muzzle Control – Always point firearms in a safe direction
Never load a firearm until you are ready to shoot
Be sure of your target and what is behind it
Leave your finger off the trigger until ready to fire
DEFINITIONS
Members: Individuals who have paid dues to join the club, includes their immediate family, i.e. spouses and children under the age of 21.
Guests: Any non-member invited to use the club facilities by a member. Members are fully responsible for the actions of their guests.
Shooting Visitors: Non-Members may visit the club without invitation by members for such special events as Trap Night, Field Clays, Pistol and Rifle Shoots, Open Houses, etc. They shall read and understand these SOPs and sign and return the attached Liability Waiver and Hold Harmless agreement.
Club Officer (CO): One of the 9 elected Board members as specified in the By-Laws.
Range Safety Officer (RSO): Individuals appointed by the Board to ensure compliance with the Standard Operating Procedures. They oversee live fire activities on all shooting and archery ranges, and demand that shooters lay down their arms and/or leave the property at any time for serious safety breaches.
Trap Range: The part of the club surrounding the trap house easterly of the 50 Yard Range. It extends up the hill between and beyond where the field clay launchers are located.
25 Yard Range: The area toward the east part of the club grounds between the 3-D Archery Range and the Trap Range.
50 Yard Range: The flat rectangular field extending northward from the Range Office Platform in front of the clubhouse. The 100 yard bench is located on its northwest corner; the 100 yard backstop is on the northeast corner. The western side of the range contains a fixed archery target.
On the 50 Yard Range it is permissible to fire handguns, rifles, and shotguns discharging slugs and buckshot as long as all firearm safety protocols are followed. Members who discharge shotguns on this range are requested to use cardboard for their target backing. Materials are provided in the target shed.
When multiple persons or groups are using this range they must all use a common firing line. This means that one of the members present MUST assume the role of a Range Officer to provide clear direction when firing may begin, must cease, announce that firearms are clear and safe, and that it is safe to move forward to view or change targets. If shooters wish to engage targets at distances other than those provided by the permanent target frames there are portable target frames for that purpose.
100, 200 & 300 Yard Range: This is a combined long distance shooting area that permits shooting at distances from 100 to 300 yards. The axis of fire is from west to east and runs along the front of the target line at the north end of the 50 Yard Range. It has two fixed shooting benches and two sets of target frames that in various combinations permit shooting distances up to 300 yards.
When the 100-300 Yard Range is in use all other portions of the club grounds are closed to use. The Clubhouse must not be occupied.
3-D Archery Range: The 3-D range located past the bathrooms south of the trap range.
GENERAL CLUB RULES
In any unsafe situation, the CEASE FIRE command may be issued by any member, and is not restricted to a Range Safety Officer alone. Notify a CO or RSO immediately.
The ranges are open to members Monday through Saturday from 9 am to sunset. On Sunday from 11 am to sunset. The rifle and pistol ranges are closed at 4 pm Tuesdays and Thursdays when Trap and Field Clay shoots are being held.
No drugs or alcohol are allowed on club property during live firing. The Club President may allow exceptions for alcoholic beverages to be served at the Club House on special occasions, e.g the Summer BBQ.
Persons judged to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol will be asked to leave the grounds immediately.
Disruptive behavior or destruction of club property may result in the revocation of your membership at the discretion of the Board of Directors.
No hunting is allowed on club property without permission of the Club President. Hunters must abide by the Club’s regular shooting hours specified above.
Pets must be restrained and under control when any range is in use. Barking dogs are not permitted during shooting and must be removed.
The preferred parking location is along the driveway west of the Club House. Parking is permitted behind the firing line on the 50 yard range. On trap nights only, parking is permitted on the rifle and pistol range’s east side near the trap range.
Range Safety Officer’s instructions must be followed on all ranges. Members are asked to notify a Range Safety Officer (RSO) or Club Officer (CO) of any serious safety violation they observe. In the absence of any officer, they should take action to ensure safe operating procedures are followed.
On all ranges, eye and ear protection are required by all persons present when firearms are being discharged.
Double plugging (muffs and plugs) is recommended.
All firearms on club property are to remain unloaded and cased unless under control or in gun racks.
Unloaded firearms with actions open may be uncased in the clubhouse for training or for display purposes at club events.
Firearms are not to be discharged on club property except on designated ranges in accordance with the rules of the particular range.
Firearms may not be discharged on any archery range or at archery target.
The club is fortunate to have many items available for member use on the range and in the clubhouse. Please return moveable items back to where they are stored or where you found them and encourage other members to do likewise.
All persons under 18 years of age are to be under the supervision of an adult. Persons under the age of 18 are not allowed on Club property unattended.
On club grounds, members are required to show their membership cards if requested by a CO or RSO.
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
In the event there is an injury, there is a first aid kit located in the club house. Call 911 if the injury is serious and medical intervention is required, notify an officer or RSO immediately.
MISFIRE RULES
In the event of a misfire, keep the firearm pointed down range for 30 seconds before opening the action to clear the defective round. For black powder firearms, wait two minutes. Give the defective ammunition to a RSO or CO or dispose of it properly.
OVERALL RANGE RULES
During regularly scheduled Trap and Field Clay shoots, the 50 Yard Range and the 100-200-300 Yard Range may not be used. The aforementioned ranges cannot be used during the hour prior to to trap and field clay events. At Special Events, when trap and field clay events are scheduled, the 50 Yard Range and the 100-200-300 Yard Range may not be used. Use of the Archery range is permitted in these circumstances.
Use of all ranges are on a first-come, first serve basis. Members are asked to use common sense and civility in allowing alternating use of the ranges when multiple parties wish to use them and the uses are conflicting.
Please cease activity after 30 minutes if other users arrive who wish to use another portion of the range.
RANGE USE EXCLUSIONS
Because of the overlapping nature of the range areas at the Woodstock Club facility it is necessary to require the closure or non-use of portions of the range when other sites are in use.
When shooting from the 100-300 Yard Range no other parts of the range may be used and the clubhouse must not be occupied. The use of this long-range rifle area precludes all other uses.
When any shooting is done from the 50 Yard Range only the Field Archery Area may be used.
When the Trap Field is in use only the Field Archery Area and the Archery Target and Tomahawk/Knife
Throwing Post may be used.
RIFLE AND PISTOL RANGE RULES
Firing fully automatic firearms is prohibited
Firearms or magazines are not to be handled until everyone is behind the firing line.
Firing is not permitted when vehicles are parked in front of the firing line.
No tracer or armor piercing ammunition is permitted.
Firing in the air is not allowed.
Persons are not to move forward of the firing line unless all firearms on the line are unloaded and benched with actions open and magazines removed. Handguns may be carried in a holster.
Firing is to be done only from the firing line unless done under the direction of an RSO or CO.
All bullets must land in the berms or bullet absorbing materials behind the targets. Shots must not be fired that would cause the bullets to strike the level ground in front of, or behind, the target. This results in ricochets which may leave the property.
All paper targets must be placed on the mountings provided. Cardboard backers for paper targets are provided free of charge. Do NOT place targets directly on support frames.
Plinking at plastic or metal beverage containers is allowed, as long as they are placed where mountings will not be damaged. All containers must be removed and disposed of by the shooters. Firing at glass containers is NOT ALLOWED! Plinking targets must be placed at the base or the side of the berm so that the bullets strike the slope of the berm immediately behind the target. (see ricochets above). A set of steel rails on support posts are provided to support plinking targets. They are located to the far east side of the 50 yard target line.
All brass, paper targets, ammunition boxes must be picked up and properly disposed of by the shooters. Please separate brass from steel and other cartridge cases.
STEEL TARGETS
A variety of steel reactive targets is provided to enhance the member’s shooting experience. Following some simple rules will lengthen their useful life and decrease club costs.
Handgun Steel Targets – These are located on the westerly side of the 50 Yard Range and are for handgun use only. Engage these targets from no closer than 25 yards with handgun calibers only. Rifles are not permitted.
Rimfire Steel Targets – These are located almost directly in front of the clubhouse and are marked with a panel that reads “.22 Rimfire Only”. These are for .22 Long Rifle only (the bullet must have a muzzle velocity greater than 800 feet per second) – .22 Magnum cartridges are excluded. The minimum engagement range for these targets is 25 yards.
Center fire Rifle Steel Targets – These are located at the 100 yard backstop and the 200-300 yard target line.
These targets may be engaged with centerfire rifle cartridges. As stated earlier armor piercing ammunition is prohibited. The minimum engagement range for these targets is 100 yards.
TRAP AND FIELD CLAY RANGE RULES
On the trap and field clay range, uncased and unloaded guns may be placed on the gun racks. Semi-autos and pumps are to have their actions open.
Only shotguns maybe fired on the trap/field clay range.
Slugs and buckshot are not permitted on the Trap and Field Clay Range. Slug guns and buckshot may be fired on the 50 Yard Range but only at cardboard targets. Cardboard panels and wooden stakes are available in the white target shed.
Only clay target shooting is permitted on the trap/field clay range.
Shooting is permitted only from the designated shooting stations.
All persons not shooting, refereeing or coaching trap or field clays are to remain 25 feet behind the firing line when shooting is underway. Quiet conversation is requested. Please move back to the 50 foot line to hold a normal/loud conversation.
Never load more shells than the number required for a specific event. (i.e. loading three shells is permitted for field clays.
Be aware at all times that the trap house may be manned.
Shooters are to recover all their ejected shells.
Shooters are requested to assist in loading the trap house or otherwise help in the running of trap night when they shoot. Bringing boxes of clays to the trap house would also be appreciated.
ARCHERY RULES
Arrows are not to be released on club property except on the archery ranges and at approved targets.
Exceptions may be made at the discretion of the Club President for hunting.
All arrows are to be retrieved. Broadhead arrows are not permitted for target shooting.
Firearms may not be fired on the archery range.
WHAT TO DO IF SOMETHING BREAKS OR IS DAMAGED
Call or email a board member, or post a note on the club Facebook site. A cell phone or digital camera photograph would be much appreciated.,
Additional copies of the rules are available from the club.