SAFETY RULES
1. ALWAYS KEEP FIREARMS POINTED IN A SAFE DIRECTION.
2. ALWAYS KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL READY TO SHOOT.
3. ALWAYS KEEP THE FIREARMS UNLOADED UNTIL READY TO USE.
4. KNOW YOUR TARGET AND WHAT IS BEYOND.
5. KNOW HOW TO USE YOUR FIREARM SAFELY.
6. BE SURE THE FIREARM IS SAFE TO OPERATE.
7. USE ONLY THE CORRECT AMMUNITION FOR YOUR FIREARMS.
8. ALWAYS WEAR EYE AND EAR PROTECTION WHEN ON THE RANGE. (REV 7/11/11)
9. NEVER USE ALCOHOL OR DRUGS BEFORE OR WHILE SHOOTING. NO ALCOHOL IS PERMITTED ON OUR PROPERTY … PERIOD!
10. NO SMOKING ON ANY FIRING LINE FOR SAFETY REASONS.
11. STORE FIREARMS SO THEY ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE TO UNAUTHORIZED PERSONS.
12. BE AWARE THAT CERTAIN TYPES OF FIREARMS AND MANY SHOOTING ACTIVITIES REQUIRE ADDITIONAL SAFETY PRECAUTIONS.
13. TO FIRE CLASS III (FULL AUTO) FIREARMS, YOU MUST RECEIVE PRIOR APPROVAL ONE (1) TIME FROM THE CHAIRMAN, VICE CHAIRMAN, OR THE CRSO. (REV 4/01/13)
RANGE OPERATION GUIDELINES
1. GENERAL LIVE FIRING CONDUCTED AT THE BIGFORK GUN CLUB RANGE IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ACCESS TO A FACILITY WHERE THEY CAN BECOME PROFICIENT WITH PRIVATELY OWNED FIREARMS.
2. RANGE AVAILABILITY IS AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE CLUB’S SCHEDULE OF EVENTS.
3. RANGE LIMITATIONS AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS:
LIVE-FIRE SHOOTERS WILL:
A. FIRE ONLY AUTHORIZED FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION. NO INCENDIARY OR TRACER AMMUNITION ALLOWED.
B. FIRE AT AUTHORIZED TARGETS ONLY. METAL SILHOUETTE TARGETS ARE TO BE USED FOR SILHOUETTE MATCHES ONLY AND NOT FOR RECREATIONAL SHOOTING.
C. FIRE ONLY AFTER COMPLETING A "WAIVER & RELEASE" AGREEMENT.
D. ENSURE ALL PROJECTILES IMPACT A BACKSTOP.
E. NOTIFY THE RSO OR CHIEF RANGE SAFETY OFFICER (CRSO) OF ANY SAFETY INFRACTIONS OR OTHER RANGE ISSUES.
F. RECEIVE PRIOR APPROVAL ONE TIME FROM EITHER THE CHAIRMAN, VICE CHAIRMAN, OR THE CRSO TO FIRE CLASS-III (FULL AUTO) FIREARMS. (REV 4/1/13)
G. DO NOT SHOOT SHOTGUNS ON THE 100M RANGE. SLUGS AND BUCKSHOT ARE OK. (REV 7/11/11 & 9/9/13)
4. AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL. THE FOLLOWING PERSONS ARE ALLOWED TO FIRE:
A. CURRENT MEMBERS OF THE SHOOTING CLUB.
B. INVITED GUESTS OF THE ABOVE, PROVIDED AN AUTHORIZED PERSON IS PRESENT AND ASSUMES FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CONDUCT OF HIS OR HER GUESTS.
C. PERSONNEL APPROVED BY THE CLUB OFFICERS, AND CRSO ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS.
5. CHIEF RANGE SAFETY OFFICER (CRSO):
A. CONDUCT THE RANGE SAFETY OFFICER TRAINING PROGRAM FOR CLUB MEMBERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CLUBS NEEDS.
6. CLUB & DISCIPLINE RSO’s BIGFORK GUN CLUB RSO’S WILL:
A. WEAR RSO IDENTIFICATION HATS WHILE ON-DUTY.
B. OBTAIN "WAIVER & RELEASE" AGREEMENT FORMS AND ANY SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE EVENT.
C. CONDUCT RANGE SAFETY BRIEFINGS AS NEEDED FOR COMPETITION, NEW MEMBERS, ALL SHOOTERS. (REV 7/11/11)
D. PERMIT LIVE FIRE IN ACCORDANCE WITH CLUB SAFETY PROCEDURES.
E. HAVE A WORKING CELL PHONE AT HAND AT ALL TIMES, AND FOLLOW SPECIFIC EMERGENCY PROCEDURES.
F. MUST COMPLETE A "WAIVER & RELEASE" AGREEMENT FORM ANNUALLY AND SUBMIT TO THE CRSO OR BOARD BY JUNE 1ST.
G. USE REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION FOR EVERYONE ON THE FIRING LINE WHEN BUSY. SET A TIME LIMIT FOR HOT AND COLD RANGE. I.E. 15 MIN, 30 MIN, ETC. (REV 7/11/11)
7. CLUB MEMBERS: (REV title 9/9/13)
A. ALL SHOOTERS AND SPECTATORS MUST FILL OUT A "WAIVER & RELEASE" AGREEMENT. NO EXCEPTIONS!
B. SHOOTERS WILL CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN AN ORDERLY MANNER AT ALL TIMES AND WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONDUCT OF THEIR INVITED GUEST(S).
C. ALL SHOOTERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN FIREARMS AMMUNITION & BELONGINGS WHILE ON THE COMPLEX.
D. FIREARMS THAT ARE OUT OF THE CASE AND NOT BEING FIRED MUST BE BENCHED. (ACTIONS OPEN AND FACING UP, CHAMBERS EMPTY, MUZZLES POINTING DOWNRANGE, AND SAFETIES ON). RIFLES IN GUN RACKS MUST HAVE ACTIONS OPEN, AND BOLT INDICATORS INSERTED (IF AVAILABLE).
E. SHOOTERS, TRAINERS, RSO'S ON THE FIRING LINE. ALL OTHERS STAY BEHIND THE YELLOW "SAFETY" LINE. (REV 7/11/11)
F. THE SAFETY CHAIN BLOCKING THE ROAD TO THE "BAY" AREA MUST BE IN PLACE DURING SHOOTING AT THE 200 YARD TARGET. THE SAFETY CHAIN BLOCKING THE 200 YARD SHOOTING RANGE IS TO BE REATTACHED BLOCKING THE ROAD FROM THE PISTOL RANGE. WHEN NOT USING THE 200 YARD RANGE, THIS CHAIN IS TO BE REATTACHED BLOCKING THE 200 YARD RANGE. (REV 7/11/11)
8. HOURS OF OPERATION AND SCHEDULING:
EVENT SCHEDULES WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR ALL MEMBERS. ALL OTHER RANGE REQUESTS WILL BE REVIEWED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS BASED ON RANGE AVAILABILITY. SHOOTING HOURS ARE AT 0700 OR 1/2 HOUR BEFORE SUNRISE, WHICHEVER IS LATER, AND ENDS AT 2130 OR 1/2 HOUR AFTER SUNSET, WHICHEVER IS EARLIER. YEARLY SUNRISE AND SUNSET TIMES CAN BE LOCATED ON THE FISH WILDLIFE & PARKS WEBSITE - https://fwp.mt.gov/binaries/content/assets/fwp/hunt/regulations/2021/2021-dea-regulations-final-for-web.pdf - PAGE 141 ZONE 1 (REV. 1/13/22)
9. ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND DRUGS:
SHOOTERS MAY NOT CONSUME ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES OR DRUGS BEFORE OR DURING LIVE FIRING. THE CRSO, OR RSO WILL DENY RANGE ACCESS TO ANYONE IN VIOLATION.
10. MEDICAL SUPPORT:
THERE IS NO PHONE AT THE RANGE. IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY, MEMBERS SHOULD DIAL 911 FROM A CELL PHONE. REFER TO DETAILED PROCEDURES POSTED IN THE CLUBHOUSE. NOTIFY THE CRSO AND/OR CLUB OFFICERS IMMEDIATELY. (REV 9/9/13)
RANGE RULES
1. ALWAYS SHOOT ENSURING YOUR BULLETS IMPACT A BACKSTOP NEVER STRIKING THE GROUND DIRECTLY (AKA - GROUND SKIPS) AND RICOCHETS.
2. ABSOLUTELY NO FIREARM HANDLING WHILE PEOPLE ARE DOWNRANGE.
3. UNLOAD ALL FIREARMS BEFORE GOING DOWNRANGE.
4. KEEP ACTIONS OPEN WHEN NOT FIRING.
5. UNCASED FIREARMS MUST BE HANDLED W/MUZZLE POINTED IN A SAFE DIRECTION AT ALL TIMES.
6. CLUB MEMBERS MUST INFORM THEIR INVITED GUESTS OF ALL RANGE RULES.
7. CLUB MEMBERS ALWAYS HAVE FIRST RIGHTS TO ALL SHOOTING BENCHES, TABLES & FIRING POINTS OUTSIDE OF SCHEDULED EVENTS.
8. ANYONE "UNDER THE INFLUENCE" WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO HANDLE ANY FIREARM WHILE ON CLUB PROPERTY. VIOLATORS WILL BE DISCIPLINED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THIS CLUB.
9. PERSONS UNDER 18 WILL BE CLOSELY WATCHED AND SUPERVISED BY AN ADULT AT ALL TIMES.
10. HEARING AND EYE PROTECTION MUST BE WORN AT ALL TIMES WHILE ON OR NEAR THE OUTDOOR RANGES WHEN SHOOTING IS ON GOING.
11. WHICHEVER
12. SHOOTING BY ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING IS RESERVED FOR SCHEDULED EVENTS ONLY.
13. NO SHOOTING AT GLASS OBJECTS OF ANY KIND AT ANY TIME.
14. WHEN FINISHED SHOOTING PICK-UP YOUR BRASS, TRASH, & FOOD ITEMS, ETC. REMOVE EITHER THE CLUB’S PORTABLE TARGET FRAMES, AND YOUR OWN WHEN FINISHED SHOOTING. DO NOT LEAVE ANY TARGETS OR FRAMES OUT ON OUR RANGES. LEAVE YOUR AREA CLEANER THAN WHEN YOU FIRST ARRIVED. (REV 5/17/09)
15. SCHEDULED ACTIVITIES ALWAYS TAKE PREFERENCE OVER INDIVIDUAL RANGE USE DESIRES.
16. RANGE KEYS/COMBINATIONS MUST NEVER BE DUPLICATED AND/OR LOANED TO OTHERS. (REV 4/19/12)
17. PLACE YOUR TARGETS IN SUCH A MANNER THAT BULLETS NEVER STRIKE AND/OR DAMAGE TARGET FRAMES ……NEITHER YOURS OR THE CLUBS.
18. ANY SHOOTER WHO HASN'T SIGNED THE CLUB’S RELEASE & WAIVER FORM WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO SHOOT… NO EXCEPTIONS!
19. ALL PETS ARE TO BE EITHER LEASHED OR SECURED IN A VEHICLE AT ALL TIMES. AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR, OR EXCESSIVE BARKING WILL ONLY RESULT IN THE PET OWNER(S) BEING ASKED TO REMOVE THEIR PET(S) FROM OUR PROPERTY.
20. RANGE SAFETY OFFICER (RSO) DECISIONS ARE FINAL.
21. ALWAYS LOCK THE GATE BEHIND YOU WHEN YOU ENTER AND WHEN YOU LEAVE THE RANGE. THE GATE WILL BE LEFT OPEN WHEN AN ORGANIZED EVENT IS BEING CONDUCTED WHERE THE PUBLIC IS ALLOWED ON THE RANGE. CHECK THE WEBSITE FOR SCHEDULED AND SPECIALS EVENTS BEFORE GOING TO THE RANGE. (9/9/13)
22. IF YOU SHOULD SEE SOMEONE DAMAGING OR DEFACING THE PROPERTY OR ABUSING THE SAFETY RULES, ATTEMPT TO IDENTIFY THE PERSON OR VEHICLE LICENSE NUMBER AND THE CLUB OFFICERS WILL TAKE THE NECESSARY ACTION. (9/9/13)
23. WE ASK THAT YOU CARRY YOUR MEMBERSHIP CARD AND SHOW IT UPON REQUEST. (9/9/13)
24. INFORMATION FOR ALL CLOSURES WILL BE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE. THERE WILL ALSO BE POSTINGS AT THE GATE AND THE LOCK MAY BE CHANGED. (9/9/13)
KNOW THE RULES / ACT RESPONSIBLY / ENJOY OUR SPORT