Rules

Meridian Shooting Club

RANGE RULES AND REGULATIONS
For 2017

General Information:

Annual membership term is from January 1st to December 31st.

Annual fee is $100.00 per member and immediate family.

Membership requires one work day during the year. Work days may be earned by either attending a scheduled work day that will be posted on the website or assisting with a MSC activity or event.

Information including MSC rules, upcoming events, possible range closures, etc. may be found on the official MSC website at www.meridianshootingclub.org. The website also has contact information for Board Members. Please feel free to save this information and contact them with any questions or concerns. Immediately contact a Board Member if you see something or someone that may be unsafe or cause injury.

No hunting is allowed on the Training Facility. Do not shoot at animals that may cross any of the ranges.

All Law Enforcement structures and areas are off limits to MSC members. This includes the Quonset hut shaped building and the Fire Tower. Do not enter these areas without specific permission.

Homeland Security heads the Training Facility located at 1180 Sandflat Road. The phone number is (601) 484-6890.

Range Access:

Range hours are as follows: During Daylight Savings Time (Spring/Summer/Fall) the range is open from 5 pm to sundown during the week and during daylight hours on weekends. During Standard Daylight Time (Winter), the range is open only during daylight hours on weekends (there is no weekday shooting). All members should check the website for additional eligible days to fire (i.e. holidays) or if the range is going to be closed for whatever reason. Members must also remember that Law Enforcement has priority so if they are using or need to use the range, MSC members must leave. Do not call the facility or show up and ask to shoot outside of MSC open hours.

Upon entering the facility, all members are required to stop by the black mailbox and sign in. This is for safety reasons. All members will clearly write their name and phone number, date and time, and what ranges the member plans on using. Any guests and family members with the member are also required to sign in with the same information as well as sign a release form. All members and guests will then need to sign out when leaving the premises. If you are the last person leaving on a Saturday or a Sunday, please close and lock the gate.

If the sign-in book is not in the mailbox, the facility is closed to MSC. Do not enter.

All members must wear their badge in a visible location at all times while in the facility. All guests and family members need to wear a Visitor badge at all times while in the facility. Visitor badges are available in the mailbox and must be returned when leaving the facility.

Members are not to ever lend their membership badge to anyone. Immediate family members are exempt because it is a family membership. Anyone caught violating this policy will be under review by the Board and will face expulsion from the club.

Members should not wander around the facility. MSC members are only allowed at the specific ranges (the remainder of the facility is for Law Enforcement and Fire Department training; MSC is a guest to the facility and therefore must stay in designated areas). Members should also be careful when crossing the track due to driver training.

Members are prohibited from leaving their guests alone. All guests must be accompanied at all times.

During special events, such as MSC sponsored competitions, the gate will remain open to allow access to the general public.

All members and guests should clean up after themselves and keep the facility clean.

Safety Regulations:

The MSC expects members and guests to abide by all safe and standard practices in handling guns and gear.

MSC has numerous Range Safety Officers that will act as officials at any shooting station. RSO’s will normally have a bright yellow t-shirt with RSO on the back. RSO’s will identify themselves on the sign-in sheet so that any member may seek their help if necessary. Members are encouraged to seek an RSO if they have a question or problem. RSO’s have basic CPR and First Aid training and will act as first responders. Please inform an RSO if there is a safety or member issue. RSO’s have the authority to ask members and guests to leave the facility if they feel it is in the best interest of the club and its other members. RSO’s will not always be on site; members are encouraged to use their cell phones to call for help should a problem arise.

Some ranges have a range flag. If you plan to shoot at one of these ranges, you are required to raise the flag to indicate that the range is hot. The flag is to remain up while there are shooters present at the range. The last shooter to leave is required to lower the flag.

MSC uses the following range commands:

Hot- Shooters will fire at will.
Cold- All firing is to cease, all guns are made safe by removing any rounds from the chamber and removing any magazine.
Clear- Guns are unloaded, with an open breach and laying down on the table or rest, untouched with the barrel facing down range.
Cease Fire- All shooting is to stop immediately and all guns must go cold and clear immediately. Any member of the club may use this command at any time if safety violation of emergency is occurring.

No member, for any reason, is allowed to handle any firearm while anyone is down range. Only when all members are behind the line of fire can adjustments or reloading take place.

If a member is to experience a misfire (round that did not go off) or a squib (an underpowered round that is stuck in the barrel) they are required to call a Cease Fire and resolve that problem. Members are required to leave the gun pointed down range in case the misfire is instead a hang fire (a delay in the firing of the round). Guns are not allowed off the line until they are made safe. Please have an RSO assist if one is available.

All targets are to be placed at their designated locations. Members are prohibited from moving the location of targets since their locations have been designated due to safety. Members needing to shoot from a closer location will need to move closer to the targets. Members are also prohibited from shooting at anything except designated targets.

The firing line at any range will be the location of the closest shooter to the target. This is based on a first-come, first-serve basis but members are reminded to be considerate of the needs of other members. No member is allowed to fire from a position back from the established firing line.

Members are not allowed to perform maintenance or cleaning on the firing line, unless an incident occurred while the member was firing the gun. Members are required to step aside to a designated area to perform such tasks. Members are also prohibited from having ammunition nearby while performing such tasks.

Gun racks are available to hold long guns and tables for handguns.

Eye and ear protection are mandatory while the range is Hot, no exceptions. This includes all shooters and spectators, no exceptions.

If a member is shooting a semi automatic firearm, they are encouraged to shoot from a position that will not have the ejected brass hitting other members. Please be aware of your environment especially if the range is busy. Members are also encouraged to pick up their brass and trash. Any brass left behind is fair game for anyone who picks it up.

Members are required to return all targets to their proper location when they are done with them.

No vehicles of any kind are allowed on the ranges at any time. This does not include MSC sponsored events where time and convenience may require such vehicles to be used (by authorized personnel).

Members are encouraged to bring safety violations to the attention of other members. Please remember to be courteous when alerting someone else that they are being unsafe. Also, please do not be confrontational when receiving such information. MSC members must look out for one another and the club. Rule violations or disputes between members should be brought to the attention of an RSO or Board Member.

No alcohol, tracer rounds, armor piercing rounds, exploding targets, glass targets, class III weapons, 50 BMG weapons, cannons, or bump-firing allowed at MSC.

Penalties for Range Infractions:

The Board of MSC reserves every right to enforce range rules and regulations as it sees fit.

The Board of MSC will determine what disciplinary action will be taken for a range infraction, up to and including expulsion from the club. Disciplinary action may result from violation of MSC Rules and Regulations, unsafe acts, or member presence at the facility when it is closed to MSC (NOTE- When the range is closed, it is closed. No shooting, no brass collecting, no cleaning, no asking to shoot, etc.).

If an unsafe act or rule violation is noticed, Law Enforcement or facility personnel may direct a member to leave the premises and take the member’s badge to pass it to a Board Member. Further disciplinary actions to be taken will be determined by the MSC Board.

Rimfire Range:

Parking for the Rimfire Range is located behind the covered area.

Only rimfire rifles and handguns are allowed at the Rimfire Range.

Target frames for this range are stored in the shed behind the covered area. Metal targets are prohibited on this range.

All targets are to be placed at their designated locations. Members are prohibited from moving the location of targets since their locations have been designated due to safety. Members needing to shoot from a closer location will need to move closer to the targets. Members are also prohibited from shooting at anything except designated targets.

This station has a safety table for firearm maintenance and cleaning. No ammunition is allowed near the safety table.

Do not leave any live ammunition on the ground. Could be misfires or FTF (failure to fire).

Pistol Paper Range:

Parking for the Pistol Paper Range is at the Rimfire Range and in the infield where signs are posted.

Only handguns are allowed on the Pistol Paper Range. No rifles or shotguns.

Target frames for this range are stored inside the metal building marked "MSC". MSC will provide all members with the combination to the lock on this building. If you forgot or are in need of additional targets, there are targets available within this building; there is also a box where members are asked to give $1 for every target they take.

Pistols are not to be loaded or magazines inserted until the shooter is in position at the firing line.

Be aware of muzzle direction at all times, whether loaded or unloaded. Pistols should be pointed at the ground or in the safe ready position when not in use.

Be aware of stepping off the backside of the target holder area. The ground may be muddy or slippery and also Law Enforcement may have Taser darts on the ground that could result in injury.

Do not leave any live ammunition on the ground. Could be misfires or FTF.

Police all brass at the end of your session. A cart used to pick up brass is located inside the MSC building to help gather brass quickly. Please return it after use.

The last shooter on the range should lock the building.

Pistol Steel Range:

Parking for the Pistol Steel Range is along the road. Do not pull onto the range area.

Range is limited to pistols and .22 caliber rifles ONLY. No shotguns.

All shooters should be conscious of others shooting at different distances.

These are steel targets and ricochets can occur along with shrapnel being thrown back from targets. Close shots are not recommended. Boundaries have been set that determine minimal distances. Only straight shots are allowed at this range to prevent ricochets.

Eye and ear protection are required at all times, regardless if the range is Hot or Cold. This applies to everyone, shooters and spectators, due to the danger at this range.

Police brass as best as possible due to the makeup of the ground surface being gravel.

500 Yard Range:

Parking for the range is along the road. Do not pull onto the range.

It is especially important to raise the range flag at this location because the shed that houses the target frames is downrange and out of sight of the firing line. Members must make sure that no one is downrange before going Hot.

The target shed is located to the right of the target area. The combination is the same as the MSC building at the Pistol Paper Range. Please return the target frames to the shed after use.

All targets are to be placed at their designated locations. Members are prohibited from moving the location of targets since their locations have been designated due to safety. Members needing to shoot from a closer location will need to move closer to the targets. Members are also prohibited from shooting at anything except designated targets.

Only rifles are allowed on this range.

There is an Off Road Club that sometimes cuts through and shooters are required to hold their fire until they pass. It might be difficult to hear or see them but we must all do our best to avoid an accident.

Members are not allowed to fire unsighted rifles from the 500 yard line until they have been sighted in at a closer distance (preferred distance is 100 yards). This is to prevent any rounds from going over the berm.

Police your brass and trash when your shooting session is finished.

100 Yard Range:

Preferred parking for the range is along the road. If you pull onto the range, be aware that the ground is soft and you may become stuck.

This range is for rifles only.

All targets are to be placed at their designated locations. Members are prohibited from moving the location of targets since their locations have been designated due to safety. Members needing to shoot from a closer location will need to move closer to the targets. Members are also prohibited from shooting at anything except designated targets.

Shotgun:

Parking for the range is along the road. Do not pull onto the area.

This is a shotgun only station. Shells must have a proper load for shooting clay birds, 7½ or smaller. No buckshot or slug.

Members are responsible for bringing their own clay birds.

Members are responsible for properly operating the manual clay bird machines. The blue mechanical throwing stations are loaded in a counter clockwise motion. The arm should be in a 90-degree angle to the left of the machine if unloaded and not cocked. The release knob is located on the operator’s end of the machine. The arm should be left in a released and not cocked position after your shooting session.

All shooters must use the "window/gate" provided to have a designated shooting position. No shotguns may be loaded until the barrel is pointed through the "window/gate" and muzzle is downrange from any spectators. Members are not allowed to leave the "window/gate" until the firearm is Clear.

Members are required to pick up their fired shells.

The storage shed is the property of MSC and is accessible by club officers only.

Keep an eye on the road to the right for any approaching vehicles. It is a good idea to place orange cones on the road to stop traffic from coming into the firing line. Please remove the cones when finished.