What does "cease-fire" mean at your range

[Merc1138]

Don't touch anything on the bench. Stay back behind the line. Don't shoot anybody moving to fix target hangers, or check targets.

Sounds like something everybody should be familiar with. However I can't tell you how many times I've seen/heard people get chewed out for approaching the bench.

Just stay back.

I think Chabot is the worst for that. You can show up, and have the guy to your left get yelled at for screwing around at the bench while everyone is downrange. Then during the next target change period the guy on your right, who was there the whole time, is getting yelled at for screwing around at the bench. A while back I saw a guy who had been there for a bit already, screwing around at the bench while everyone else was downrange after he had heard people get yelled at for doing that on the 4 previous target change periods. I'm sure some of those idiots are the same people who whine about how mean the range staff at Chabot is(at least they keep an eye on people).

What I don't understand, is how Metcalf, Sunnyvale, and Livermore don't have the same problems constantly. It's as if idiots are attracted to Chabot, kind of like TM.

As far as a ceasefire at an indoor range like the OP is discussing, it's a different environment that may not have an established and regularly used procedure, and if there aren't any additional staff watching the customers while the guy is fixing the target hanger, any odd movement might make people a little jumpy. It probably also depends on how much space there is between the firing line at the back wall. For example at targetmasters, standing at the back wall means you're barely out of arms reach of the tables. At Reed's on the other hand, there's a huge space behind the tables but they probably still wouldn't want to walking up to the tables to grab something out of a bag, sweep brass, etc.

I have a feeling that if you found yourself in a similar situation, you wouldn't want random idiots screwing around either.

[fritztkatt]

It's been called "check-fire" in my experience on corps ranges when an animal, vehicle, or otherwise is passing through the impact zone. On Parris Island they called check fire quite often because there is no berm, they just use the bay as an impact area. Afaik boats have to radio in to range control to pass during firing hours, they check-fire (cease fire), and when the safety hazard passes, range is hot again. Just semantics really. If your told to stop shooting, it's a cease fire.

I prefer (for how my little lizard brain works), for the RSO to start the day with "cold range", shooters can do whatever they need down range, then "go hot", call cease fire, go cold, mess around down range, call "downrange are clear", then go hot again.

One more-less peculiar safety style was at pala, where it seems you can set your own rules inside the bays. We were allowed to be any weapons condition up or down range, but weapons could not be removed from holster or shouldered without facing berm and clearing with a witness. Any drawing, not on the firing line or facing berm was to be considered a safety violation. Cease fires went as normal, but didn't require clearing out.

[alpha_romeo_XV]

[CSACANNONEER]

"Cease Fire" means stop shooting immediately and wait for additional commands from the RSO.

[ijustdontknow]

All good comments. In this particular example the brass sweeper and notebook guy were no where near the shooting benches. They were at a shelf that runs along the back wall a good dozen feet behind the shooting benches.


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[ditchdigger]

Cease fire means stop shooting.

The RSO gave other commands.

It sounds like two people couldn't follow instructions.

[ziconceo]

For my range it means:
Unload all firearms
Drop all mags
Open all chambers
Step behind the safety line

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[CK_32]

Keep shooting.

[joefrank64k]

"Cease Fire" means stop shooting immediately and wait for additional commands from the RSO.

Exactly....STOP shooting. Period. Then await further instructions.

[JoefromPA]

The range I went to it was clear firearms and stay behind the yellow line.

I'd leave my bags back behind it and load my mags, gather as much brass as I could, and get the next targets ready.

They let you do what you wanted as long as you don't cross the line.

[Sniper3142]

Cease fire means stop shooting.

The RSO gave other commands.

It sounds like two people couldn't follow instructions.

Is the bolded part a guess or were you there?

Because it sure sounded like these two people were not shooting, at the firing line, or handling firearms. So what other commands did the RSO give?

[tbc]

Ok...got it....the RSO should have yelled out "CEASE FIRE AND STAY THE F*** AWAY FROM THE BENCH"

[essjay]

At the two outdoor ranges I typically frequent (Sunnyvale R&G and Los Altos R&G):

When cease-fire is called, everyone (who hasn't already done so) ceases firing immediately, clears their weapon, locks back the slide (in the case of SRG, a chamber flag is required), and steps behind the white line. Once the RSOs check everything, they signal the head RSO, who informs everyone that they can remove or post their targets, sweep brass in front of the shooting stations, and to not stop at the shooting stations until the cease fire is called off. Once everyone is back behind the white line and the RSOs have signalled the head RSO that the range is clear, the head RSO informs everyone that the range is live and they are free to return to the shooting stations.

[Nacho_Eater]

In situations like this I can usually tell who served in the military, or at least the Army or Marines.

Former soldiers and Marines typically follow range instructions to the T. It's all about range safety drilled into you countless times.

With non-vets, range safety habits tend to be a mixed bag. Some folks are really good and others I keep an eye on. I've been flagged by some innatentive shooter's muzzle way too many times.

[hunterb]

It means rapid fire to finish my mag off.