Wearing body armor at gun ranges?

[yellowfin]

If I need body armor to be at a particular range they will not get any of my business.

[bear308]

So all Firing Line ranges don't care if you wear armor if you bring your own guns? I wonder waht Evans thinks? Not that I would shoot there anyways. Too many what if's in life I guess, what if someone brings extra mags for the rental? What if they bring their own ap or jhp ammo to shoot in it? I would think it strange though if someone was wearing a vest to the range and didn't bring any guns?

Did this actually happen I wonder to get someone at Firing Line to dream up that rule?

The rule here at Burbank is just that, and I think it's the same at the other ranges. Your own gun bring all the mags and body armor you want. Our guns, you get the one mag (some folks do bring their own, but normally only the regulars) and no armor.

I know it's a little weird and no it has not happened, but we try to control what we hand to people and what people we hand it to. If you walk in with a G 17 and a crap load of pre-ban 32 rounders strapped to your plate carrier there is not much we can do about it. If you're there to shoot you're probably not also there to rob the place, and if you're there to rob the place you'd probably just start with that. If you walk in with all that gear on and no gun we're not going to rent a G 17 to you, or anything else for that matter.

Hopefully this answered retired question(s) as well.

[AngelDecoys]

I took a M16 class at Front Sight a couple of years ago. Nevada, in July = +100 all day. While I must say I was in shorts/t-shirt (I dress for comfort), there is something to be said about training like one might fight.......

There was a new infantry recruit about to head over to Iraq on his first deployment. He wore all of his gear for the 4 days. Helmet, ruck sac, etc. Ran around doing jumping jacks between groups on the line. Sweat was pouring down his face, and we all though the guy was close to crazy.

We forced him to stay hydrated but he kept saying that it would be hotter where he was going, so we just watched in awe.

[NiteQwill]

I took a M16 class at Front Sight a couple of years ago. Nevada, in July = +100 all day. While I must say I was in shorts/t-shirt (I dress for comfort), there is something to be said about training like one might fight.......

There was a new infantry recruit about to head over to Iraq on his first deployment. He wore all of his gear for the 4 days. Helmet, ruck sac, etc. Ran around doing jumping jacks between groups on the line. Sweat was pouring down his face, and we all though the guy was close to crazy.

We forced him to stay hydrated but he kept saying that it would be hotter where he was going, so we just watched in awe.

Good for him. Now, imagine wearing 45-60lbs of armor for 15 months in the suck. Carrying a full battle load and additional stuff strapped to you (not to mention additional stuff on your back if you're a medic, mortarman, comms, etc.). I can tell you, it sucks. I weighed all my daily equipment one day, and it was 110 lbs minus weapon.

[Spyduh]

I took a M16 class at Front Sight a couple of years ago. Nevada, in July = +100 all day. While I must say I was in shorts/t-shirt (I dress for comfort), there is something to be said about training like one might fight.......

There was a new infantry recruit about to head over to Iraq on his first deployment. He wore all of his gear for the 4 days. Helmet, ruck sac, etc. Ran around doing jumping jacks between groups on the line. Sweat was pouring down his face, and we all though the guy was close to crazy.

We forced him to stay hydrated but he kept saying that it would be hotter where he was going, so we just watched in awe.

That would be interesting to watch!

[Matt C]

The rule here at Burbank is just that, and I think it's the same at the other ranges. Your own gun bring all the mags and body armor you want. Our guns, you get the one mag (some folks do bring their own, but normally only the regulars) and no armor.

I know it's a little weird and no it has not happened, but we try to control what we hand to people and what people we hand it to. If you walk in with a G 17 and a crap load of pre-ban 32 rounders strapped to your plate carrier there is not much we can do about it. If you're there to shoot you're probably not also there to rob the place, and if you're there to rob the place you'd probably just start with that. If you walk in with all that gear on and no gun we're not going to rent a G 17 to you, or anything else for that matter.

Hopefully this answered retired question(s) as well.

Makes sense to me.

[dadoody]

I went to the range earlier today and noticed two guys walking out wearing (concealed) body armor. Not sure if they were LE or not but it got me thinking. How many of you wear, or would wear body armor while out at the range? For safety purposes??

A few years back, @ some OC range, some dad let his 9 year old kid fire dad's 1911. Kid dropped the gun and it went off and struck another patron.


vest might not be a bad idea.

[AngelDecoys]

Yup, he was interesting to watch. Ah, the young. He had a big grin on his face all 4 days. I was more surprised by his comments regarding the course. He said he had learned a lot of new stuff over the military training he already had. (I had thought the course would just have been a refresher for him).

Good for him. Now, imagine wearing 45-60lbs of armor for 15 months in the suck. Carrying a full battle load and additional stuff strapped to you (not to mention additional stuff on your back if you're a medic, mortarman, comms, etc.). I can tell you, it sucks. I weighed all my daily equipment one day, and it was 110 lbs minus weapon.

Oh, we had a lot of respect for him taking the course wearing all that gear I can't even imagine being loaded down in 140 degree weather. I guess one must 'embrace the suck'...............

[Knauga]

When I had my CCW class in San Bernardino, when we went out to the range for the "live fire" part of the class, we walked past the Deputy trainee's who were shooting. They were all wearing vests over their sweats... kinda makes me worry about the deputies they are hiring

[Paratus et Vigilans]

I suspect that most wearing body armor at the range are training in it because they will work in it or expect to be fighting in it and want to know exactly how it's going to feel to shoot while wearing it.

Back in my (long ago) football days, I was a long snapper for punts, FG's and PAT's, and learned after one or two sessions that all the long snaps I practiced without my helmet and pads on were utterly useless. With the pads and helmet on, my upper body position when bent over to long snap was entirely different than it was without them, and so all that muscle memory built up long snapping without them was wasted. I've never worn body armor, but I'm sure it's a bit cumbersome and will alter your arm position when shooting, so it makes sense (to me) to train with it on if you expect to be shooting with it on.

[ryang]

When I had my CCW class in San Bernardino, when we went out to the range for the "live fire" part of the class, we walked past the Deputy trainee's who were shooting. They were all wearing vests over their sweats... kinda makes me worry about the deputies they are hiring

Most departments have policy which states all officers must wear vests when at the range. It serves two purposes: the first is practice like you play, and the second is if an ND did happen it would be pretty stupid to get killed when you had a vest but didn't wear it.

Police departments--at least the smart ones--are heavy into risk management. Mandating vests at the range is cheap risk mitigation.

[Glock30]

I've only seen one person wearing body armor and that was at ASR, some younger kid with a beater and a flak jacket on.

[Pryde]

This thread makes me lol.

[Knauga]

Most departments have policy which states all officers must wear vests when at the range. It serves two purposes: the first is practice like you play, and the second is if an ND did happen it would be pretty stupid to get killed when you had a vest but didn't wear it.

Police departments--at least the smart ones--are heavy into risk management. Mandating vests at the range is cheap risk mitigation.

No doubt, but they already have an instructor holding on to the the shooter while he is firing. The instructor BTW is NOT wearing a vest. Of course, then us civvies walk on by and do our shooting without any hand holding

[bobgengeskahn]

train as you fight , fight as you train

mmhmm... I don't have armor yet but I'm planning on getting some to train with over the summer since I have to qualify in a few months and we have to wear armor, LBVs and k-pots... I think that might be a bit much to go to the range with, but I'm planning on at least wearing armor and the LBV when I practice with my AR once I get back to Nor Cal for just that reason... if the ranges up there are OK with it...