Range Gear

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Oleg Volk recently reminded us that "two is one, and one is none" when it comes to gear. It pays to be well equipped for your trip to the range, and that means having spares. Batteries go dead, mounts come loose, and things can and do break. Obviously you're going to have your firearms, ammunition, and spare magazines, but when it comes to stocking your range bag what other parts and equipment should you pack?

Notebook and Pen/Pencil I can't tell you how many times I've had someone ask to borrow my pen at the range. Toss one in your bag! Inevitably you'll want to mark a target or take notes on certain loads or configurations. Sharpie markers and paint pens are also very useful for marking bad magazines.

Stapler/Thumb Tacks These items are indispensable at most outdoor ranges for hanging your targets. I prefer staples, and while tacks are reusable, they can get hit and destroyed by an errant round or forgotten and left in the target holder.

Targets You're going to want something to shoot at, right? Embarrassingly enough, I have on occasion shown up at the range only to realize that I forgot and left my targets at home.

Masking Tape/Dots Useful for hanging targets as well as pasting over holes in your target.

Tools It's always a good idea to check the tightness of your scope or red dot before heading to the range. But, optics and mounts can come loose, so having a few Allen keys is very useful. Along the same lines as the Allen wrenches, a decent screwdriver set is useful for tightening down loose screws.

CLP and a Cleaning kit I keep boresnakes and cleaning rods in my range bag. In addition to being able to run a snake through a dirty bore, I've found cleaning rods are necessary should someone have a squib or a brass case jammed. A selection of brass brushes can also be used to extract brass that has suffered case head separation.

Batteries A red dot scope isn't much good without good batteries. The same goes for flashlights. I keep a spare set of AA, AAA, and CR123 batteries in my range bag.

Towel Things get wet and dirty at the range. I keep a shop towel in my bag for wiping things down.

Ruler Great for measuring group size.

Extra eyes and ears Lose an ear plug? Break a set of eye protection? No problem, as long as you've got a spare set with you.

Gloves I don't always use gloves when I shoot, but I do keep them with me in the range bag. When firearms heat up, whether it's from use or just lying in the hot sun, you'll find you're glad to have packed a decent pair of shooting gloves.

Water It gets hot out on the range during the summer, but proper hydration is important no matter what the weather. Make sure you have a bottle or two of water to stay hydrated.

First Aid Kit Along with a basic first aid kit, I also carry a blowout kit in my bag. Accidents can and do happen, so it pays to be prepared. Also, don't forget to toss in a bottle of sunscreen.

Let us know if we left anything out. What's in your range bag?

Picking a bag

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Picking the correct bag for a hiking trip, range use, or simply for day to day use takes some time and consideration. There are many factors you need to look at when selecting your bag, and we frequently get questions from customers asking about bags.

What do you want to do with your bag?
This is probably the most important thing to consider when shopping for a bag. Bags are largely specialized, lending themselves more to certain tasks than others. Are you going to be using this bag for daily use, hauling around books and maybe a laptop, is it going to be a dedicated range bag, or is it going to be used for camping and hiking?

If you're going to be using it for day to day use, you will need to consider what you are going to be carrying from point A to point B. Laptop pouches, pen and pencil holders, and cell phone pouches are all things you may want to look for, depending on your specific needs. For a daily use bag, comfort isn't going to be a big concern. You most likely will not have the bag on your shoulders for more than 20 minutes a day (from your car into work, and vice versa). On the other hand, you may need to frequently move items in and out of the bag, so accessibility may play a factor.

On the other hand, if you're going to be taking your bag hiking you will need to take a lot more time and care in picking this bag out. Not only does it need to be able to hold all of your gear and be rugged, but it also needs to be comfortable to carry over long distances. You may want to look for other features like a water bladder pouch, Molle™ webbing, and a load bearing belt.

What kind of carry are you looking for?
For a daily use bag, you can look to the single-shoulder or sling-type bags such as MOLLE-875, MOLLE-099, and MOLLE-801. These bags are not great for hiking as they do not distribute the weight across both your shoulders but rather one shoulder and your neck. While not as comfortable as a backpack, this "messenger style" bag is very convenient and easily accessible. The other style of carry that is great for the daily bag is the hand-grip bag such as MOLLE-706, BAG-220, or our very popular SWAT Responder bag. These bags are very quick "grab and go" bags, and great for a bug-out-bag as well.

Now let's move on to hiking and camping bags. When choosing a bag for hiking or camping, comfort will be a major deciding factor. At the same time, you will often want a bag with a very large capacity. The important thing here is not to purchase any larger than you absolutely need. For short walks or day trips you will be best served by using something like a three day assault backpack, or something along the lines of PACK-121. These packs are small, lightweight packs and are great for short range walking or hiking trips. If you're planning an extended hiking or backpacking trip you'll be carrying much more gear, so a pack with a frame or other form of load bearing system would be more appropriate. We carry a wide variety of these bags such as our military surplus frame pack. This pack is the same one issued to US Marines in Iraq. Some people are not fans of framed packs, so for those of you who feel that way check out WX-119, or MOLLE-125, which has a load bearing belt.

What color do you want?
Now it's time to show your true colors and pick the color of your bag. I personally prefer to purchase my bags in Coyote Tan like on PACK-121. This color will blend in with most surroundings and will not heat-up like a black or darker color pack would. OD Green bags are great for hunting, or if you want to blend into your green surroundings. Packs colored in Army Digital have become quite popular; it is a universal camouflage that is made to blend in with almost any terrain. A couple of other colors you may have to choose from when it comes to picking your bag are the Real Tree™ type, woodland camouflage, or the very popular Multicam™ patterned MOLLE-875.

Hearing Protection Buyer's Guide

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Why Hearing Protection?
Every once in a while, you'll come across someone claiming that they don't "need" hearing protection. No matter their excuse they're simply wrong. Gun fire produces noise levels that peak between 140db and 170 db. That noise is made even more damaging at indoor ranges as the ears are exposed to the same noise multiple times as it echoes off of the walls, floor, and ceiling. The normal human threshold for pain is around 130db, and hearing loss can occur instantaneously at 120db. Even sounds as low as 78db can cause hearing loss over time.

Noise levels are measured in decibels, which we write "dB". A gun shot is rated at 149dB and, to compare, the typical office generally has a noise level of 60dB to 65dB. Noises louder than 80 decibels are dangerous and can cause immediate and permanent hearing loss. When we look at what hearing protection to buy, we need to pay close attention to the product's NRR, or Noise Reduction Rating, which is defined as the maximum number of decibels (dB) that the hearing protector will reduce the sound level when worn. By law, all hearing protection products have to have a NRR rating. The highest NRR rating you can get is 33 NRR. Products with a 28 to 31 NRR are recommended for indoor shooting. There are two different kinds of hearing protection, ear plugs and ear muffs. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health actually recommends using both earplugs and earmuffs together when shooting. It might come as a surprise to hear that earplugs can actually offer more protection than ear muffs, because ear plugs fully block the ear canal.

Ear Plugs
There are quite a few different types of ear plugs: single use, multiple-use, banded and corded. An example of single-use ear plugs is 59730. Banded or corded ear plugs are best if you move between a noisy place and a non-noisy place, like between the shooting range and your range's lobby. Multiple-use earplugs, such as our corded reusable earplugs are easier to use because they do not require rolling to fit in your ear.

Earmuffs
Earmuffs are either electronic or passive. Electronic earmuffs, like EAR-113 and 46160, amplify quieter sounds, allowing you to hear your range master's commands. These earmuffs will have integrated microphones and some have independent volume controls. Passive earmuffs simply block sound using foam and other materials located inside the ear cup. A good example is 46161. One thing to look for in your earmuffs is the style of band. Plastic headbands hold their shape better than a metal band. Metal bands can become stretched through time, leading them to decrease the level of protection. Other earmuffs offer added features such as 75027 which has a built-in am/fm radio, and EAR-111 that has a jack to plug in your iPod.

Guide to Buying Eye Protection/Shooting Glasses

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A beginner shooter needs to have some very basic equipment to start shooting. Shooting glasses and hearing protection are second to ammo and a gun! Outdoor and indoor ranges absolutely require you to wear both. Even if you are shooting on your own land, you should not go without ear or eye protection.

A good place to start is to look for glasses that meet ANSI Z87 +1 standards. The American National Standards Institute defines those as:

1. Provide protection
2. Be comfortable
3. Fit securely
4. Be capable of being disinfected
5. Be durable
6. Fit over prescription eyewear

Further, there are extra features you should look for in quality eye protection. The glasses should have side shields. The frames should be made of nylon, rubber or propionate to hold their shape and will not break. To make the frames even more durable, look for a frame that has spring hinges. Wraparound temples keep your glasses in place during recoil and most importantly the lenses should be impact-resistant plastic or polycarbonate which is less likely to break and be more scratch-resistant.

Lens color is another important factor to look at when choosing your glasses. Each lens color has pros and cons for each different shooting condition. Therefore, you might want to choose a pair with interchangeable lenses or pick out a few different pairs, depending on where you shoot most often. Don’t forget to check to see if the lenses you are buying provide UV protection, especially if you shoot outside.

Smoke/gray lenses are most effective in bright sunlight because they block glare. However, they are not effective in the woods or other shady areas. These are best suited for outdoor range shooting. Example: 93324

Vermilion lenses (red) give you a better view of light-colored targets against a dark background. These would be best for hunting. Example: 51969

Amber/brown lenses block blue light which are good for a cloudy day. Example: 51965

Yellow/orange lenses contrast, block haze and blue light, and enhance the color orange. The brighter yellow the lenses are, the better for shooting at night time. These lenses are best for outdoor shooting. Example: 46185; 46187

Ice lenses show true color. Example: 93354

Copper lenses are a good all-purpose choice. They are good for use during cloudy conditions or in bright sunshine. Example: 48179

Mirror and Polarized lenses reduce glare. Polarized lenses are better than mirrored lenses and they are especially good for dawn or dusk shooting. Example: 93358

Indoor/Outdoor lenses are clear with mirror-coating. The coating reflects light and reduces glare. Example: 18461