How safe are shooting ranges?

Question

Can anybody provide any statistics on injuries or deaths at shooting ranges and where you got this information? Thanks

Answer 1

I've been going to indoor shooting ranges and outdoor ranges/clubs for thirty years.

The only incident I ever even heard of was a suicide at an indoor range. Some poor guy rented a firearm and range time at a indoor club I belong to. He went to his shooting lane and killed himself immediately. I was not an accident. He put the revolver in his mouth, with witnesses watching him. It was the week before christmas a couple of years ago.

The safety training and marksmanship taught at shooting ranges impacts out society in a much more positive way that anything you can think of that detracts from them.

Plus, You always meet the nicest people at a shooting range. Everyone is always polite and helpful. And heavily armed! LoL

Answer 2

I cant offer any firm stats...But I have shot on police, public, private and casual (backyard) ranges for over 30 years

There have been a few cases of folks hit with broken clays . Now and then a bullet or pellet will bounce back to the line. I dont think I've ever read of a fatal accident in a formal facility.

Every now and then you hear that a bullet got over the berm and hit a new house or something.
Ranges are very safe and supervised for the most part. Rangemasters and "trappers" will ask you to leave if you wont handle weapons in a safe manner.

I've never been to any shooting sports activity were I didnt have to go to a safety meeting, sign for having read rules, of not been offered eye and ear protection if they thought I didnt have mine.

Every indoor range I've ever shot in had big windows or video observation so the staff could watch out for shenanigans

Other shooters will say something to you if a boneheaded thing is observed too..

Lead control is better these days on indoor ranges too... exposure is a hazmat issue for patrons and staff.

Shooting ranges pay big insurance premiums... and follow a ton of rules to stay open. The owners have a vested interest in running a safe business.

Added: sounds like public ranges are about as safe as public land is to hunt on. There is always some nit-wit out and about .

Answer 3

I have been an NRA Rifle and Pistol Instructor for 25+ years, been involved in competition shooting for 41 years, and spent 26 years in the military as a military competitive shooter.

I have never ever seen anyone injured on the range with a firearm. I have never heard of anyone talk about seeing or knowing anyone hurt at a range.

The actual safety statistics would be available from the NRA since they are the ones that offer the low cost insurance policy that nearly every civilian and commercial range use.

You would think with guns being an inherently dangerous device - accidents would happen in the places where they are used allot - the safety record of ranges truly defy the odds.

Hope this helps.

Answer 4

I could go on and on about unsupervised public ranges here in Missouri.


One time two guys came drunk and had a case of beer. A pistol jammed so he thought it would be a bright idea to point the barrel at his head while he cleared it. Well the damn the went off and he was a fraction of a inch from blowing his head off.

Other times you have the damn concealed carry guys that want to shoot at 5-10 feet so they walk down there and tell you to just fire at the other ranges while they're down there.

Other times you have guys want to dress in black and or camo. Every so often there is a straggler down range. Someone might pop a shot off at another distance before realizing it.

Had a couple ranges nearby close because bullets got away from the chat pile and hit some houses and a parking lot. Both got rebuilt and opened again.

And finally - who can forget the time these guys brought their ak's and a truck full of watermelons and old computers. So I called the gamewarden and he snuck in and hid in bushes. When they stopped shooting and began reloading again he popped up with his gun drawn and told them put down the rifles. The one guy said it wasn't loaded and wasn't going to put it down. Finally he did. The officer picked up the rifle on to find out it was loaded. Warden picked up the rifle, jacked out the round, busted the stock on the concrete table, threw it back at them and told them never to come back.
That was a little scary...


The right ranges are safe. The wrong ranges are accidents waiting to happen. I normally clear out whenever an idiot arrives and I never go from labor day on through deer season.

Answer 5

I've never heard of any actual injuries at a range.

The worst thing I've ever heard was some guys on an unsupervised (no range officer) public range that started shooting at their targets while some guy was still down range checking his target.

Answer 6

The rules are very strict at the shooting ranges and everyone must follow or be kick out. Majority of the people that go to the range are law enforcements or people who have experiences in shooting or want to gain experiences.

So, it is very safe at the range!

Answer 7

I don't have access to any stats but I can relate personal experience.

I've never seen a serious injury or death on a shooting range in my 18 years of firearm experience.

The range is as safe as the people who use it.

Answer 8

safer than most city's i have never heard of a death or shooting at a range since i have been shooting and that's some 20 years

Answer 9

I haven't heard of any, although I am sure accidents do happen. I've gone to ranges (outdoor and indoor) for the past 35 years without any incidents at those ranges.

Answer 10

The only injuries I have heard off are minor wounds from bullet fragments. And suicides at ranges that rent to the public.