Shooting Range

The Dartmouth Outing Club practice range is a resource available to students of Dartmouth College. It is located just north of campus on Rt. 10, across the street from the Organic Farm. It's location in a natural earthen bowl makes for an ideal and safe shooting environment where responsible firearm users can learn safe hunting and shooting methods. It is a home to our hunting club, Bait and Bullet and our Archery Team as well as, in the winter, our Biathlon Club. See below for procedures and rules, or get in touch with one of the clubs to sign up for an upcoming trip.

Rules

Please report any unauthorized or inappropriate range activity to Dartmouth Safety & Security (603 646 4000).

Hours of Operation

The range is open from 9AM-6PM.
No shooting session may last longer than 90 minutes unless it is a DOC or OPO sponsored program.
There shall be only two sessions per day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Archery does not count towards this limit and may be any length.

Users

Use of the Dartmouth College shooting range is a privilege available only to current Dartmouth students. The only exception is for official club trips sponsored by Bait and Bullet.
These users may bring dependent children or spouses, but not parents.

Planning Your Trip

All users must contact Safety and Security (5 Rope Ferry Rd.), in person to sign up for access and confirm a time for each shooting session.
If the range is already reserved, you will need to adjust your plans.
Use by Bait and Bullet Club has priority and leaders may sign up for range times by phone. Bait and Bullet may not bump existing reservations that are less than 48 hours out from time of call.
At the Range
For sponsored trips, the ratio is one instructor to 2 students on the firing line.
Undergraduates may only use guns registered and stored at Safety and Security, per College policy.
No alcohol
Pack it in, pack it out. Trash and brass must all be removed from the range. Glass and other breakable items may not be used as targets.
Use Biodegradable clays only.
NO AUTOMATIC weapons are permitted.
Semi-automatic rifles larger than .22 caliber must have clips smaller than 5 rounds.
NO HANDGUNS are permitted.
Please respect community events at the adjacent soccer fields and the Organic Farm. If an event is going on, refrain from shooting and reschedule your session.
Always use the range in a safe manner. Observe the shooting line and shooter safety, always fire in the direction of the target stands, and never fire a firearm when anyone is over the shooting line. This includes shooting from a place beyond the firing line. Shooting may ONLY happen from BEHIND the firing line.
Proper protective equipment shall be used including ear protection and eye protection when appropriate.
When the range is in use, there shall be one person designated as "Range Master." That person shall declare, verbally and clearly, that the range is "hot" and "cold."
If practicing archery, users may establish their own firing line in front of the normal firing line.
Archery and firearm sessions shall not be concurrent.

Bait and Bullet Leaders

The following people are current BnB Leaders.

They are the only people who should have access to the club's guns.

They are the only people who can book range time by phone instead of in person.

The list can be viewed here.

Management Principles

The range will be supervised by a combination of the clubs leaders and its advisors in the Outdoor Programs Office, Dartmouth Office of Safety & Security. All unauthorized activity should be reported to Safety and Security.
Rules violations will result in revocation of privileges.
Bait and Bullet will, in consultation with their advisors, work to educate the student body about safe and courteous use of the shooting range.
Any maintenance will be performed by Bait and Bullet. If they are unable to perform the maintenance, they may request assistance from OPO staff. If OPO is unable to perform the maintenance, the range may be closed until such a time as maintenance can be performed.

Range Safety

Follow the 12 golden rules.
Know and follow all the rules of the Shooting Range.
Listen and do what the Range Master tells you to do.
Uncase and case your gun at the shooting bench, never behind the safety line.
Always keep the barrel pointed down range.
Always keep the gun on safe until you intend to shoot.
Always wear eye and ear protection when shooting.
Never shoot at water or hard surfaces.

The 12 Golden rules for Safe Gun Handling

Always treat the gun as loaded.
Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
Always keep your finger straight and off the trigger until you are ready to shoot.
Always keep the gun unloaded until you are ready to use it.
Never point the gun at anything you don't intend to destroy.
Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.
Learn the mechanical and handling characteristics of the gun you are using.
Always use proper Ammunition.
Be sure the barrel is clear of obstructions before loading and shooting.
If your gun fails to fire when the trigger is pulled, hold your shooting position for several seconds; then with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, carefully unload the gun.
Don't rely on the gun's safety to keep it from firing.
Be aware of your surroundings when handling guns so you don't trip or lose your balance and accidentally point and/or fire the gun at anyone or anything.