Shooting test at public range

[mloamiller]

Looking for tips/suggestions for conducting the shooting proficiency at a public range where there are other shooters that are not part of your class. For example:

• How do you start/stop each string of fire - whistle, voice command, something else? Seems like a whistle would be very annoying to the other shooters, but using voice commands would probably be ineffective for more than a couple of shooters at a time.
  
  Any differences between an indoor vs. outdoor range?

Thanks in advance.

[LSUTiger]

In my experience both in initial CHL and subsequent renewal classes, dedicated shooting lanes together for class usually at one end or the other 5 shooters at a time and the instructor was giving verbal commands shouting over all the other gun fire, it was difficult to hear with noise and ear protection but not to bad.

No bullhorn needed.

Just set it up beforehand and ask range if they could assist any special arrangements and considerations.

[cbunt1]

One of the ranges I frequently test at works hard to give me adjacent lanes for up to 5 at a time. When they can't, I'll run one or two at a time.

I frequently just work out a "shoulder tap" system with one or two shooters. If they have electronic hearing protection voice commands become much easier, but they usually do not.

I also carry a shot timer which I have been known to use as well. The tone of the timer can be heard through most hearing protection and usually isn't too bad for other shooters on the range (if it means nothing to them, it's just not a big deal).

I did a series of tests at Red's North this past weekend, and they were very busy...and extremely loud (I couldn't even hear MYSELF with electronics that day) -- but I was running one at a time. A shoulder tap worked best for start/stop, and hand signals (per-arranged) for such things as "one round, two seconds."

For me, the best scenario is a good pre-range prep for the students. I tell them that I'm going to ask them to load 5 at a time (except for one string), and that I'll use specific hand signals for "One round within two seconds, etc." so they know what to expect.