Shooting Ranges Need to Support More Shooting Positions

When I learned to shoot a rifle there were three basic shooting positions: standing, kneeling, and prone. However, when I started shooting at civilian ranges, I learned a fourth shooting position: sitting. More specifically, sitting at the range usually means sitting uncomfortably at an awkward angle to the target on an uncomfortable wooden bench. Often the bench is a simple 2 x 6 on a swivel or fixed at an odd angle to the bench. Usually, a shooting bench at the range can only accommodate one butt cheek.

I'm pretty sure that the Army Sergeant who taught basic marksmanship at my university did not teach and would not recommend this extremely awkward sitting position. Balancing on an uncomfortable shooting bench and holding steady on one butt cheek isn't easy. Nobody actually shoots this way except at the range. Even backwoods poachers shoot over the hoods of their pickup trucks. You don't hear Nancy Grace reading police reports that say, "The homeowner precariously balanced himself on a 2 x 6 and waited for the burglar to climb through the window."

Unfortunately, the construction of the range and layout of the lanes usually precludes shooters from laying down or sitting on the floor. As a target shooter, I'd like to see more ranges that provide room for shooters to lay down a shooting mat on a clean piece of cement and fire from a prone or kneeling position. These two positions and standing simply make much more sense for real world shooting scenarios. Hunters would be able to practice shooting from a position they might actually use in the woods. Shooters would also be able to put bipods, monopods, and shooting sticks to the test from realistic shooting positions. Shooting from a traditional bench rest is useful for sighting in a rifle and testing it for mechanical accuracy, but shooting from traditional field shooting positions is more helpful for developing marksmanship skills.

The only downside to people shooting from prone or kneeling positions might be a little additional burden on the range master when he verifies that the range is cold and that all firearms are safe with their actions open. However, this would be a small price to pay for increased safety and ability in the field. Of course, once a range supports prone or kneeling shooting positions, then it would be nice if facilities would support a low platform to support spotting scopes, ammunition boxes, and other accessories at a near floor level. It is nice to have shooting gear within easy reach.

If gun clubs could start reducing the number of fixed bench positions and redesigning ranges for traditional shooting positions, I sure would appreciate it. My leg is starting to fall asleep.

Other articles by this contributor:

Range Etiquette 101 - The Basic Rules of Behavior at Your Local Shooting Range

Things You'll Need at the Shooting Range

Four Fundamental Rules of Gun Safety