Request Range Inspection

Private property approval for shooting sports by units, districts, and councils

Troops, crews, ships and districts who want to conduct shooting sports off council property must have the property inspected by the council's NRA Chief Range Safety Officer to determine if a public or private land is suitable for use as a shooting sports range.

The local council camp is still the recommended choice for shooting sports programs. However, this new procedure provides flexibility to those troops, and crews that are a long distance from a council camp.

This applies to:

  • District and council activities and programs
  • Troops
  • Crews

NOTE: Cub Scout BB gun ranges are NOT part of this procedure and have a separate approval process.


The NRA Range Safety Officer for the event must first evaluate the property to ensure that the meets all guidelines set forth in the National Shooting Sports Manual and/or the NRA Range Source Book.

The following documents must be attached to this submission form before approval can be considered:

  1. Copy of the range standard operating procedures
  2. Permission to Enter Upon and Use Land form, completed by the property owner(s), stating that they understand the liability they are undertaking by allowing the use of their property.
  3. Map or drawing of land which includes the specific location of ranges, width and length of the ranges, number of shooters and shooting direction.
  4. A copy of the certification for each person supervising the range (must meet requirements)

A maximum of four documents (.doc, .docx, .zip, .pdf) can be submitted. If the documents are over 10 MB, please zip them.

Requests should be submitted at least two months before the event. For questions, contact Paul Tyllick.


Private Property Range Evaluation Checklist

Note: Acceptable Firearms and Ammunition: The standard operating procedures must include a statement that the NRA range safety officer has the right to inspect all firearms and deem if they are safe for use on the range. If the RSO is unfamiliar with a particular firearm, the shooter must provide an instruction manual for the firearm in question prior to any shooting. Reference the National Shooting Sports Manual, chapter 5, “Range Operation.”

Emergency Contacts

The list of emergency contacts must be posted during the shooting sports event.

Range Supervision Minimum Requirements

A certified NRA range safety officer is to directly supervise all live fire on the range. Additionally, the instruction offered must be given by a currently certified National Camping School shooting sports director certified as an NRA instructor in the discipline being offered, or a certified NRA instructor in the discipline being offered, or an NRA/USA Shooting/CMP certified coach in the discipline being offered. These must be

  • Rifle: One NRA range safety officer per eight shooters. One NRA rifle instructor to eight shooters while firing.
  • Shotgun: One NRA range safety officer must be present for each group of a maximum of six shooters. One NRA shotgun instructor for each student is required when loading and firing a shotgun.
  • Pistol: One NRA range safety officer per three shooters. One NRA pistol instructor or NRA/USA Shooting/CMP certified pistol coach per two shooters while loading and shooting.
  • Muzzleloading rifle: One NRA range safety officer per eight shooters. One NRA/NMLRA rifle instructor or National Muzzleloading Rifle Association rifle instructor per shooter while firing.
  • Muzzleloading shotgun: One NRA range safety officer must be present for each group consisting of five shooters. It must be 1-to-1 NRA or NMLRA
  • muzzleloading shotgun instructor to student ratio when loading and firing a shotgun.
  • Muzzleloading pistol: One NRA range safety officer per eight shooters. One NRA or NMLRA muzzleloading pistol instructor per shooter while loading and while firing.
  • Archery activities must be supervised by a National Camping School–trained shooting sports director or USA Archery or National Field Archery Association instructor, or by someone who has been trained by one of the three; or alternatively, the activities may be supervised by someone with at least Level 1 training in the operation of an archery range from USA Archery, NFAA, or an equivalent.

(Reference the National Shooting Sports Manual, “Five Levels of Shooting Activities.”)

Characteristics of a Safe Range:

As the NRA Range Safety Officer or Lead Instructor for the event, I agree to the following: