Newberg Rifle and Pistol Club – open to members and the public

Standard Operating Procedures

SECTION I-APPROACH

  1. Each and every member of the Newberg Rifle and Pistol Club will maintain safety as each member learns the safety rules and how they are safely applied.
  2. Each and every NRPC Officer, Range Officer and Senior Member will work continuously and diligently to raise the safety awareness of themselves and that of all other shooters, especially our least experienced.

SECTION 2 -DEFINITIONS

  1. GIBBS-The Gibbs Community Club, Inc., that owns the property where NR&PC has it’s shooting programs. Also the location of the range at the intersection of Bell Road and Quarry Road.
  2. Gibbs Community Center -The location of our shooting facility.
  3. NR&PC -The Newberg Rifle and Pistol Club.
  4. NR&PC Member in Good Standing -One who has paid his/her NRPC dues up to and including the date involved.
  5. Constitution and By-Laws -The Constitution and By-Laws of the Newberg Rifle and Pistol Club.

SECTION 3 –ENFORCEMENT

  1. All firearms safety rules and range rules as carried in this document will be followed by all shooters using this range. Shooters in violation of the firearms safety rules or the range rules will be required to leave the range as directed by the Range Officer (See Section 7, INVESTIGATIONS AND PENALTIES, below).

SECTION 4 – FIREARMS SAFETY RULES

  1. Always keep the firearm’s muzzle pointed in a safe direction.
  2. Always keep the firearm’s action open -or the firearm holstered and not cocked -until you are ready to fire.
  3. Always keep your finger off the trigger until you are cleared to fire.
  4. Treat every gun as if it is loaded until you have proven otherwise.
  5. Beware of obstructions in the bore.
  6. Know your target and what is beyond it.
  7. Wear eye and ear protection as appropriate.
  8. Know your firearm and use the correct ammunition.
  9. Never use alcohol or drugs before or while shooting (see Section 6, subsection 7).
  10. Keep firearms cased, holstered, bagged, or boxed until you are at the firing line.
  11. Clear and case your firearm in a safe manner before leaving the firing line.
  12.  Follow the commands of the Range Officer

SECTION 5 – RANGE RULES

Procedures

  1. There is NO FIRING on this range UNLESS a Range Officer of the Newberg Rifle and Pistol Club is present and in control of the firing line. At least 2 people INCLUDING A RANGE OFFICER must be present.
  2. The requests, instructions and ORDERS by NRPC Range Officers will be OBEYED by ALL PERSONS on the range.
    • When people are down-range for whatever reason there will be no handling of firearms.
    • People NOT PARTICIPATING in shooting must wait BEHIND THE YELLOW LINE, or in the classroom.
    • Firearms shooters must wear EYE PROTECTION and HEARING PROTECTION. Air gun shooters must wear EYE PROTECTION.
    • Rounds fired on this range MUST STRIKE ONLY the BACKSTOP
    • Exhaust fans must be turned on for the entire duration of the event.
  3. Firearms Handling
  4. OPEN and CONCEALED carry of a handgun on NRPC premises will be controlled by Oregon law. The carrying of loaded concealed firearms on this range is prohibited unless the person carrying the firearm is one of the following: A. A commissioned law enforcement officer, or B. A person having a valid Oregon Concealed Handgun License to carry, or C. An honorable retired law enforcement officer.
  5. Firearms must be kept in a CLOSED CASE or HOLSTER THAT COVERS THE TRIGGER when entering, transiting or leaving NRPC premises only.
  6. There will be absolutely NO HANDLING OF LOADED FIREARMS or LOADING or UNLOADING outside of defined shooting positions on the range firing line. This prohibition extends to the range parking lots.
  7.  Guns may be UNCASED or UNHOLSTERED on NRPC Premises:
    1. at defined shooting positions on the firing line,
    2. in UNLOADED state -at a defined gun inspection/storage table,
    3. In the classroom for club-sanctioned instruction, after the firearm has been verified as being UNLOADED by a Range Officer in the range room and it has been verified by the Range Officer that there is NO AMMUNITION in the classroom.
  8. ALL UNCASED FIREARMS at shooting positions MUST BE POINTED DOWN-RANGE at ALL TIMES.
  9. Movement of a firearm more than 1 position along the firing line requires PERMISSION and DIRECTION by an NRPC Range Officer.
  10. Chamber flags are mandatory for uncased firearms.

Equipment

  1. NO CENTERFIRE RIFLES are permitted on this range; rifles must be chambered for .22 Rimfire (.22Short, .22Long, and .22Long Rifle) only.
  2. PISTOLS chambered for CENTER FIRE RIFLE CARTRIDGES (.30 -30, .223, etc) are NOT PERMITTED.
  3. NO FIREARM CAPABLE OF FULLY AUTOMATIC FIRING IS PERMITTED.
  4. AIR RIFLES and AIR PISTOLS may be fired on this range ONLY AFTER modification to the backstop to prevent low velocity projectiles from bouncing back at shooters.

SECTION 6 – RANGE POLICIES

  1. Paper and tag-board targets are the only targets that are to be used on this range. Targets made of hard materials such as ceramics, glass, wood, or metal are expressly forbidden due to the potential hazard.
  2. There will be no firing of full automatic firearms on this range. Full automatic firearms are defined as those firearms that are designed to fire until the magazine, clip, or belt is empty by a single continuous pull of the trigger.
  3. No armor piercing, tracer, tear gas, or pepper spray rounds of any caliber or description will be fired on this range. Shotgun bean-bag rounds will be used on this range ONLY if the approval of the Executive Committee of the NR&PC is obtained in advance of any such firing
  4. There will be NO firing of conventional firearms on this range without hearing protection. The Certified Range Officer in charge of the firing line will make the decision whether or not hearing protection is to be worn during the firing of compressed air rifles and pistols. The Range Officer’s decision will be final.
  5. There will be NO firing on this range without eye protection.
  6. Smoking is not allowed on the range, in the classrooms, or within thirty meters of live ammunition.
  7. No alcoholic beverages or controlled substances are allowed on the Gibbs Community Club property, or in its buildings. In addition, no shooter scheduled to fire will be allowed to fire if it can be determined that the shooter has been drinking an alcoholic beverage or is under the influence of a controlled substance BEFORE he/she is scheduled to shoot. If it can be determined by observations of breath, speech, eyes and coordination that the shooter in the police intoxication categories of drunk, under the influence, or has been drinking, he/she will be removed from the range and will not be allowed to fire. The determination of drunk, under the influence, or has been drinking will be made on the spot by the Certified Range Officer. The decision of the Range Officer is final. Police categories of intoxication are defined as follows:
    1. Drunk: The person cannot care for himself/herself due to the amount of alcoholic beverage he/she has consumed.
    2. Under the Influence: The person’s actions are influenced by the amount of alcoholic beverage or controlled substance that he/she has consumed.
    3. Has been Drinking: The person has been consuming an alcoholic beverage.
  8. A shooter who does not appear to be able to safely handle firearms for reasons of illness, or consumption of legal or illegal drugs, OR FOR ANY UNKNOWN REASON, will be removed from the range without firing. The Range Officer will make this decision. The decision of the Range Officer is final.
  9. Load only when ordered to do so.
  10. Know what relay you are on; move only when your relay is called to do so.
  11. When “Cease Fire!” is called, keep the muzzle pointed down range, stop firing immediately and hold your position.
  12. Unload through the magazine, NOT through the chamber!
  13. When “Make the line safe” is called, keep the muzzle pointed down range, stop firing immediately, safely remove all ammunition from your firearm and hold your position.
  14. The Range Officer’s command, “Stand Easy!” means “wait.” Wait until the Range Officer gives another command before proceeding.
  15. NEVER rely on a mechanical safety to keep the firearm safe.
  16. There will be no handling of firearms for any reason while people are down range.
  17. Obey your Range Officers. They can see much more from where they are than you can see from your firing point.
  18. Classes in safe firearms handling and hunter safety for members of the public can be taught on this range by NR&PC instructors, or teams of NRPC instructors, who are members in good standing and who are charging the students for the COST OF MATERIALS, ONLY. Monies received that are beyond actual material costs will go to the non-profit NR&PC and the non­profit Gibbs Community Club to offset range, building and utilities expenses.
  19. Commercial firearms activities are NOT permitted on this range. The NRPC Board of Directors is the final authority on the definition of the term “Commercial Firearms Activities.”
  20. NO firing will be allowed that may result in the backstop being missed by such firing!
  21. Each member is expected to do his/her best to maintain order in club activities, to keep the buildings and grounds appearing neat and tidy, and above all, to keep all activities as safe as possible.

SECTION 7 – INVESTIGATION AND PENALTIES

  1. In the case of an accusation of deliberate violation of the firearms safety rules or range rules against a member, the procedures of investigation, hearings and appellate hearings as described in Section 7, subsection 3 (below) will be followed.
  2. In the case of an accusation of misconduct, malfeasance, or criminal conduct against a member, the procedure of investigation, hearings and appellate hearings as described in Section 7, subsection 3 (below) will be followed.
  3. Any shooter who either deliberately, or carelessly, fires a shot that hits the “No Fire” section of the backstop, or any other portion of the range building that is not protected by the steel deflection plates, including the ceiling, walls or floors of the range building, will cease fire and clear his/her firearm immediately and will report the hit, or hits, to the Range Officer, whether or not such a hit, or hits, result in personal injury or damage to property.

SECTION 8 – DEFINITIONS

Backstop: The down-range portion of the West wall of the range on which targets are hung, the steel deflection plates and all supporting structures.

The “No-Fire” Portion of the Backstop: That portion of the target area that is NOT backed by the steel deflection plates. The portion of the target area that is spray-painted orange, or red, is NOT backed by the deflection plates.

Deliberate miss: A shot fired by deliberately lining up the sights away from the safe target area, then firing the shot.

Careless or Unexpected shot: A shot fired unintentionally by the shooter; usually by having the trigger finger too close to the trigger before the shooter is prepared to fire.

‘”Accidental Discharge”: The NR&PC subscribes to the premise that THERE ARE NO FIREARMS ACCIDENTS; THAT “FIREARMS ACCIDENTS” ARE ALWAYS INCIDENTS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN FORSEEN, TRAINED AGAINST AND PREVENTED! WE TRAIN OUR SHOOTERS THIS WAY. THEREFORE, THE TERM “ACCIDENT AL DISCHARGE” HAS NO PLACE IN THESE RULES.

Investigation of the circumstances of firing a deliberate or careless shot resulting in a hit in any location other than on the backstop will be as follows:

  1. The Range Officer will determine whether the shooter intended for the bullet to strike where it did.
      1. If the Range Officer determines that the shot, or shots, were NOT aimed and fired to deliberately miss the steel deflection plates, the Range Officer will:
            1. When the firing line has been cleared, move the shooter involved forward to the twenty-five foot line;
            2. Coach the shooter intensively on proper sight alignment and let off technique;
            3. Having the shooter fire one shot at a time, determine if the shooter now understands proper sight alignment and trigger let off. THE RANGE OFFICER WILL HAVE TO CONCENTRATE HIS/HER ATTENTION ON THE SHOOTER WHILE THIS SHOOTING IS DONE.
            4. If the shooter is now keeping impacts within the safe area, the Range Officer can consider whether or not to move the shooter back to fifty feet
        1. If the Range Officer decides, in the interest of safety, that the shooter shall continue to fire only at twenty-five feet, the Range Officer will work his/her relays so that the other shooters can fire at the normal fifty-foot distance, but that this shooter will fire ONLY at twenty-five feet until his/her accuracy becomes such that he/she can safely fire at the longer distance.
        2. If the shooter’s inability to hit the safe area cannot be cured in the shooting session where the shooter’s inability was first noted, THE RANGE OFFICER WILL NOTIFY THE CLUB INSTRUCTOR AND MAKE SURE THAT OTHER RANGE OFFICERS OF THE CLUB ARE NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM.
      2. If the Range Officer determines during his/her preliminary investigation that the hit, or hits off the backstop were deliberately aimed and fired, the Range Officer will follow this procedure:
        1. {I} The Range Officer reports the incident to the Club Instructor, and then follows the instructions of the Club Instructor to cooperate and participate in the investigation.
        2. The Range Officer will determine if the shooter involved is a member of the club. If so, the Range Officer will notify the shooter who fired the hit off the backstop that his/her shooting privileges have been temporarily suspended during the investigation of the incident and that this suspension is required under the rules of the Newberg Rifle and Pistol Club. The Range Officer will further notify the shooter that the incident will be investigated by those under the instructions from the Club Instructor and he/she (the shooter) is encouraged to cooperate with the investigation.
        3. STANDARD OF PROOF REQUIRED. The standard of proof is required in this investigation and in the establishment of findings is “reasonable grounds.” This is a lower standard of proof than “the preponderance of evidence” required in a civil case and far less than a criminal case where the standard of proof is “beyond a reasonable doubt and to a moral certainty.”
        4. The Club Instructor will assign the Senior Rifle~ Instructor available, or the Senior Pistol Instructor available, to carry out the investigation. At the conclusion of the investigation, the Senior Instructor assigned will report his/her findings in writing to the Club Instructor. As the Club Instructor is in the appellate sequence, he/she will not be an active participant in the actual investigation.
        5. The Instructor assigned to carry out the investigation will interview witnesses, examine the physical evidence, take statements and generally carry out a good basic investigation.
    4. B. Receiving the investigative report and procedure. Appeals route.
    5. Having reviewed the investigative report, the Club Instructor will provide the accused member the opportunity to meet with the Club Instructor and the investigating Instructor to discuss the matter. Following this discussion, if the Club Instructor is going to impose a penalty based upon the evidence received, he/she will do so at this point. If the accused member is not satisfied with the disposition of the case at the Club Instructor’s level, he/she may appeal.
    6. Upon receiving written information from the member/shooter that he/she wishes to appeal the findings of the Club Instructor, the NR&PC President shall appoint a Hearings Committee. This committee will be comprised of not fewer than three, nor more than five shooting members of the NR&PC. This committee may call witnesses and take testimony. The accused member/shooter may call witnesses and may testify. The standard of proof for the committee is reasonable grounds. The committee will deliberate in private. At the conclusion of their deliberations, the accused member will be informed whether the Club Instructor’s findings will be held in, and whether penalties assessed, if any, will be held in, thrown out, increased, or decreased. If the accused member is not satisfied with the findings or penalty from the Hearings Committee, he/she may appeal.
    7. Upon receiving written information from the member/shooter that he/she wishes to appeal the findings of the Hearings Committee, the Club Secretary will schedule a hearing before a regularly scheduled club meeting no later than two months after receipt of the written information.
    8. This hearing will be held under the club rules regarding quorum and presiding officer. The standard of proof will be reasonable grounds. The findings of the NR&PC membership meeting on the matter will be final.
    9. PENALTIES: If the accused offender is found to have violated one or more of the firearms safety rules carried herein, or one or more of the range rules carried herein, or if the shooter is found to have been negligent in exercising due care and circumspection in the use of any firearm, or if the shooter is found to have deliberately fired into any part of the building other than the backstop, of any other firearm used in any class or activity held by the NR&PC, the Presiding Officer of the NRPC shall cause to be refunded to the accused shooter the remainder of the current year’s membership dues. The accused shooter’s name shall be removed from the membership roles of the club. Such a person is not to return to the range; if he/she does so, this act will be in violation of the Oregon State laws on trespassing.
    10. If the person firing the shot, or shots that did not hit the backstop is NOT a member, the rights of investigation, hearing and appellate hearings do not apply. This person will be asked to leave the range and not to return.

SECTION 8 – SEVERANCE

If any Court shall hold any section, or sub-section, of this document to be unlawful, that section, or subsection, shall be at that time severed and excised from this document, leaving the rest of this document in full force and effect.

SECTION 9 -RECORDS, DISTRIBUTION; REVISION; AUTHORITY; EFFECTIVE DATE

  1. The Secretary is hereby directed to keep on permanent file a dated copy of this and every subsequent edition of the Firearms Safety Rules and Range Rules of the Newberg Rifle and Pistol Club. In addition, the Secretary is further directed to post one or more copies of the current Firearms Safety Rules and Range Rules of the Newberg Rifle and Pistol Club in a conspicuous place, or places where they can be read by shooters awaiting their turns on the firing line. In addition, the Secretary is directed to issue a copy of this document to every new member of the Newberg Rifle and Pistol Club.
  2. These Firearms Safety Rules and Range Rules can be added to, subtracted from, or amended only by formal action of the membership of the Newberg Rifle and Pistol Club.
  3. This document and the contents herein, as amended, were passed and adopted by the membership of the Newberg Rifle and Pistol Club, a quorum being present, at its regularly scheduled meeting of February 23, 2010. These rules have taken effect as of February 23, 2010 and are in full force and effect from this date forward.

Donna Jo King Secretary Newberg Rifle and Pistol Club March 30, 2010