Blog #195 – What’s in your Range Bag?

When we hit the range for a day of recreation or training, we are inevitably hauling with us a bevy of accessories. Sometimes they are necessary ones like shooting glasses while on the other end of the spectrum it could be SHTF tools like a medkit. Regardless, we are like little Boy Scouts traveling to the firing line with our packs and bags of gear. So, that begs the question: what is in your range bag? Some things might be mandatory while other things are luxuries, but if you made the meaningful act of packing it, you must be using it at some point, right? Well, let’s crawl down the rabbit hole to see what I put in my range bag and see if it is something you might want to add to yours as well. Let’s start off with the basics. For me, this would be the bare minimum components you need to go shooting, like hearing protection (earplugs, earmuffs, earbuds, etc), eye protection (shooting glasses, prescription glasses, etc), ammunition, and a firearm. With those 4 basic pieces, you can shoot anywhere that is safe to shoot. Next, I would look at some additional training aids like a shot timer to measure your skills. Also, specific paper or steel targets to measure accuracy. Some other equipment people might think to bring are additional magazines, magazine carriers, holsters, and a gear/duty belt. Whether you are a competition shooter, you carry a firearm for work, or you want to drill specific skills, being able to practice shooting from the draw and reloading can be very helpful. Not all ranges allow for this type of active and dynamic shooting, but it is something worth exploring. Drawing from a holster and getting rounds judiciously on target is paramount for defense and makes you a better competitive shooter, too. It is difficult to replicate those actions and muscle memory movements without actually doing them. So, some next-level items are those you can carry around your waist to spice up your training a bit. Other tools I carry in my range bag I would call luxury items. They are not “expensive, luxury” items in an explicit sense, but they make shooting at the range a lot more enjoyable. These items can be a speed-loader for magazines, a small toolkit for troubleshooting issues with firearms, cleaning components in case you need to clean your firearm on the spot, and even food. I always have gum, breath mints, Chapstick, and candy (tiny Snickers, Tootsie Rolls, etc) in my bag. If you are at the range for an extended period of time, you might get hungry – it happens! The other food category items are simply cheap things to make you feel good. I often get chapped lips because of windburn, extreme cold, or extreme heat. So, for roughly $1 Chapstick is a must-have in my range bag. There are many things you could tote along with you when heading to the range, but that is just a small sampling of what is in my range bag. Until next time, continually check out our blog, join our newsletter, and watch the website for new and exciting updates! As always, let us know all of your thoughts in the comments below. We love it when you participate in our articles and keep the conversation going!