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Range accidents involving gunshot wounds are rare, but other serious injuries can happen too, from falls to vehicle accidents on the way in. Uncontrolled bleeding is one of the leading preventable causes of death after injury, which is why public programs now teach ordinary people how to control it.
The best known is Stop the Bleed, a national campaign led by the American College of Surgeons. Its courses are short, hands-on and often free. This article is an overview, not training or medical advice. Take a hands-on course, and in any emergency call 911 first or have someone else call.
The basic approach
Stop the Bleed training teaches a simple sequence. In broad terms:
- Ensure your own safety. At a range, that means calling a cease-fire and making sure the line is safe before anyone moves.
- Call 911, or have a specific person call.
- Find the source of bleeding. Open or cut away clothing to see the wound.
- Apply firm, direct pressure with your hands, gauze or a dressing.
- Pack the wound with gauze when appropriate, then hold pressure.
- Apply a tourniquet for life-threatening bleeding from an arm or leg, as trained.
The class teaches when and how to do each step, and you practice on training aids. Reading about it is not the same as doing it.
Make a range emergency plan
- Know the range's address or GPS coordinates. Rural ranges can be hard to find for dispatchers.
- Know where the range keeps its trauma kit and phone, and where cell service works.
- Decide who calls 911 and who meets responders at the gate.
- Know the nearest hospital, especially a trauma center.
- Talk through the plan with the people you shoot with.
Calling a cease-fire
Anyone at a range should feel empowered to call "cease fire" when they see an unsafe situation or injury. Everyone stops shooting, removes fingers from triggers, unloads if instructed and steps back from the line. Only then should people move forward to help. Our range etiquette guide covers common range commands.
Where to keep your gear
Your tourniquet is useless if it's buried at the bottom of your bag or back in the car. Keep a trauma kit in an outside pocket of your range bag, and consider a tourniquet on your belt or in a small pouch on your body. Tell your shooting partners where it is. Our best range trauma kits guide covers what to carry, and why to buy genuine tourniquets from authorized sellers.
Why hands-on training matters
Tourniquets must be applied tightly enough to stop bleeding, and that takes more force than most people expect. Wound packing takes practice. Under stress, fine motor skills decline. A few hours of hands-on training dramatically improves how people perform. Refresh your skills periodically with a training tourniquet, never the one in your kit.
Finding a class
Stop the Bleed classes are offered by hospitals, fire departments, schools and many ranges. The official Stop the Bleed website has a class finder. Some shooting clubs host classes for members. Many trainers also offer longer courses covering more advanced skills. It's one of the best investments of a few hours you can make as a shooter.
Beyond bleeding: other range injuries
Most range injuries are minor: slide bites, pinched fingers, brass burns, blisters and small cuts. A regular first-aid kit covers these. Heat illness is common in summer, so bring water and shade. See our summer range gear guide. Eye and hearing injuries are prevented with proper protection. See the range safety gear guide.
Range officer and club preparedness
If you help run a club or range, consider stocking bleeding control kits at the firing lines, posting the range's address clearly for 911 callers, and offering Stop the Bleed classes to members. Many clubs require range officers to carry tourniquets. Clear emergency plans save time when it matters.
After an emergency
After any serious incident, follow the range's reporting procedures and cooperate with emergency responders. Restock your kit immediately. Serious incidents can be stressful for everyone involved; talk with people you trust, and seek support if you need it.
Kits for your car and home
The same skills apply far beyond the range, at car crashes, workplace and home accidents. Many people keep a kit in their vehicle and one at home. See best range trauma kits.
Improvised tourniquets
Improvised tourniquets often fail, which is why training emphasizes carrying a proper commercial tourniquet. Direct pressure and wound packing are the first steps if no tourniquet is available.
Kids and bystanders
Keep others back and calm. Assign specific tasks: call 911, get the kit, meet responders. Clear direction reduces chaos.
Myths about tourniquets
An older belief was that tourniquets usually cost a limb. Modern experience, especially military, shows that properly applied tourniquets save lives and complications are uncommon when applied for appropriate injuries and removed by medical professionals. Leave removal to professionals.
Practice schedule
Skills fade without practice. Many trainers suggest practicing tourniquet application every few months with a training tourniquet on each limb, including one-handed on your own arm, and retaking a class every couple of years.
Bleeding control gear
1. North American Rescue CAT tourniquet
$$Best for: Every range bag
The CAT is one of the most widely taught tourniquets. Buy only from North American Rescue or authorized dealers because counterfeits are common.
What we like
- Widely taught design
- One-handed application
Watch out for
- Buy authorized only
2. Training tourniquet
$Best for: Practicing without wearing out your real one
A training tourniquet, clearly marked as such, lets you practice regularly without wearing out the one in your kit. Keep it separate from your kit.
What we like
- Saves your real tourniquet
- Encourages regular practice
Watch out for
- Must never replace your real one
Frequently asked questions
What is Stop the Bleed?
A national program led by the American College of Surgeons that teaches the public how to control severe bleeding. Classes are short and often free.
Should I carry a tourniquet to the range?
Many shooters and trainers recommend it, along with training in how to use it. Keep it where you can reach it quickly.
Is it hard to apply a tourniquet?
It takes more force than most people expect. Hands-on training and practice make a big difference.
What should I do first in a range emergency?
Call a cease-fire so the range is safe, then call 911 or have someone else call, then begin bleeding control as trained.
Where can I find a Stop the Bleed class?
The official Stop the Bleed website has a class finder, and many hospitals, fire departments and ranges host them.