Range Tips & Best Practices

Log Immediately After Your Session

The best time to log your session is right after you finish, while details are fresh in your mind. Take a few minutes before leaving the range or in the parking lot to record:

• Approximate round count
• What you practiced (drills, targets, distances)
• What felt good and what needs work
• Any malfunctions or issues

Use Session Modes Consistently

Categorizing your sessions helps you analyze your training mix:

• Casual: Recreational shooting, plinking, trying new things
• Training: Focused skill development with specific goals
• Competition: Matches, qualifications, timed events
• Precision: Accuracy-focused, slow fire, benchrest

Take Target Photos

Photos are worth a thousand words. Snap a picture of your targets before leaving the range. Looking back at your groups over time provides visual proof of improvement that numbers alone can't show.

Track Round Counts for Maintenance

Knowing how many rounds you've fired through each firearm helps with maintenance scheduling:

• Cleaning: Many shooters clean every 500-1000 rounds, or after each range trip
• Springs: Recoil springs often need replacement every 3000-5000 rounds
• Barrels: Accuracy can degrade after 10,000-50,000 rounds depending on caliber

Record Your Zero Data

When you zero your sights or optics, record the details in your firearm notes:

• Date zeroed
• Distance (25 yards, 100 yards, etc.)
• Ammunition used (brand, grain)
• Click adjustments made

Different ammunition can have different points of impact, so note which ammo you zeroed with.

Document Modifications

Keep a record of any modifications or upgrades you make. This is helpful for:

• Remembering what parts you've installed
• Troubleshooting issues that appear after changes
• Insurance documentation
• Resale value and history

Track Cost Per Round

Recording what you pay for ammunition helps you:

• Spot good deals when prices drop
• Understand your true cost of shooting
• Compare prices between retailers
• Budget for future range trips

Note Performance Differences

Different ammunition performs differently in different firearms. Use session notes to record:

• Accuracy differences between brands
• Reliability issues (failures to feed, eject, etc.)
• Felt recoil differences
• Point of impact shifts

Set Specific Goals

Instead of "get better at shooting," set measurable goals:

• "Shoot a sub-2-second draw to first hit at 7 yards"
• "Keep all shots in a 4-inch circle at 25 yards"
• "Complete Bill Drill in under 3 seconds"
• "Shoot 100 rounds per month for training"

RANGEXONE helps you track progress toward these goals over time.

Review Your History Regularly

Take time each month to review your session history:

• Are you going to the range as often as you planned?
• What percentage of your time is training vs. casual?
• Which drills have you been neglecting?
• Are your scores improving?

Quality Over Quantity

50 focused rounds with purpose will improve your skills more than 200 rounds of aimless shooting. When logging sessions, focus on:

• What specific skill did you work on?
• What standard or drill did you use?
• Did you improve from the start to end of the session?
• What will you work on next time?