Beginners Gear for handgun/shotgun

jerseyfire

Inactive
Hi everyone

Getting a handgun and a shotgun in a few months, yes, it's Jersey.......looking to get some gear to start out with.

What do you guys recommend taking for trips to the range etc. gear wise

(Hearing protection, bags, ammo storage, glasses etc).

Any help is appreciated!
 
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Welcome to TFL, jerseyfire!

In all honestly, you'll wind up wanting all of the things on your list, so I think that the question you want to ask is, "In what order do I want to get these?" :D

First, I'd call the range and see if they have eye and ear protection available. You most certainly need those items, and you will want your own sets soon enough, but many ranges have it available for low or no cost. If you don't own any hearing protection yet, you may want to try out several different kinds to see what you like. Personally, I often double up on hearing protection, using both the foam plugs and then these electronic muffs over those. I'm not in love with these particular muffs, but I got 'em cheap and they work OK, but I am thinking about upgrading, truth be told.

Second, given your username, I'd be looking at cases. I'm not sure where you'll be buying these guns, or whether they'll come with cases, but I'll hazard a guess that you'll need cases to take them to and from the range. Check your local and state laws for transport restrictions, because this is pretty much a hunch on my part.

Third, a decent range bag. Between the ammo, eyes and ears, extra mags, maybe a knife, some gun oil . . . . You need a range bag. Here's what I use. I got it a few months back, and I'm pretty happy with it. It's probably not the best bag on the market, but it's good for the price. I see lots of tool bags recommended, too, because they'll support the weight of ammo & guns pretty well.

Obviously, extra mags are handy, especially if your range charges by the hour. You'll want to spend your time shooting, not loading magazines.

I'd also suggest some kind of multi-tool. Personally, I don't want to carry an entire tool kit in my range bag, so I carry one of these. You just never know when you'll need a knife, screwdriver, pliers, or what have you.
 
I'll go one further than Spats. I won't go to the range without also taking my portable "gunsmithing box". It isn't anything fancy - just a medium sized plastic tool box with basic tools and cleaning supplies. Tools include a screwdriver handle with 4 sleeves of interchangeable bits (you never know when you'll need a hex bit or star bit,etc), vice grips, small hammer, some drift punches, etc. Cleaning supplies include multi-piece cleaning rod, jags, patches, brushes, can of CLP, etc.

I can't tell you how many times I have needed something from the box - either for myself or to help out another shooter.
 
My other box that goes to the range is larger than my "gunsmithing" box. It is a fairly large heavy-gauge plastic(composit?) tool box that holds true range supples - eye/ear protection, masking tape and metal office clips (for holding targets), rolled up paper targets, pen/paper (for taking notes), etc. It has enough extra room in it for several hundred rounds of most ammo.
 
Don't forget targets and a stapler, tacks or something needed to hold the targets up. The club I belong to just has OSB on the outdoor range and I use a small stapler to hang the targets.

I always keep some of those blue throw-away shop paper towels and some hand wipes in my bag.
 
My range bag consists of:

ear pro (2 pairs of electronic muffs and a bag full of foam plus)
eye pro (3 pairs)
mechanix gloves (lightweight high-dexterity)
magazine pouches
glock mag loader
compact 10x binoculars
pens, sharpies, pencils
notepad
staple gun and extra staples
small towel
small kit with cleaning supplies, lube, and tools
chapstick and sunscreen
garbage bag
chamber flags

Of course this doesn't include whatever guns, ammo, mags, holsters, etc. I may be carrying for the particular outing. I'm sure there's a few other items I'm forgetting about.

I use this range mag and can't recommend it enough. It goes on sale often:
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/939221689/midwayusa-competition-range-bag-pvc-coated-polyester?cm_vc=ProductFinding
 
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