The Range Bag: What’s in It?
Ron Gunner 04.25.17
Your buddy calls and says, “You want to go to the range tonight and put some rounds downrange?” You stop and think for a few seconds before you say, “Sure meet you there in an hour.” You hang up and start to get your shooting gear ready to go. A little is here, some is in the garage or basement. Then you have to think, “Do I even have the ammo to do this tonight?”
Surprisingly most people do not have a true “Range Bag” or at least the people that only shoot a few times a year. This is a bad thing if you are a concealed carry permit holder. You should shoot as much as possible and make time to do so! Getting back to the Range Bag, after you run around the house and grab what you can remember, you toss it in some sort of bag or even a box.
You get to the range and you start to dig out your gear only to find out that you forgot this or that and your electronic hearing protection doesn’t work (it has been forever since you used them last, left them on, and the batteries are now dead). You also realize you don’t have any extra new batteries with you. By now you are starting to get upset at yourself and you think that getting a dedicated Range Bag is something you really need to do!
Now you have to figure out what bag to get, what to put in it, and be sure to double check the equipment that you pack inside. There are so many Range Bags out there now it’s crazy, and you will never be able to look at every model from every brand ever made. So start with getting one just a little bigger then you need, and that will give you the added room to grow with gear.
I personally have 7 different Range Bags. They are set up for different shooting types, competitions, and locations. You have to look at the type of shooting you do and build from there. You don’t need to carry around a bunch of gear used for outdoor shooting if you only shoot indoors. There is no need to wind meters, range “mats” etc. None of this will be needed at the indoor range.
My Glock Comp Range Bag
Let’s go over two types of Range Bags, and see what is common in both. The indoor Range Bag should consist of the following:
- Hearing Protection
- Safety Glasses
- Lens Cleaner
- Ammo & extra magazines
- Extra batteries
- Small First Aid kit
- Small select tools
- Staple gun and Staples
- Small set of binoculars
- Spent Brass bag
- Small trash bag
- Targets
- Sharpie marker / notepad
- Multi-Tool
- Small cleaning kit This is a common list of indoor Range Bag items and you can build from this. Some items you may not need or have some you may want to add, this is just a guideline.
Inside: Glock Comp Pistol – Nice size First Aid Kit – All parts for any issues For the outdoor Range Bag:
Inside: Glock Comp Pistol – Nice size First Aid Kit – All parts for any issues For the outdoor Range Bag: - Hearing Protection
- Safety Glasses
- Ammo & extra magazines
- Lens Cleaner
- Batteries for your optics
- Big First Aid kit and maybe a trauma pack
- Bigger selection of tools
- Spotting Scope
- Range Finder
- Set of 2-way radios
- Sunblock
- Sunglasses
- Cap to shade face
- Shooting gloves
- Better/Bigger cleaning kit
- Extra parts for your guns
- Bandanna for dust if in a desert area
- Targets
- Staple gun and staples
- Trash bag
- Brass bag
- GoPro or some sort of camera to record shots
Windage meter like a Kestrel type 
Side pocket with bag of tools and cleaning supplies Now you can also include rifle rest of some sort and carry it in the vehicle, or you can use the Range Bag itself as a bench rest, just be sure to have the muzzle off and away from the bag or it could possibly burn the bag itself. Now you again can use this as a guideline and change, remove, or add to fit your needs and environment. You can also see the items that are the same and or common to both bags. But you can build gun specific bags, like indoor range pistol bag, outdoor range pistol bag, or an outdoor range rifle bag. 
Bag of tools and cleaning supplies 
Front pocket with Kestrel meter and Range finder 
Front pocket with Laser sight tool and optics cleaning kit
A lot of times over a period of time you will see the need to change, upgrade, or even downgrade your system of what and how you carry in your Range Bags. I also understand that some of this can be costly and some people just can’t afford to “build” two or more Range Bags. The good thing about having at least one Range Bag is you know you have what you need in the bag, in one place, and you no longer have to run around the house looking for this or that.
Shooting is supposed to be safe, fun, and for a purpose, to improve your shooting ability! Getting mad and upset because you have to run around looking for things will affect your shooting. You get there you are aggravated, maybe overlooked something and can get upset over it. That is something that you can prevent with a good prepared Range Bag.
I know people that have aspirin in their bags and over the counter pain meds because in an all day or two day and more so a three day match, there is a lot of standing, running and moving so there will be pain, it’s better to be prepared for it!
There are some people that almost make a game of building their Range Bag and changing it as needed. In time if you continue to shoot regularly you will find yourself that you really could benefit from more than one Range Bag. Yes it takes more money, but it’s money well spent in the long run and can make sure you have a great day at the range or the match! But again, these list are just guidelines. It’s up to you just what you need and how much you need of it.
To me, building a Range Bag or bags is all part of the shooting experience. Just like cleaning the guns and reloading the ammo, it all works together.
So stay safe and hope to see you out there!
“Gunner”
