BB Rangemaster Training

Course introduction• Introduction:

• Instructor introductions

• Class introductions• Facilities & Logistics• Length• Course overview

Introduction to Cub Scout Shooting Sports

• “Safety through Skill”• Archery & BB Gun are restricted to:– Day Camp– Cub Scout/ Webelos Scout Resident Camps– Council Managed family Camping Programs

(Cuboree)– Council Activities– Not to be performed at the Pack/ Den level.

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Introduction continued

• By providing fun and adventure, Archery and BB gun programs teach:– Skills– Discipline– Self reliance– Sportsmanship– Conservation

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The Three Rules…

• ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.

• ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.

• ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready for use.

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Training OutlineSection I (40 minutes)

A. Brief History of BB Guns (pg. 19)B. Safety Guidelines (pg. 21)

1. Safety Reminders (pg. 22)2. What Causes Gun Accidents (pg. 22)

C. Equipment (pg. 32)1. Review Air Guns, Air Compression mechanisms, Safety

devices, air gun ammunition, target faces, and backstops.2. Review how to maintain, store, and care for equipment.

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Training OutlineSection II (40 minutes)

A. Range Layout (pg. 29)B. Range Operation Rules (pg. 31)

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Training OutlineSection III (40 minutes)

A. Training Cub Scouts (pg. 20)1. Teaching Tips (pg. 20)

B. BB Gun Shooting Basics (pg. 22)1. Eye Dominance (pg. 23)2. Shooting Shoulder (pg. 23)3. Breathing (pg. 23)4. Sight Alignment (pg. 23)5. Trigger Squeeze (pg. 23)6. Follow Through (pg. 23)

C. Equipment (pg. 32)1. Review Air Guns, Air Compression mechanisms, Safety devices,

air gun ammunition, target faces, and backstops.2. Review how to maintain, store, and care for equipment.

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Training OutlineSection III continued

C. Shooting Positions (pg. 23)1. Free-Arm Standing Position (pg. 24)2. Prone Position (pg. 24)3. Kneeling Position (pg. 25)4. Sitting Position (pg. 25)

D. Sighting and Scoring (pg. 26)E. Range Commands (pg. 31)F. Practice Shooting (moving to end of agenda)

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Training OutlineSection IV

A. Basic Shooting Activity (pg.26)B. BB Gun Shooting Games and Activities (pg. 26)C. Tiger Cubs and BB Gun Shooting (page 21)D. Cub Scout Shooting Sports Award (pg. 28)E. BB Gun Shooting Belt Loop and Sports Pin (pg.29)

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Leadership - RequirementsNational BSA:

Must be at least 18 years old – (Local council policy may be different) Be trained by a National Camping School-training Shooting Sport director or a National Rifle Association (NRA) instructor.

Must complete a minimum of two hour courseCertification must be renewed every two years

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North Florida Council:

Must be at least 21 years old Must be specially trained by a National Rifle Association (NRA) instructor.

Must successfully complete a two hour courseCertification must be renewed every two years, or sooner if retraining is deemed necessary due to safety

Section I

Brief History of BB Guns• 1580 – the bellows gun is the earliest known air-powered gun.• A few decades later, the first pneumatic (pump-up) air gun was

created in France.• Late 1700’s some units of the Austrian army were equipped with air

rifles.• 1800’s Lewis and Clark had an air gun for hunting.• 1885 – The Markham Air Rifle Company became one of the first

companies to sell BB guns.• 1895 – A company called Daisy started making air rifles fulltime• 1984 – The Olympic Games featured air guns for the first time.• Today, BB guns are still being produced in both rifle and pistol

forms.

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Safety Guidelines• Before using a gun:– Always get permission from your parent or

guardian.– Always have an adult present when you use a gun.– Know how the gun works and how to use it.– Always be sure of your target and what is beyond

the target.– Always wear eye protection (and ear if applicable)– Never reuse BB’s

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Safety Guidelines – The Basic Rules1. Always keep gun pointed in a safe direction 2. Always keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot3. Always keep the gun unloaded until ready to use4. Know how to use a gun safely5. Be sure the gun is safe to operate6. Use only the correct ammunition for the gun7. Wear eye protection8. Never use Alcohol or drugs before or when shooting9. A safety is a mechanical device10. Ear protection may be worn11. Know your target and what is beyond the target12. Store guns so they are not accessible to any unauthorized person

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What Causes Gun Accidents?

Ignorance – A lack of knowledge

Carelessness – Failure to use knowledge

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Safety RemindersWhat Should a Scout do if he finds a

gun in another place?

STOP!DON’T TOUCH!

LEAVE THE AREA!TELL AN ADULT!

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Sun Safety on the Shooting Range• Limit Exposure to Sun between 10AM and 4PM when

the Sun’s rays are strongest.• Generously apply sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15

and reapply every 2 hours when outdoors, even on cloudy days.

• Wear protective, tightly woven clothing, such as a long-sleeved shirt and pants.

• Wear a 4-inch-wide broad-brimmed hat and sunglasses with UV protective lenses.

• Stay in the shade whenever possible.• Avoid reflective surfaces, which can reflect up to 85%

of the Sun’s damaging rays.

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Equipment• 1 range – 50 foot range with eight firing points 15

feet from firing line to target• 10- 12 BB Guns• Targets• BB’s• Backstop• A set of 17-by-22inch instruction wall charts• 10 safety glasses• Red Flag

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*North Florida Council: Please note the equipment list is included in your Day Camp Trailer; please be sure to do your inventory and test the equipment.

Parts and Nomenclature Pg. 32

Air Guns• Spring-Piston• Pneumatic– Pump• Single Stroke• Multi-pump

– Compressed• CO2• Compressed air: SCUBA tank-filled

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Air Gun – Compression MechanismsMethods for compressing air for Spring-piston and Pneumatic single/ multi pump air guns:•Break-barrel (aka barrel cocking)•Over-lever•Under-lever•Side-lever•Slide

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Ammunition• Five types of air gun ammunition:– Pellets– Lead balls– Darts– Bolts– BB’s

• Use the BB’s provided.• Do not reuse BB’s, do not use rusted BB’s

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Equipment & storage• Equipment needs to be kept in proper

working condition.• All supplies should be checked to ensure the

yare in good condition: target backstops, mats, and all ancillary accessories.

• Tag and notify if any equipment is found defective.

• Equipment should be stored daily to protect from theft, weather, and rodents.

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How to Access North Florida Council Day Camp Equipment

• Standard Day Camp Trailer Load• Day Camp Director Coordinates with Council• All Day Camp equipment is stored at Camp

Echockotee.

Maintenance• Follow the Owners Manual for your rifle.• For North Florida Council:

1. Trigger pulls are taken before use by Day Camp Rangemaster, and at the end of day camp.

2. At the end of Day Camp (or every 1000 shots), 3 drops of ordinary motor oil.

3. Rangemasters are required do the check on the equipment. 4. Rangemasters are responsible to assure that the guns they

are using function according to BSA standards and at the end of Day Camp they will do the trigger pull in order to assure that the guns are empty.

5. Any non functioning gun is tagged for repair. Please do not put non-functional equipment back in the box leaving a problem for the next Rangemaster.

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Note: Trigger pull is validate with a trigger pull gauge. It is recorded and documented in a log book. Per Rule 63a of the National Standards of Cub Scout/Boy Scout/ Venture; the trigger pull shall not be less that 3lbs.

Section II

Range Layout• Shooting on a Safe range requires three

conditions:1. A safe Area2. A safe Distance3. A safe Backstop

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Potential Impact Zone Pg. 30

Range Operation Rules1. If the range is outdoors, fly a red flag when in use.2. BB’s will be issued to shooters; must remain in clear sight.3. Shooters will be instructed what to do for misfires and

malfunctions.4. BB gun Position; how it should be left in position.5. Cease firing command steps.6. Steps to follow for shooters and targets.7. No one allowed ahead of firing line after Load command.8. No one is allowed on firing line except shooter and coach.9. Horseplay strictly forbidden.10. All BB guns not in use are placed in racks unloaded.

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* Please be sure to read the Range Operation Rules in their entirety on page 31.

BB Gun Shooting Range Rules1. The range may be opened on by a certified BB gun

shooting range officer.2. All commands issued by the range officer must be obeyed

immediately.3. Stay Behind the firing Line. Do not straddle a firing line.4. Do not pick up a gun unless told to by the range officer.5. Absolutely no running on the range.6. No Horseplay or unnecessary talking on the range.7. If in doubt about these rules, as your leader or range

officer for advice and help.

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Section III

Training Cub Scouts• How to use a BB gun safely• Teach Basic BB gun shooting skills• Have Fun!

• The Instructor is responsible for safety before, during, and after instruction and practice.

• Have warmth, patience, and understanding for those having difficulty with this skill.

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Teaching Tips• Put the BB Gun in the Cub Scouts hands as

soon as possible so he can understand the BB gun while basics are explained.

• Group participants together (boy and parent/ guardian would be ideal)

• The Instructor demonstrates the activity or action to be followed before the whole group.

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Teaching Tips continued• The boy practices while the parent coaches.• Use a positive approach.• Avoid long discussions on the parts of

equipment used.• Allow each boy to feel the satisfaction of

hitting a target as quickly as possible.

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BB Gun Shooting Basics• Eye Dominance• Shooting Shoulder• Breathing• Sight Alignment• Trigger squeeze• Follow- Through

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Eye Dominance1. Extend your arms in front of you and create a small triangular opening

with your hands. Select a small object more than 20 feet away and center it in the opening that you have created with your hands. Close your right eye; if the object stays in view then you are left-eye dominant. If it does not then you are right-eye dominant.

2. Extend your arms in front of you and create an opening similar to the one you made in the last test. Again find a small object and center it in the opening. This time, bring your hands towards your head while keeping the object centered in the opening. The opening will come to rest over your dominant eye.

3. Align a distant object with your forefinger. Alternate closing your eyes. If your finger is still aligned with the object when you close your right eye, you are left-eye dominant; if your finger is still aligned with the object when you close your left eye then you are right-eye dominant.

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*Pair off and work together to test the identification of eye dominance.

Shooting Shoulder• Recommend using the same shoulder that

matched the shooters eye dominance.• Discuss examples of what occurs when they

shoot with the incorrect shoulder.

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Breathing• Breathing causes the body to move and will

affect the position and sight alignment.– Before Firing:• Relax and get comfortable (NPA)• Exhale and stop breathing• Take the shot within 8 to 10 seconds or repeat

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Sight Alignment• Sight Alignment: The relationship of the front

and rear sights to the eye.• Misalignments of sights will cause an angular

error that increases exponentially with distance.

• Sight Picture: The relationship of the Front and rear sight with the Target.

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Trigger Squeeze• Trigger Squeeze- The manner in which

pressure is applied to the trigger.– Also known as Trigger control, Trigger pull, Trigger

press, and Trigger movement.– Finger placement:• On the pad of the finger between the tip and the joint.

– Squeeze the trigger straight back in a smooth and continuous manner without disturbing sight alignment.

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Follow Through• Follow Through is the term used to continue

everything you were doing as the shot was fired.

• This is a great way to mitigate any unwanted movement or deviation in the BB’s flight path.

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Learning a Shooting Position5 Steps for learning a shooting position:1.Study the position.2.Practice the positions without a gun.3.Practice the position with a gun.4.Align the position properly with the Target, Adjust the position so that the gun points naturally at the target.5.Shoot from the position.

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Shooting positions1. Free Standing2. Prone Position3. Kneeling Position4. Sitting Position

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Free Standing Position Pg. 24

Prone Position Pg. 24

Kneeling Position Pg. 25

Sitting position Pg. 25

Sighting & Scoring Targets• The instructor should zero all bb guns before the range

is used for the first time.Note: you are not being trained today on this skill; if a bb

gun is grossly misaligned, tag it for repair but do not attempt adjustment if you are not qualified.

• The correct sight picture and alignment is a 6 o’clock hold.

• Adjust sights to achieve the 10-ring.• When properly aligned; fire a minimum of three shots

onto a final target for a sighting record. Put the BB gun number on the target, sign and date it, and post it on the range bulletin board.

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Range Commands• ON THE FIRING LINE”• “IS THE LINE READY”• “NOT READY”• “THE LINE IS NOT READY”• “THE LINE IS READY”• “LOAD”• “READY ON THE FIRING LINE”• “COMMENCE FIRING”• “CEASE FIRING – CLEAR ALL GUNS”• “CEASE FIRING”• “AS YOU WERE”• “CARRY ON”

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Section IV

Basic Shooting Activity1. Greet the participants2. Bring the Participants onto the range. Stand

behind position and explain shooters & coaches.3. Show the gun and say, “This is a BB Gun”4. Point to the Barrel and say, “This is the Barrel”5. Point to the Muzzle and say, “This is the muzzle.

It is the end the BB comes out.”Safety message: Always Keep the gun pointed in a

safe direction.

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Basic Shooting Activity6. Point to the Action and say, “This is the Action. It has the

Trigger or the part you squeeze to shoot.”Safety message: Always Keep your finger off the Trigger until

you are ready to shoot.7. Say, “The Action also has the chamber where you put the

BB gun to load”. Safety message: Always Keep the gun unloaded until ready

for use.Note: different models of air gun load points vary; for the NFC rifles, the Red Ryder loads from the side of the barrel aside the muzzle.

8. Point to the Stock and Say, “This is the Stock.” demonstrate how to properly hold the gun.

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Basic Shooting Activity Pg. 26

Basic Shooting Activity15. Once all shooters know how to assume the shooting

position and how to properly hold the gun, explain and demonstrate how to charge the gun.

16. Have shooters pick up ONE BB and load it into the chamber. (explain the steps). Close and ready the gun.

17. Return to your shooting position. Note that everyone can make ready and load the gun.

18. Give the Command, “Ready on the firing Line”.19. When shooters are in the Ready position, give your

command “Commence Firing”. Shoot all your five shots.

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Basic Shooting Activity20. Watch for Safety and help as needed.21. Give the command “Cease Firing” at any time it’s needed.

Everyone is to immediately stop shooting. If a shooter has a loaded gun; they need to raise their hand

and notify the RSO or Rangemaster.22. Give the Command “Clear all guns” have everyone clear

their gun.23. Explain and Demonstrate how to make a Gun Safe.

Explain how to ground the gun for position and range.24. Have shooters and coaches switch position (if applicable).25. Repeat from Step 10.

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BB Gun Shooting Games /Activity• Games are listed in the Shooting Sports for

Cub Scouting guide.– Remember that Prone position is the only

supported position in North Florida Council; so most of these games do not apply.

– If you intend to use/ promote a game at your day camp; it must obey all shooting sport rules and guidelines.

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Tiger Cubs & BB gun shooting• Adult/ Akela partner required.• Tigers– Have Short Attention Span (20-30 min.)– Tire Easily– Little to no experience with rifles– More time may be required for demonstration &

rules/ safety brief.– Tigers are eligible to earn the BB Beltloop & Pin.

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Cub Scout Shooting Award• A blank award form no.34216 that is used for:– Achievement in level of marksmanship– Achievement in Excellence– Special Circumstances (TBD by RSO or BB-

Rangemaster).– Proficiency– Sportsmanship

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BB Gun Shooting Belt Loop

Complete three requirements.1. Explain the rules for safe BB gun shooting you

have learned to your leader or adult partner.2. Demonstrate to your leader or adult partner good

BB gun shooting techniques, including eye dominance, shooting shoulder, breathing, sight alignment, trigger squeeze, and follow-through.

3. Practice shooting at your district or council camp for the time allowed.

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BB Gun Shooting Sports Pin1. Explain the parts of a gun and demonstrate how to properly load

the gun.2. Demonstrate the shooting positions.3. Develop proficient shooting techniques by practicing for three

hours.4. Learn the correct scoring techniques for target BB gun shooting5. Make a poster that emphasizes the proper range commands6. Draw to scale or set up a BB gun shooting range.7. Show improvement in your shooting ability with an increase in

scoring points.8. Help make a type of target for camp BB gun shooting range.9. Show how to put away and properly store BB gun shooting

equipment after use.10. Explain how to use the safety mechanism on a BB gun.11. Tell five Facts about the history of BB guns.

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Links for additional information• Daisy Red Ryder owners manual:– http://daisy.com/_manuals/spring_air_english.pdf

• Guide to Safe Scouting:– http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/

HealthandSafety/GSS/toc.aspx

Additional Training• Archery Rangemaster Training• Trainers EDGE• Woodbadge• First Aid & CPR• NRA Instructor Training– Rifle, Shotgun, Muzzle-loading, Pistol, Range

Safety Officer.

Questions

Practical Exercise• Every Rangemaster Student must:– Fire the BB gun. – Demonstrate and participate in a BB Shooting range

setup.– Identify the equipment within the Range Kit.– Work the Control Station, The Ready Bench, and the

Firing Line.– Explain the Prone Shooting position, sight picture, and

sight alignment– Recite the 3 Safety rules– Demonstrate the trigger pull test.

Outside