Range Safety Officer (RSO)

NRA Certified Range Safety Officer

NRA Certified Range Safety Officer

The NRA Basic Range Safety Officer (RSO) Course is designed to prepare experienced shooters to perform the basic duties of an RSO. RSOs ensure that the users of a range follow range regulations in order to reduce property damage and personal injury. RSOs often have responsibilities to take action when circumstances require it. The RSO is the range’s official on the firing line to ensure safety and to help shooters. Students will receive a student packet featuring a RSO handbook. This handbook is not available separately.

You can register for this course on the BASIC PAGE by filling out the form at the bottom of the page. This 9-hour course is only $130. To pay for this course please visit the PAYMENT PAGE.

Many ranges seek out volunteer Range Safety Officers and the NRA has developed this course to help ranges train those RSOs. Becoming a Range Safety Officer is akin to becoming a NRA Certified Instructor, with much harder testing and the maintaining of a certification card with the NRA. RSO’s are neither certified instructors nor coaches.

Duration
Although the course can be completed as quickly as 9 hours, it often will take longer depending on the class size and the facilities at the range. For example, a large number of indoor and outdoor ranges of different types cannot be toured quickly.

Course Goal
“To develop NRA Certified Range Safety Officers who possess the knowledge, skills, and attitudes essential to organizing, conducting, and supervising safe shooting activities and range operations.”

Required Ammunition
There is no firearm shooting associated with this class.

Lessons

  1. Introduction to the NRA Basic Range Safety Officer Course
  2. The Role of the NRA Range Safety Officer and Range Standard Operating Procedures
  3. Range Inspection and Range Rules
  4. Range Safety Briefing
  5. Emergency Procedures
  6. Firearm Stoppages and Malfunctions
  7. Test and Review

Prerequisites
NRA Range Safety Officers should be experienced shooters, involved in many aspects of target shooting, training and range supervision. The NRA encourages active shooters to learn more and become responsible for the safety of fellow shooters through this program. There will be practical exercises with all types of firearms in this course, even if a shooter’s discipline does not require experience with those types.

Course Completion
Students will receive feedback on the practical exercises conducted during the course. There is a short written test on the lesson material at the end of the course. A 90% score is required to obtain certification.

NRA Chief Range Safety Officer (CRSO) Candidates must be a current NRA Range Safety Officer and have completed a B.I.T. course with in 2 years of the class date. Upon successful completion of the course, CRSO Candidates will be authorized to create Range SOP’s (Standard Operating Procedures) and conduct NRA RSO Training.