I can't start out talking about what goes into a range bag without discussing the bag itself. It's important to have a quality bag to carry with you to the range. You should have one that is durable, organized, has room for your gear and is easily accessible.
Let's face it, you could just get a canvas bag and carry a couple of handguns and magazines in it. However, then you have figure how to carry the eye and ear protection, cleaning kit, extra ammunition, stapler and staples, marker and other equipment you may need at the range.
This range bag from Cabela's pretty much handles whatever you should need for a couple hours on the range. It has padded pockets for two handguns that will keep them from being scuffed when you put it in the trunk or carry it to and from the range. It also has places for extra magazines (because we can't just have 1 can we?). There is a large area for ammunition, stapler and eye and ear protection. There is also space for miscellaneous items such as your marker, pens, etc. It doesn't hurt that it is reasonably priced.
Cleaning Kit
This one is tough. As you gain more experience shooting and maintaining your handgun, you will eventually build your own kit. However, starting out, it's usually better to have one kit that has most of the stuff you need in it. This kit is a Hoppe's all in one kit. They're a name brand and well respected in the shooting industry. It includes supplies for nearly all the calibers you will be shooting at the range. One of the cons of this kit is that it does not include a toothbrush. No, not the kind you brush your teeth with, although I guess you could use one of those. This is a brush that is used to clean all the little nooks and crannies like the inside of the rails of your handgun. There's a large end and a narrow end. Most stores sell them separately, and they're very useful. The other is that the jags (patch loops) are made of plastic, which could break easily.
All in all, until you have been shooting long enough to build your own kit from scratch, this is a good starting point.
Hearing Protection
I have never been a fan of anything that went into my ear so I don't buy ear plugs for anything, even my blue tooth for my phone. These Walker razor passive ear muffs are thin enough to keep from getting in your way at the range but protect your hearing at a good price. They have a wire headband that's covered and padded, and are fully adjustable. They seem to be more comfortable than the cheaper ones you see on the shelves.
Eye Protection
Eye protection is something most people don't think about-at least until they aren't wearing it and hot brass or metal filing gets into their eye. This particular pair fits over your eye glasses so that you don't need a prescription pair. There are so many types of shooting glasses (also known as safety glasses) on the market that I won't spend much time on them. Just make sure that whatever type you get, have a shatterproof lense and fits comfortably with your hearing protection.
Ammunition
Your range ammo doesn't have to be hollow point to get a full experience at the range. You can get full metal jacket (fmj) ammunition much cheaper and get the recoil effect you would receive from hotter ammo. The major issue is to make sure it's made by a reputable manufacturer. You may have a friend that reloads ammunition and that's fine. However, some handguns are picky about the ammo they will feed without malfunctioning. As you may have already learned, many malfunctions are caused by bad ammo. The fewer malfunctions you have due to ammo failure, the more fun your range experience will be and the more you will learn.
Speedloader
When I was in boot camp and in the Sheriff's Academy, I would've mugged someone for a speed loader. Reloading magazines all day is tiring and hurts. My fingers were sore constantly, not to mention often bloody from cutting my hands on the magazines. Speed loaders make the job so much easier and faster. This Uplula speed loader has stood up to the test many times over.
Miscellaneous items
The red shop towels you see in mechanics shops are a good addition to your bag. You can use them to wipe your handgun down and also for cleaning. Another use is to lay out the parts of your handgun when you field strip them. Placing them on one of these shop towels will help keep the parts clean after you lube them. Keep two or three.
Small flathead screwdriver
This is not to work on your handgun. It's just because it never hurts to have a screwdriver-and a pair of needle nose pliers in your bag.
Extra gun oil, patches and other cleaning items.
Always keep extras of each of those items in your bag. Someone else is always going to want to use your cleaning equipment.
As you gain experience and time on the range, you will want to change out items in your bag either partially or completely. Because I'm an armorer I usually have an armorer's kit with me at the range. I don't work on anyone else's equipment, but I have it in case mine breaks down. If you have other items you think should be in your range bag, let me know. We can build our bag at the same time. I plan on making one of the first few videos on our new You Tube channel (coming soon) about building a range bag.
I hope this article has helped some of you with ideas on building your range bag. We will have more articles as we go along. Till next time...
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