The shooting sports have lots of specialized equipment for each discipline. It might be a fancy race gun for the Bianchi Cup, or a super accurate rifle that costs more than some people’s cars.
Cheyenne Dalton is sponsored by Volquartsen Firearms
One thing that’s pretty standard for all shooting sports is the range bag. They come in all shapes, sizes and fabrics. They can be tacti-cool, or bright pink. One thing’s for sure, they all hold our shooting range essentials.
My range bag is no different from most. I bring what I need for my match, as well as a few spare essentials in case someone forgets something at home. Like I’ve said a hundred times, shooters are the most friendly and helpful people I’ve ever been around. And sharing is a big part of that.
For this story, I’m going to concentrate on my bag for a USPSA match. I’ll give a bit of a rundown on what I bring with me in my bag, but everyone is different, and I’m sure my bag is far from complete, but it’s served me well for several years.
The most important things to remember are the following:
This is a no brainer, but I’ve seen more than one person arrive at a match without a single bullet.
These 2 necessities are in a tie with ammo as the most important.
I wear electronic ear protection, so batteries are a must. Of course, foam earplugs work great, too.
I also like to have a cleaning kit in my bag. I’ve been at big matches and had some sort of odd thing happen to my gun, and giving it a quick cleaning in the safe area has solved the problem.
I may be strange, but I always have a shot timer in my range bag. I’ve loaned it out a few times and it’s been a big help in keeping the squad moving along without a stoppage.
I like to eat and I like to snack during the day. I usually try to have some sort of protein bar or beef stick type food, as well as water and/or Gatorade. We shoot a lot in the summer months and I can’t stress enough how important it is to stay hydrated and fed.
I always bring spare magazines with me. Rarely have I ever needed them, but, it’s good to know I have them.
Some other items I have in my range bag are a first aid kit and medical items. I’ve had a basic first aid training course, but I shoot with a lot of people that have extensive first aid and medical training. I also have a bottle of liquid grip, which I’ve needed in the middle of summer due to sweaty hands. Not a necessity, but it’s there if I need it.
I usually carry my pistol to the range in its hard plastic case and once I’m at a match, it’s always in my holster. My bag would hold a couple of pistols, but I don’t worry about that.
So, there you have it, my range bag basics. Range bags are as diverse as the people that shoot. I feel like my bag is pretty basic, but useful, and it has served me well.
Please invite someone new to go shooting with you. We need to spread the good message of competitive sport shooting.
Cheyenne Dalton is an up-and-coming junior competition in 3-gun, USPSA, and Rimfire challenge. She writes a column about her shooting experiences, sponsored by Voquartsen Firearms. She's been competing for 4 years and has won state titles, along with the Limited Ladies Rimfire World championship 2 times (2014 & 2016). When she's not at the range, she is traveling with her Bluegrass band, "That Dalton Gang," where she plays mandolin and violin, along with singing lead vocals. Her future plans include lots of shooting and continuing her education with a focus on being a pharmacist. She lives on a family farm in Missouri. View all posts by Cheyenne Dalton
