Follow The Four Vital Acts of Firearm Safety

  • A – Assume every firearm is loaded.
  • C – Control the muzzle direction at all times.
  • T – Trigger finger must be kept off of the trigger and out of the trigger guard.
  • S – See that the firearm is unloaded.

P.R.O.V.E. it Safe

  • P – Point the firearm in the safest available direction.
  • R – Remove all cartridges and ammunition.
  • O – Observe the chamber.
  • V – Verify the feeding path.
  • E – Examine the bore each time you pick up a firearm.
In case of accident call 911, the club address is:

4161 Lakemount Road
Abbotsford, BC
Phone: 604-852-4101

  1. Range Operation & Safety Rules
    1. RANGE OFFICER
      1. The first Member to arrive is deemed to be the Acting Range Officer. This may be handed over to another Member of AFGC at any time.
      2. A Range Officer as designated by these rules, shall enforce these Range Rules.
      3. A Range Officer who neglects or refuses to enforce these rules may be liable for a breach of these rules and a contravention of the by-laws.
      4. The acting Range Officer shall be in control of the SAFE / HOT lights.
      5. The acting Range Officer shall ensure that each person has PROVE’D safe their firearms.
    2. RANGE IS ACTIVE (HOT) – RED LIGHT
      1. Do not go forward of the firing line.
      2. Shooting may commence.
      3. Guns may be cased/uncased ONLY while the range is ACTIVE (HOT). Firearms handling is done ONLY at the shooting benches downrange.
    3. THE RANGE IS NO LONGER ACTIVE (SAFE) – GREEN LIGHT
      1. Do not handle firearms.
      2. Guns left on benches or racks during cease fire must be P.R.O.V.E.’d safe and actions open.
      3. Rifles may be slung around the shoulder and carried forward of the firing line. Barrels must be pointing straight up or straight down. The rifle must at all times be carried in a safe condition. In order for the Range Officer to acknowledge that you are in safe mode, please step back from the firing line with the rifle in slung position and wait for GREEN.
      4. Handguns may be holstered in a side holster at the hip or on the leg and be carried forward of the firing line. Chest and shoulder holsters are not allowed unless given permission by the board. The handgun must remain at all times within the holster. In order for the Range Officer to acknowledge that you are in safe mode, please step back from the firing line with your handgun holstered and wait for GREEN.
      5. Safe to go forward of the firing line.
      6. Magazines may be charged during cease fire as long as firearms are not handled. DO NOT charge magazines at benches but instead move back against the wall.
      7. It is every shooter’s responsibility to know what is going on around them and to ensure all others on the line know as well. Always double check and confirm that EVERYONE is prepared for firing to commence or for a cease fire.
  2. General Range Rules
    1. All members must swipe their membership card upon first entry of any range regardless of whether the door is closed or open. This registers their entry in our computer database and thus activates insurance coverage. When exiting the range, all members must also swipe their cards on the exit readers inside the range by each door. In case of emergency, there is a button under a clear poly cover that can be used for exiting.
    2. All guests must be accompanied by a member and follow the rules outlined in Section F below.
    3. All persons on the range MUST wear eye and hearing protection including spectators and non-shooting guests.
    4. Firearms shall be discharged on designated ranges only.
    5. All uncased firearms carried to and from the ranges shall be empty of ammunition and be carried with actions open. Uncased firearms may not be brought into the range sheds during a cease-fire.
    6. Anyone who notices an unsafe condition at any time shall call a cease-fire and immediately notify the Range Officer. Assess the situation and decide if it is safe for you and/or the Range Officer to engage the individual. If it is safe to do so, politely explain the concern and reasons for the concern. If you feel unsafe on the range, please pack up your equipment and move to another range. All safety infractions should be submitted to the Board of Directors for review by filling out the online Safety Infraction Form.
    7. Shooters shall stand back from the firing line after firing to indicate to the Range Officer that a cease-fire can be called to check targets.
    8. Every person shall help keep the property clean by putting garbage and refuse in garbage barrels. Leave the range cleaner than when you arrived.
    9. All shooters shall have a valid Membership Card visible at all times while on the ranges. Exception is made for those shooting in invitational matches or special events. Membership cards are not transferable.
    10. Only the Executive or the Board of Directors shall authorize special activities or events and range closures.
    11. When there is a special scheduled shooting event at a range, that range is closed for all other shooting activities until the scheduled event is over.
    12. At all times the doors to the ranges and the clubhouse shall be closed except for entering or exiting.
    13. All junior members and family members less than 19 years old using the Club’s ranges, must be supervised by an adult.
    14. All casings/hulls must be cleaned up and disposed of properly. This includes .22’s.
    15. Vehicle parking is prohibited on the grounds except in designated areas. No parking shall obstruct the use of roads, gates or other parked vehicles. Vehicles parked outside the gates are left at the owner’s risk and may be subject to towing.
    16. No vehicles are permitted on the ranges without the permission of the Range Officer and with prior approval by the Executive or Board of Directors.
    17. Dogs, other than service dogs, are NOT permitted on the club property, leashed or not.
    18. There shall be no firing before 10:00 a.m. on weekends without prior approval from the Executive or Board of Directors, or 8:00 a.m. on weekdays. Statutory holidays follow the same rules as the day they fall on.
  3. Archery
    1. Be mindful of your targets. Black targets are approved for broadhead and field point arrows. White targets are approved for field point arrows only. 3D animals are approved for field point arrows only. Targets are not to be moved.
    2. Only the Sagittarius Archery Subclub has the exclusive use of the 3D archery range from dawn until 9:30 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundaysand until 7:30 a.m. on weekdays. NO FIREARMS are permitted to be used on the shooting ranges during these times. A blue strobe light found outside each gun range door indicates this period of time and entry is barred.
    3. On Wednesdays from 4:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. during Daylight Savings Time (early March till early November), all gun ranges are closed to allow archery to use the 3D Range on the mountain. All firearms must be bagged or cased before 4:00 p.m. and members must be off of the firearms ranges.
    4. On the second Sunday of each month the entire club is reserved for Archery and all firearms are prohibited at the club.
  4. Targets
    1. AFGC wooden target backers, provided at each range, are NOT to be shot with shotguns. Members must provide their own targets or backers for all shotgun shooting.
    2. No glass targets or targets containing glass are permitted.
    3. No alcohol containers of any kind are permitted to be used as targets nor are they allowed on club property.
    4. Staple guns are NOT to be used on any benches or firing line posts.
    5. No pressure vessels (eg. Propane Tanks) of any kind, whether full or empty, are to be used as targets.
    6. Shooting range markers, structures, barriers or protective side berms is prohibited.
    7. Targets are not to be placed on the top of side berms or domed trap houses. The dike on Range 2 is permitted.
    8. Targets may be placed on the front face of the berms from ground level. Climbing on the berms is prohibited at any time. The dike on Range 2 is permitted.
    9. Paper targets shall be placed on the centre plywood area of target backboards. Support posts and stands are not to be targeted.
    10. Targets, target frames and bases must be returned to shooting bays/storage areas when done. Member supplied targets must be removed from club property when member leaves.
    11. Blue barrels and any other targets not mentioned are the property of sub-clubs and are not to be used without prior authorization.
    12. When placing steel targets, they must be at least 10 metres from the firing line when using hand guns and at least 50 metres from the firing line when using rifles. The only exception shall be for AFGC approved Sub Clubs who may have alternate distances as approved by the Executive or Board of Directors.
    13. All binary explosive targets that are now available in Canada under brand names like Tannerite or Shockwave are not to be used without prior written approval from the BOD.
    14. Clay target throwing is not permitted on Ranges 2B, 4 and 5. This includes manual, electric and hand throwing.
  5. Range 5 Steel
    1. Handgun use only. NO RIFLES or SHOTGUNS of any kind, no pistol calibre rifles, are allowed on Range 5.
    2. Only the following calibres are permitted for pistol: .22LR, .38 Special, 38 SC and Super, 9mm, 9mm Major, .40S&W, .45GAP, .45ACP. NO MAGNUMS.
    3. No steel ammo is allowed, no steel cased ammo is allowed. Only lead, copper jacketed or copper plated lead is to be used.
    4. Shooting from the mats only. The steel is to be shot from the rubber mats provided at a distance of 10 meters and may not be moved. Targets are also not to be moved.
    5. Steel must be re-painted. Leave the steel freshly painted when you are finished shooting. Paint is supplied on the range.
    6. Report any damage. Please take care of the steel targets and report any damage to the Caretakers immediately.
    7. Both plate racks are reset by simply pulling on the rope with a quick yank. The dueling trees are self setting, as are the two hostage/tango targets.
  6. Guests
    1. All guests must visibly wear a Guest Pass while visiting the Club.
    2. Adult spectators and children are the responsibility of the AFGC member they came with and must remain under the AFGC member’s supervision and control at all times.
    3. All guests must pay the guest fee prior to entering the ranges. Each guest fee is good for one person on one day and expires at 10:00 p.m. of each day and are non-transferable.
    4. All guests, whether shooting or spectating, must wear eye and hearing protection at all times while on the ranges.
    5. It is important that the guest fee envelope is completely filled out in accordance with the instructions for the guest to qualify for liability insurance while on the range.
    6. The number of guests accompanying any member will be limited to no more than three (3) at any one time. A FAMILY membership is one membership and thus can also only bring up to three (3) guests.
    7. Failure to follow any of the rules will transfer all liability of the guests’ actions to the AFGC member.
  7. Media Policy
    1. Communication by members for publication: The Abbotsford Fish and Game Club has a policy of maintaining anonymity in all its affairs.
    2. Any communication intended to appear in any commercial (for profit) media, including traditional news media (print, radio, television), online (websites), social media (blogs, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter) and other sites is permitted only with the prior approval of the Club’s Board of Directors.
    3. Publishing of personal non-commercial blogs, photos and/or videos by members on social media is permitted and encouraged, providing the member is acting in accordance with the Official Range Rules and acts in a manner that is in the best interest of the Club. Any member or guest of a member posting media not in accordance with the Official Range Rules will be subject to a disciplinary hearing.
  8. Other
    1. The Executive or the Board of Directors may alter and/or amend these rules at their discretion as necessary.
    2. Unless given previous approval from the Executive or the Board of Directors, under NO circumstances is a member permitted to utilize the range for commercial enterprise.
    3. No smoking is permitted while on any of the ranges. Smoking is only permitted in designated areas.
    4. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited on all ranges without prior authorization. All drugs, including marijuana, are prohibited from Club property. Alcohol or drug use before or while shooting is strictly prohibited. Any person suspected of being impaired by alcohol, drugs or medication will not be permitted on any range and will be asked to leave the premises.
    5. Range maintenance activities take precedence over shooting. When possible, notice will be given either by signage or by posting to the club’s calendar. Under no circumstances will a maintenance activity be delayed by any club member.
    6. Failure to follow any of these rules can become grounds for immediate suspension from the club with a possibility of expulsion. All such incidents will be ruled upon by the Board of Directors.
  9. OIC Gun Ban
    1. Any firearms included in the OIC Gun Ban list are now considered prohibited and MAY NOT be used. That means you can’t use them at the range, buy them or sell them. If you take these firearms to the range you risk severe personal liability if caught. Read more here.
    2. All AR15s and AR10 variants, CZ Evo, Beretta CX4, Swiss Arms, VZ58, all 50cal, M14, Ruger mini14, Robinson XCR, Sig MCX, anything 20mm+. Do not transport these to the range.
    3. This includes any law enforcement members using the range outside of official rentals.

Last updated: February 9, 2024