This post will go over what to keep in your range bag. If you’re like me, you do a lot of shooting with Glocks and AR-15’s, so a lot of your gear in a typical range bag will revolve around that. For certain guns, I have dedicated range bags, and in some cases, I swap out gun specific gear to accommodate which guns I will be taking to the range. So, let’s talk about What To Keep In Your Range Bag.
Let’s start with the most obvious:
Magazines & Ammunition – Whichever gun(s) you plan on shooting, you will want to have enough magazines and ammo.
Lube – Well lubricated firearms just work better.
Shooting gloves – Very simply, gloves will protect your hands from all shorts of dangers when shooting. Heat, catastrophic failures, bumping, banging, smacking, etc. Even just keeping them warm in the winter. I’ve had some instances where I was pretty miserable shooting because my hands were cold. I recommend them to keep your hands protected.
Ear protection – I like to have plugs and muffs, as well as plenty of spare plugs. They are disposable and you never know when you will need to lend some to another shooter, especially if you take out new shooters like I do. Protect your ears from permanent hearing loss.
Eye Protection – Similarly to above, I like to have extra just in case new shooters do not have any of their own. Teach new shooters the importance of protecting themselves at the range. All it takes is one random piece of shrapnel to come back and hit you in the eye.
Cleaning rod – You never know when you may need to remove a stuck case, this is very helpful and I have needed it many times.
Allen Wrenches – If you have done a lot of shooting you know this comes in handy. Hex keys can come loose from shooting as you have probably experienced.
Med/trauma kit – I’ve never been shot but I know that gun shot wounds suck. In the most unlikely of events, it is a good idea to have a med kit with you. Definitely recommend a tourniquet if nothing else.
Shot timer – If you are practicing drills or trying to improve your shooting skill, a shot timer will help you get better. They can just be fun to use with friends, competing with each other for best times.
Masking Tap & Sharpie – I like to bring this to mark or identify magazines that may have problems or just to distinguish them from other people’s stuff at times. Also useful for marking targets or repairing targets.
Armorer’s wrench – Might be handy if you are shooting AR-15’s.
Suppressor mitt – Handy if you shoot a lot with suppressors. They can get very hot and some gloves cannot handle the severe heat.