What is “Dangerous Range”?

In life there are “rules” that must be followed in order to stay safe and keep everyone around you safe as well. For example, when we drive we are told to keep about 3 car lengths from the car in front of us. The purpose of that is to allow you enough time to stop the car should that become necessary, keeping everyone safe. When it comes to a firearm there is a term called dangerous range.

The definition of dangerous range is the distance that the bullet can travel. Most types of ammunition can travel at least 1 mile, with some types of ammunition having a dangerous range of more than 2 miles. This is important information to know because you need to know how far the bullet you are shooting can go.

If you are shooting at a target say 10 feet away and it were to go through that target how much farther would it travel? What is beyond the target or whatever it is that you are shooting at? Are there people on the other side of that target that could be injured? If you missed your target what could you hit and damage? A person? An animal? A car?

Another important fact to keep in mind is that almost all ammunition can very easily go through the interior walls of a home and still travel quite a bit before it loses its energy. Magnum ammunition or high velocity have even greater penetration and distance capabilities.

Finally, it is extremely important to remember that once you fire your firearm you are the person responsible for any injury and/or damage that your bullet causes. That is why it is so vital that you understand that owning a firearm is a very big responsibility. Much like driving a car, if you are behind the wheel you are responsible for the people inside and outside of your car.

In order to learn about dangerous range and how to be safe with your firearm it is in your best interest to take a class that will teach you. It is important to get practical experience with a firearm, at a firing range for example, in order to make you feel comfortable and knowledgeable using one. A person who is afraid of a firearm is much more likely to cause an accident versus someone who has been given the proper training.

You need to be aware of your ammunition’s dangerous range at all times. By understanding how far that bullet can travel you are able to make a more informed decision about whether shooting at that target is safe or not.