Diagnostics / Shooting Skills Tuneups
This is a 1-on-1 or 1-on-2 shooting (and/or cleaning) session with an instructor. Shooting Skills Tuneups are intended primarily for those who have already taken a course from DCSA and want to improve on their accuracy and/or speed with their chosen handgun. It may also be applicable for those who may need more practice/coaching before another attempt at the LTC "demonstration of proficiency".
Another common use for these private appointments can be for an instructor to diagnose an individual's issues and provide coaching to help correct the problem(s).
Or the time can be scheduled for specific focus on tasks such as assistance in disassembly and cleaning, zeroing a new laser, a centerfire hunting rifle, function testing a defensive shotgun or trying out a specific handgun (with additional cost of gun rental and ammunition; see listing on Handguns 101 page).
The rate for instructor and range time is $80/hr. If an individual is a "first timer" at DCSA, they will need to plan on at least 2 hours (in order to complete required 1-hour orientation first).
For a more intense session for experienced shooters, check out the range portion of Active Shooter Defenses class (as described on Other Courses page).
Eye and ear protection are available at no extra charge if students do not have their own. If planning to shoot a semi-automatic pistol, no sandals, halter tops or other clothing that can readily catch hot brass. A baseball cap and long sleeve shirt (using the very top button) are recommended.
Contact Lonnie Ward at dcsa1996@yahoo.com for an appointment. State your preferred date and time and he will let you know if he can make it fit.
Independent Practice Sessions / Police Department Qualifications
Required Reading for Independent Practice Sessions and Police Officer Qualifications– July 4, 2021
These 4 pages of text are “Required Reading" (preferably in advance) for all new and renewing members who want to be able to practice independently. Hard copies of these pages are kept in a literature holder on the west wall of the foyer for use by those who may need to review. (The same text is on the DCSA web site.) The intent of this new (possibly short term) endeavor is so that individuals, friends or families can self-supervise and enjoy private shooting sessions at times of mutual convenience.
It is also for local police departments who have previously had 24/7 access to be able to practice and/or qualify individual officers (or small groups of officers) on handguns (including low light shooting), shotguns (no birdshot) and/or the 40mm.
Private range sessions may sometimes be possible - by appointment only - for those with an LTC who have had at least a new member orientation, a handgun class at DCSA or a (no longer available) 24/7 Freedom Plan. Effective August 1, 2022 the rate is $80 per hour (with exception for Highland Village PD). Pricing is per hour, not per person. Cost will be for a minimum of 1 hour (whether totally used or not), then pro rated thereafter. For Billing will begin at the time of the appointment and continue on a pro rated basis until the brass is picked up and the lock is placed back on the range door.
With such sessions not being considered "training" by the sales tax people, $6.25% must be added to these hourly rates (not applicable to tax exempt cities). The same hourly rates will apply whether 1, 2, 3 or (no more than) 4 shooters in the firing room at a time. With these arrangements, an Instructor or Range Safety Officer will unlock the doors, turn on the utilities and remain on site, but not necessarily always in firing room or office.
Contact Lonnie Ward at dcsa1996@yahoo.com for an appointment. State your preferred date and time and he will let you know if he can make it fit.
The Range Officer (Lonnie) will generally arrive before an appointment time and get the lights and HVAC turned on before shooters go to the firing room. During and after the “walk through” no one is permitted downrange for any reason without specific authorization.
All guns should remain concealed in some type of carrier until on the firing line. Do not remove your gun from a holster, range bag, etc. until inside the “hot box” (on the carpet of one of the two shooting stalls). The only “safe direction” for the muzzle is downrange, toward the bullet trap.
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What types of firearms and ammo can I shoot ?
The DCSA range is geared primarily for common "self defense” handguns up through .45 caliber and 22 rimfire rifles.
Maximum power level revolvers: .45 Long Colt/.44 Magnum.
FMJ, all lead OR hollowpoint ammo is fine out of handgun calibers above. Note exceptions stated below.
NO FMJ or TMJ in 5.7 X 28. NO handgun calibers .454, .460, .50, 44Auto Mag or 50AE.
Acceptable "Pistol Caliber" carbines include .357, 9mm, 10MM, .40, .45ACP. NO .223/5.56.
300 AAC Blackout is acceptable in handguns or rifles with soft points or hollow point ammo only.
.22 RIMFIRE rifles (including AR-15s with 22LR conversion kits) are certainly OK.
NO .223/5.56 except as in next sentence below.
Centerfire rifles are allowed only in private "tuneups" sessions arranged in advance with instructor. No FMJ ammo; soft point or hollow point only.
Shotguns with are OK – with BUCKSHOT ONLY. (NO birdshot or slugs.)
No full auto firearms, frangible, pre-fragmented or incendiary ammo, or exploding targets.
Reloaded ammunition is permissible (at your own risk). Suppressors are OK (and encouraged).
General Policies and Procedures
1. Administrative. Completion of initial membership safety orientation/checklist, providing a photo ID (preferably Texas LTC) and a current (within the past 12 months) liability release are required prior to being eligible for this independent practice option. Once these items are completed, individuals desiring to practice independently (while carrying this page) should complete an initial “walk through” and read all of the printed labels on the walls and ceiling of the firing room and foyer. If you do not understand any portion of the General Gun Safety Rules posted in the foyer and these 3 pages of DCSA-specific range rules, do not hesitate to ask questions. Friends or family “guests” are possible only if they are already a DCSA member: that is, they have previously completed items in the first sentence of this paragraph.
2. Foyer. As you enter the foyer just before the firing room, the switch for the overhead light in the foyer is on your left as you enter. If a shooter is on the line inside, you need to wear hearing protection, even in the foyer. Except for very brief periods, both doors to the range should be kept closed.
3. Ventilation. There is an on/off switch about 12'" above the top of the counter on the far west wall of foyer. It should be flipped up to turn on the exhaust fan over the bullet trap. The exhaust fan should remain ON (summer or winter) any time shooting is going on.
4. Emergency Procedures: All members are encouraged to have a cell phone on their person while shooting. In the event of a fire or medical emergency: Call 911. The DCSA address is 409 Copper Canyon Road (with ambulance likely dispatched from fire station approx. 1 mile north of us). If sufficient people are available, someone should walk out to the road to direct emergency vehicles inside. A fire extinguisher is located about 6’ high on a shelf on your left as you face south in the foyer. A first aid kit, including gauze, pressure pads and a tourniquet are kept in a blue box on the counter.
In the event of a tornado, the safest place on the property is inside of the 18” diameter concrete pipe under the concrete entrance driveway. If multiple people are present, there is also a concrete culvert and 18” diameter concrete pipe under the driveway to the Verizon tower. The floor of the (bullet proofed) firing room adjacent to the partially buried south wall would likely be the next safest haven.
5. Gun Handling / Storage Area. All guns should remain concealed in some type of carrier until on the firing line. Specifically, do not remove your gun from a holster, range bag, etc. until inside the “hot box” (on carpet of shooting stalls). Range bags, targets, ammo, clothing, etc. may be placed on the shelves in the back of the firing room, but exposed guns are not to be manipulated in the back of the firing room. If need to move a firearm from one stall to the other, do so with the action open and the muzzle pointed down. And no one else in the other stall. In all cases, the intent is to never handle a firearm behind someone else’s back.
Especially when loading, pointing the muzzle toward the partition between lanes is not to be considered a safe direction. Further, pointing the muzzle toward an outside wall, ceiling or floor is not to be considered a safe direction. Loaded or not, the only safe direction in the firing room is toward the bullet trap.
When shooting semi auto handguns to “empty” and not reloading for a while, always lay the pistol pointed downrange on its left side – so the chamber can be viewed as “clear” by you and others. With double action revolvers, lay the gun on its right side, cylinder open. For single action revolvers, lay on their left side, with the loading gate open.
6. Lighting. Upon entering firing room, there is a switch (on left) adjacent to the AC control knob that controls the 4 perimeter light fixtures. In each firing position, there are 5 labeled switches that control the lights downrange. On the north wall, there are 3 switches that are primarily for instructors’ use during CHL testing, (although members are welcome to use for simulations if desired). From approximately April thru November, the fixtures for heat lamp bulbs may have 15-40 watt bulbs in place instead for “low light” shooting (virtually all other lights turned off) by individuals who want to do so.
7. Air Conditioner. The switch that controls the evaporative air conditioner is a knob on the north wall in firing room. The “4 o’clock position” causes the pads only to turn as air is drawn through them by the exhaust fan. The “10 o’clock position” activates both the cooling pads and the AC fan for maximum air flow. The “10 o’clock position” is typically desired only during very hot weather or when a large amount of smoke is being created by continuous rapid fire. Try not linger with the AC control knob on any position except 10 or 4 o’clock positions as it can trip a breaker.
8. Heat. Sometimes the only heat in the firing room may that of two infrared bulbs in the ceiling, one behind each firing position. If there is an electric heater in the firing room, you are welcome to use it - just be sure it stays well away from anything combustible.
9. Draw and Fire Practice. Recommended by DPS for LTC people (who have completely mastered NRA Rule #2). Acceptable at DCSA with live ammunition only after individuals have completed at least 3000 repetitions of drawing from a specific carry rig and “dry firing”, either at home or in privacy of the DCSA firing room. (Any time that additional time remains on someone‘s “position hour“ at DCSA, “draw and dry-fire” practice is highly encouraged to develop "unconscious competence” for a safe, fluid motion.) In general, “live fire” beginning from the holster should be done with the consent of others in firing room.
10. Targets. Various types of small and large silhouette targets are available for purchase before or during range sessions. Shooters are welcome to bring their own targets, commonly paper plates. Many even bring their own “cardboard backers”. Push pins (thumb tacks) are generally kept under AC vent. Try to bring your own tape, stapler or use 2 pushpins (stored near AC vent) to hold small targets on backers.
Be sure you understand proper positioning of targets on the target carriers. With many silhouette targets, they need to be folded at the top and raised higher than normal if to be shot center of mass at close distances (generally inside of 7 yards). Otherwise the bullets hit the floor! Do whatever it takes positioning-wise so that shots go directly into the sand trap - without using the ricochet method!
On the north wall, we try to keep at least one black marker in the "misfire box. The markers can be used to check off holes in all types of targets to often get more use out of each one. Used targets and ammo boxes can be placed in trash containers in the firing room or foyer. However, please plan to dispose of well-used cardboard backers and/or large targets in the trash receptacle positioned around back.
11. Targets Carriers. In general, we try to leave the “single clip” target holders in place most of the time. “Double clip” target holders are stored on the north wall of firing room and may be used for larger silhouette targets. There are also large metal clips hanging on the wall that may be attached to the bottom of the larger targets to reduce ventilation-induced movement, especially when large targets are positioned at the 3 yard line. If you do need to change out a target holders, position it so the cotter pin can be removed. The target carriers should never be positioned with the flat side (where clip is) facing the firing line. Since you may need to reach out beyond the partition, be sure that anyone in the adjacent stall has ceased firing and has their action open and has stepped out of the “hot box” while you do so. Do not climb or sit on shooting bench to change out a target carrier. Ask for assistance from Range Officer.
When operating the electric target carrier switches, do not let the target carrier run full speed into the stops at either end: sudden stops can throw the backers and targets off. If a target does fall off downrange, leave it alone and start over with another one. When you have a target positioned in the "optimum lighting", it is at the distance stated on label next to applicable light switch. Minor adjustments in distance are best made by manually pulling the overhead strings. If, for some reason the target carriers do not move when you use the switch, check the power switch on north wall and/or push the orange “re-set” button on the bottom of the target carrier motor housing. If the trolley cable breaks or if a string gets broken, do not attempt to repair it yourself. Contact range officer and then use other shooting position.
Effective May 2012, as opposed to increasing overall pricing for everyone to cover extraordinary maintenance labor and materials, anyone who seriously damages components with an errant shot should plan to report themselves and be prepared to pay for the damages. Examples: Shooting target carrier string: $75.00. Shooting and breaking target carrier steel cable: $175.00. Notes to self: Avoid head shots with buckshot! Avoid resting firearm on the bench and shooting upward at targets any closer than 50’.
12. Chairs/Sandbags/Bench Adjustments. Two folding chairs are normally stored in foyer for use as needed in firing room. Feel free to use them and sandbags stored on north wall. Both benches are commonly kept at about thigh level most of the time. Particularly in position #2, it is ok to remove the bench as needed for such things as .22 rim fire rifle shooting from the sitting position or for handgun draw and fire practice. Just be sure to not be walking downrange for any reason and return the bench to the standard position before leaving.
13. Housekeeping. All parties are expected to pick up their own brass and, if not wanting to keep, place in one of two containers normally kept in firing room. (A broom and dust pan are stored near door on north wall.) Members who want to keep their own brass are welcome to do so - if it falls where it can be safely retrieved. Brass on the bench and floor anywhere from the shooting partition to the rear door are yours to keep. However, brass that falls downrange (beyond the carpet) should be left alone as special procedures are required for periodic cleanups downrange. Unwanted misfired cartridges should not be placed in waste baskets. Use small green container on the north wall. Backers or targets should not be left on the carriers. Large trash items should be placed in big container around back. Ammo boxes and small targets can be placed in inside trash receptacles.
14. Personal Hygiene / Lead Exposure / Gun Cleaning. Shooters should avoid eating, drinking, or smoking (prohibited inside) until after washing their hands to remove any small lead particles. The porta-pottie around back has soap and running water except during the freezing months. Members who shoot frequently and/or reload should educate themselves on potential lead hazards and take steps to minimize exposure. Such precautions for some individuals may include wearing a mask and shooting lead-free ammunition. In no event should the louvers be closed on the intake ventilation for the firing room. While minor firearm adjustments and disassembly, if necessary, are OK, members should NOT plan on doing routine cleaning inside of the firing room. Even at home, shooters should remember that many solvents are highly combustible and can cause spontaneous combustion in rags or patches hours after their use.
15. Any potential shooters desiring this option are encouraged to at least read this section in advance (possibly print out, sign and bring to your appointment).
Read & understood by (printed name) ______________________________ ______________________________________
Signature: ___________________________________ ____________________________ Date: _______________