Range USA, Inc. will be having our Second Annual Zombie Night, October 28^th-30^th, 2010. Each night's event will start at 6:00pm and the last shooter will be allowed in line at 9:00pm. This year's event is going to be a little different than the event last year. This year's event will be held on the larger range and will consist of three different scenarios each night! So, you will want to come back each night to experience the latest attacking horde of undead! Each night will feature the firing of pistols, rifles, shotguns and full-autos to fend off the advancing horde of zombies. You may bring your own firearms or you may use ours. Tickets will be $15.00 if purchased prior to the event and $20.00 if purchased the day of the event and go on sale October 1^st.

Range USA is asking for your help over the next two months! For the next eight weeks, Range USA will begin to undergo a transformation. The restaurant area will morph from the 1776 restaurant to a "refugee camp - safe house" against the ever encroaching outbreak! As you know, any self-respecting safe house will have an impressive supply of rations. Here is where you, Range USA customers, come in. For every non-perishable can of food you bring in, Range USA will give you a free paper target. We will accept these food items to add to the ambiance of the safe house and then will donate it all to Impact Missions for their holiday food drive. Range USA will continue this "food for target" promotion thru November 14^th. This holiday season, you can help feed some hungry families and get free targets all at the same time.

Be sure to keep checking our website for updates on Zombie Night II and stop by the range to witness the metamorphosis of the restaurant into the only safe place to be when the zombies come! 

To volunteer at this year's event, submit a completed Volunteer Form available online and at Range USA.

If you are counting on a handgun to save your life, you need to ensure it is ready to serve you! Many customers come to the range regularly with a new handgun, they run a few rounds through it and think that is sufficient and that it is ready to carry.  To ensure your handgun is reliable you need to follow break-in procedures.

First, read the manual. Yes, gentlemen you need to read it, too! You'll probably learn several things you didn't know and the manual will usually help you with tips on disassembly, cleaning, lubrication, and reassembly. Some manuals may tell you to shoot the handgun for a certain number of rounds straight out of the box. However, manufacturers may apply oil that prohibits rust and it may not be the best for lubrication when shooting.  Therefore, many new firearms should be cleaned and lubricated properly with oil made specifically for firearms.

Guns are mechanical and when they are new they may have rough areas that need to be worn down during the break-in firing period.  As a general rule, handguns need at least 200 rounds fired through them, and there are some that require 500 to 1,000 rounds. While semi-automatics are more likely to malfunction because they are extracting the brass, ejecting it, and chambering a new round, revolvers can also have burrs or rough spots that the break-in process will usually eliminate.

During the break-in process it is common for the gun to have malfunctions. How many you have will depend on the gun, but other factors can contribute to the number of malfunctions, such as, the ammunition you are using. The break-in period is not only for the gun, but this time also gives you the ability to test the ammunition you will fire through it.  Some guns are particular about the type of ammunition it fires for target and defensive rounds, so test both. If your gun doesn't like the ammunition you chose for it, this is the time to figure it out.....and not in the middle of a self-defense situation. Some say that to trust your ammunition you need to fire 100 rounds with no malfunctions, while others say 200 rounds.  Like anything, with guns if you ask different people, you'll get different answers.

After the break-in period if you still have performance issues (and you've determined it is not the ammunition) have an instructor or other experienced person fire it.  If it still has issues contact the firearm manufacturer. While it is a downer to send your new firearm off for repair, it is best to it now, so in the end you have a gun that works! Even the most reliable gun manufacturers can have production issues.  Keep in mind, that with anything made in a factory, every now and then you have defects.

So, in summary, read your manual!  Break your gun in (if required)!  Test your ammunition! Once it is officially ready to carry or use for home defense, take care of it! Guns get dirty from just carrying or storing it. Lint and dust accumulate, lubricants evaporate, so shoot it and clean it on a regular basis in case you need it to save your life or someone you love!

Check out our Intermediate Handgun class. It is a great way to break in a gun and improve your marksmanship. For help with cleaning enroll in the FREE Handgun Cleaning Clinic.

Kristen Bauer

Instructor

kristen.bauer@rangeusa.com