The Circle Ten Shooting Sports Committee has a very active training program for adult leaders to get the proper certifications to incorporate shooting sports into their unit's programs. The Scouts love shooting archery, BB guns, .22 caliber rifles, muzzleloading rifles and even pistols and larger caliber rifles (in the Venturing program). However, to do all this takes a well trained group of adults with the proper certifications to run the ranges for units at these events.
Who can shoot what?
Cub Scouts - can shoot archery, BB guns and/or sling shots (wrist rockets) when at district/council events only.
Scouts BSA - can shoot archery, .22 caliber rifles and shotguns on campouts (Scout camps), district/council events and at commercial ranges.
Venturing Crews - can shoot archery, any caliber rifles, shotguns and pistols on campouts (Scout camps - there are specific restrictions at Circle Ten Council camps on specific types of firearms and calibers. Check with the council for these.), district/council events and at commercial ranges.
There is a special program - the 3 gun shoot - which consists of a lever action rifle (.22 caliber, 10 shots), shotgun (2 rounds) and pistol (.22 caliber, 6 shot single action revolver). This requires a NRA RSO, NRA Rifle Instructor, NRA Shotgun Instructor and a NRA Pistol Instructor and is done at council level events only. This program is not available for unit level events.
For these activities, it is possible to use private property ranges, but these must first be approved for use by units by the Shooting Sports Committee. There is a process that must be followed to get this approval. For more information, email us.
What certifications are needed?
- Cub Scout archery at district/council events - at least one adults with the BSA Archery Rangemaster
- Cub Scout BB gun at district/council events - at least one adults with the BSA BB Gun Rangemaster
- NRA RSO is not needed and can not be used to open a range. A RSO can help run the range, but is not authorized to open a range. The RSO certification is not an instructor course and is present strictly for range safety.
- The BSA BB Gun Rangemaster training includes some basic teaching instructions to help the Cub Scouts learn to shoot properly.
- Scouts BSA archery - to open and run a range - at least one BSA Archery Rangemaster
- To be an archery merit badge counselor, the counselor must have the USAA Archery Level I certification (this allows him/her to open and run a range)
- Scouts BSA shotgun - one NRA RSO and one NRA Shotgun Instructor (one instructor per Scout actively shooting)
- Scouts BSA rifle - one NRA RSO and one NRA Rifle Instructor (one instructor per 8 Scouts actively shooting)
The numbers are the minimums needed per National BSA policy. Additional people are highly recommended. More trained adults monitoring the youth handling/using firearms is a good thing.
How do I get trained?
The shooting sports committee offers NRA and USAA classes throughout the year. The schedule for the upcoming year is usually posted in December after all dates have been finalized. To see the schedule and to sign-up for classes, click here. Classes are limited in capacity. Sign up early to guarantee your spot. We offer a small number of BSA Archery Rangemaster and BSA BB Gun Rangemaster classes prior to Cub Camp. Additional trainings in these two certifications may be held by districts or by anyone with the NRA Rifle Instructor (for BSA BB Gun Rangemaster) or the USAA Archery Level I (for BSA Archery Rangemaster) in a unit or a district. All of this training except for the BSA Rangemaster classes are also taught by other people in a commercial setting. They will likely cost more but it does not matter where you get your certifications. The commercial offering may fit your time schedule better than when our small staff of volunteers have offered up their time to teach a course.
Is there an order to the classes?
For the most part, no. The NRA Rifle/Shotgun/Pistol/Muzzleloading classes do have a pre-requisite class that must have been taken during the two years prior to the time you are taking the specific instructor course. You will need to provide proof of that at the time you are taking the instructor course. You only have to take the BIT class once (as long as it hasn't been more than two years ago) before the instructor class. The order you take the instructor course is up to the participants. There is no pre-requisite for RSA, USAA Archery Level I, BSA Archery Rangemaster or BSA BB Gun Rangemaster.
Have a question or need to contact the Circle Ten Council Shooting Sports Committee?
Click here.
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