SIGHTS
Sales Floor: racks of guns on the wall or within glass displays, legalized self-defense items (pepper spray, keychain alarms, electronic whistles, mace), holsters and gun cases, cleaning kits, gun vaults, tripods, boxes of ammunition, T-shirts and caps bearing the range’s logo, duffels and bags for carrying weapons, protective ear muffs, paper targets (silhouettes, generic human shapes, bull’s-eyes), a gun rental area for people needing to rent a weapon for the range, brochures and cards for local businesses, a waiting area (couches, tables and chairs, magazines, a TV), posted rules and regulations, posters, restrooms, water fountains, double-paned viewing windows into the range
Shooting Range: foam walls to absorb sound, a wall made of rubber at the back of the range to stop projectiles, numbered lanes, bulletproof glass partitions between each lane, a metal track running along the top of each lane that carries a paper target, buttons that move one’s target forward or backward, a digital readout that displays the distance to one’s target, a tripod to stabilize larger weapons while shooting, patrons holding guns and wearing headphones and protective eye gear, folding chairs for those who wish to sit while shooting, posted notices (rules and regulations, safety tips, etc.), tables to hold shooters’ cases and duffels, a fire extinguisher, a garbage can for discarding used targets, shiny casings scattered across the floor, range marshals dressed in fatigues assisting shooters and monitoring weapon handling, a row of observers leaning against the wall behind the shooters or watching through protective Plexiglas, a red do-not-cross line on the cement floor, bits of cardboard or paper drifting down as a target is shot, shooters comparing targets and admiring each other’s weapons, large air conditioning vents for cooling and air flow
SOUNDS
Loud and sharp bangs as guns are fired, the tinkle of metal casings hitting the floor, the whir of a target moving along the metal track, muffled sounds through one’s headphones, the zip of a case or duffel being opened, bullets sliding into a gun, the click of a mag being loaded, paper rustling as a target is examined or rolled up to take home, footsteps on the concrete floor, casings being kicked aside by boots, shooters talking to each other in loud voices, the door to the range opening and closing, range marshals loading and prepping weapons belonging to the range and running through safety protocols with each shooter
SMELLS
Air conditioning, cement, lead, gunpowder
TASTES
Some settings have no specific tastes associated with them beyond what the character might bring into the scene (chewing gum, mints, lipstick, cigarettes, etc.). For scenes like these, where specific tastes are sparse, it would be best to stick to descriptors from the other four senses.
TEXTURES AND SENSATIONS
The heft of the weapon in one’s hand, the smoothness of a wood stock, the rough grid of a plastic or rubber grip, brushing the trigger before committing to pulling it, resistance from the trigger, shifting one’s weight to find the right balance, a sense of calm as one steadies one’s breathing to take a shot, an instinctive eye blink when the gunshot sounds, a jerk of pressure in one’s shoulder that may be painful, a concussive thud in the chest from the sound of a gunshot, cool climate-controlled air, a tingling rush of adrenaline at firing a powerful weapon, elation or disappointment upon seeing the accuracy of one’s shot, unclipping one’s smooth paper target to examine it closer, protective muffs cupping one’s ears and muting hearing
POSSIBLE SOURCES OF CONFLICT
An old or improperly maintained gun that misfires
An argument between shooters
Conflict between patrons and anti-gun rights activists
A faulty air filtration system that allows shooters to inhale lead residue
A ricocheting bullet
A shooter who slips on a fallen casing
Discovering that the range is run by criminals
Discovering that a long-time patron has been connected with a shooting crime
A patron exhibiting poor gun etiquette (waving a gun around, pointing it at others, not taking proper care of his weapons) and having to be expelled
A customer who uses his weapon to commit suicide
PEOPLE COMMONLY FOUND HERE
Ex-military personnel, gun enthusiasts, gun owners, hunters, police officers, survivalists, tourists
RELATED SETTINGS THAT MAY TIE IN WITH THIS ONE
Rural Volume: Archery range
Urban Volume: Military base
SETTING NOTES AND TIPS
Shooting ranges can be inside, as the one described here, or outside, with shooters firing longer distances (and often with more powerful weapons). Modern facilities should have air filtration systems that pull the lead residue away from shooters and allow for a rapid cool down. As with any venue, older ranges will be seedier and more dangerous, without modern-day safety and security features. Keep in mind that the weapons available to rent will align with the laws of the country, province or state where your shooting range is located. Weapons that are illegal will not be for sale or allowed on the range for use.
SETTING DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE
I leaned against the cement wall of the viewing area, rubbing my bare arms to keep warm. The air conditioning blew a steady stream of cold, and I was freezing. Shell casings covered the floor behind the stalls, and every time someone started shooting, a new batch went flying, ricocheting off dividers and bouncing off the steel-toed boots of the range marshals. My heart slammed in my chest at the noise and I crushed my ear protection against my head to try and drown it out. Tom grinned like an idiot when the range marshal handed him something called an AR-15, one of the weapons from the “Call of Duty” package he’d paid for. All I knew is after having to endure this, I’d better not hear a single word about him having to go with me to pick up my paints at the art supply store.
Techniques and Devices Used: Multisensory descriptions
Resulting Effects: Characterization, reinforcing emotion