Target shooting is a completely safe sport.
Obviously guns of any sort can kill or maim when used inappropriately which is all the more reason to shoot at an established club where there are experienced personel and rules in place for the safety of all.
The following procedures, or very similar, will be in place at any shooting club and applies whatever discipline or type of gun is being used.
The most fundamental rule is that guns of any description, whether loaded or not, are never pointed at anyone.
Beyond this there are a few simple rules to ensure the safety of everyone.
When the red light above the range door is on shooting may proceed and no person may enter the firing point. When everyone has finished shooting the Range Conducting Officer must ensure that all guns are in a safe condition with breech flags in postition. This simple and very inexpensive measure means that neither a bullet can be loaded nor the breech closed making firing impossible.
The Range Conducting Officer will then declare the range to be in a safe condition and allow shooters to change targets and new shooters to enter the firing point.
Shooters must NEVER handle guns when people are forward of the firing point to change targets etc.
There are other basic rules that will be outlined to any visitors to the club but compliance with the above ensures that when when guns are loaded no person is in a position where they could possibly be shot, and when they are in front of the firing point no guns are loaded.