Range and Target Activity Training

The Atlanta Area Council sponsors training courses to enable Scouts, leaders, and others to improve their range and target skills and knowledge. Successful completion of the training courses will help increase your unit’s chances of having a successful range and target activities weekend, increase your personal knowledge of range and target activities, safety, and marksmanship.

Upcoming Trainings:

September NRA Range Safety Officer (RSO) Class
When: Saturday, September 27, 2025
Time: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Where: Atlanta Area Council, VSC
Cost: $45

Note: Lunch provided.  

"An NRA certified range safety officer (RSO) is required to provide live firing range supervision for all shooting activities involving Scouting America, Venturers, and Sea Scouts. All live fire activities require one or more range safety officers to be present on the range. The RSO is equipped with the knowledge, skills, and attitude essential to organizing, conducting, and supervising safe shooting activities and range operations. The RSO is familiar with Range Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs); range inspection; range rules; range briefings; emergency procedures; and firearm stoppages and malfunctions.

You will learn the roles and responsibilities of an RSO:

Range Standard Operating Procedures
range inspection
range rules
range briefings
emergency procedures
firearm stoppages and malfunctions
The successful completion of this course will allow individuals to become certified as Range Safety Officers. This is a one-day course for registered Scouting America, Venturing, or Sea Scouting adult leaders. Passing the written exam is required.

You must be registered with the BSA and the NRA and pay the $45 registration fee to be fully enrolled in this class. Lunch will be provided (Chick-fil-A). Student packets will be provided. You must register by August 22 so that materials can be ordered in time.

Register at this link: https://www.nrainstructors.org/CourseDetails.aspx?Courseid=888188

Payment for course materials should be made directly to the instructor. Contact Meg Stocks at 404-488-6791 with any questions.

Taking this class at the discounted rate offered to registered Scouters obligates you to assist the Atlanta Area Council Range and Target activities (RATA) team with at least 2 events during the next year. A Scout is Trustworthy."

September Range Safety Officer Training Registration

 

Rangemaster Training - Cub Scouts
When:  Saturday, October 4, 2025
Time:  9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Where:  Atlanta Area Council Volunteer Service Center - 1800 Circle 75 Pkwy SE, Smyrna, GA  
Cost:  No fees

Notes:  

  • Training takes place upstairs in the Staff Training room  
  • Participants need to bring:
    • Lunch (NOT provided)
    • Refillable water bottle
    • Notebook and pen

Rangemaster Training Atlanta Area Council - Cub Scouts

 

Rangemaster Training - Cub Scouts
When:  Saturday, November 1, 2025
Time:  8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Where:  Heritage Presbyterian Church, 5323 Bells Ferry Road, Acworth, GA  30102
Cost:  FREE

Participants need to bring:

  • Lunch
  • Refillable water bottle
  • Notebook and pen
  • Wear Closed Toe Shoes

Rangemaster Training Heritage Presbyterian Church

 

The Northeast Georgia Council is offering a couple of upcoming USA Archery and NRA Instructor Trainings.  Please see https://www.nega-bsa.org/Shooting-Sports for more information.

Below are a couple of outside (non-BSA) vendors that also provide NRA training in the Atlanta Area:

Legacy Outdoors Skills

www.legacyost.com

404-731-4937

Defensive Specialties

www.Defensivespecialties.com

678-283-2504

 

We Need Instructors

We need certified instructors to serve as Shooting Merit Badge Shooting Counselors, conduct Shooting Sports Merit Badge classes, and to help with Atlanta Area Council Events, Summer Camps, District Camporees, Troop / Unit Shooting Events, and other Level 2 shooting events.

How Do I Get Certified?

The NRA and USA Archery instructor training courses are designed to teach new instructors how to teach others. By learning to teach others, you will also increase your personal knowledge, skills and attitude of firearms and archery. As a plus, becoming an instructor will probably improve your personal shooting skills. Participants who successfully complete the NRA or USA Archery instructor training courses will be classified as a certified instructor for the respective organization.

Participants in the NRA Instructor Training Course must be at least 21 years of age and citizens of the United States.

Training Paths to Certified Instructor based on Shooting Sports Discipline:

Cub Scout Shooting Events Range Master

Complete the Range Master Training Course

Archery

Complete the Level 1 Archery Instructor Course

NRA Range Safety Officer

Complete the NRA Range Safety Officer (RSO) Training Course

NRA Rifle Instructor

Complete Rifle Skills and Knowledge Online Questionnaire, Complete Rifle Skills and Handling Pre-Qualification Range Session, Complete the NRA Basic Instructor Training Course (BIT - Cost included in the Rifle Instructor Course), Complete the NRA Rifle Instructor Training Course

NRA Shotgun Instructor

Complete Shotgun Skills and Knowledge Online Questionnaire, Complete Shotgun Skills and Handling Pre-Qualification Range Session, Complete the NRA Basic Instructor Training Course (BIT - Cost included in the Shotgun Instructor Course), Complete the NRA Shotgun Instructor Training Course

NRA Pistol Instructor

Complete NRA Basics of Pistol Shooting Phase 1 online, Complete NRA Basics of Pistol Shooting Phase 2 on the range with NRA Basic Pistol Shooting Instructor, Complete the NRA Basics of Pistol Shooting ILT (Instructor Led Training). Shoot an Instructor pre-qualification target. Complete the NRA Basic Instructor Training Course (BIT - Cost included in the Pistol Instructor Course), Complete the NRA Pistol Instructor Training Course.

Note: The NRA Basic Instructor Training is the same for all NRA courses and need only be taken once regardless of the number of NRA Instructor classes you wish to take. The BIT class will be offered once per session and be open to all disciplines.

Rangemaster Trainings - For a camp to run a range we must have trained leaders to staff it, we call them Rangemasters. Are you interested in becoming one of the elite members of staff? Got what it takes to help guide young men as they practice their skills at Archery, BB, and Sling Shot?

How Can I Volunteer?

Volunteers who complete their certifications should provide the Atlanta Area Council Boy Scouts of America Shooting Sports Committee with their full contact information. As requests for facilities and services are made, all volunteers are contacted by the AAC Shootings Sports Activity Coordinator via e-mail and asked to provide support to all upcoming shooting sports activities. If you can volunteer, please respond to the e-mail with your availability for the events you can volunteer to cover