"Load and Make Ready" – This command signifies the start of the "Course of Fire". Under the direct supervision of the Range Officer the shooter must face down range, insert a loaded magazine if a self loader or load the cylinder if a revolver, keeping the firearm pointed downrange. The shooter will then release the slide or close the cylinder, manually lower the hammer and holster the firearm. If no holster is being used, the shooter will keep both hands on the gun, lower the arms so that the elbows are resting at the sides of the abdomen, wrists resting on the belly with the muzzle pointed low downrange. Wait for the next command. Once the "Load and Make Ready" command has been given, the shooter must not move away from the firing line without the prior approval, and under the direct supervision, of the Range Officer.

"Ready on the Line?" – The lack of any negative response from the shooter indicates that they are ready to proceed. If the shooter is not ready at the "Are You Ready?" command, they must state "Not Ready" loudly.

"Standby" – This command is an indication that the range is staying "hot" and gives the Range Officer a chance to finish evaluating whether all the shooters on the line are truly ready and will be followed by "Commence Fire" momentarily.

"Commence Fire" – The signal for the shooter to begin their course of fire. Once a shooter has expended all rounds to their satisfaction they should immediately look left and right to break tunnel vision and must return to the un-holstered ready condition and await further instruction.

"INDEX" – This is the most important command while on the range. INDEX has a dual meaning. 1. END the shooting Exercise immediately. 2. INDEX (trigger) finger should be removed from the trigger and be indexed downrange alongside the frame. If this command is called it could mean that there is an unsafe situation that you may not be aware of and nobody should fire another shot if INDEX is called, even if you have the slack pulled out of the trigger, waiting for the trigger break. The shooters must immediately cease firing, stop moving, return to the un-holstered ready condition and wait for further instructions from the Range Officer. ANYONE CAN CALL INDEX IF THEY THINK THERE IS AN UNSAFE SITUATION OR THEY NEED ASSISTANCE. Index is always called three times in succession. INDEX! INDEX! INDEX!

"If You Are Finished, Unload and Show Clear" – If the shooter has finished shooting, they must lower their handgun and present it for inspection by the Range Officer with the muzzle pointed down range, magazine removed, slide locked or held open, and chamber empty. Revolvers must be presented with the cylinder swung out and empty.

"If Clear, Hammer Down, Holster" – After issuance of this command, the shooter must continuing to point the handgun safely downrange, perform a final safety check of the handgun as follows: Self-loaders – release the slide and pull the trigger (without touching the hammer, if any). If the gun proves to be clear, the shooter must holster the handgun. If no holster is used they must keep the cylinder open or open and lock back the slide. Once all shooters hands are clear of the holstered guns or all un-holstered guns are verified clear and are in an "open" condition, the course of fire is deemed to have ended and the "Range is Clear" command is issued.

"Range Is Clear" – NO shooters or Range Officers may move forward of, or away from, the firing line or final shooting location until this declaration is given by the Range Officer. Once the declaration is made, Range Officers and shooters may move forward to score, patch, reset targets etc.

When loading, reloading or unloading during a course of fire, the shooters fingers must be visibly outside the trigger guard and the handgun must be pointed safely down range or at the ground in a downrange direction.