Do You Need a Gun Permit to Shoot at a Gun Range in Wyoming?

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Shooting sports can be traced back further than the tenth century. They were mostly used for military training and only became recreational in the tenth century. The first ranges were mostly shooting clubs formed by Germans for target shooting.

The matches were only held on special occasions, with each participant getting only one shot. Since then, the sport has evolved to become more sophisticated. A lot has changed and most ranges have had to make changes to accommodate state gun laws.

Do You Need a Gun Permit to Shoot at a Gun Range in Wyoming?

No, you do not need a gun permit to shoot at a gun range in Wyoming because the state gun laws are quite friendly. Gun laws in Wyoming do not control access to gun ranges unless you do not qualify as per the federal laws. According to the USCCA, Wyoming allows open carry for both residents and non-residents.

Person shooting at a gun range in Wyoming

The state also allows concealed carry for residents without a permit and for non-residents with a reciprocal permit. You can also buy your weapon privately without a permit or a background check.

You only need one if you are planning to buy from a Federal Firearms Licensed Dealer. In order to enjoy your time at the range, there a few things to consider.

The top three things to pay attention to are:

  • Right of admission
  • Carry laws
  • CCW requirements

Right of admission

Another rule that most ranges in Wyoming have is that they reserve the right of admission. This simply means that if you misbehave or do not follow the rules of the particular range, they are allowed to throw you out of the facility. Most range owners want to protect all their guests and are therefore very cautious about who is let into the range.

If you are a foreigner, that is a non-citizen of the United States, you may not be allowed be allowed to shoot in the range unless you meet certain criteria. Some exemptions are; if you are a foreign government official, you are in the United States for legal hunting or you have received a waiver from the Attorney General. This is according to the ATF. The other exception is if you visit tourist ranges.

Carry laws

Although Wyoming is quite a liberal state when it comes to its gun laws, its important to know the rules of carrying a firearm so that you don’t find yourself in trouble. For instance, if you are carrying a weapon, you are not required to let an officer know about contact, but you should keep your documents close in case the officer asks for them.

Wyoming allows the carrying of loaded weapons in the vehicle for anyone legally allowed to possess a firearm as long as it is visible. Non-residents must have a license to do so, while residents can carry without a permit. In Wyoming, you can carry your weapon to a restaurant that serves alcohol as long as the establishment does not have rules prohibiting the same.

Person setting up a firearm

CCW requirements

Wyoming is a ‘shall issue’ state. This means that you don’t need to demonstrate good cause to get a CCW license. Since residents can carry concealed weapons without a license, the permit is mostly for reciprocal purposes. Its validity is 5 years unless revoked. Wyoming only honors the permit of states that honor its permit. There are about 35 states that do so.

To get a CCW permit in Wyoming, you need to meet the following criteria:

  • At least 21 years old
  • Show familiarity with a weapon
  • Resident for 6 months or more
  • A non-alcoholic
  • No physical illness prevents safe firearm handling
  • Legally competent
  • Mentally competent
  • Not prohibited by federal law

Conclusion

Wyoming is a gun-friendly, reciprocal state that does not require a permit for the shooting range. When going to any range, you can still do a few things to make your time better. You should follow carrying rules, ensure your permits are in order and avoid prohibited areas when carrying your firearm.

James Forrester is a lifelong gun and firearms owner, and an even bigger advocate for gun safety. He created KeepGunsSafe.com with the purpose of sharing helpful tips and educating others on how to keep guns and weapons safe and secure.