Lighting and Controls for a Rifle Range

The project team needed a solution that balanced safety, durability, and energy efficiency while delivering the versatility required for modern tactical training, including the ability to simulate a broad spectrum of scenarios.

Designing lighting for an indoor rifle range posed unique technical and operational challenges. Fixtures would have to withstand the harsh environmental conditions of the space: sustained high-decibel vibrations from gunfire, airborne lead dust and powder residue, and even the possibility of physical impacts or ricochets. To ensure long-term performance, the lighting system required sealed, IP-rated, and vandal-resistant housings with tamper-proof designs.

Equally important was the need for versatility. The system had to support standard qualification courses as well as tactical entry drills, flashlight and weapon-light training, and scenarios conducted in low-light or near-darkness. Instructors needed the ability to instantly shift lighting conditions with pre-programmed scenes to replicate environments officers might encounter in the field.

Another distinctive requirement was the intentional introduction of glare and suboptimal lighting conditions. Real-world situations rarely provide perfect visibility. By strategically introducing glare, the range could simulate conditions such as oncoming headlights, wet pavement, urban light pollution, or flickering emergency lights. These training conditions had to be carefully controlled, switchable, and supervised to ensure the safety of officers and instructors while providing the realism needed for effective law enforcement preparation.

The finished rifle range lighting system delivered both performance and resilience.

Minimized Maintenance Long-life LED technology and durability minimize maintenance in a hazardous, difficult-to-access environment.

Visual Comfort Low-flicker drivers provide visual comfort for officers during training and ensure compatibility with high-speed video capture.

Reduced Energy Usage LEDs are saving the rifle range energy costs – costs are 50%-70% lower than they would be with legacy lighting.

Reduced HVAC Loads By producing less heat than legacy sources, the LED fixtures have reduced HVAC loads in the enclosed range environment.

Simulation of Real-Life Lighting Conditions The lighting controls allow instructors to replicate real-world conditions at the touch of a button -- shifting instantly from clean, bright illumination for qualifications to disorienting, glare-filled conditions for tactical drills.