I recently came across a scene from the ABC show “The Rookie”, where a woman goes undercover at a gun range. She’s pretending not to know much about firearms, hoping to get her hands on a gun to help solve a murder.

Her plan? Fire the gun, capture the bullet in ballistic gel, and analyze the ballistics. But as entertaining as TV shows are meant to be, this scene is a masterclass in what not to do at a gun range.

For those of you with a Range Safety Officer background, you’re probably already bracing yourselves. And if you’re not familiar with firearms, please—whatever you do, don’t take any cues from this scene. Trying this stuff at a real range will end up with your ears ringing like a fire alarm, and not in a good way.

First off, there’s the hearing protection issue. Our undercover cop decides to take off her hearing protection (while people are actively shooting). That’s like deciding to unbuckle your seatbelt (right before a car accident). At a real range, the only sound you’d hear afterward would be a loud, continuous “BEEEEEEEEP” ringing in your ears. But maybe she just likes her ears ringing like Christmas bells.

Then there’s the guy who hands off a loaded gun behind the firing line as casually as if it were a gift basket. At a real gun range, pulling a move like that would earn you an immediate escort to the exit. Range Officers don’t give warnings for something so dangerous; they just give you “the look” and then show you the door.

All of this could’ve been avoided with a solid pair of ear protection—like the AKT-1 Blackouts I offer, which have active noise cancellation. They allow you to hear commands while protecting your hearing from gunfire. Trust me, your ears will thank you.

Next up, the classic “small .22 for the delicate woman” trope makes an appearance. The scene suggests that every woman needs the smallest caliber possible, while the guy in the scene shows off with a massive Desert Eagle. If you’re going to lean into stereotypes, you might as well go all the way, right? This just screams, “I have no idea what I’m doing.”

The scene only gets worse. The undercover cop removes her eye protection on the firing line—a move comparable to saying, “Brakes? Nah, I’ll just use vibes.” Meanwhile, nobody at the range seems remotely concerned about the safety violations unfolding around them. It makes you wonder if the gunshots were real or dubbed in afterward, hoping viewers wouldn’t notice the details.

On a positive note, the undercover cop has her “I-have-no-idea-what-I’m-doing” act down perfectly. It’s cringey, but you have to admit she’s got the look. Even so, this “delicate woman with a .22” trope is beyond tired. At this point, it feels like Hollywood goes out of its way to misunderstand firearms.

One thing that made no sense? The guy’s hesitation about letting her shoot his gun. For me, letting someone try out my guns at the range isn’t a big deal—although, I don’t hand over ammo unless I know the person well. But the way he racks the slide and hands her the gun without thinking? That’s a guaranteed way to get kicked out of any respectable range.

Bottom line: if you value your hearing, your eyesight, or your ability to keep visiting ranges, don’t mimic anything you see in this scene. And Hollywood—if you’re going to write gun scenes, at least get advice from someone who knows the difference between a .22 and a water pistol.

For those looking to protect their hearing for real, grab some quality ear protection like the AKT-1 Blackouts. Your ears will thank you. Stay safe, keep your eyes and ears protected, and until next time!

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