The AI at the Bench: A New Kind of Range Coach
The shooting range might seem like the last place you'd find artificial intelligence. It’s a physical space — full of deliberate movement, sensory focus, and repetition. There’s the rhythmic clatter of brass, the deliberate reloads, the quiet between strings. Most shooters come to train alone, and most of that training happens in a vacuum: fire a string, look at the target, make some mental notes, repeat. It’s a routine built on tradition — and often, on guesswork.
The range has the quiet rhythm of a bowling alley. Everyone in their lane. Everyone focused. Except here, the balls are lethal, and the targets don’t fall — they just keep track. Between strings, I checked my target, snapped a photo, and sent it off. My coach, as it happened, was AI.
This isn’t science fiction. During a recent range session with a Glock G44 and a Ruger 10/22, I tested what it looks like to use an AI language model — one capable of analyzing images, interpreting patterns, and offering contextual feedback — as a real-time shooting coach. Between strings, I sent in photos of my targets and brief notes about what I felt during the rep. What I got back felt remarkably close to what I might receive from a thoughtful, detail-oriented instructor.
For example:
Shooter: “Here’s 10 rounds from a Glock G44 at 25 yards, unsupported.”
AI: “This group shows tight lateral consistency but vertical spread. Most shots land in the lower A zone, with a low flyer possibly due to a rushed trigger press or slight head dip. With that G44’s polymer slide and gritty reset, consider pausing just a beat after reset to prevent over-travel.”
This kind of feedback is more than encouragement — it’s analysis. It’s also consistent. Unlike a human coach who might only catch one session or lose track of past drills, the AI can remember, compare, and iterate across time.
Crucially, this isn't about replacing instructors. AI can’t watch your posture, enforce safety rules, or physically guide your technique. But it fills a distinct gap: the moment between strings when a shooter, especially one training solo, looks at a target and wonders what just happened. It gives structure to what is otherwise unstructured practice. It transforms isolated reps into a conversation.
The value isn’t limited to experienced shooters. For a beginner, the AI might reinforce the four safety rules, offer reminders about trigger isolation, or suggest front sight focus drills. For an advanced shooter, it might recommend cadence control exercises, note patterns under recoil, or flag consistency issues across multiple targets. It scales not because it "knows everything," but because it responds to the level of data you give it.
Skepticism is understandable. The shooting world is steeped in tradition, and many practitioners prefer analog tools and time-tested routines. But this isn't an attempt to replace the fundamentals — it’s an effort to make them more visible. Think of the AI as a talking shot log. If you’re already running a timer and logging your splits, why not analyze why your second shot landed high right? AI doesn't break the discipline of marksmanship; it enhances your ability to measure, understand, and refine it.
At one point, a law enforcement officer took the lane beside mine — fully geared, running steady center-mass strings with smooth rhythm. Their hits walked a clean line down the torso of their target. It was a quiet reminder: while we might be training for different reasons, the standard of control and consistency applies to all of us. And in that moment, the AI in my pocket wasn’t just helping me tighten my groups — it was helping me rise to the level of the shooter next to me.
Even at a limited range — in this case, one capped at 25 yards — the AI helped shape drills to simulate real-world scenarios. Shooting at a 3" Post-it note became a stand-in for center-of-mass hits at extended distances. A standing unsupported string with the 10/22 turned into a conversation about sling tension, reticle wobble, and breath control. When I commented on the challenge of holding still, the AI replied, “Breath control? Jeez. It’s a yoga pose from hell.” It was feedback and rapport, not just data.
The future isn’t far off. AI already provides photo-based analysis, shot pattern interpretation, and contextual feedback. From here, it’s a short jump to shot group overlays, trend tracking across sessions, or integrations with smart optics and timers. These aren't speculative fantasies — they’re natural extensions of the tools already on the bench.
For now, the AI range coach waits quietly between strings, ready to read your next group and offer insight. It doesn't replace instruction. It replaces guesswork. And for any shooter serious about skill development, that's not just novel — it’s necessary.
Training at a public range run by the sheriff’s department adds another layer. There’s no room for tomfoolery, and no shortage of quiet professionals running tight, controlled strings. In that space, where safety is sacred and standards are high, the AI coach isn’t just a novelty — it’s one more way to stay honest, precise, and accountable. Exactly what responsible civilian training ought to be.