Firing ranges are where most people learn the fundamentals of handling and using guns safely, and at any range I have visited, firearm safety is stressed very strongly. But, once the basics of learning how to shoot and how to not blow holes in things that aren't designated targets are learned, it's equally important to do some shooting in a different kind of environment where other skills can be learned. If not, ingrained range rules may take over during a situation where the ability to destroy an adversary is a hell of a lot more important than making sure your gun's muzzle doesn't point in some arbitrary unsafe direction.

A mindset that shooting in a direction other than where a target stand is located can mean fatal hesitation if you find you need to shoot in multiple directions, especially while moving (and if you're not moving, you're likely already hit). With the availability of Airsoft guns, these skills can be developed almost anywhere, though it is still important if a suitable location can be found to use live fire at least once in a while. I read an article about malfunctions on a range where the shooter would not keep the muzzle pointed down range when attempting to get the gun running. In the real world, there's no "down range," there's just you. Practice getting back into the fight without concern for range rules, only your own rule to win the fight.

This reminds me of people who try to chamber a round in a semi-automatic pistol by pointing the gun at the target, then grabbing the rear of the slide and pulling the slide toward them. The problem is that some people do not have the hand strength to do that. It's a safe technique, but these people then think they can't operate a pistol as it's just too hard to get the slide back. If they'd (based on a right-handed shooter) point the pistol across their chest to the left, then take their left hand on top of the slide and push with each arm - right hand pushes left, left hand pushes right - there is a lot more mechanical advantage and the slide can be easily operated. Yes, the shooter is pointing the gun at whoever is to their immediate left. So what? If the shooter knows to keep his or her finger off the trigger, the gun is not going to go bang by itself. The safe part of gun handling is the shooter's brain and the shooter's finger. Learn range rules for the range, learn to win the fight in the world.