Further amplifying my status as a pariah

[Questor]

Longtom:

That is a sensational idea. We really need to do something like that. I'm going to write something up and make a proposal. Given the cost of ammo and .22s, it's the most rational approach to teaching kids to shoot I've seen yet. I recall a retired Army range instructor that the reactive spinning steel targets need to be at least 15 yards away or else there's danger of back spatter. But at the moment I'm thinking that targets like that can be the workhorse reactive target for a range like this. There's been talk of opening part of the range to public use on weekends, and this would be consistent with such a thing.

[nw_hunter]

Me in Minny soda?  I think not winters are too danged cold for me here in the Heart of Dixie.

I thought that was.........Mud and snowda Sorry bout that! I had a fried from Minnesota and he referred to it as that!

[billy_56081]

Sounds like a great gun club, we need more like it to keep kids in the sport. If the kids quit shooting the second ammendment is gone.

[squirrellluck]

Quester, I read your original post and my reaction was selfish a$$. But as I read your further posts my reaction becomes,wow! this guy really needs to be involved with young people in the shooting sports. You have some good ideas and the younguns would love you. Good luck with the range thing hope it works out for you

[blind ear]

Questor, GB & Longtom,

I agree with all 3 of you. Most of the shooters I know shoot because they like to hunt. They shoot paper and clays only to get ready for game or wing shooting. Many shooters are loseing interest because the price to hunt is eliminateing thier opportunity to hunt. It might be said that they have to pay their own way, but at the same time when a person can't afford to participate they are often no longer are a supporter of the shooting sports or hunting. All the BassPro, BigBuck, Turkey federation, ducks unlimited, Elk Federation etc is pushing toward  restricted access to the sports and at the same time is reduceing the support of firearms, hunting and  the Secound Amendment in general. They suppoet the game animal but don't support the hunter. More access to public land for hunting.

We need a way to make access to hunting a reality for the working person before the eliteness of the sport causes  it's demise.

[slim rem 7]

 paper shooting is necessary for me..shootin aint like riding a bike..
 if i was going on a hunt id settle in with said rifle the day before
just to put myself back in tune with that rifle...slim

[teamnelson]

I know some folks get worked up when you mention sillywets, but kids loved the smallbore range we had set up when I did IHMSA in Arizona. Like a shooting gallery - you hit it, it goes down. Easy to score, and never had trouble getting volunteers to reset targets. Couple hours of that, and some hot dogs on the grill.

[Siskiyou]

At Scout camp in the 1950’s we shot MO-Skeet.  The program was designed to teach shooting safety, and skills at a low price.  The firearms were Remington smooth bore bolt action rifles, and the ammunition was .22 bird shot.  I cannot remember how much it cost to shoot, but much lower than shooting a shotgun.  Each scout had to pay for their shooting.  It did not take me long to run out of money.

The camp had at least one pump .22 smooth bore, but we shot the bolt actions.
http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/special_runs/past_special_runs/model_572_BDL_smooth_bore.asp

That is the past.  Now days smooth bores up to 12-guage can be used.

A couple of links on how to start out doing it right. 

http://www.boyscouttrail.com/boy-scouts/meritbadges/rifleshooting.asp

http://www.boyscouttrail.com/boy-scouts/meritbadges/shotgunshooting.asp

http://www.scouting.org/sitecore/content/Home/HealthandSafety/GSS/gss08.aspx

[BBF]

Many years ago the only club that I had access to was a 60 mile round trip for me from home. No counting special days set aside for BP shooters and Running Deer shooters, the cops showed up for some qualification shooting they had to do that might have been scheduled.

The caretaker which wasn't on the property full time was the only person you could contact to see if the Range was open to general use.
After doing on of those 60 miles round trip for nothing   a g a i n     I saved my membership $ and found an abandoned gravel pit.