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mod11rem
PostPosted: Wed Dec 07, 2005 1:11 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 20 Nov 2005
Posts: 117
Location: Jonesboro, AR

After years of not having a sure enough shooting club here in Jonesboro, I just joined a new one yesterday. Not big and not a lot of members, but it has a skeet range, 5 stand, trap machine and a small pistol and 100 yd rifle range soon to be expanded to 300 yds. The trap, pistol, and rifle are accessed anytime thru a combo lock gate. Skeet and 5 stand can be shot anytime but require an operator, arranged with a phone call a day ahead of time. Most Sat and Sun there's almost always someone there. Good news, only 10 minutes from the house. My new 16 ga. bag should make me look sporty down there. I've only met a few of the 35 or so members, but one of them is also a gunsmith. that should be handy. Seemed like a pretty good bunch of guys so far (as most shooters are). I'm really looking forward to it. Price was $250/year. $4.00/round for skeet, $6.00/round for 5 stand. bring your own birds for trap. It's a family membership, so I can take my kids. I can also take a guest or two anytime. Seems pretty reasonable to me. Club house isn't much, but the coffee was hot. later mod11rem

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If I can't throw lead from a 16, I'd just as soon throw rocks.
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662
PostPosted: Wed Dec 07, 2005 1:50 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 15 Mar 2005
Posts: 358
Location: Houston

You're a lucky man. Wish we could get such a deal near my house. I especially like the combo lock to get limited access and the fact that the rifle range will soon be 300 yards.
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bustingclays
PostPosted: Wed Dec 07, 2005 8:09 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 23 Nov 2005
Posts: 435
Location: Illinois (in the burbs of St. Louis)

I shoot at a similar club. It has been in its current location since 1962 (I just got lucky and moved into the neighborhood Very Happy )

700 members
$35 per year if NRA member - $75 if not
1 skeet field
1 trap field
pistol bunker
rifle/pistol ranges - 25, 50, 100, and 200 yds

Skeet and trap are still $1.50 per round. $1.00 fee to pay for new backstop (Pb shot from skeet field was leaving property - no longer).

Guests welcome sveral times and then asked to join. Must have hunter safety card.

Skeet shooters number about 35, trap shooters about 25 - rest are rifle/pistol.

Best part - I have keys to trap/skeet and clay storage and can shoot 8-dark Mon-Sat and 9-dark Sunday if someone else goes along. Only 4 miles from the house.

8 stations - no waiting....

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Dr. 16 Gauge
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mod11rem
PostPosted: Wed Dec 07, 2005 9:56 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 20 Nov 2005
Posts: 117
Location: Jonesboro, AR

Wow, Dr. 16, you've got me beat on price and access. But I'm happy with this arrangement. I just want to get more time in shooting without hassle in the winter and spring. It'll be easier too. Before when we went out we took almost everything we wanted to shoot. Now, I can take a couple, shoot them and go back, or go back the next day with something else. Was going tomorrow, but looks like we're in for 1-3" of sleet/snow tonite. later mod11rem

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hoashooter
PostPosted: Fri Dec 09, 2005 2:22 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 08 Nov 2005
Posts: 3436
Location: Illinois

I hate to rub it in --BUT--having been involved with local club for more years than I will admit the following benifits apply.I have FULL access to skeet/trap fields/machines-whenever..I can open when I want.Invite one or twenty and have full use of the clubhouse...If anyone is in the Paris,Il area email me and we will set up a shoot.Wolfchief and I are planning on a shoot around X-mas time-no time/date set yet.$3.50/25 birds
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Parker Trojan
PostPosted: Fri Dec 09, 2005 7:48 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 24 Aug 2004
Posts: 225
Location: San Rafael, CA

Out here in California, the antis are getting all the ranges closed to lead; I have to drive 2 hours up into the mountains to shoot my vintage doubles on federal BLM land. I'm too old and too stubborn to convert to steel shot and plumbers nightmare autoloaders.It's 80 year old classics or nothing.
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john555
PostPosted: Fri Dec 09, 2005 10:17 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 14 Jul 2004
Posts: 76
Location: western canada

Parker

Was very interested in your comment about range closures by " antis " because of the lead shot. We started our trap club a few years after the war. If I remeber correctly, skeet houses were installed in the fifties. Back then we had a large number of both female and male shooters, young and old. The membership now are all old like me and we cannot get new shooters.

The other day when shooting some skeet with the fellas there was some mention about an individual asking if we shot lead or steel. Never paid any attention until I was reading your post. On what grounds and under what banner are these people forcing range closures?

Really would like to hear back from you.

Regards
John
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bustingclays
PostPosted: Sat Dec 10, 2005 12:46 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 23 Nov 2005
Posts: 435
Location: Illinois (in the burbs of St. Louis)

Gentlemen:

In the U.S. ranges are typically closed by the EPA when in violation of the Clean Water Act. Further it has been my understanding that you don't even have to shoot into water for this to be a problem - the runoff with lead into navigable waterways (streams, rivers, ponds, lakes) is the issue.

Note that noise violations are also an issue, but not related to Pb.

Right now there are no formal guidelines for management of lead issues on shooting ranges (unless shooting into water) - if the range is abandoned there are a host of regulations including RCRA and CERCLA (Superfund).

Best for your club to have a periodic Pb recycling and Pb management plan in place - most clubs around here recycle. The management plan must specify a whole host of solutions to the problem. I can provide the www site for the regs if you pm me (and when I get back to my office next week).

One club I belong to recycled about 2 years ago and got about 45 (can't remember exactly) 55 gallon drums of Pb shot from the area recycled. The recycled Pb paid for the operation with some left over.

I also have a current thesis student evaluating the Pb deposited at an old closed skeet range right now. Our issue is that we don't know exactly how much Pb was deposited (shot) in the first place - the skeet field belonged to a private individual and no records that we know of were kept. So far our samples have not exceeded an mandated Pb levels in the soil - water is not an issue at this site. We did find Pb in the soil (range closed since the 70s).

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Dr. 16 Gauge
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Parker Trojan
PostPosted: Sat Dec 10, 2005 8:00 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 24 Aug 2004
Posts: 225
Location: San Rafael, CA

John: bustinclays nailed 'er right on the head; it's the EPA and creeks and groundwater.
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mod11rem
PostPosted: Sat Dec 10, 2005 8:41 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 20 Nov 2005
Posts: 117
Location: Jonesboro, AR

more on lead

The hubub about lead shot and going to steel and/or non-toxic shot was all about ducks. It seems that some ducks esp puddle ducks that feed on stuff on the bottom of water holding areas were ingesting lead shot and dying from lead poisioning. The scientific data on this is sketchy at best but it was enough to get lead banned from waterfowling nationwide. It didn't matter much to me because I hunt ducks over decoys and my average shot is under 40 yards. I viewed it as an excuse to buy another shotgun or two.

I do remember reading a story about some guys back east that bought the grounds of an old shooting club that had been in one place since the 1880's. The bought it in the 1980's and mined several million dollars worth of lead off the place. Thank goodness we don't have a lot of anti's here in this godfearing, guntoting, still mostly rural state of Arkansas.

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If I can't throw lead from a 16, I'd just as soon throw rocks.
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marshhawk
PostPosted: Sun Dec 11, 2005 7:50 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 11 Dec 2005
Posts: 17

I belong to a club in highland calif. the range has been there since the forties, we went through a four year ordeal to renew our lease with the blm,the problem was not lead,but noise. Over time housing tracts have been getting closer and closer to our range,some of the residents complained about the noise of the shooting,we have 3 trap fields,1 five stand field ,2 skeet fields plus a 200 yard rifle and pistol range. We operate the rifle and pistol range tue. thru sunday,and shotgun fields wed. sat. and suday. wed. night we stop shooting at 9:30 pm and sunday mornings we don't start shooting until 9;30 am . but the real problem is not the noise ,but that certain people just don't like shooters. I envie you guys that live and shoot in an area the is tolerant to hunters and shooters,we in calif. that enjoy those activitys are dinosaurs. The good news is that we got our lease renewed and it will probably outlast me,but I am concerned about the younger shooters coming up,where they will shoot in the anti gun/anti shooter climate in my area. marshhawk
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john555
PostPosted: Sun Dec 11, 2005 11:50 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 14 Jul 2004
Posts: 76
Location: western canada

Gentlemen

Thanks for the input on this subject. Lead shot has been banned in Canada for the hunting of migratory birds for a number of years. It is only allowed for the hunting of upland birds. As my goverment seems to follow on the footsteps of the U.S.A. I am sure we can expect the same restrictions to be implemented at our gun ranges. We already have mined the lead off of the trap range but have not done the same on the skeet ranges.
It appears to be a matter of changing times and I suppose we will have to get on board or be run over.

Regards
John
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marshhawk
PostPosted: Sun Dec 11, 2005 2:30 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 11 Dec 2005
Posts: 17

The MEC sizemaster is an excellent choice,I've been an avid loader for over three decades, I load all my hunting ammo on single stage presses. It gives you complete controll start to finish on each shell. Plus it is very easy to change loads,switch bars or bushings for different types of loads. For instance I shoot 7/8 oz. of 8s or 9s for clay targets in my 16s. My chukar load is 1 1/8 oz of plated fives. I can switch the press and make small adjustments in minutes. Good Luck with your loading. marshhawk
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