Range Maintenance

Saturday, 29 August 2009

The ranges were scheduled for 6 hours of maintenance on Saturday, 8/29/09.  There was work to be done on the 50 yard ranges, and the 100 yard range needed to be checked to get ready for hunter sight-in days at the end of September.  Most of the actual work was done to install four shelves on the two 50 yard ranges.

The shelves that were installed are intended for temporary use when shooters are downrange closer to the targets.  Their use should make it unnecessary for members to move shooting benches down to the 15 yard area (and not return the benches to their proper position at the 50 yard line).  Shooters can use the shelves to hold firearms and ammunition while they are shooting at shorter ranges than 50 yards.

There are two shelves on each side of the concrete block wall that separates the two 50 yard ranges, located about 15 yards from the impact area.  The shelves are installed about waist-high, and are normally left hanging in the vertical position so that they do not protrude into the shooting ranges.  The shelves themselves are 2 feet deep and 4 feet long, and are made of exterior grade 3/4 inch plywood.  All of the lumber has been primed with reddish paint, and will receive move paint at the next work party.  The shelves are connected by a piano hinge to a exterior grade 2x4 which is bolted to the block wall by three 5/16 inch threaded rods that go completely through the wall.  The shelves are held in the extended (horizontal) position by light chains which can be attached to the two hooks.

When a shelf is to be used, it should be raised to the horizontal position, and the chains should be attached to the two hooks which are bolted through the shelf.  When the shelf is no longer used, the chains should be disconnected from the hooks, and the shelf lowered by hand to the vertical position.  Do not just allow the shelf to drop freely to the vertical - move it by hand.

Modifications to the 50 yard range rules:

• Shelves are to be used only while shooting is in progress at short ranges.  When no longer in use, the shelves are to be lowered to the "stored" position.
• The shelves are limited to no more than 50 lbs of firearms and ammunition.
• Firearms placed on the shelves must by unloaded with the actions open.  The firearms must be pointed down range while on the shelf.
• Shelves ARE NOT intended to hold targets when shooting from the 50 yard line.  Anyone misusing the range in this manner will be brought before the board of directors.
• When shooters have moved down range to shooting positions closer to the impact area, their location becomes the new firing line for all shooters on that range.
• When the shooting line has moved down range, load and shoot firearms only from the firing line.  Do not move behind shooters to or from the shelves with a loaded firearm.  When moving from the shooting line to any other location, the firearm must be unloaded with the action open.

The following people participated in today's work party.  A new member is signified by an asterisk following the member's last name.  Steve Nimrod, Richard Phaneuf (who gathered materials and helped in planning), and Bob Ray.  All of the participants brought tools to do the work.