Dave Imas has elected to hold a Silhouette Clinic after the Saturday Match on March 1st. It runs about 3-4 hours and you will learn more in those few hours that you can imagine. Right now we are looking at having 16 spots with about six already signed up. Please send me your name/ph#/email address and I will add you to the list. The fee is $25 with a portion of the money going to the range and fees. There will be a before-class preparation "homework" sent out via email for those attending. Range rifles available for newbies and you should probably bring 200-300 rounds for the class.

Let me know if you have any questions - this is an excellent opportunity in advance of the coming season and especially you Conard Cup entries.

Thanks. --Mordecai

--UPDATE 02/27/08
The Tacoma Range is closed until further notice.
There will be no matches and no clinic.

--UPDATE 03/30/08
The Tacoma Range is still closed until further notice.
I will be attending a general meeting this week where the Silhouette Range, its status and progress will be a topic. I will report back what I learn. It is my personal opinion that the matches will not restart for several months so plan accordingly.

--UPDATE 04/02/08--
The Tacoma Silhouette Range is permanently closed in its present form.
It looks like there is desire to turn the range into some other use than matches only.

--HOUSE COMMITTEE MEETING 04/15/08 @ 7:30pm--

I'm in. Sending you a PM with my contact info, even though I think you probably already have it.

Ok - looks like about 7 spots left.

Ok - looks like about 3 spots left. (And see the Main post for an update!)

UPDATE!!!!

MR. IMAS has been called to work at this hour and will not be able to have the clinic tomorrow.

Sorry for the short notice, but it looks like we're back to the original Sat, March 1st date (yes, the range will be open).

--m

Well - the Tacoma Range has been closed until further notice.
No matches and no clinic.

Umm.. wow.. what happened?

They want more safety equipment installed and it's gunna take time...

I'd like to know if they have seen pictures from other silhouette ranges and decided that we need some sort of safety device. No other range has these stupid steel overhangs. This is a bunch of B.S. Did they tell you how long we are unable to shoot while they decide what is best for us. Don't get me wrong guys I'm all for safety to, but to come out of the blue and not even post a letter in the newsletter and have to hear about from the rangemaster is ridiculous. It seems that the new board is anti gun and pro money. You can shoot as long as the event makes us money. More B.S. I'm tempted not to renew my dues and join another club who's best interest is in the shooter and not their wallet. Apperently 20 to 30 shooters at $10 ahead twice a month is not enough to fill the coffers. Mike did they give you a time line when this is going to be done and when we can shoot agian? If they don't want to support the silhouette shooters just tell us straight out and dont go about behind our backs so to speak.

Imagine if you will a group of volunteer members acting as the board of a 3000 member, 100-acre range quickly being surrounded by urban sprawl.

They have a sudden and severe case of lawsuit-itis and from their point-of-view, shutting down the range until things are "fixed" is the only prudent course of action.

Thankfully, they are acting and speaking with the full desire to apply the "fixes" as soon as possible. While our particular range at the club has flown under the radar for a very long time, they are quite concerned about getting the fixes done rapidly.

The problem is that it's a volunteer organization. These work on a very different timeline than other organizations around us. Things get done as time, labor and materials become available.

It's been three weeks since they lowered the boom and while we thought we may have a workable solution somewhat in place by now, deep down we knew it would be a stretch. Currently, the metal work is being done in two stages. Some work to raise the racks is already being completed. Other pre-fab metal work for the deflectors will not be ready for 10 more days plus install time.

My first reaction was to be PO'd because of the poor handling of the situation. I then resolved to work with the situation as quickly as possible to resolve this timely. Reality has set in that non-profit, volunteer organizations have a maximum speed setting and we're just going to have to be patient with it unfortunately...

It's now my stand to look at this like a 1-2 month operation and that we won't likely see normal matches resume until May. Things could get done before then, but I'm not going to fall down that hope-and-wish hole a second time. Will we lose shooters and attendance (especially during an organized push to increase participation)? Yes, but there isn't a lot of alternative worth pursuing and just digging back in to rebuild the program when the range-improvements are completed is about the only and probably best option.

Trust me, I've had some frank discussions with certain higher-ups and they're concerned about our position, but they are far more concerned about liability and that's where we sit - stuck in the middle until its completed...

I guess I can't be to upset, some ranges don't even have a silhouette program. But you understand why this chaps my hide, NO communtication Thanks Mike and believe me I'm like the post office next work party; come snow, wind, rain I'll be there. I can't bitch about stuff not getting done if I don't help.

Yes, the communication has been very pathetic and they acknowledge that. Again, its another aspect of a volunteer organization (although I've worked for a few commercial ones who's communication is no better...).

It's going to get done and its spurned us to do something we've neglected to do which is get more involved in the Board/Membership Meetings. By increasing our presence there, not only will we be selling ourselves as something to be considered, but we'll likely be able to leverage the meetings into some better recruitment opportunities.

Update in top post. Range still closed until further notice.

Wow, that sucks but that's the way it goes with volunteer organizations, I guess. I was about to email you to check on progress, too.

It sounds to me like your range has been taken over by the shot gun shooters. That has happened to more than one range I know of.