Tacoma TSC Range - Piel Closed Until Further Notice

[mordecai]

You've been warned.

http://www.tacomassportsmensclub.com/ --Their Notice

https://www.facebook.com/tacomasportsmensclub --Their Facebook page with Notice

[Bigfoot]

I encourage anyone interested to post on their facebook page.

I'm all for safety but these guys are defining sheeple in my book.

This club has taken the competitive shooting crowd for granted and has closed the range for non sense reasons 3 times in the last few years. The last was to create a berm that cost a small fortune (to prevent ricochets) less than a year ago and now they're doing the same shenanigans again. Fortunately I think Machias is open again this month.

It just goes to show how good we have it in places like Pe Ell where there isn't a bunch of crazy archers trying to run a gun club.

[Jason]

Machias is indeed open and holding matches again. See this topic for more info.

Matches for Seattle Rifle & Pistol Associaton are a GO!

[mordecai]

I got a phone call today from the Range...

The club wants to raise the outside berms all around the range, even higher. They are in the process of doing this with heavy equipment now.

In doing so, they have uprooted and taken out the target stands I am told.

Their plan is to put back removable target stands so that the Blackpowder/Civil War shooters can no longer damage any permanent infrastructure (and therefore reduce the potential for ricochets).
They said they would like to do this with the idea that the top-deflectors were no longer necessary...
I made mention to them then, that we may desire to go to a mobile cart of reset-able targets stands. They thought the idea had merit.

Either way, it sounds like the range will be out of use for quite some time. Everything depends on volunteer hours.
I told them that we were prepared to lend a hand when and where needed and that they should call me if they have any needs or projects.
It will also be wise to attend monthly meetings to show interest in the range or else we seriously run the risk of them losing interest in completing the project that has been started.

[mordecai]

Anyone have pics/plans of resettable SB target's they can share?

I'm thinking to start, maybe (5) footed animals welded to a collar on the bottom of the feet, then the collars slip over a rod.
The rod is then mounted behind the back edge of a railroad tie.
Another rod is mounted below on an armature and used to reset the fallen targets.

There are probably some rules to using resettables too that I'm totally spacing on....

[twidpa]

We go thru this same crap at our range from time to time. Once we had a 2ft by 3 ft piece of 2 inch thick steel plate (not AR but softer stuff). This thing hung out at 300 yards for 15 or 20 years. It was so shot up and splashed that a human could not pick it up without loosing flesh. Then one day it fell in half! The sophisticants cried it was the 50 BMG shooters that destroyed the at least 15 year old target! It took a bit of explaining for them to realize things on a rifle range get shot even if only occasionally. Things on a rifle range should be able to take a few hits and have the ricochets go in a safe direction. These things also need to be repaired and maybe even replaced occasionally. Another fellow claimed the centerfire semi auto guys were targeting the 200 yard steel hangers with their "spray and pray" shooting. Turns out not everybody can hit the target and a few rounds find stuff other than targets.
NRA has back berm and side berm specs that keep projectiles fired at the targets inside the berm area. There is rarely a reason to expand them based on science.
But those sophisticants can dream up all kinds of ways to waste time and spend money for the sake of imaginary safety.
T. White

[mordecai]

I was unable to make it to the House Committee meeting in August where they discussed the Piel range (I have a request in for them to get me notes of any kind).

I attended the General Meeting last night. The club states they can no longer rely on volunteer manpower to get projects of this size (Piel Range, Member's Pistol Range, etc...) done. They are taking bids for earth-works and state they have the desire to have the affected ranges open by the end of the year.

Open is a start. The now destroyed target stands are a whole 'nuther challenge.

The handwriting is on the wall (IMHO). This (like pretty much any club) moves only in the direction that those from the inside dare push. Our routine and dedicated attendance are going to be required to make anything meaningful happen.

Strangely, I can't think of any actual SB shooters who live in Tacoma proper. I'm not sure who we need to draft to attend 2-3 meetings per month for the next 4-6 months to get the traction we need. I'm up for attending the meetings where I don't have conflicts (which is part of the major problem for me).

I think this is going to require a group of 4-6 people who will work together to make sure we have 1-2 attendees at every meeting to make sure things get pushed through. Anything less simply isn't going to work.

--M