BC Club/private ranges out to 300yds or greater

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Obtunded

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In the interest of expanding fullbore shooting sports, it is necessary to have the facilities capable of hosting the matches. Right now, military ranges notwithstanding, I can come up with only two ranges in BC that have a) the distance and b) the butts for hosting fullbore matches. (ISSF, F-Class, TR)

In a perfect world and with the proper support, what ranges other than Kamloops and Mission have the butts (With retractable target frames) and or the distance for hosting a fullbore match?

I am wondering if it is possible to get the various levels of BCRA/DCRA to help with upgrading at least one more of the club ranges to create a venue for fullbore shooting? For instance, I have never been to Campbell River but I know they host BR matches... I have likewise never been to Tweedsmuir and I wonder if it is capable of holding matches or being upgraded somewhat cheaply to do so?
 
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I have always been bothered by the fact that the BCRA does not have a home range that they can call their own. Always borrowing a military range or a local clubs range. I think that we should revisit taking over and managing Vokes range.
 
Quesnel has an awesome facility, but it currently only has a 500 M range. It has approx 15 shooting stations and four or five nice bench setups, all under a covered shooting area. They are looking at putting in a 1000+ range as there is room for it. They also have a large club house (with kitchen) that would easily accommodates 20 - 30 people for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Indoor flush toilets, lots of room to park campers etc. Truly a "Premier" Rod and Gun club.
 
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Part of the challenge is to persuading the members of these clubs/facilites to construct the infrastructure needed to host fullbore matches. Distance is definitely important, but so is the existence of an indicatable scoring system so as to make it possible for F-Class, TR, Palma, and other disciplines to practise and host matches.

If we could get just one club with 5-600M capabilities to put in a set of butt target frames, we would able to conduct an F-Class match or TR match on something other than a DND range. Kamloops and Mission hold 300M ISSF matches - and very good ones - but these are different from F&TR matches in many respects.

I agree with Brent that taking ownership of Vokes would be fantastic, but we could also think outside the box and try to purchase and build "The BC Shooting Sports Center". Not sure if grants or sponsorship exists for this sort of thing, but I'd sure like to try looking!
 
Taking over Vokes was a BCRA project in the past. I was going to work except for the environmental clean up that would be required on a ongoing basis. But since then a few things have changed. The price of copper and lead are all time highs. So last winter a company came into vokes and cleaned up, basically mined the copper and lead out of the berms and returned them to new. This was all done a zero cost to DND!!! just for the tons of metal they got. Renting back the range to DND and Police etc.....(blackwater) , I think it would work.
 
I doubt the military would ever give it up to civies.Its the only military range in the lowermainland and,as far as I can tell,the mainland of all BC.
 
If you want to think outside the box think about electronic targets instead of a butts gallery. I shot on these a couple years ago in Huttersfield when I was over in Bisley. Huttersfield was a small club in the midlands with about 10 members. It was always a PITA to get markers and walking back and forth to the butts is difficult due to the terrain the range is built on. Once the NRA UK put electronic targets in the membership grew to 30 shooter every weekend.
 
Marksmen said:
The Military doesn't own Vokes it a lease from the BC gov. They will have to give up eventually or renew.
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Yes I realize that but I don't ever see them giving it up.I'm sure they are top of the list when it comes to first dibs on renewal.I wonder how long the lease is for?The army has had all that property for ages.
 
Obtunded said:
Part of the challenge is to persuading the members of these clubs/facilites to construct the infrastructure needed to host fullbore matches.
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The Cache Creek range goes out to 375yds. There'll be an AGM soon, so I'll bring this up, but I'm not holding my breath.
Any idea how much the KTSA setup would cost to build, what return the club could expect on a yearly basis? Even a ballpark figure would help.
 
x2 on the electronic targets. The Swiss Club in Coquitlam has them, and they are freaking wonderful. Use them once, you won't want to go back to the old way...
 
Longshot said:
Yes I realize that but I don't ever see them giving it up.I'm sure they are top of the list when it comes to first dibs on renewal.I wonder how long the lease is for?The army has had all that property for ages.
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I think with the closing of the base in Chilliwack that they wanted to wind down the overhead of running the range for the reserves etc. this was a few years ago. But now with all the military tasking there is, They are short ranges in the west and Vokes again is very busy with military use. Things are always changing. I still think we could run a very productive range for everyone.
 
I guess the problem would be that the military runs thier own ranges with thier own set of rules, where as the BCRA runs a much different type of range.The military would not want BCRA people trying to run thier range,that I can guarantee.
 
Longshot said:
I guess the problem would be that the military runs thier own ranges with thier own set of rules, where as the BCRA runs a much different type of range.The military would not want BCRA people trying to run thier range,that I can guarantee.
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Well I would have to disagree, BCRA has been using and running Military ranges for over 100 years. The BCRA was an arm to the military since 1874. Check this out.

http://www.bcrifle.org/main.html
 
Once again I realize that, however when was the last time the BCRA had guys with hot guns facing up range away from the targets?Or moving across the range in vehicles firing with GPMG's on the fly?Trust me our rules are a far cry from yours.I guess what I mean is BCRA members wouldn't be allowed anywhere near a military firing line in a control position IE: RO.Your just not qualified.
 
Longshot said:
Once again I realize that, however when was the last time the BCRA had guys with hot guns facing up range away from the targets?Or moving across the range in vehicles firing with GPMG's on the fly?Trust me our rules are a far cry from yours.I guess what I mean is BCRA members wouldn't be allowed anywhere near a military firing line in a control position IE: RO.Your just not qualified.
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You are right, Military training is far different that the TR-F class shooting on the range. But right now unit's that book the range they have to ensure the qualified RO's are on range etc... Police that book the range,(some of the most dangerous practices in firearms use I have seen) seem to do what ever. If the BCRA keeps the range up to Nato small arms specs. The range would be book and scheduled as is. Military and Police getting Priority(no civilians on range) . Just the day to day management would fall to BCRA with the hope of making it into world class shooting center, Like Ben Avery in Phoenix:

http://www.basfaz.com/

I have been there and its a beautiful facility used by all.
 
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