WANTED: Southeastern MA OR Rhode Island range for an Appleseed Shoot!

[dwarven1]

WANTED: Southeastern MA OR Rhode Island range for an Appleseed Shoot!

I've had several people asking for an Appleseed Shoot in Southeastern MA because they don't want to drive as far as Harvard. Folks, I'm more than willing to do so. I just need ONE LITTLE THING:

A RANGE.

Appleseed is about marksmanship, history, and one other thing: getting sleeping Americans OFF THE COUCH. Most of our instructors are from central and north central MA - one is from the North Shore. We don't KNOW the ranges down there.

So, would-be Appleseeders: Your first task is to get off your couch and FIND US A RANGE. It can be a simple farm field as long as it's at least a hundred feet wide and about one hundred feet long with a berm at the end. RWVA will arrange to bring in a portapotty. We need a shooting line that's 82' to the berm, and we need about 15' behind that for the shooting line and a clear area behind it. That's all. If you know a club that meets these criteria, that's GREAT. Contact them and tell them what you want to do. We have info on our website on how to get a club signed up, and all the forms necessary. Here's the link: http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=510.0 I'll be happy to come down and meet with the Board of whatever club you find, but I need some local boots on the ground to do the searching.

Edit: You Rhode Islanders aren't off the hook, either! We haven't had a shoot there, yet, either - so get with it, boys and girls! Find us that range and we will come.

 

[GLOCK.Perfection]

sippican? We have about 7 NES'ers now.

 

[dwarven1]

What's the range like - what dimensions?

Can you (or Ray) do some talking to the Board and see if they're interested in hosting a shoot? It's March now, so we're looking at nothing earlier than June at this point.

 

[GLOCK.Perfection]

What's the range like - what dimensions?

Can you (or Ray) do some talking to the Board and see if they're interested in hosting a shoot? It's March now, so we're looking at nothing earlier than June at this point.

well we have a 100 yard covered range you can fit about 10 on at once. Then a 50 yard plinking range, about 6 can fit on, 150 yard range with trap, and pistol range.

http://users.rcn.com/srgc/range_stills.htm

The pics on that sight are really out of date, as the 100 yard and plinking range are now nicely cemented and covered.

I think we could probably bring it up, but ray would have more info then me. I am usually at school in CT and haven't yet made a meeting (although I should have by now)

Hopefully Ray and others will pipe in.

 

[Len-2A Training]

I received an Email from (I guess) an interested party (NES'r) asking about using Braintree R&P.

As much as I bring info from the club to NES'rs, I have nothing to do with running the club and steer clear of the politics. I have no idea if they would welcome sponsoring an Appleseed or not. I can say that BR&P sponsors a lot of different shooting activities, so they certainly aren't closed-minded.

Here's what I can say about the facility wrt Appleseed:

- 10 positions on the rifle range, fixed benches and just forward of them an area for prone/kneeling. Positions are 100 yds to the targets (or 50 yds) for the closer targets.

- I don't expect that they would allow bringing targets in any closer or moving the shooting line further down-range.

- Indoor new range has the ability to accommodate kneeling/prone shooting of .22 rifles (RF only), 15 positions, 33', 50' and 25 yds.

If this meets Appleseed criteria, feel free to approach the E-Board with your request. They meet the 1st Monday each month.

Good luck.

 

[Knob Creek]

Copicut

 

[dwarven1]

It can be a simple farm field as long as it's at least a hundred feet wide and about one hundred feet long with a berm at the end. RWVA will arrange to bring in a portapotty. We need a shooting line that's 82' to the berm, and we need about 15' behind that for the shooting line and a clear area behind it.

We need approximately 4' per shooter - all these ranges that are getting posted sound way too small. We might hold a mini there but a full weekend event is not going to work.

Knob Creek, what is "Copicut"? A range? How big, what kind of facilities? Are you a member?

 

[Len-2A Training]

Ross, if you are looking to shut down some club's outdoor range for an entire weekend, you are likely to find few welcome mats out for you . . . unless they have major duplication of ranges w/in their club.

You're going to need "lottsa luck!" I'm afraid.

 

[MagnumAl]

Ames Rifle and Pistol, Easton. Large 100 yard outdoor, about 15/20 positions. 300 yard with 6 positions. 50 foot with 5 positions. all covered. all modual to adjust with benches, prone etc. Not sure if they will host, http://www.amesrpclub.com/pages/board.php

give them a ring and see what you can work out, they are a GREAT group of people!

 

[T3andme]

unfortunately the range I belong to is too small, and does not allow prone shooting. I think the berm is too small. Hubby belongs to Sippican, I know there is some discussion about that, but it is sounding like that maybe too small.

 

[Knob Creek]

unfortunately the range I belong to is too small, and does not allow prone shooting. I think the berm is too small. Hubby belongs to Sippican, I know there is some discussion about that, but it is sounding like that maybe too small.

Glad I had the opportunity to met you two at Sippican yesterday and the talk got around to Appleseed.

 

[dwarven1]

Al,

We have found that the initial approach is better done by club members. Are you a member of Ames? Do you want to see an Appleseed there? If so, would you be willing to do the initial contact?

Ross, if you are looking to shut down some club's outdoor range for an entire weekend, you are likely to find few welcome mats out for you . . . unless they have major duplication of ranges w/in their club.

You're going to need "lottsa luck!" I'm afraid.

Really, Len? Woodsman R&P, Lee Sportsman's, Winchendon... no duplication of ranges there and no trouble getting shoots scheduled, either. And that's just the ones we know of in MA.

The advantages to hosting an Appleseed are many. First, we get more shooters to the club - local ones who may not have been there before. This tends to drive membership. Second, we get shooters more active - which means that shooters who are ALREADY members go down there more, get involved more, and tend to bring more people down to shoot. Result: a more active club. Third, we get the club publicity, which leads to... you got it, more members. And fourth, we put $$ into the clubs coffers, as many of them charge a small range fee.

Come to think of it, Len, I haven't seen you at an Appleseed. Why not? Give us a chance to reverse some of that negativity of yours, Brother.

 

[lord1234]

unfortunately the range I belong to is too small, and does not allow prone shooting. I think the berm is too small. Hubby belongs to Sippican, I know there is some discussion about that, but it is sounding like that maybe too small.

ditto, though I'd love to see something like this done @ a north shore MA club.

 

[Nickle]

You know, folks, even a range in RHODE ISLAND would be good (even better, it gets us into RI).

 

[T3andme]

Glad I had the opportunity to met you two at Sippican yesterday and the talk got around to Appleseed.

yes, it was good to meet. I am glad the talk got around to an Appleseed, now my hubby is interested, even if just for me

 

[dwarven1]

ditto, though I'd love to see something like this done @ a north shore MA club.

Well, old son, you know the drill: FIND US A RANGE.

Project Appleseed is strictly volunteer. Crak, myself and the other instructors and IITs in MA simply do NOT have time to hit every range in the state and ask them to host a shoot. If you want an AS near you, and you don't want to attend the ones that we DO have on the schedule, then get off of that couch and help us out. You get us in that door and we can come and do the rest, but we need the local boots on the ground.

"Sorry, Mr. Revere, we don't want to walk all the way to Concord. Can you arrange for the Redcoats to come to Plymouth and try to take OUR powder & shot?"

[/tough love]

 

[lord1234]

Well, old son, you know the drill: FIND US A RANGE.

Project Appleseed is strictly volunteer. Crak, myself and the other instructors and IITs in MA simply do NOT have time to hit every range in the state and ask them to host a shoot. If you want an AS near you, and you don't want to attend the ones that we DO have on the schedule, then get off of that couch and help us out. You get us in that door and we can come and do the rest, but we need the local boots on the ground.

"Sorry, Mr. Revere, we don't want to walk all the way to Concord. Can you arrange for the Redcoats to come to Plymouth and try to take OUR powder & shot?"

[/tough love]

My range only has positions for MAYBE 4 people at a time. Would that fit the need?

 

[dwarven1]

It can be a simple farm field as long as it's at least one hundred feet wide and about one hundred feet long with a berm at the end. RWVA will arrange to bring in a portapotty. We need a shooting line that's 82' to the berm, and we need about 15' behind that for the shooting line and a clear area behind it.

We need at least room for 20 shooters - we prefer 25 - but that means that our minimum is somewhere around eighty feet wide.

 

[rcinma]

We need at least room for 20 shooters - we prefer 25 - but that means that our minimum is somewhere around eighty feet wide.

Holbrook's big-bore range is probably big enough. I don't know if they are interested but at least one of their officer's is a member here.

 

[Len-2A Training]

The advantages to hosting an Appleseed are many. First, we get more shooters to the club - local ones who may not have been there before. This tends to drive membership. Second, we get shooters more active - which means that shooters who are ALREADY members go down there more, get involved more, and tend to bring more people down to shoot. Result: a more active club. Third, we get the club publicity, which leads to... you got it, more members. And fourth, we put $$ into the clubs coffers, as many of them charge a small range fee.

Come to think of it, Len, I haven't seen you at an Appleseed. Why not? Give us a chance to reverse some of that negativity of yours, Brother.

Ross, I won't deny your advantages of an Appleseed shoot, but I'll address some of your specifics wrt BR&P . . . the situation at other clubs is undoubtedly different.

- Since the outdoor pistol ranges will have been closed for 9-10 months by the time we get them re-opened, closing down the rifle range for two days for an outside group is going to be a tough sell (IMNSHO) to the BOD at this time.

- Activities at BR&P are so deep that we've had virtual "shut-downs" of the indoor ranges a number of times this past year. A sore spot amongst some members. Wentworth Institute has been using the club while their range remains shut-down, there are regular matches, Second Amendment Sisters, Boy Scouts, etc. using the facilities.

- BR&P seems to have no problem "driving membership". Even before the Obamination, we were getting 30-40 new members/month. Now it's 70-100/month!

- True that most members of BR&P are "paper members" and never visit the club for any reason. Not sure that anything is going to change that. The largest percentage of our membership are members strictly to "punch their ticket" to keep their LTC in their oppressive city/town of residence.

- To get more members active, YOU will need to do a LOT of ADVERTISING about Appleseed! Most club members anywhere likely have never even heard of it. If I weren't a member of NES, I would know nothing about Appleseed.

- There is no money issues at BR&P thanks to the >3000 members. They have refused offers of money to run events in the past. Likewise, the club seems to get lots of "publicity" by the media, even without looking for it.

- Ross, you have a short memory , I saw you running an Appleseed at Harvard last June when I stopped by to meet with Rob Boudrie at their shoot. Sorry, I gave up competitive shooting ~30 years ago. No interest here.

- I'm not being negative about BR&P running such an event. I just don't think that they will look kindly on shutting down the outdoor range for 2 days for it. I agree that you need "locals" to push the invite at any given club. Sorry, I won't be that person at BR&P, due to my personal lack of interest. But I welcome you to tap a few other BR&P members who might be interested to champion the effort to the BOD. I will promise you that if it is brought to the general membership I will NOT speak against it.

So I wish you luck.

 

[dwarven1]

Unfortunately, from your description, Braintree sounds pretty small - 15 positions on your largest range.

Come on, guys! There's GOT to be a decent sized range out there somewhere on the South Shore!

 

[Len-2A Training]

Ross, the 15 positions are on an indoor pistol range. I've only been in one that was bigger and that was at Sharon F&G with 16 positions IIRC (it was many years ago).

Outdoors rifle range is 10 positions because there are 2 target stands/position (each separated by a large "number" sign. Take a look at the rifle range pictures in this string of pictures (not the best view of the rifle range).
http://www.brp.org/Facilities/tabid/1133/Default.aspx

 

[TimJ]

You know, folks, even a range in RHODE ISLAND would be good (even better, it gets us into RI).

My club is pretty much ready to kick me out, so I can't help. (I shoot too fast [not that I miss the berm, mind you] and I've told off a brown nosing ass kisser a few times).

I'm joining a new club, maybe there once I'm settled.

 

[Knob Creek]

Anyone know how the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is conducted? The tournament is so large it's actually played simultaneously at three different courses in close proximity to each other.
Any thoughts if a similar arrangement with more than one club in SE Mass for a Appleseed could work?

 

[MagnumAl]

I will talk to the BOD this saturday and see how they feel about this. Again, we have more than enough space at ames at the 100 yard positions, it would be a bit cramped at the 300 yard positions. As long as people clean up ( I am sure you guys take care of that) that would be the biggest concern I am sure.

Will get back to you via PM Dwarven.

 

[dwarven1]

Anyone know how the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is conducted? The tournament is so large it's actually played simultaneously at three different courses in close proximity to each other.
Any thoughts if a similar arrangement with more than one club in SE Mass for a Appleseed could work?

I don't think it will. We'd still need to have three instructors per line, and we need to cover expenses for the instructors (travel and lodging, but not food), targets & t-shirts for non-paying shooters (under 21, female, and active military). So we still need a certain number of shooters per line.

I will talk to the BOD this saturday and see how they feel about this. Again, we have more than enough space at ames at the 100 yard positions, it would be a bit cramped at the 300 yard positions. As long as people clean up ( I am sure you guys take care of that) that would be the biggest concern I am sure.

Will get back to you via PM Dwarven.

OK, thanks.

 

[JonJ]

Striking while the iron is hot.
How about Middleboro, Mansfield, Carver, anywhere on the Cape? Anyone? Full AS, one day, mini? I'll make time to be available.

 

[Knob Creek]

Anyone else from Sippican think we could use the end of the Trap Range, The Rifle Range and Plinking Range. How many shooters could we fit all together?

 

[GLOCK.Perfection]

Anyone else from Sippican think we could use the end of the Trap Range, The Rifle Range and Plinking Range. How many shooters could we fit all together?

a rough guess, 30

 

[jonathans]

Striking while the iron is hot.
How about Middleboro, Mansfield, Carver, anywhere on the Cape? Anyone? Full AS, one day, mini? I'll make time to be available.

i am looking into joining the falmouth rod and gun club:

http://www.falmouthrodandgunclub.com/index.html

when i finally get in touch with someone i'll make small talk about organized events.