If you live in an air gun desert, meaning there really aren't any airgun friendly ranges within 2-3 hours, you are not alone.
Oddly, many traditional Rifle and Pistol ranges are not thrilled about airguns or airgun competitive events either.
This is partly because of a lack of understanding and partly because space is sometimes very limited and more variations in platforms means more competition for existing infrastructure.
In my particular location of Mobile, Al. there are 4 Rifle and Pistol and Skeet ranges within an hours drive of me. None of those 4 ranges offers any direct support for Aiguns or Archery but none of those ranges would complain if you joined and only showed up to shoot your airgun. Just expect a lot of stares and questions, which can be a good thing.
But
Of all these close in or nearby ranges, when i ask the owners or folks that run the place, if they would consider allowing me to set up a Field Target Courses or Bench Rest course utilizing Airgun only targets, i get a firm "no". May seem odd, but regardless of the reasoning, it is what it is.
So what's an airhead (the smart kind) going to do? First things first = don't give up.
Some VERY fortunate people live in locations where the STATE or Cities actually provide the land and infrastructure for these activities. If your state or city does not, they never will, unless, someone like YOU or a group of someones like US begin to organize in such a way as to be heard in a very positive way.... a way in which city and or state officials hear and see the benefits marksmanship programs like the CMP can provide for all age groups.
If your petitions to your Municipality officials fall on deaf ears your will have two other choices.
#1) You can find and convince a private land owner to give you permission to use their land; they might be okay with a couple of plinkers showing up once in awhile but they probably will not like it when 7-20 people show up to wage war on various paper and steel targets 3 times a week and esp on the weekends.
#2) We, as individuals or as a club / group must find, acquire and setup the infrastructure to support the sport we enjoy all by ourselves or by creating a group to share the expenses and work. Costs and legal issues associated with creating a Airgun range can seem daunting and may vary greatly from state to state from city to city or from county to county. Land acquisition is a big cost. location location location, and that location needs to be in an area where zoning laws or other administrative, environmental or sensitive neighboring issues try to stop you before you get started.
This is where i am now... doing it on my own. To date this is what i have learned:
A) If you and or your club are planning on buying or leasing your own land, you will ideally need between 6-16 acres for activities and buffer zones.
B) Your location will need to be away from growth tracts / suburbs or other developments that are ever expanding
C) Your location will also need to be in an environmentally suitable spot - not sensitive endangered wildlife species or wetlands.
D) You will need, road access, parking, power for compressors and seasonal lighting and at the least some solid way to LOCK your stuff up from bandits.
E) insurance... yep gotta have insurance.
F) you will need equipment to maintain the land or the shooting lanes / ranges and people and resources to help you maintain them as well.
I would love to hear from anyone who has gone down this road.
Some great ideas i have had include talking to 3D archery clubs as they have similar needs.
Within just the last week a forum member @shootermeb - gave me a great lead to a local gun club / range, that, lo and behold, was actually interested in talking with me!
Once you do find a club or person who is interested a letter of introduction is very helpful:
For the last 2 years I have been gathering ($20K worth) equipment and resources to create a competitive and recreational club and site for American Field Target programs along the Gulf Coast areas.
Field Target is an international sport that is growing very quickly in the United States.
American Field Target (AAFTA) use "precision air rifles" typically shooting pellets at 20 FPE or less and they shoot distances from 10 yards to 55 yards. https://www.aafta.org/organization.html
World Field Target (WFTF) typically shoots pellets at 12 FPE or less and they shoot distances from 10 yards to 55 yards. https://www.world-field-target-federation.org/
Extreme Field Target or Ultimate Field Target or Long Range Field Target shoot pellets up to 100 FPE and they shoot distances from 20 yards to 100 yards. https://extremefieldtarget.com/index.html#/
Airguns use H.P. Air and compressors, like paintball, but some also use spring pistons or CO2, and as a general rule they are fairly quiet.
Everyone that I have met, to date, that shoots Field Target, also shoots a powder burner / traditional rifle or pistol and may also enjoy Archery. In that regards I see the people who participate in Field Target as very compatible with any and all rifle and pistol and archery ranges.
Currently, I am looking for people and resources (gun clubs and archery clubs) who have similar needs to create places to set up courses for training and to hold competitive events.
A field target course is comprised of 10-15 lanes (like archery) but the knock down targets are placed 10 yards to 55 yards to 100 yards away and are reset using lines. A round or match is typically 60 shots.
Bench Rest 25 m and 50 m 75 m and 100 m are also events: https://www.usairriflebenchrest.com/
My secondary goal is to help create a local CMP Civilian Marksmanship Program like Huntsville AL. and Talladega AL. have. https://thecmp.org/ CMP’s often train Olympic athletes / shooters who many times get full ride scholarships to Universities.
Two years ago, I only had myself, but as of this year I have 6 members that come from Daphne, Fairhope, Pensacola and Mobile.
Please give me a call or Text #_________________________. I would love to meet with you and your group on a weekend and visit your facilities; and perhaps I could bring some of my equipment for you to experience the joy of Field Target first hand. I think you will discover we have very compatible sports / interests. I am also aware that infrastructure and insurance, is NOT cheap, thus cash flow is important to the success of any long term range / facility.
These other links will provide you with more insight into the world of Field Target and Olympic style shooting.
https://olympics.com/en/news/olympi...ions-rapid-fire-air-pistol-shotgun-trap-skeet
https://www.usairriflebenchrest.com/
http://usfieldtarget.com/?tag=steyr-lg100
http://usfieldtarget.com/?page_id=497
https://airguns.net/reviews_steyr_lg10.php
https://podiumpellets.com/airgun-pellets-diablo.html
www.airgunnation.com
Oddly, many traditional Rifle and Pistol ranges are not thrilled about airguns or airgun competitive events either.
This is partly because of a lack of understanding and partly because space is sometimes very limited and more variations in platforms means more competition for existing infrastructure.
In my particular location of Mobile, Al. there are 4 Rifle and Pistol and Skeet ranges within an hours drive of me. None of those 4 ranges offers any direct support for Aiguns or Archery but none of those ranges would complain if you joined and only showed up to shoot your airgun. Just expect a lot of stares and questions, which can be a good thing.
But
Of all these close in or nearby ranges, when i ask the owners or folks that run the place, if they would consider allowing me to set up a Field Target Courses or Bench Rest course utilizing Airgun only targets, i get a firm "no". May seem odd, but regardless of the reasoning, it is what it is.
So what's an airhead (the smart kind) going to do? First things first = don't give up.
Some VERY fortunate people live in locations where the STATE or Cities actually provide the land and infrastructure for these activities. If your state or city does not, they never will, unless, someone like YOU or a group of someones like US begin to organize in such a way as to be heard in a very positive way.... a way in which city and or state officials hear and see the benefits marksmanship programs like the CMP can provide for all age groups.
If your petitions to your Municipality officials fall on deaf ears your will have two other choices.
#1) You can find and convince a private land owner to give you permission to use their land; they might be okay with a couple of plinkers showing up once in awhile but they probably will not like it when 7-20 people show up to wage war on various paper and steel targets 3 times a week and esp on the weekends.
#2) We, as individuals or as a club / group must find, acquire and setup the infrastructure to support the sport we enjoy all by ourselves or by creating a group to share the expenses and work. Costs and legal issues associated with creating a Airgun range can seem daunting and may vary greatly from state to state from city to city or from county to county. Land acquisition is a big cost. location location location, and that location needs to be in an area where zoning laws or other administrative, environmental or sensitive neighboring issues try to stop you before you get started.
This is where i am now... doing it on my own. To date this is what i have learned:
A) If you and or your club are planning on buying or leasing your own land, you will ideally need between 6-16 acres for activities and buffer zones.
B) Your location will need to be away from growth tracts / suburbs or other developments that are ever expanding
C) Your location will also need to be in an environmentally suitable spot - not sensitive endangered wildlife species or wetlands.
D) You will need, road access, parking, power for compressors and seasonal lighting and at the least some solid way to LOCK your stuff up from bandits.
E) insurance... yep gotta have insurance.
F) you will need equipment to maintain the land or the shooting lanes / ranges and people and resources to help you maintain them as well.
I would love to hear from anyone who has gone down this road.
Some great ideas i have had include talking to 3D archery clubs as they have similar needs.
Within just the last week a forum member @shootermeb - gave me a great lead to a local gun club / range, that, lo and behold, was actually interested in talking with me!
Once you do find a club or person who is interested a letter of introduction is very helpful:
For the last 2 years I have been gathering ($20K worth) equipment and resources to create a competitive and recreational club and site for American Field Target programs along the Gulf Coast areas.
Field Target is an international sport that is growing very quickly in the United States.
American Field Target (AAFTA) use "precision air rifles" typically shooting pellets at 20 FPE or less and they shoot distances from 10 yards to 55 yards. https://www.aafta.org/organization.html
World Field Target (WFTF) typically shoots pellets at 12 FPE or less and they shoot distances from 10 yards to 55 yards. https://www.world-field-target-federation.org/
Extreme Field Target or Ultimate Field Target or Long Range Field Target shoot pellets up to 100 FPE and they shoot distances from 20 yards to 100 yards. https://extremefieldtarget.com/index.html#/
Airguns use H.P. Air and compressors, like paintball, but some also use spring pistons or CO2, and as a general rule they are fairly quiet.
Everyone that I have met, to date, that shoots Field Target, also shoots a powder burner / traditional rifle or pistol and may also enjoy Archery. In that regards I see the people who participate in Field Target as very compatible with any and all rifle and pistol and archery ranges.
Currently, I am looking for people and resources (gun clubs and archery clubs) who have similar needs to create places to set up courses for training and to hold competitive events.
A field target course is comprised of 10-15 lanes (like archery) but the knock down targets are placed 10 yards to 55 yards to 100 yards away and are reset using lines. A round or match is typically 60 shots.
Bench Rest 25 m and 50 m 75 m and 100 m are also events: https://www.usairriflebenchrest.com/
My secondary goal is to help create a local CMP Civilian Marksmanship Program like Huntsville AL. and Talladega AL. have. https://thecmp.org/ CMP’s often train Olympic athletes / shooters who many times get full ride scholarships to Universities.
Two years ago, I only had myself, but as of this year I have 6 members that come from Daphne, Fairhope, Pensacola and Mobile.
Please give me a call or Text #_________________________. I would love to meet with you and your group on a weekend and visit your facilities; and perhaps I could bring some of my equipment for you to experience the joy of Field Target first hand. I think you will discover we have very compatible sports / interests. I am also aware that infrastructure and insurance, is NOT cheap, thus cash flow is important to the success of any long term range / facility.
These other links will provide you with more insight into the world of Field Target and Olympic style shooting.
https://olympics.com/en/news/olympi...ions-rapid-fire-air-pistol-shotgun-trap-skeet
https://www.usairriflebenchrest.com/
http://usfieldtarget.com/?tag=steyr-lg100
http://usfieldtarget.com/?page_id=497
https://airguns.net/reviews_steyr_lg10.php
https://podiumpellets.com/airgun-pellets-diablo.html
www.airgunnation.com
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