Getting this started- Engine, or anyone else, feel free to take over from here if you want (please), but I wanted to get it kicked off. I’ve personally been slacking on pushing the meets in this group, so I’m gonna make double effort from here out.
I have no idea what the Seattle area has to offer in the way of hot-range-friendly venues, so you people local to the area- let us know what’s up there. Hell, I might even drive up and join, even though I generally don’t cross WA lines unless its an emergency (or Bob’s is having an ammo sale).
Lets-
Get a list of interested members - chime in!
Get an approximately date settled on - chime in!
Establish a good venue - chime in!
Are you guys interested in a range proper, or just a place to shoot? I know a few places up this way where you can shoot. I am also friendly with the local USFS cop so I can check with him and let him know what’s going to happen so they don’t freak out.
ranges are ideal, as they provide good backstop, flat, even ground, good parking and generally have good access… but spots out in the woods, so long as they provide each of these criteria, are perfectly fine. then we don’t have to worry about range rules, possible fees, and safety nazis.
google earth can be a good tool for finding spots, if a tool is needed.
I prefer good spots in the woods myself. Most of the ranges around here are full of “fuds” and look down at evil black guns. Most also have a no rapid fire rule. Forget showing up with tactical gear…“what are you guys a milita or something?” Don’t get me wrong I’m sure that there are good ranges out there, I just don’t know where they are. What I do know of is a old gravel/ dirt pit about 5 miles from the nearest paved road. Only one problem- snow. forget about it till spring.
some ranges will loosen, or forget entirely, their blanket safety rules for private groups on reserved ranges or sections of ranges. we’ll be isolated from regular members and on our own for liability, and probably paying for the space… no reason not to leave us alone.
I am in…I am with Engine296, I like the idea of heading out the the great out of doors. I don’t have a lead on anyplace in particular, but it sounds like he does.
being totally unfamiliar with WA, i’m not going to be able to help. if you guys want to shoot in “the woods,” you’re probably gonna have to get pretty far out of the seattle/everett/tacoma area to do so- that’s a very wide area of dense population. south toward me, or eastward into the mountains, are probably where you’re gonna have to look. either way, you’re probably looking at an extended drive… so might as well just come shoot at CRPC.
or find a local range. i’ll put in some leg work, if you guys cant get it together, but i want more committment from other WA members before i devote time to finding ranges and getting schedules and such in foreign lands unknown. there’s nothing wrong with recruiting new members, also- get people from other boards, neighbors, family, friends, etc. it’s funner to shoot with people you know anyway (so long as they have weapons and gear).
Whats great about W WA is that the population density tends to run north to south along the I-5 corridor. Not so mush east or west. I live “way out in the sticks”, but I’m only 45 minutes away from everett. Hell- I drive every day to Lynnwood.
What are the space requirements for an event? any other requirments? I am too new to plan an event, I don’t even really know what you guys do at an event. I would love to help though.
requirements depend on what kind of an event we’re looking at. CQB is the most relevent training for civilians, since self-defense shootings are very unlikely to extend past 25m at the extreme. so a 25m range, offering a good backstop, preferably 180 degrees of backstop, with the ability to move 360 degrees, on flat, even land, is all we need for land requirements. the other basic need is target stands/backings/targets- i have billions, but i’m still not sure, depending on scheduling, if I’ll be able to attend- so I’ll help as much as I can from down here, but you washingtonians are gonna have to do most of the work.
target stands can be very simple or complicated… two sheets of OSB or plywood will make 14 man-sized sil-oh-ets, and stands can be made easily from DF 2x4. i’m a carpenter, keep in mind, but i can produce a couple dozen stands/sil-oh-ets in about an hour. it’s not too hard, and only costs $40 or so in materials. skill saw, hammer, and screw gun required, of course.
I attended a class their and it was good to go for the two lines of five, it was set off a bit and not seen from the shotguns ranges, we did some VERY close range gunfighting ( pistol) its even close to Cabelas.
depending when I will try and make it up.
I’m down for a pit training event. Eventually, the 3 hour drive to Portland gets tiring, hahaha.
I’ve shot a fair amount at the pit near Snoqualmie, and I’ve got no problem being diplomatic with other shooters. As long as you bring spray paint, strings, and a fair dose of courtesy when establishing general expectations (cold range rules, lanes of fire) it shouldn’t be a big deal in the event others want to share a pit.
But ideally, if someone knows of a flatter pit that isn’t quite as popular… This pit, being near Snoqualmie, is 1 hour away from Seattle via I-90, and is near popular camping/shooting areas. It is well out of the “no target shooting corridor” put in place this past year luckily.
As for a what we could actually do, busting out a copy of “green eyes black rifle” and setting up one of the standard drills would be easy enough.
Having people help tape and maybe run a shot timer (other than the one on my iPhone) would be cool too.
We can use the Ravensdale range (Cascade Pistol and Rifle Club) for free. It is 200 yards and we would have the range all to ourselves. There are already target stands. I can bring steel for distance shooting (100 yards+).
If you prefer indoors, then the cost will probably be around $15 to $20 per person depending on how many people come. There is an hourly fee to use the range, we will just split it amongst the people that show up.
I have been to Cascade club, and it is a very nice place. Could we use the pistol and shotgun ranges as well? If I remember right, there was a side range that had cover and looked like it was designed for shoot and move drills.
