Wyoming shooting complex

[Don McDowell]

To keep from further running the NRA thread off the rails...
Given the current state of the economy, and the zany behavior in the Wy legislature.
Truth be told our climate here limits the decent shooting season to 3 maybe 4 months of the year. That's not really going to make for the 300+ million dollars too build the facility a real good expenditure of tax money we don't have. Not to mention not adding to the overwhelming number of state employees we already have. For those that don't know the state employ's more people than any other single entity operating within the state borders.
So it may be better in the end to take what ever is left from the 10 million dollar slush fund for the study committee and redirect it out to the various existing ranges around the state in grant form for range improvements. That would take legislative action in the next session starting in Feb of 25, but would likely be a much easier hill to climb as that money has already been appropriated. Going that route would also allow for the various ranges and their pet shooting programs to expand to better facilitate their favored match formats.

[RB1Shooter]

Good suggestion and probably a bit more realistic.

[Don McDowell]

If it was done right a range could put in some massive improovements and if the money wasn’t available a supplemental funding could be put into the grant funds

[Randy Bohannon]

Don, Spot on with your assessment of our State Gov. What areas in WY would make for a sound investment that has some potential ?

[Don McDowell]

The whole place has potential but they all have climate draw backs

[mike herth]

Don, I especially like your thought to use the $10M to seriously upgrade existing ranges that can accommodate larger numbers of shooters, but I don't know where they might be. Unless the energy industry comes back we'll remain in the "think small, be small" mode I believe.

[Don McDowell]

Mike the energy industry will come back, it has always been a roller coaster ride.
About 20 years ago the WYGFD got ahold of a bunch of money from Pittman Roberts and NSSF and they built and improved ranges all over the state. Some locations the local clubs took good care of em others went to pot. Biggest problem is there hasn't ever really been a huge long range crowd of any kind. Sillhouette spiked for a bit and then died, and I think there's only one high-power match left, and the bpcr at Smithmoor. When the Worland bunch tied on to bptr midrange there were only 12-13 of us that showed up and stuck with it, and now it's grown to as many as 30.
Used to be a ton of muzzleloader matches around the state, but those have dwindled down to the point that some of the clubs that ran strong in the 7-'s and 80's are just gone.
Lots of high-power target matches around at Worland, Laramie, Rawlins and occasionally Cheyenne and Lander.
But the big drive has always been shotgun sports and some handgun stuff like IPSC and the like. Probably isn't a county in the state that doesn't have a pretty good trap/skeet range.

[desert deuce]

Looking at the current suitable situation BPCR Long Range Target venues. This does not figure in range availability or capacity.

More or less 4-5 month shooting window at Ben Avery at Phoenix, AZ. Mid Nov to Mid MAR for BPCR Target
Hunting Season here AZ a lottery essentially Sept to Mid Dec

Missoula is nice in August

I am not sure when is best weather window at Byers or Lodi on a Calendar

For Target at Raton, Last week Aug to Mid Sept

Have not heard anything out of Perry City, SACTO or Capitan in quite a while.

Don't know about the Washington State situation or any others that can handle long range target that have a backstop.

Please add in any Ranges Suitable for Long Range Target here that are not on military bases.

[bpcr shooter]

Lodi around May thru Sept, even into Oct is very nice. April can be nice but, early can bring, snow,rain or anything of the sort.

[desert deuce]

Are we to now conclude that there are only FIVE suitable ranges "available" for long range target in the United States?
And only one suitable range available during the winter months?

Can we now see the importance of Byers? We also now need to see numbers signing up and entering for Byers Oct 2024. Sure, could be early fall weather at Byers in October, but still in summer temperatures at Ben Avery in October. There is seldom such a thing as an IDEAL SITUATION.

Then the seldom spoken of here, The U.S. World Champion American Muzzle Loading Team. They also shoot mid and long range target and represent the United States on the world stage. The U.S. Team was dominant in 2024 because they are seasoned long range target shooters that swept both mid and long range competition at Hungary this past summer. I hear they will host the MLIAC World Championship at the Whittington Center in 2025. They should be invited, welcomed and accommodated at any BPTR shoot.

The first key is participate, the second is recruit shooters to attend.

[kwilliams]

I have not heard the Capitan N.M. range mentioned for a long time. I used to live there and shot there frequently. Back then as I recall it was on a private ranch with some sort of lease agreement. It was a nice place with pits, berms etc. and faced North.
kw

[Don McDowell]

There are a few ranges around that have 1000 yard pits, but as in the case of Byers owned and controlled by the club, and subject to the whim's and schedules of the club.
There was another range in Washington state that had 1000 yard matches, but bptr got shut out due to crossticks causing potential environmental problems.

[bpcr shooter]

Harris, Mn has a 1000yd too.

[Don McDowell]

Alliance has shooting positions all the way to 1000 but they face s/se

[JonnyV]

There are a few ranges around that have 1000 yard pits, but as in the case of Byers owned and controlled by the club, and subject to the whim's and schedules of the club.
There was another range in Washington state that had 1000 yard matches, but bptr got shut out due to crossticks causing potential environmental problems.

I think you’re talking about this range… I sent them an email asking about BPTR events. We’ll see what comes back.

https://www.tcsa.info/