Ft Sill Privately Owned Weapons Range - Open Again

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AKJ20

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The fees at the range are new but FMWR has a lot of pressure on to make the various activities money generating if possible to both self-sustain and prop up other desired but less profitable activities.

Does the fort sill golf course need other 5 million dollar upgrade? lol
 

Sanford

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I agree with previous posters regarding hours of operation. I think there should be at least one weekday (Wednesday or Thursday) that's open early (9 or 10am). This will prevent some of the evening/weekend congestion to benefit those who can only shoot at those times. I personally experienced Saturday wait times at the POW range of an hour or more several occasions, sometimes with an additional extended wait when moving from the Pistol to Rifle side or vice-versa.
 

Pokinfun

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I spent most of the afternoon at the Ft Sill Rod and Gun Club. They had three employees, one taking money, tower operator, and the range officer. I was the only person on the rifle range for about an hour. Everyone was really nice, all the way to the tower operator saying thank you using the range, as I was leaving. The range officer was nice guy, when the range was cold he came over and asked questions about what could be improved. I was impressed, he had a note book he was taking down suggestions in. They had 12 rifle lanes, four more than before, and eight pistol lanes. New wood shooting tables, which could have been made a foot longer. The furthest you can shoot is about 240 meters with a metal target, there was also room for several paper targets at that range. They have a work order in distance markers. The range officer said they are looking at getting dirt berms on the sides of the ranges. The pistol lanes had dividers, which is new.
The female that runs the range came out taking pictures, she said in about two years they are going to build an actual rod and gun club on site. She said it take about 1.5 years for capital improvements, which seems about right. For now, the only thing they had for sale was bottled water, but they said as time goes along they are looking at selling sandwiches and maybe some shooting supplies.
The part I did not like, but understand, I could not raid the brass bucket. The range officer said they are going to use the brass to fund a few things. He did say I could take anything that was on the ground. it hurt the cheap part of me, but I have enough brass for the rest of my life.
They supplied targets, but the are large green blank Silhouettes. You still needed your own targets, which using a splatter target was fine with them. One guy used his own stand, which was also fine.
Overall, it was about the same as the POW range with a little more safety, which is fine. The $10 fee was not out of line.

Here is a picture of the range.
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I was shooting an Aero Precision M5E1 AR308 with an 18 inch heavy Ballistic Advantage Hanson barrel, Vortex Viper 2.5-10x44 scope, 168 grain AMAX bullets on 44 grains of Varget powder. The bottom target is my final target at 100 meters, the one above it was at 240 meters, I was walking in the range.

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Pokinfun

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Good write up @Pokinfun. Thanks for taking the time to do it man. The range sounds like it is a work in progress, good on 'em.
I think it is for the better, the POW range was never going to improve. At least they are planning to do some good things with it. Dirt berms would be great. They are starting to work on the Trap and Skeet Range. You can tell the three people out there know that their jobs depend on making it a success, plus they seem to enjoy the shooting community. It would be nice of they could make access to the range from Rogers Lane.
When I was 15 my stepdad took me out to a youth day at the Ft Bliss Rod and Gun Club. I got to shoot over two dozen different firearms that day, it was a blast. If at 49 I still remember it like it was yesterday, it must of been a special day.
 

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