Loss of ten targets

[kingburyshot]

Shot at Kingsbury today. The news is that there is a plan to reduce the number of targets on A [the range the civilians mainly shoot on] from thirty to twenty. It is also intended to take the backstop away which would make the change permanent. The reason given to me is that not enough targets are booked to make keeping them profitable. It is not a safety issue.
This rises several points.
Firstly there are only about 100, 600yrd gallery ranges at Bisley and maybe another 75, if that, across the whole country so the loss of ten matters.
The range rule at Kingsbury which says that no one may shoot more than a 100 yrds further back from the military has ruled out competitions such as the Birmingham Bisley. So if Landmarc wish to hire out the range for large competitions, they should consider permitting the civilians at least some days during which they can be sure of being able to use 300, 500 and 600 yrds. Even so it would take time to rebuild these shoots.
Finally the Sunday shoots when the range is used by several clubs are becoming very popular and using ever more of the range.
The loss of range space seems a very negative step to me, if Landmarc finds it unprofitable to maintain these target frames would it be possible for the NRA, or groups of clubs to step in and help in return for a helpful booking system?

[ovenpaa]

How is civilian access via Landmarc at the moment, are you finding it easy enough to get bookings? We seem to struggle to get 600 and above right now. I have heard recently of a range near Thetford that could be closing down due to lack of interest so a co-operative of clubs to maintain and/or manage existing sites has to be a good move.

[tikkathreebarrels]

"I have heard recently of a range near Thetford that could be closing down due to lack of interest "

Well, that isn't Thetford Gallery Range for sure. Sundays became a short day over a year ago, saturdays are still a full day. Acess to nearby Stanta field fire area has been restricted due, I imagine, to operational requirements. I'm only a few miles from Thetford so can't think which other range nearby might be closing.

HTH

[Sim G]

Landmarc couldn't give a monkey's chuff about civilian shooters. The contract they managed to have signed by the MoD/Labour government means they make profit regardless of who is using the range. They probably make more profit the less people there is on the range!

[kingburyshot]

How is civilian access via Landmarc at the moment, are you finding it easy enough to get bookings? We seem to struggle to get 600 and above right now. I have heard recently of a range near Thetford that could be closing down due to lack of interest so a co-operative of clubs to maintain and/or manage existing sites has to be a good move.

In the Midlands we have lost Rugley and Pershore ranges , while Whittington is out of action due to repairs. The result is a great deal of demand for Kingsbury. At Kingsbury there are a great many clubs sensibly sharing what bookings are aviable but often limited to short ranges.
The result is that its very hard to run a competition programme as you are never sure what distances you can get. This has had had a marked effect on shooting in the Midlands for example in last years first round of the English Twenty club's KGV competition only Nottingham and Northamptonshire - Leicestershire and Rutland combined could each find a team of eight shooters to represent them and they shot their heat at Bisley. Warwickshire, Lincolnshire Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Shopshire and Hereford and Worcestershire are all unable to raise a team of eight shots.

[HeatherW762]

Below is a copy of an email sent to Chris Webb, NRA Regional Manager, about the works at Kingsbury.



From: DE Ops DTE-HQOpsReq2
Sent: Wed 29-Jun-11 16:13
To: Chris Webb
Cc: DTE Landmarc HQ-Bus Dev Mgr
Subject: KINGSBURY RANGES REPAIR WORKS

Chris,

Here is a further update on Kingsbury Ranges as provided by Comdt Swynnerton at my request:

Following a compliance check of the ranges at Kingsbury by TAS it was found that the ranges failed Compliance for a Gallery and Converted Gallery range with some substantial works required.

A range of options to put the ranges right and compliant is now being staffed.These options have been put in to a Business case with a Tasking Order issued to LSS for costs prior to the case being submitted to HQ DTE for study and approval. Works have yet to be approved by HQ DTE.

Proposed works may well mean the 30 lane Gallery A range being reduced to 20 lanes and the B range Gallery lanes 13- 24 mantlet and stop butt, bullet catcher, which is redundant at the moment, being taken away and materials being used to supplement the other works required. This would leave the lanes 1-12 as the B range Converted Gallery and AMS intact as it is today.

I will keep you updated

Regards

Mike


If anyone has questions about anything to do with regional ranges/matters, please contact Chris on regman@nra.org.uk and he will be happy to answer or investigate.


Heather