OK, with the present discussion on guns and such and the seeming prolific local ownership of same (no surprise there!) the obvious question I'd like to ask is where does everyone shoot their firearms? Familiarity being the keystone of firearm safety, being able to go somewhere SAFE and learn to be comfortable with your firearm, know it's functions and the location of its controls and most importantly, simply to have fun shooting it (them) and hone shooting skills... These and other aspects of firearm ownership are important to safety and dispelling the frequent fear by some who may live in the same house as the firearm(s). It is important to all those residents including those who may never use or want to use it since unforeseen things have a way of happening.

There are many local shooting clubs but their ranges are normally not open to the public. Membership is often restricted by various factors and in some cases, "knowing somebody" is necessary for membership.

I understand that a number of years ago a local non-profit approached the county about building a PUBLIC range at the closed Resh Rd. landfill. The proposed facility would have been open to anyone with a modest hourly fee charged. Basically a county "shooting park" that someone offered to design, operate and possibly even build (I'm not sure about the latter) with the county's oversight and approval, that would obviously benefit an awful lot of local people. The county stonewalled the group until they lost interest. We have abundant county built and maintained facilities for other sports as well as a multi-million dollar golf course. Modern technology and design knowledge can build shooting facilities with minimal impact to the neighboring area, nullifying stray bullets, containing lead deposition and even reducing noise to a unobjectionable level. Many other jurisdictions around the country have noticed the need for such facilities and stepped in to provide them to their citizens - at a profit! The most notable is in Frederick county though operated by Carrol county - it's a weird situation where the range is right on the county line. Unlike football, softball and soccer fields it not only provides a service but does it while turning a profit. Novel idea in government circles huh?

So my second question is, do you think such a public range would be a good idea and something the county should provide given the obvious plethora of local privately owned firearms?

The best thing you can do is become a member of one of the local or surrounding rod and gun clubs. Maryland has seen fit to just about regulate public ranges out of exsistance. Unless you are lucky enough to own enough private property to shoot on your own land. But this will still not prevent the neighbors from getting all bent out of shape and calling the law to file a complaint. Perhaps they should set it up so citizens can call in just like getting a burn permit so the /FD isn't running out to investigate smoke when you burn brush.

But private clubs with their own ranges in Maryland is the answer or those in the surrounding states too.

CWD

We have a private shooting range in our back yard. We own a bit of land and shoot the clothes-pins off the clothes line.

Not very "professional", but it works, and wooden clothes-pins are cheap!

If you are hitting clothespins off of a line I'd say your a pretty damn good shot

Note to self- Do NOT pi$$ off Jelsey

Haha, yep, pretty good. Scared the crap out of hubby when he realized that I was a better shot than he was, even though I don't hunt animals.

My grandpa taught ALL of us how to shoot REALLY young. I remember that the 22 long he started me out with was almost as big as me. His target of choice was groundhogs in the cow pasture. He always stressed that it was important NOT to hit the cows.

All three of my kids shoot, my 16 year old daughter is the best shot, although none of them hunt - much to the dismay of my husband.

We all grew up around guns and learned gun-safety at grandpap's knee. SOME country folk RELY on guns to put food on the table. Folks who don't "get it" never will, so I don't try to change anyone's opinion regarding guns in the home.

Guns don't kill people...

bullets do.

:stands and applaudes loudly:

Yoss "gets it".

We had "night firing" qualification the other night. 3, 5, 7 and 15 yards with and without flashlight. I tore up "center mass" of the target.

Why does the prison seem to have night firing several evenings a week for weeks at a time?

the correctional officers are required to have that annual training. they are at the range all day and into the night.

And their qual. course has gotten a lot better. 30 years ago a lieutenant took them over to the quary or the old chicken coop and tacked up a target on the side of the building or the door and they just blasted away and were marked qualified.

But even in later years they still had yahoos in those towers with guns. There are some notable personalities that were at MCTC who incurred....um....accidental discharges?
Dutch

You can call the Green Ridge state forest office.

There is a shooting range off of old rt40. at Green Ridge. that is the closest public range around this area.

Getting into a club around here will take some time. They all have a waiting list. The best shooting range is at the Potomac Fish & Game Club. 25yrds. to 200yrds. Members Only, but can take guests to the range.

Green Ridge is a pain and it is usually if they have someone available to open it. I've been told more than once it was open only to find the chain across and no one there. Green ridge is state owned and operated and you are at the mercy of the state when it comes to operating hours and procedures. If you are from the Hagerstown area and don't feel like jumping through hoops and enduring some other ritual just to have a place to shoot I would suggest the Waynesboro Fish & Game. No waiting list. Nice covered range 25, 50 & 100. Always open except when mowing or for regular maint.

Does anyone know anything about the south mountain rod and gun club off Foxville Rd (rt 77) near Smithsburg?

I'm not 100% but I think that is another hoop jumping stand in line get on the list club. Everyone I've talked to that belongs there all they talk about is going there to eat or a dance or some sort of feed or party. do they even have a range?

They don't have a range but they have some land for hunting up near Clearspring.

They do hold shooting matches (shotgun) up at the club.

Waynesboro has 200 yard distance, too. Chambersburg R&G has 25, 50, 100, 220 I believe, and an indoor range, & sporting clays.

Where is Potomac, and do they have a wait?

Your right! I forgot Waynesboro just added that long one on the end but it's not covered.

I used to belong to Chambersburg but it seemed too much of a drive and that lock on the gate is a real pain sometimes. Their 25, 50 & 100 ranges were usually trashed in that people were tearing up the target frames leaving trash everywhere and there was no repair going on because it seemed like all the money was going to sporting clays and the fish hatchery. They always wanted the users of the range to do the work but when it came to the sporting clays they got what ever they needed +.

The indoor range was for small cal. .22 and alike. It was shut down because of lead contamination. I don't know if they got that straightened out or not?

The 200 at Chambersburg was covered the last time I was there two years ago. But of the two I would pick Waynesboro.

Maybe you and I are talking about a different place in Waynesboro. Where I go they have a covered shooting area and dirt berms and target holders set up at 25, 50, 100 and 200 yards, all in a row.

No I think it's the same one all the way back the road past the clubhouse. But the 200 is all the way to the right and if there are shooters at all the covered position you have to put a bench in the gravel on the right end of the overhead cover by the trash barrel. Yes if no one else is there you can sit under cover on the right end and still line up on the 200 but some times it is busy and the gravel is all that is open. I think you can actually squeeze two benches out there. July was the last time I was up there though.