Range at Atterbury

Headed for Atterbury today.  Has anyone got a look at the range to see if some of the deficiencies of the original construction have been corrected?  I haven’t signed up yet, and was considering begging for a firing point near the end to avoid a climb over the box at the 25 yard line.   Without a lot of help from the guy I was scoring, last year could have been a disaster for my Medicare covered body….     

I didn't shoot the NRA National Matches last year but based on what I remember reading here it doesn't look like anything has changed.

They have made some minor changes. 

There are steps built so that folks can more safely climb over the 25 yard line structure and the 25 yard target frames are now somewhat lower, but for those who are shorter in stature it is still a stretch to staple up replacement targets - not helped by the NRA generously providing ALL full face targets - no repair centers - it was quite windy today and those big targets can be a struggle.

At least one older shooter took a tumble off the 25 yard line this morning.

I am told that they moved the 50 yard target line and that it is now actually 50 yards from the front edge of the concrete firing line (but I have heard different opinions about this - it does not appear to me to have been changed - but I did not scrutinise it last year). The folding tables are still the same and located right up to the edge of the concrete (fingers crossed that it does not rain!).

They have a squad of young Marines who are helping with range control and are on hand at the target line - very good.

The PA system is not good - experienced caller Randy is trying his best - but his commands are often indistinct - especially at the far low end. The sight line from the Caller's Box is not good and there have been several mis-calls already. However, that has not been a big issue so far.

Several of the targets are not able to be adjusted to 90deg - said to be caused by incorrect design of the adjusters (turnbuckles) on the ends of the connecting bars. There have been several complaints that short line target exposure periods have not been consistent - I have just tried to get my shots off at least as fast as normal.

Almost all of the errors and issues that I have faced here so far have been totally of my own making - cannot blame the organisers for those!

The powers that be have said that "everything will be fixed by next year", but that is what they said a year ago!