At Colonial Williamsburg’s new gun range, visitors get to experience what it was like to shoot 18th century weapons





WILLIAMSBURG — As a longtime resident of adjacent James City County, I was intrigued when Colonial Williamsburg announced its new gun range at which shooters can fire replicas of 18th-century muskets.

Of course, history is part of the everyday experience of living in the area. For example, my children went to grade school in the historic area downtown and are members of the Yorktown Fife and Drums.


But this was a new twist on history. While I’ve fired rifles and shotguns since I was about 10 years old, I’d never had the chance to shoot a flintlock weapon.


The range is the newest offering at Colonial Williamsburg, which over the past few years has revamped its programs to include the immersive Revolutionary City, where participants become part of a community on the brink of war.


An hour of shooting costs $119. Participants are picked up at the Williamsburg Lodge and taken by van to the range, which is tucked away across the street from the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club.


Solo shooters must be at least 18 years old and present a photo ID, while shooters ages 14 to 17 years old must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. All shooters also must wear hearing protection and safety glasses, which are provided.


The range, which opened in March, can accommodate six shooters at a time, and the staff is certified by the National Rifle Association and the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association, said Justin Chapman, one of the range officers. There is one range officer for every two shooters.


A range officer loads the gun with ammunition then hands it to the shooter, who fills the weapon’s flash pan with gunpowder before cocking and firing.


“You get an instructor who will take you through everything and will carefully watch how you do it and make sure that you stay safe,” Chapman said.


A tall earthen berm surrounds the range, which is 25 yards deep. In addition, the area behind the targets incorporates a ballistic material made of clay and sand to absorb the rounds, Chapman said.


Most participants take four to 10 shots during a typical session, depending on how comfortable they are with the weapons, Chapman said.


“The experience isn’t geared around a particular amount you have to knock out,” Chapman said. “We try to do it at a pretty relaxed pace.”


The “Brown Bess,” as the British Army’s Land Pattern Musket was commonly called, weighs in at a hefty 91Ž2 pounds. The weapon was used to kill in three ways: as a gun, as a club or, when a bayonet was attached, as a knife.


The fowling piece, on the other hand, weighs 8 pounds and is comparable to today’s shotgun. It was mainly used as pest control and for hunting game, Chapman said.


“The firearms are two of the most important that represent various important aspects of firearms culture and materiel culture in Virginia,” Chapman said.


As a safety measure, the guns at the Colonial Williamsburg range are loaded with about half of a standard charge, which cuts down both the recoil of the weapon and the noise it makes. The latter is important because there is a housing development about a mile away, Chapman said.


The lower loads, however, don’t diminish the shooting experience, he said.


“You really don’t need a lot of power to get a good lie on the target,” Chapman said.


Rock star Ozzy Osbourne and his son, Jack, recently brought worldwide attention to the range after they filmed a segment for their upcoming history show there. A photo of the pair cradling muskets and wearing tricorn hats taken afterward was shared across social media.


Chapman said the Osbournes enjoyed their visit and that Ozzy proved himself to be a capable shooter.


“He was the first person I ever saw go right through the center of the target,” Chapman said, adding that Osbourne jokingly dismissed the shot as a fluke.


So far the range appears to be a hit.


“Guests have responded enthusiastically to the musket range experience; some had so much fun they’ve made return visits,” said Colonial Williamsburg spokesman Joe Straw.


As for my experience, I hit the target five out of six times. I noticed I shot better with the fowling piece, though, because it seemed almost weightless and was easier to handle compared with the heavy Brown Bess.


In addition to firing the weapons, shooters receive their target, a certificate and a replica musket ball to take home.


The range is open to shooters of all abilities and is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, offering shooting benches for those who aren’t able to stand or hold the weapons.

Read more at: (AP)


As a longtime patron of Colonial Williamsburg, I was proud to have played a small part in getting this concept going and eventually completed.  Always a good thing to bring history...Alive!

Always enjoyed the "oz" man's music......after what he subjected himself to, glad to see he's still alive.