Well, I got my first taste of college life today.  Right now I am typing from one of U of A's computer labs just wrapping up my first day of orientation.  Pretty excited about going here, especially since I'll be on my own, living in sin with my g/f (and a buddy too).  Haven't been to the Tucson range yet, as I left my AR in Chandler for these 2 days at orientation, but looking forward to going there once I make the big move in late July or August.  Just thought I'd share w/ you all and wish me good luck (and let's hope that my g/f warms up to my 2nd love, my AR, a little more

Edited to add:  Go Wildcats!  

you need to master the fight song:

"FALL DOWN, ARIZONA....."

GO SUN DEVILS!

Good one markm.

Welcome to Tucson, I hope you enjoy it. It's not to bad down here, there are a few places to shoot,and there are a few of us Arf.commer's down here also.

E-mail me sometime and we'll go shooting.

Welcome.  I moved here a few months ago and so far LOVE Tucson and the area.

A breath of fresh air from the PRK.

Geoff

Howdy,

From another PRK polical refugee.  

Be sure to check out Desert Trails Gun range on Valencia close to Kolb.  The Tucson Rod and Gun club out near Three Points is outstanding too!  Steel silhouettes out to 500M for rifle and out to 150M for pistols.  Membership is cheap too!

They have steel pistol targets at 25yards.  

Welcome!

Oh, and the range near Three-points is the Tucson Rifle Club.  The Tucson Rod & Gun Club was out at the end of Sabino Canyon Rd., but you can't shoot there anymore.

Edited to add:  The pistol silhouette range is 200m.  I should know, I run the match.  Fourth Sunday every month except October and December.  We start about 9:00 AM in the summer.

If you ever feel like taking a drive down here to Sierra Vista we have a decent range.  Cement benches with solid overhead cover.  Best thing is we have steel targets to shoot at going out all the way to 500m. I am a range master and a big handgun shooter so I am usually out on Sundays over in the pistol bays will lots of steel and the falling plate rack. This area is off limits to the general public so I can do what I want and don't have to worry about getting shot by some idiot.

By Wildcat Opinions Board
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Thursday August 29, 2002

Football team mascots are a grassroots expression of home spirit — and should not be used as a rhetorical tool to manipulate students’ political beliefs and historical memory. But when the athletic department conceded last year to redraw UA’s own rootin’-tootin’ Wilbur the Wildcat with a weapons-free gun belt, they did more than just confiscate Wilbur’s six-shooters — they needlessly controlled the imaginations of students and Tucsonans alike.

The UA Identification Committee, a decision-making group that oversees official trademark policies, voted last year that Wilbur should be more consistent with UA’s weapons-free zone policy and other versions of the mascot.

While committee members denied a political motivation, members agreed they changed Wilbur because they felt the cartoon cat — popular with fans of all ages for over twenty years — set a bad example for children.

The Wildcat completely supports the ban of firearms on campus, and — though its staff holds a variety of views on national gun control — considers the initiation of force with guns anywhere to be a horrific and pernicious crime.

We do not, however, view a historical cowboy — Wilbur’s chosen motif — to be a criminal or delinquent student. A cartoon character — Wilbur included — is a make-believe object of an artist’s imagination, which individuals may or may not choose to support in gift shops according to their own conscience.

To punish nonexistent human beings or cartoon characters for violating rules designed for living people is absurd — and a disappointing display of condescension to students who paid good money to receive an objective education. It also is a “rip off” to the students and families — children included — who love football and the competitive values the sport promotes.

A good mascot says to opponents: “We are not to be trifled with. You want to challenge us? We are armed and ready. You want the glory of victory for your home town? Our town has got history, tradition and class that we won’t let you take away — and we’re not afraid to say it.”

But with an empty gun belt, our cowboy cat was stripped by a “well-meaning” group of his means of attack or defense. What can Wilbur do now? Bluff his opponents into forfeiting — or embarrass them with pity for his misfortune?

Sigh, I know, I know, Tucson is liberal, but I am still going to college at U of A (for this next year anyway).  That's the first time I heard about that thing w/ Wilbur and the guns though.  What a bunch of bullshit.  Damn.  Good thing I won't live on campus.  

Besides all that, my parents and my sister are alumni, and my g/f is getting a full ride scholarship, so I might as well go there too.  Will also be nice to get away form my family for a while.

I attended U of A from `79 through `83 (lived in Navajo Hall in the stadium). When I was there we had small bore matches in the basement of Bear Down. I had a 1911 with me in the dorm room, although I didn't keep it loaded or at the ready. Guess those days are over.
I can't believe it's already been 20 years....


Edited to reiterate:  GO WILDCATS!

Damn, Gus, I just missed you.  I lived in Navajo from '83-'85.  Graduated in December of '85.

I kept a Dan Wesson .357 in my room, loaded.  I was working as a security guard most of that time while I was going to school.  The guy in charge of the floor had a Colt .380.  I forget his name, though.

A friend of mine ran the ROTC program there for a couple of years long after I graduated, so I got to shoot in the basement of Bear Down once.  Not a bad little range, but I understand that it's closed now.

Wow! My room was directly above the entrance door, 3rd floor. That's a trip! We used to make beer can pyramids on the TV down in the common room (I forget what we actually called it, but it was to the right after you walked in past the front desk). I really miss my U of A days!