In case you did not know, the range at Shelby Farms is back open.....temporarily.

I went by the County Range today just to check. Yep, its open!  Right now they're operating on the old schedule. Wed to Sat, 9:00am to 4:30pm Sunday it opens at 11:00am. However, if business isn't as good as hoped for, they may change to Sat and Sun only.  
The current plan is to remain open until Dec 31. But be forewarned! That could change at any time. They're taking this on a day to day basis.  

Apparently there were so many complaints from hunters that someone pretty high up in county government decided to reopen the range for at least hunting season.
Steve Satterfield is NOT happy about the range re-opening and will no doubt do whatever he can to sabotage this experiment.

Meanwhile, enjoy it while it lasts.

I am sorry but that is completely stupid that they closed it to start with. Does anyone know thier exact reasoning for closing it in the first place?

They said it was losing too much money. They have been trying to close it for years,and now the pricks finally got it done.  That range has been there for over 40 years and the E.P.A. said it
will cost over 7 million to clean up the lead contamination before it can be used for any other purpose. Since the county won't spend the money to clean it up.....it's just gonna sit there.

I knew it has been there for a while just didnt know how long. I mean if it is just going to sit there they need to use it because the times that i went it was always packed

As I understand it, a significant issue was the residential properties erected downrange along Wolf River Parkway.  Apparently at one point there was overwhelming citizen complaints because rounds were ricocheting off the walkways and ending up in the new developments.  I know that's why they removed the sidewalks out to the target stands but I'm afraid the damage had already been done in the county government's eyes.

The EPA issue was the other problem as Herman pointed out.  Once someone got it in their head that it would cost an exorbitant amount of funds for cleanup, it became a burning sore in the place that matters the most to a politician:  their spending budget.  The more money out of their budget, the less power to do what they see as priority topics on their agenda.

On a side note, anyone else notice that MSSA's initiation and dues fees went up 60% and 66% respectively the same month the Shelby County range shut down . . . but only for new members?  Excellent range and I had been thinking about joining, but now it feels like they're taking advantage of the situation because they know they're the only game in town for long guns.

E-95

Thats one reason I don't shoot when I go home is because the other ranges that you can shoot at jacked up thier prices since the period of time it closed so they could make money off of everyones misfortune

Guess that we now know the reason why sam cooper has become the new shooting range.

Nope I am 3 hours away at school

Im going to go down on saturday if the weather holds.

I think that they require you to use slugs.

Is anyone going out to the range today at shelby farms?  I am planning on heading out there around noonish.

It was a wonderful experience of bonding between a man and his AR.  And a not so wonderful experience with his 308.  It is definitely time to ditch the cheap simmons scope that is sitting on top of the remington.  Additionally, i realized that the rifle does not appreciate surplus 308 rounds.  As to the bonding experience with the AR, I started out by sighting in the scope that I had mounted on it.  Then I got tired of shooting it with the scope on it and decided that it was time to play with the open sights.  All i can say is that it is one heck of an experience to make a 30 round 2 inch group.