Starting a shotgun shooting club.

[RRice 34]

Myself and another member on here have been talking for a long time about starting some sort of shotgun shooting club locally.There is a very large shooting enthusiast community here.We have 2 carbine matches a month that draw large crowds.This is partially due to having a good shop locally that is managed by a site admin on ar15.com who is a great guy and is majorly involved in one of the carbine clubs.There is also at least 1 pistol match per month.However,unfortunately,there are only 2-3 3 gun matches a year here.

 

After speaking to a few guys at the last carbine match, who I know have really nice shotguns,(and do the few multi gun matches)they agreed that the only reason they do multi gun is to shoot their shotguns.It stands to reason that most people that are into "black rifles" and just about everyone else who shoots uses a shotgun for home protection,yet, has no way to get out and train with it.For those of you who are involved with clubs that have organized events can you tell me what to expect?

 

Here are a few of the questions I have;

 

What is reasonable of me to expect of a range that will allow us to host this?I would like to have some money for admission given back to the club for the sole purpose of funding better targets(I just bought a dozen steel knock down targets)

 

Any good reference material on popular courses of fire?

 

At this point I am going to buy a basic amount of steels and if this never works out I won;t be heartbroken since I can always shoot the steels but I would like to get something like this going.

Edited November 6, 2010 by RRice

[oldandslow 3]

We have about 100 pieces of steel available at the Port Malabar Florida 3 gun match. All of it is for pistol or shotgun.

The average cost to replace a piece of steel is about $150. A resetable plate rack is $1600 (6 plates).

 

We have acquired this stuff over a period of 15 years.

 

A 5 stages shotgun match should have 150 rounds. About 100 pieces of steel, 20 slugs, 30 clays.

 

You would probably spend $25000 for the steel, target stands, clay holders and throwers. (Unluckaly, some of the Florid gun clubs have closed, making available a lot of "free" steel, but most of it is pretty shot up.)

 

We have been getting about 15 3-gun shooters lately, slowly building, was as low as 8. The Orlando club that shoots 3-gun gets about 40.

 

The match fee is $15.

[raymundo 4]

North Florida?

[RRice 34]

Wow.I was thinking something a little less sophisticated than that at first.That is certainly outside anything that I would be capable of funding.I wonder if it would be unreasonable to ask if the local practical shooters club would allow us to put on a shotgun only match.I would imagine they would be all for it as long as someone else is setting it up.

 

Looking at videos like this;

 

 

makes me think that it is possible to put something like this on with targets that aren't quite as expensive.I own a dozen of those knock over plates and have someone fabricating some of the clay holders.I figure if a decent amount of people show up regularly that money can go directly towards buying poppers then a shooting star.

 

 

 

North Florida?

 

Yes,middleburg.Where are you?

[arjandommisse 0]

Where are you located?

Im from the Wyoming antelope club St.pete area and we have a action shotgun every Thursday night, also 2gun or multi gun every 3e sunday of the month.

I also like to go to Hernando Sport mans club they do a 2gun every 4e Saterday of the month.

[arjandommisse 0]

O I almost forgot to mension the cfrpc in Orlando they do 3gun matches too.

[RRice 34]

O I almost forgot to mension the cfrpc in Orlando they do 3gun matches too.

 

I have been to the hernando machine gun shoot.Unfortunately,it is three hours away from me.

 

I am surrounded by gun ranges there just aren't any that do multigun events with an hours drive.I know there are clubs in central florida but they are 2+ hours one way.

[magsite20 1,664]

[RRice 34]

[magsite20 1,664]

Depending on your turn out and the range rules and equipment available seeing how especially in the beginning you can get pretty creative on targets and cut your cost down. While to hold a sanctioned match there are a lot of target requirement for a good shits and grins match anything that is safe and allowed on the range should be good to go.

In the past I made stands for the cardboard bottom that is used on all cases of cokes and beer, cheap (usually free) and paste it with masking tape.

Plastic 2 liter coke bottles hung from something will move when hit and take several hits before having to be replace.

Small squares of steel (4" or bigger) with a narrow base that also has a T stake to put in the ground work good and are reusable.

 

The faster and easier it is to set up, tear down, and reset after each shooter is important to get and keep good attendance at the matches.

Remember also if it's too hard or geared for someone with a 30 round drum you'll loose the tube loaders pretty quick.

The stages should have some movement space to let them reload.

 

Keep us up on how it works out.

Edited November 10, 2010 by Saiga20mags.com

[raymundo 4]

Orange Park, & member at gateway rifle & pistol club. I haven't run into any Saiga owners yet. PM me

Wow.I was thinking something a little less sophisticated than that at first.That is certainly outside anything that I would be capable of funding.I wonder if it would be unreasonable to ask if the local practical shooters club would allow us to put on a shotgun only match.I would imagine they would be all for it as long as someone else is setting it up.

 

Looking at videos like this;

 

 

makes me think that it is possible to put something like this on with targets that aren't quite as expensive.I own a dozen of those knock over plates and have someone fabricating some of the clay holders.I figure if a decent amount of people show up regularly that money can go directly towards buying poppers then a shooting star.

 

 

 

North Florida?

 

Yes,middleburg.Where are you?

[kmoore 3]

Not unheard of for pistol matches to hold "side" matches too. I ran a shotgun sidematch for a bit, was a lot of work and a lot of fun. It grew to be ~5 stages run after the match. we had 30-40 pistoleers, but usually only had 10 or fewer shotgunners. I usually had 1 field stage needing 25 - 35 rounds to complete, then a couple of tactical (shoot around barricades, etc) and usually something speedy involving 5 rounds or so (so that all classes compete heads up, except the occasional double bbl users )

 

It's a lot more effort to set up, mostly steel instead of cardboard, in the summer heat after a full day of shooting ... ughhh. But I had a few die hard fans that always helped to tear down.