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Some of you may have seen the postings on UKV regarding Gardners Guns new 1 mile range at Eskdalemuir (near Lockerbie), Gardners already have a 25/50/100m range near Longtown with indoor seating, a shop etc.

I rang Mark Gardner a couple of weeks ago to arrange a visit on behalf of the Three Counties Sporting Club to discuss the ranges and the possible options for our club using them.

Here's the postings from UKV for those who haven't seen them.


Couple of photos from the 1 mile gong point taken yesterday,





Looking back towards the firing point (top right hill)



Closer shot of the firing point hill (the white "spots" on the rear most hill)



Costs,

We were told shooting on the 1 mile range would be by club members only. Club membership is £100 Feb to Feb with about 300 current members.

For the 25/50/100m indoor seated club venue it's an additional £20 per visit.

For the 1 mile range it's an additional £50 per visit.

Members will have a probationary period and assessment at the 25/50/100m venue before being able to shoot on the 1 mile range regardless of having an FAC or NRA Shooter Certification Card etc.


Next posting was in answer to a couple of questions about the overall cost and probationary period etc.

We weren't given a fixed timescale for the "probationary" period, from what I gathered new members would be evaluated individually so the period could be only a few visits.

For myself and my son I worked it out as follows for 10 visits a year, 5 to the 25/50/100 and 5 to the 1 mile.

Membership - £200

3 trips to "qualify" and a further 2 visits to the 25/50/100 range - £200 range fees + £100 petrol (160 mile round trip)

5 trips to the 1 mile range - £500 range fees + £100 petrol

So roughly for the year, £1,100

Our club only has access to military ranges, for a half day shoot using 10 lanes it costs just under £300. Some days (on a morning shoot) we can be there for 08:30 but not get clearance to shoot until 09:30 - 10:00, we then have to be off by 12:30. Allowing time for cleaning the range, changing details, moving back from 100 to 300/600 etc. only leaves around 60-90mins of actual shooting time.

We shoot at two MOD/Landmarc ranges, Ponteland (2 ranges, 100-300 & 100-600) and if we can get it Otterburn (several ranges up to 1000m+). Ponteland is usually OK and we get about 10 visits per year with just the odd cancelation. Otterburn is a different matter, we can only shoot there when there's a military presence on one of the ranges. Several times over the last year or two we've arrived (130 mile round trip) only to be told that we can't shoot that day, communication from them isn't great.

The purpose of our visit was to try and sort out some sort of affiliate membership for the whole club with the option to block book either the 25/50/100 or 1 mile range for our use once a month but that simply isn't an option that's available.

They might be trying to limit the number of days held in order to satisfy planning regulations. I'm aware of that having happened south of the border.

I might have to investigate this myself, that's my favourite part of Scotland as my family comes from not far away, and it would give me another reason to visit.

It does rain a fair amount though.

Half a day's lane hire at Bisley costs £51 at a weekend, plus £38 for a marker, which considering the facilities offered, is acceptable (just, but only if you get a marker that's actually awake).
This range just appears to be a chunk of open country with a target set up in an area not famous for it's good weather, and it appears that if I simply wanted to book a slot, drive up there, flash my shooters/RO card and shoot, I couldn't.
They obviously have enough local members flush enough to keep it viable, so good luck to 'em.

Pete

The thing is that for many of us Eskdale isn't in a remote a part of the country like Bisley is.

It's a lovely area - I used to deer stalk around there

dodgyrog wrote:deer stalk

That's the strangest spelling of "Dogging" I've ever seen

phaedra1106 wrote:

dodgyrog wrote:deer stalk

That's the strangest spelling of "Dogging" I've ever seen

Never go dogging at Eskdalemuir - the buddhists don't like it.

DL. wrote:

phaedra1106 wrote:

dodgyrog wrote:deer stalk

That's the strangest spelling of "Dogging" I've ever seen

Never go dogging at Eskdalemuir - the buddhists don't like it.

Anugraha eh - funny place

There is an article in the October issue of Rifle Shooter magazine, that I wrote about a visit to this range.

Looking forward to seeing how this facility develops.

Mike