Summer at the range

[bluenote]

I just returned home after 7+ weeks of running the Rifle Range at Camp Tapico (Kalkaska, MI). We had close to 300 boys take the Rifle Shooting MB, as well as some good participation in our SM/SPL shoot. With all the extra target practice on my part, the white-tails are not going to be happy with me at our deer camp in November. It was a good summer, but boy, the days and weeks sure were long!

Anyone else have a good work experience this summer at a camp?

[ccjj]

My son should be home any day from camp. He was picked up by his grandparents and went to spend a long weekend with them before coming home. From talking with him, I think that he had a great time this summer working at camp.

ccjj

[ThunderingWind]

My daughter had a great time at her first year on staff. The boys enjoyed seeing a girl teaching rather than just in the chow hall or trading post.

I will be there next summer on the rifle range once I complete my NRA RSO course. I can runa range according to the Army but not the BSA.

[bluenote]

I will be there next summer on the rifle range once I complete my NRA RSO course. I can runa range according to the Army but not the BSA.

The NRA wrote the book on BSA shooting sports MB's (literally) and BSA requires the NRA course to run their ranges. I took mine at a National Camping School, getting certifications in Rifle, Shotgun, Muzzleloading Rifle and RSO. We also got USA Archery level 1 certification. The good part about it is these certs are good for 5 years and the renewal is a much shorter course.

[ThunderingWind]

The NRA wrote the book on BSA shooting sports MB's (literally)

And I wish there was a "next" level in shooting sports foy our boys (those not in a Crew). Take Archery to 30, 60 and 90 meters (Olympic style), take rifle to 25 yard, 1/2", 5 shot groups or 50 yard, 3/4", 5 shot groups....Just something more than 50 FEET, 1 inch, 5 shot groups.

Many Merit Badges could benefit from a Second Level version once the boys earned the basic lelve BSA offers now.

Model Rocketry....take it up to earning the F+ engine launch license.

ets, etc, etc.....

[Hubert]

I am now home from my summer camp. I had a blast working on the Shotgun range and rifle range. We had much fun at the camp, even the "Set up" was a blast. . We had a lot of fun down on the range. Shooting all sorts of different weapons, ranging from hand gus to Russian rifles. It was fun and even though the days were hot and long, I still had the time of my life there.

[ThunderingWind]

...Shooting all sorts of different weapons, ranging from hand gus to Russian rifles.

Please quote BSA literature that any firearm other than a .22 single shot is allowed (I know shotguns are for that merit badge).

All training I have had to date would not allow it.

I even had to "buy" a different .22 rifle so my son could finish the MB after camp (he needed more than the 100 rounds alloted at camp (that is 25 per day, four shooting days, first day all other requirements). I only had 10/22s. These are not single shot rifles.

I am happy to say he can now shoot very well and enjoys splitting cans with less than 10 rounds at 25 yards.

[OldGreyBear]

To second Thundering Wind, as a Camp School trained Shooting Sports director, there are no handguns at a Boy Scout summercamp. Yes, Venturing Crews may so if this was a Crew activity I can only assume the appropriate pre-activity orientation was done concerning handguns.

As BSA only allows single shot .22 rifles on its' ranges, I can only assume the Russian rifles you are talking about were .22s. If they were anything else, I certainly hope no camper was present when these were used and I am not at all sure you should be posting this information as if your camp could be identified and the incidents confirmed, your shooting sports director and program director and Camp Director may have to answer some mighty serious questions.

Then again, as most Camp Staffs are also Venturing Crews, if these were Crew Activities, then the Russian Rifles no matter what size would be fine as long as the range was set up to handle the load used

Glad you had a good time, did you use any of my skits? or ideas?

[Hubert]

They were not allowed, dont worry. We used the range as a rifle range, when none was present.

[FrankJ]

G2SS has been revised. Boy scouts are allowed to shoot all 22s. Venturing Crew are allowed to shoot all guns & handguns. Hand guns are allowed on boy scout ranges for venturing activities with approval. There of course rules & safety policies to be followed.

If I was an range instructor, I would still use single shot 22s for the normal summer camp merit badge program, but it is nice to see the BSA actually become less restrictive on occasion.

[ThunderingWind]

G2SS has been revised. Boy scouts are allowed to shoot all 22s.

Great!! I wished it had happened two years ago. I spent $300.00 on a decent, used, single shot bolt action gun. I would have preferred to to buy a 10/22 or Marlin 60.

I have seen one set of guns used for BSA that were technically magazine fed BUT they mags were wleded such that they could not load rounds. So when placed into the reciever, the Scout could only open the bolt and place a round on top of the mag and gently close the bolt to load. Thus a single shot, bolt action .22 rifle.

[Hubert]

The ones that the boys used for the badge were mag. fed but they also had a replacement mag. that made it a single shot. The five round mags were removed and the blocks were placed instead, making it a single shot gun.

[WVBeaver05]

They were not allowed, dont worry. We used the range as a rifle range, when none was present.

Am I mis-understanding? Were there Scouts present or only Venturers?

[wagionvigil]

sounded like a staff thing to me

[hacimsaalk]

I would still use single shot 22s for the normal summer camp merit badge program

i agree in that i wouldnt use semi-auto .22's for target shooting at a summer camp (where any joe blow can take it). however, i would lean more towards a clip fed bolt action rifle, to speed thing slong a bit.

[Hubert]

Staff thing as Wagionvigil said.

[fritz1255]

My son earned his Rfle Shooting MB last summer. You keep shooting until you pass all the requirements for group size. He finally made it on the last day after shooting up who knows how much ammo.