Thread: Ashburton Rifle Range: CLOSED

At the South Auckland Deerstalkers range back in the 80's and 90's we had all manner of live stock running lose on the place horses and dry stock and milk cows none were bothered by gun fire a number of time we had to halt proceedings to clear them off the range, very disconcerting to have a nose to barrel with a big black bull, townies are a bunch winers that know nothing about real country life.

This is not a political attack by DOC or an attempt by the Ashburton council to take the land. What a lot of you are forgetting is that that land is owned by the Crown refer back to the 1907 revision to the 1881 public reserves act, then advance your knowledge to the 1977 revision. Its Crown land its that simple. The ARUA has abused public safety by using a range that would not pass Police Range requirement not the NZ NRA's own safety standards that the President of the ARUA was one of the 3 NZ NRA Inspectors who was suppose to certify the safety of the range every 5 years, if he has done that I would like to see that certification because it will not pass the NRA's standards! Having shot on that range several times there were 2 occasions motorcycles came from the left side of the range, this clearly indicates that there was insufficient enforcement of any signs should they have been posted on the range boundary. This is exactly how Dr Syd Frances was killed in 1938 on Brushy Point rifle range on the SI. In the last 17 years the following ranges have been closed, Waipukurau, Levin, Roys Hill, Hawks Bay, Okato New Plymouth, 300 meter Commonwealth range north of Hamilton, Somerville to start that list. In 1966 there were 93 rifle ranges affiliated to the NZ NRA that number is right on 20. In 1966 there were 2000 NZ NRA Members that is now at 300. The closing of this range is nothing more than an example of the short sightedness of the NZ NRA to have a proper working committee to understand council and Crown ordnances, maintain a range committee whose job it was to see that people like Mr Snowden did their jobs and inspected ranges every 5 years as required by the NZ NRA range manual and keep them in proper condition. The NZ NRA is to have a technical committee which was 4 persons until the NRA executive cut that down to ONE person who's not doing his job. The NZ NRA has failed to adhere to it safety agreements with the Army via the Crown which is why there is a legal proceeding taking place now.
Don't get peeved off at DOC or the council, you don't have to look any further than the persons operating that club and its parent organization the NZ NRA to hold them to blame for failing to follow their own rules for range safety.
Ask one question of yourself why was the ARUA club looking to move elsewhere years before, answer is, it wasn't safe then. So why has the range been running all these years when they knew it was not safe ?
Jenny Boyd makes the final statement at the US Nationals every day with her closing comments at the daily briefing, " Safety First Last and Always" .

This issue of safety has nothing to with where your from. As a mater of point I had farm in the usa where I raised Angus even if I prefer the Charolais that I grew up with. My background in safety includes having been on a range when a 14 yr old girl was killed by a gun and then later on at what I consider the safest range in the world the chief Butts officer was shot through the head while in the butts, I was less than 100 yards from him when it happened. My list of associates is about 22 cases long of range accidents, I have a further pile which is about a 1/2 inch thick of others, including NZ police and military.
When you brought up the issue of townies vs country folk like me, you did raise one valid point. NSSF National Shooting Sports Foundation has a very good flier out which uses the demographics of older shooters vs newer shooters that come on to ranges. The issue is that the older shooters had someone train them in some way on how to handle and care for firearms including hunting. The newer shooters did NOT have that previous association to others teaching them to handle firearms. This is why it is so critical that new gun owners are given instruction which they did not get in the MSC firearm license course, there is a vast gap between the aspect of hunting and that of participating in an organized shooting competition , this is one of the major failings of the national shooting organizations and local clubs. There is one notable exception and that is the pistol shooting organizations. They maintain a certifiable training course on the different styles of shooting which their members act with in. Am I saying that the other groups as the NRA are not keeping pace to the changing demographics of the new members, YES I am . The current MSC is the same test and course I had in 1973 in Colorado. That 2-3 hr course is now a full day course and required of any person who takes a firearm into the field, and includes shooting different firearms on the range and demonstrations of safe gun handling by the instructors and the students. As noted in this mornings newspaper a 16 yr old duck hunter was killed, someone violated a safety rule ! At 16 you don't have a lot of hands on accountability in handling of firearms unless you've been drilled day in and day out and corrected anytime you came close to mis directing the muzzle.
Having Cam McDonald in my shop 6 weeks before he was murdered by a MCS instructor sort of sets the point !

Originally Posted by shooternz

At the South Auckland Deerstalkers range back in the 80's and 90's we had all manner of live stock running lose on the place horses and dry stock and milk cows none were bothered by gun fire a number of time we had to halt proceedings to clear them off the range, very disconcerting to have a nose to barrel with a big black bull, townies are a bunch winers that know nothing about real country life.

Yea and thats a good point, 2 cows were shot on the range in Auckland by a shooter who didn't have his elevations set correctly. I know this because the guy that did told it was him that did the deed. Oh and by the way that Auckland club's patches and insignia has 8 cow legs up in the air, they didn't forget what happened .

Some positive news for the Ashburton Rifle Range:

Hi everyone,

Just to let you know we have received the required documentation from IRD confirming our tax exemption status. This has been forwarded to the Lions Foundation with our Grant Application, which will be tabled at next month's meeting.

In the meantime, the Ashburton Target Shooting Association has agreed to help us in our quest to have the range used within the 12-month period (although we have so far been unable to locate the actual documentation stating the range must be used to avoid losing it altogether). We have a design for a 50-metre range and work will commence very soon to build this just on the left as you go in the gates. Greg Donaldson Contracting will do the clearing work and then a team of volunteers will do some hard yakka to build a level pad and backstop. The Ashburton Target Shooting Assn have agreed to join this Range Users Assn - this will only benefit us. The 50-metre range will have strict rules, mainly that it is for prone use only and only .22 subsonic ammunition. And only shooters affiliated with a shooting club may shoot here, with a range officer in attendance. Full set of rules will be distributed to you all. The Ashburton region currently does not have a 50-metre outdoor range and we hope this will attract many of you and others. Let me know if you are interested in helping out building the range and/or shooting this discipline. It will be nice to have the range used again!

Note ONLY this 50-metre range will be certified and legal. All other areas on the range will remain out of bounds until the large concrete-block backtop is built & certified.

I will keep you informed on fundraising efforts and the 50-metre range.

Coby Snowden

Originally Posted by Sasquatch

Yes, the cycle track came second so big thumbs up to the council for that move.

I've passed that on to John Snowden the president of ARUA about Bob McMillan thanks

Exactly the same thing happened to the Taupo Gun Club ( clays). The club was all well set up over a period of 20 odd years & then the council or the Dept of Corruption allowed a Mt bike track to be put in behind a line of tall trees waaaaay out in front of the DTL traps. Waaaaay out of shot fall range too. Then the PC brigade & the anti gunners started going on about safety of the bikers!!!! I don't know what the club's current situation is, but there were rumours of the club HAVING to move!!!

Funny how airports don't get moved when people complain about aircraft noise,eh???? Slight issue of double standards

Taupo clays still shoot. Hear them every weekend.

Originally Posted by Beavis

Taupo clays still shoot. Hear them every weekend.

That's good to hear. Maybe they got the bloody mt bike track redirected???

Well nearly after two years the range has been re-certified and open again for members and the public. Range looks really good & has had alot of work done. I will try post some photos today.

Good result all round was glad to see the Ashburton council, police and cycle trail users cooperate with the club to make this happen. Alot of donations were made and volunteer work to make this happen.

There's still abit of light at the end of the tunnel for us yet - big thumbs up!

Gotta "like" that. I learned to shoot there under my uncles eagle eye way back in 1980s. It was very handy and I can remember once I got my firearms licence biking there after school with gun over my back. Just try that now!!
Started me in a life long hobby and have slowly wandered round most of the Disiplines since then

Excellent news, what distances does it have now

Still the same I believe 50-700 yards

Closest is 100m. Its been configured to NRA shooting requirements. I dont believe it will be open to the public like earlier days, a current range officer will need to be present anytime the range is in use. The days of every man & his dog having a key is over.

Sent from my GT-I9192 using Tapatalk

when is range open? is it open to public or do you need to be a club member?

Email was sent out to members last week opening weekend was suppose to be this weekend weather permitting and a chance for the public to come have a look.

I popped down to have a look today but was closed probably because of the rain.