Thread: Rifle range in Hastings in trouble ?

Originally Posted by Cyclops

The Ashburton Rifle Range has firing positions out to 700 yards as well as a 50 metre outdoor smallbore range.
Several clubs use the range which is managed by a Range Users Association.

The wall is a lot bigger than it looks from the gate.



You're wrong on most of your claims @mikee - the range is on DoC land leased & managed by the Range Users Association.

The backstop had to be rebuilt after the local and regional councils allowed a cycle/walking track to be built alongside and behind the target area.
Those responsible for the cycle/walking track did not contribute to the cost of the rebuild of the range which they caused.

Considerable expense (over $150,000) was spent on the new concrete "Great Wall of Ashburton" backstop.
It is a baffled "no danger" range that has been certified under the old NRANZ and new regulations.

Electronic Targets are used with sand filled plastic drums catching the projectiles.

The baffles make for an unusual noise profile as a noise is made as the projectile passes over each baffle.

As far as I know the Ashburton Range is the only range near the center of town in New Zealand.

FWIW I shoot regularly at the Ashburton Range and am a club member of the Ashburton District Rifle Club.

I stand corrected... mind you it was 24 years ago when I lived there. I do remember there being an investigation into moving the range to Hakatere in the 90s.
I was not aware the mountain bike track was the cause of the range rebuild either.
When I used it Mid 80s-thru late 90s the targets at the butts were definitely not electronic.