H R C -
News Letter
H R C -
News Letter
August, 2008
Open House
The club will hold an open house on
Sept. 28 from 10 to 3 to show the public the facilities and to demonstrate the
various shooting sports. Volunteers are needed, and Dave Matuszek is in charge.
Instructors Course
The club will host a training course
for new NRA pistol instructors on the weekend of October 11-12. Anyone who
would like to become a certified NRA pistol instructor should make reservations
by Sept. 23. The indoor range will be closed that weekend.
WMPL
The annual round-robin .22 matches of the
Western Mass. Pistol League will begin in October. The matches pit the HRC team
against shooters from other clubs. Beginners are encouraged to participate, and
guns are available to borrow.
Elections
The club will hold its annual meeting
and election of officers in November. All members in good standing are eligible
to run for positions on the board of directors or other posts.
100-Yard Range
Work is nearly complete on the 100-yard
range, following a washout during the spring rains.
Indoor Range
Soundproofing work on the indoor range is
complete, and sound levels have been reduced from 114 to 94 decibels on the
firing line and from 94 to 77 in the meeting room, both tests measuring the
sound level of a .45 pistol. The work took several months and is one of the
projects funded by the Friends of NRA grants.
Range Damage
Several of the new sound panels on the
indoor range have sustained damage due to improper or careless aiming. Some
shooters have been resting pistols on the front edge of the bench and aiming at
targets closer than 50 feet. This results in an upward trajectory and damage to
the range and roof. There is an adjustable pistol rest available at all times
on the indoor range. It should be used for sighting-in, and adjusted so that
the gun barrel is in a level position before firing. Targets should be placed
at the 50-foot line. Larger targets can be used for initial adjustments.
Range Lights
Range lights have been left on recently,
raising the club’s electric bill needlessly. Shooters are reminded to shut off
all lights when they leave the range.
Junior Rifle
The club’s junior rifle program will resume
activities on September 18. Anyone between the ages of 12 and 20 is eligible to
join. Interested parties should leave a message on the club phone at 539-9345.
Police Training
The Holyoke Police Department is
conducting its annual qualifications on the HRC range. During these sessions
the indoor range is closed to regular members, under terms of a contract between
the club and the city. Members may shoot at the outdoor ranges within the
posted hours.
New Members
Linda and Jamie Pike of Holyoke joined the
club at the August meeting.
Practical shoots
The club holds practical pistol shoots
on the fourth Saturday of the month. Participants should bring a centerfire
pistol with spare magazines or speedloaders, 100 rounds of ammo, a holster which
is not cross draw or shoulder style, eye and ear protection and a baseball cap.
New shooters should arrive by 9:30 a.m. for instruction, and the match begins
at 10. During the warm months, the shoots are held outdoors, and are open only
to HRC members under the terms of a court settlement. Rich Boadway is in
charge.
50/50 Raffle
Rich Asselin won $10 at the August
meeting. Bob Baillargeon’s name was drawn to win $52.50, but he was not
present, so the money will go into the September jackpot.
Training
Holyoke Revolver Club will resume its training course in September. The club conducts an NRA Basic Pistol Course the third Saturday of every month except July and August. Information is available by calling the club phone at 539-9345 and leaving a name and address. The course is given in one day, and successful participants receive an NRA Certificate as well as the state certification required for Mass. firearms licenses. The club provides instructional materials as well as firearms, ammunition, targets and lunch. Dave Matuszek is chief instructor.
Trainees
must provide a government-issued photo identification at the time of
registration.
NRA
and GOAL
The club encourages its members to
join the National Rifle Association and the Gun Owners Action League, the state
rifle and pistol association. Ed Pelland is the club recruiter for both
organizations, and handles both new applications and renewals. Members can save
$10 on NRA dues, and Ed receives NRA points for each renewal. He applies the
points to NRA memberships for junior members of the club.
