Thread: The future of Rifle Ranges.

You don't I believe need an approved range for "sighting in". Correct me if I'm wrong. Its bin a while since I read the new regs but I believe they only apply to "formal" ranges -the main part of the legal definition of "formal" being around organised membership (Clubs) or public use, and targets being left in place over night, running events etc. If you are just a small group of 2-3 mates and you get together to sight your rifles in (load testing) any sensible gully or big hillside will do. Yes you need legal access on private land. That's a prob in big smokes but that is also why clubs with ranges exist. The well established big city ranges are well and truly across the new requirements.

Its the little clubs in small towns and rural NZ that have the compliance and cost problem. They also often have membership and survival-as-clubs problems. Frankly some would be better off disbanding as an organization with membership etc, stop calling where they shoot a range, and just come together as mates in 2s and 3s to "sight in". Word of mouth will accommodate youngsters starting out needing to "sight in" also. Oh, and don't leave targets up overnight. Probably sell the clubhouse off too, or put some haybales in it. No more AGMs, Incorporated Society Reporting, Club Accounts & Minutes, Elections or AGMs. Just shooting and reloading and hunting. Of course if you love your Club you will get stuck into the now necessary compliance.

My "sighting in" and load dev is done using 6" steel gongs rated for 30 cal @100m. I can hang them on any wire fence. A large sheet of appliance box cardboard held in place with a couple of electric fence standards tells me where I'm missing lol. Or how I'm grouping. Eminently portable. Great with a buddy or two. Can go anywhere I have permission and is sensibly safe to shoot. I shoot same as I do hunting, off sticks, a strainer post, leaning on a tree or off the bonnet of mates truck (don't like scratching mine)

Having said that, I also belong to 3 shooting clubs with 100m, 220m and 700m formal registered ranges, Pistol and NZDA, all with organised shoots. Sometimes tho life is more simple on your own.