Big Island Shooting Ranges

[David D]

If I remember right(it was thirty years ago when I was in!) a US Marine qualifies on the rifle range at 100M, 200M, and 500M with an M-16.

[Jared I]

Shooting at 500m is just working out to 1000m. It is very common to shoot over 500m, with a match grade M16 variant I can reliable in the prone center mass of a 10" ring. I normal work at 1000m with my M1A, 1903s and M1 Garand without scopes and a few sport bolt actions I have with scopes, and at least 500m with Swedish/German/Belgium/Spanish mausers and a few other iron sight guns. Its hard to find nice 1000m ranges except in the western states or on mil bases.

Alot of shooting is training, if you grewup in western states you take alot of long shoots at white tail, mulies and elk. If you were in the Corps or a competion shooting program, you were taught to shoot up to 500m to qualify yearly and if you were an 03xx you shot out to 1000m regularly.

Believe it or not its alot like yoga. You stretch in the morning and night to get into the prefect shape and balance. You develop breath, muscle and sight control. Its really peaceful even after the round goes down range. The there is a ballistics side of the shooting, designing a round with the proper weight and charge to mate with your selected gun and target.

To make it fun some gun clubs have orienteering events (kind of like biathon without skis), you run 5-10k with a rifle while you are using a compass to find your way through the woods, where you stop to get you ticket punched you shoot 5 rounds. It very hard to go from a run to a relaxed shot to the run again.

Generally you drink your favorite liquid after good day of shooting.

Mella, you should try shooting, especially skeet. Its relaxing, fun and women are generally better at it then men.

[mella l]

Thanks for the suggestion Jared, I'll keep that in mind, it does sound like a fun sport. Really I am a dead eye with a bow! Picked it up in High School and for some odd reason I got it! Really fun also.

mella l