Minsterley ranges (and some etiquette help for the socially awkward!)

SimpleSimon

Well-Known Member
Hi all,
Very exciting news, that is, exciting for me. Less exciting for the rest of you - I picked up my new (to me) rifle yesterday! Very happy with my purchase, worth the 250 mile round trip and the fact that i cancelled stalking to go for it!
I stopped off on the way home at my in-laws house for tea and to show off my new toy. My brother in law and his dad are both big target shooters, and they've invited me to Minsterley (The Bog) with them next week. Should be very useful the rifle needs setting up and zeroing and it will be good to have knowledgeable friends on hand.
Question is, what is Minsterley like as a venue? And what makes a range good or bad in your eyes?
Secondly, as this is my first experience of this type of facility, is there any etiquette (beyond obvious safety precautions) that need to know. I'm sure the in-laws will look after me, but I don't want to stick out as that muppet newbie who got it wrong and peed everyone off. The unwritten rules of the range, if you will.
 
Minsterley is ok usually very quiet tho which is nice

about £30 to shoot all day

don't wear trainers if it's been raining the ground between you and the target is like a errrr BOG. Boots are best

Start on the 50 and have fun and don't let your barral get too hot
 
Sounds good Mark, mud I can deal with, thanks for the tip!
30 quid sounds ok considering I'm getting picked up on the way (no fuel to pay for) and my alternative plan was Calton Moor which is further to go and paid by the hour.
 
Take a stapler to stick targets to the backing board (or drawing pins) lots!
Ideally take your own backing boards as if it is windy the ones they sell just blow off.
Best thing for backing boards there is Correx sheeting (for sale signs) which are the correct size for the frames too.
Take your own targets.
 
Can’t see you being allowed to put a foot wrong as pretty sure your hosts will provide a full briefing on range standing orders etc. when arriving at the firing point.

At the risk of stating the obvious it would be prudent to do all the scope/mount/rings setup and even bore sighting at home rather than at the range. The latter only of course if you have something suitable to point the bore at without being seen by others if considering a bedroom window!

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen highly educated people turn up on Club Range Days to undertake just what you describe only to discover they don’t have the right screwdriver and/or hex key to complete the task!

Hope your day goes well.

K
 
Minsterley & Calton Moor are both good 100yd ranges with benches to 'set up & zero'..Owners are both good experienced people. ATB
 
I would not worry in all probability there will be no one else there.
Sadly you are probably correct. Minsterly used to be a great place when we moved here but has gone down hill bigtime. The shop was a shooters dream, all sorts of stock and in good quantities. Nowadays you can buy sod all.
Make sure you take enough ammo Simon because you cannot guarantee you will be able to purchase it there.
On the other hand although I have never had need to use the ranges people I know who have seem to have no complaints about it.
 
Thanks all. So Minsterley is a good place to zero your rifle, but a poor place to make friends or buy stuff.

K, I'm sure you're right about the briefing, I just didn't want to appear totally clueless (although to a large extent I am!)
I have boresighted the rifle as you suggest, using the Sky dish of a house up the road :D
I'm looking forward to seeing how it shoots.
 
Had many a happy day on the range at minsterly. As has been said weekdays are generally pretty quiet. I believe weekends get very busy.

They used to have a reloading area at the rear of the firing points but sadly they have been done away with.

There is no formal range discipline. By this I mean there is no range officer in overall control. Shooters being sensible and safety conscious though tend to cooperate with each other and it all seems to work very well.

Watch for people firing a shot without checking those around them have their hearing protection on. A quick shout of 'ears' before shooting is welcome.

Yorkie.
 
Went last Tuesday - paid up - had the range to ourselves for the rest of the day !
I believe you can buy hot drinks but best take a flask as it's very cold up there at the moment
Check the webpage before you go as they occasionally let the entire 100m. range out for the day but it's always announced on the website
There did seem to be a few more bits and pieces in the shop than there usually is
Enjoy
Ed
 
Back
Top