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Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
I'm opening this thread to collect feedback from people who use the Tobyhanna Range. Just a brief report of what took place while you were there, good or bad. This way, we can attempt to keep a running record of what goes on there and how to get the best use of the range for ourselves. Hopefully it will also be a way for us to get to know each other and possibly arrange mutual outings in an effort to participate IN FORCE against the elements that threaten our fun and safety. Please, try to keep it on-topic.
Sample Reports:
Saturday, November 27 10am-1pm
Range crowded, mostly with dangerous idiots.
Saw the following violations taking place...
Waited 15 mins for a spot on the line.
Monday, November 29 8-9am
I was the only one on the range. Great day of shooting.
Maybe if we start taking down license plate numbers with a description of vehicle and corresponding idiots we can develop a database of habitual offenders and get them KICKED OFF for good - at least get them straightened out. Just an idea...
Thanks in advance for your help and participation.
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
Saturday, November 27 2010
4:15-4:45pm
Just before the range closed, got a few pistol rounds in.
Rifle range was crowded, I don't use that side much. Only intermittent shots heard from that side, seems like people were sighting in.
On the pistol side, one guy with a .22 RIFLE, shooting way more than the 3 round limit, rapid firing. Trying to "get rid of his ammo". 25 yd bench. Another group of 3 guys with a medium sized pistol and an AK-47, 30 round clip. They were only shooting about 6 rounds at a time out of the pistol, shooting way over the limit with the AK. No rapid fire. No sweeping or other dangerous behavior. 50 yd bench.
Before leaving, I *politely* informed them of the cartridge limit laws and actually walked them over to the posted laws and regulations just so they could see for themselves. They were all grateful and thankful, courteous and polite.
I'm going to be doing some research on the use of rifles on the pistol range. I don't care too much about the 50 yd bench but rifle shooting at the 25 yd bench concerns me. I have no idea whether it's allowed or not on either bench. It's not really posted in the rules.
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
Quote:
Originally Posted by
PoconoJo
...... I'm going to be doing some research on the use of rifles on the pistol range. I don't care too much about the 50 yd bench but rifle shooting at the 25 yd bench concerns me. I have no idea whether it's allowed or not on either bench. It's not really posted in the rules.
Yeah, this bothered me too for awhile. When I asked I was told that it's permissible to use the 25 yard range for initial, 'sight-in' shots with a rifle - especially when that rifle is fitted with a scope.
I'm there a lot. As long as nobody's doing anything dangerous, I don't really care what goes on. The one thing that does, 'get to me' though is when someone hangs his targets from the frame's top cross-member and, then, proceeds to shoot the target frame to bits. THAT does bother me.
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
Quote:
Originally Posted by
G21.45
Yeah, this bothered me too for awhile. When I asked I was told that it's permissible to use the 25 yard range for initial, 'sight-in' shots with a rifle - especially when that rifle is fitted with a scope.
I'm there a lot. As long as nobody's doing anything dangerous, I don't really care what goes on. The one thing that does, 'get to me' though is when someone hangs his targets from the frame's top cross-member and, then, proceeds to shoot the target frame to bits. THAT does bother me.
I have seen this happen and private clubs too! :mad:
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
I've only been to the new range once, I'm assuming that when people refer to the Handgun side of the range they mean the left side.... Is there an official sign that says this, if not than I would say Rifles or Handguns are allowed on either side...
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
I spent an hour or so up at Tobyhanna today, 1/1/11, with my son-in-law during the course of visiting family nearby. We arrived a little after 1400, and departed right at 1530. The pistol range was fairly stuffed with people, but the rifle range had lots of open benches.
We started out shooting rifles. There were two other groups of people on the 50 yd range, and we took up a spot on the 100 yd range. Everyone was good about range safety. No one monkeyed around with their gun while people were downrange - I watched very closely.
Shortly after we arrived, the pistol range cleared out completely. When we were done with the rifles, we moved over there, arriving at the same time another man and woman showed up. Again, range courtesy and safety were good, and he seemed to know what was expected for a cold range while targets were hung up, checked, and taken down again.
It has been a while since I have been there, but I was gratified to see that someone pried loose all the shooting bench seats and repositioned them so that people can actually use them now. It was much more comfortable sitting and shooting this time.
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
Glad to hear that, thanks for the report.
Haven't been there myself in a while, maybe I'll make it over this week.
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
was up there yesterday playing around with the .22 with a few coworkers who were breaking in their new to them M1 and SKS. some assholes on the pistol side were doing full mag dumps non stop. we went over and yelled at them, but they continued anyways. they eventually ran out of ammo and left.
and on a side note, we stopped at Baby Brunos pizza down the road on the way out. ordered a pie, and the 4 of us played our hand at Trophy Hunter while we were all OC.
when we got the pie served, the counter girl came over to me all nervously and asked if could please cover up "that thing" as she pointed at my M1911, because as she put it "there might be children that come in here, school just let out"
of the 4 of us that were OC, only i got asked to cover up. must have been because they had tupperware glocks on them. only my M1911 was evil enough to frighten the children. heaven forbid.
so Baby Brunos in Tobyhanna on 611 connected to the gas station is not so OC friendly. and asshats still populate the range in tobyhanna.
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
Had a not so great experience here a few weeks ago. While attempting to zero optics and my irons on a new AR a gentleman of approx 60 years of age decided to educate me as to the rules (which I am already well aware of and abide by). The gentleman came toward me with a evil look on his face and began to turn red and scream. "Those things aren't allowed here, if the game commission is called you will get arrested"...I always adhere to the ammo limit and all other rules...also I HAD NOT EVEN FIRED A SHOT YET! So I politely explained to this guy that he was wrong and continued what I was doing. Sooooo...Dufus begins scambling for something in his truck and emerges with pen and paper to copy my vehicles reg#. NOW, I'm getting annoyed but simply continue my business.....Asshat pulls his truck behind mine as if blocking me in and picks up his cell phone stating that he is calling the Game Commission. OK jackass...you win...politely I walk over and "badge him"...and again very politely say "listen, if you want to waste their time go ahead...I am well within the rules and as safe as humanly possible". I don't know who he called but after waiting for 20 minutes with this NUT glaring at me with utter contempt and hatred in his eyes, I packed up, told him to move his truck or I would arrest HIM...and left. I didn't even flip him off as I drove off...I had been polite to this screwball the entire time and he just became more and more insane with anger/contempt...This whacker obviously believed he was some type of "rule enforcement officer"...Don't know what his issue was but he acted like somebody had raped him once with an AR...To this day I don't know how I was able to keep my cool...
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
Ah come on you should have waited for the Game Warden. What kind of truck did he have? I`m retired and I have nothing to do all day.
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
Must be the old guy sporting the Goatee and driving a Red GmC pickup truck?
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
Thanks for the reports. Nice to have a little window into what's going on over there.
rovert97 thanks for the report on Bruno's. Maybe you should have invited her to shoot that 1911 ;) - might have changed her perspective.
45doubleta thanks for keeping a cooler head, that's what doing the right thing is all about. I've heard rumors about some old geezer over there trying to run the show - not really knowing what the heck he's talking about - someone "official" needs to set him straight. It IS too bad the game commission didn't show up so hopefully he would have been put in his place. If you ever run into him again perhaps you could give a better description of him and his truck/tag in case this happens to someone else we can cite multiple cases of him over-stretching his authority and being a public nuisance. I'm all for safety and obeying the rules but I can't stand people who attempt to take control when they have no idea what they're talking about. I might have walked him over to the posted rules and asked him to show me where certain types of rifles are banned. Maybe he mistakenly (and ignorantly) assumed you had a full-auto M16. Who knows. You might have also asked him if he had any Range Safety Officer credentials.
I hope to get up there sometime by the end of the week.
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
I'm going to try and get up there for a little practice tommorrow around one. If anyone is there and sees a big guy with a beard and a black pick up truck, that's me.
Will report back regarding the conditions.
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ByAnyMeans
I'm going to try and get up there for a little practice tommorrow around one. If anyone is there and sees a big guy with a beard and a black pick up truck, that's me.
Will report back regarding the conditions.
Sounds like me. Big guy, black truck. Now I've got an alibi if anything bad happens. "It wasn't me officer, it was ByAnyMeans." :p
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
Quote:
Originally Posted by
PennsyPlinker
Sounds like me. Big guy, black truck. Now I've got an alibi if anything bad happens. "It wasn't me officer, it was ByAnyMeans." :p
Damn it, now I just need to blame you first for something.
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
I forgot I never made it to the range so no report.
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
I have a question as i plan my first trip to this range, are children aloud? Let me clarify this: Can my 8 yr old son accompany me to the range as long as he is well supervised?
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
kids are allowed. just make sure you keep an eye on them, and the range. and teach them some safety stuff before you go there. this way they know the dangers on being there. but do it in a nice way.
good luck, its going to be snowy and windy and cold up there today.
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
Quote:
Originally Posted by
destinydog
I have a question as i plan my first trip to this range, are children aloud? Let me clarify this: Can my 8 yr old son accompany me to the range as long as he is well supervised?
Your son won't last 10 minutes out there today or any time soon. Why, well because most adults don't last that long. The range is on top of a mountain, which is now covered in snow, and ALWAYS has high winds. I wouldn't go there any time soon unless you're desperate and WELL PREPARED with warm clothing and wind proof clothing. Otherwise you're going to freeze your ass off.
You need to be prepared to dress to stay warm for 20 degree or less weather even if it's 35 on the thermo.
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
Quote:
Originally Posted by
jcabin
Your son won't last 10 minutes out there today or any time soon. Why, well because most adults don't last that long. The range is on top of a mountain, which is now covered in snow, and ALWAYS has high winds. I wouldn't go there any time soon unless you're desperate and WELL PREPARED with warm clothing and wind proof clothing. Otherwise you're going to freeze your ass off.
You need to be prepared to dress to stay warm for 20 degree or less weather even if it's 35 on the thermo.
+1000, definitely prepare for the cold up there.
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
I was able to make it up to the range today. Everything was clean. I did not make it to the rifle range but the handgun side was fine with solid wood and tacked up gray backing.
There was no unsafe behavior but their was a father with several of his kids and wife. They were very safe but originally brought out a shotgun and a box of birdshot. I told him of the single projectile rule and he put it away with nothing but a "didn't know, no problem". Unfortunately about half hour later when I was leaving I saw him pulling the shotgun case out in my rear view mirror. I did not know who you call to report this stuff so I let it be. Anyone have a number to call for whoever enforces the range regulations.
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Is there any restriction about using steel plates behind targets at the range?
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Ross11988
Is there any restriction about using steel plates behind targets at the range?
That's a no-go. You can only shoot paper targets hung on their backstops.
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
Haven't been up there since the summer time. Hope to get up there soon tho.
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i go up all the time, i never had any problems. but, because of the cold i am always the only one there most of the time. in the summer you get a few ya hoos, but normally not to bad
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
I was visiting my parents today, so my father and I took a ride over to the range to do some pistol shooting. There were a few people on the rifle side, but we never went over there. There was one man on the pistol side mining for brass. :D Anyone who has shot in the snow knows hot casings melt right down out of sight. In any case, he was picking up his empties when we arrived. We struck up a conversation, and had a very nice talk with one another. He seemed to be fairly well experienced at shooting and safety matters. He was also very well informed on matters political. I gave him a flier, and told him about this site. I explained that there was a lot of good information, although he would have to wade through the morons to get to it. He seemed to understand that about internet discussion boards. ;)
Just as we were getting ready to shoot, another gentleman showed up and started unpacking his gear. Again, he seemed to be an experienced shooter, and exhibited good safety practices. As he was unpacking, he produced a Ruger 22/45. I walked on over and showed off my Mk II Competition Target. We talked about Ruger .22s and carry .45s for a while, and then all commenced to banging away with our respective guns.
Not too long after that, some kid showed up with his girlfriend. He came close to sweeping us a couple of times, but not close enough to say anything. I watched very closely. I did have occasion to speak to him firmly though. Just about the time the one man was popping a mag into my Ruger to try it out, the boy just waltzed on down to his target without even saying a word to anyone. I yelled for him to stop. He turned to me with an attitude, and wanted to know why he couldn't go down to his target. The man with my Ruger said, "We don't want you to get shot".
We then had a group discussion on range safety. I told the young man that the range needed to be cold before anyone crossed the firing line, and explained what cold meant. I said that more people were shot with unloaded guns than with just about any other kind. That mystified him. He could not understand how that could be, and said so. The other man said, "It is because people get shot with guns they think are unloaded. Every gun is always loaded, even if it is unloaded." We made the kid go back, clear his gun, and lock the action back. I explained that when people went downrange, no one touched a gun, a magazine, or anything else. That is how people keep from being shot at the range. He was a little defensive at first, but once he saw we were not being nasty to him, he took it pretty well.
Overall it was a good afternoon there, and we got to educate a couple of people. I hope they took it to heart.
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
I thought I recognized that bellowing voice. I was up there today on the 50 yard line with my coworker rocking the 22 bolt guns after a failed morning of rabbit hunting.
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
Quote:
Originally Posted by
rovert97
I thought I recognized that bellowing voice. I was up there today on the 50 yard line with my coworker rocking the 22 bolt guns after a failed morning of rabbit hunting.
There were a couple guys there with .22 rifles when we arrived, so it must have been. I didn't realize I hollered that loud. :p
I don't know about you guys, but I could get my limit on rabbits just about every day with my truck. It's like they wait until they see me coming to hop out in front.
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
For those that didnt know...Just an FYI.
BOARD APPROVES STEP TO PROTECT GAME COMMISSION SHOOTING RANGES
The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners today gave final approval to a regulatory change to require State Game Land shooting range users to possess either a valid Pennsylvania hunting or furtaker license or purchase a range permit. In doing so, the agency is taking a step toward accomplishing the twin goals of having unlicensed persons contribute toward the cost of maintaining the ranges, and better quantifying and controlling the use of the shooting ranges.
“Over the past few years, the Game Commission has made large investments into its 29 State Game Land shooting ranges across this Commonwealth,” said Carl G. Roe, Game Commission executive director. “These investments have taken the form of lead remediation, safety barrier reconstruction, shooting range redesign and other related projects. These investments came at a high cost, but kept many shooting ranges open and available to the public.
“Historically, hunter and furtaker license dollars have provided most, if not all, of the resources for keeping the agency’s shooting ranges open to the public. Additionally, the open use of State Game Lands for shooting activities by those not licensed has resulted in some situations where ranges and State Game Lands have been used for illicit activities.”
The new regulation requires all users of State Game Land shooting ranges to possess either a valid Pennsylvania hunting or furtaker license or a Game Commission-issued range permit, which would cost $30 per year for residents and nonresidents. Exceptions to this permit requirement are those 16 years of age and younger properly accompanied by a licensed or permitted person 18 years of age or older, and each licensed hunter or range permit holder could have one guest.
[B]For the first year, all permits will be effective from April 1, 2011, until June 30, 2012. After the first year, each permit issued will be valid from July 1 until June 30.
Permits will be able to be purchased through the Game Commission’s “The Outdoor Shop” on the agency’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us). Following the purchase, which will require payment by credit or debit cards, a downloadable permit will be provided and permittee’s may print it on a home computer. The agency also will be able to sell the permits through its Harrisburg headquarters and six Region Offices. However, since the purchase will be processed through “The Outdoor Shop,” only credit cards will be able to be used for payment.
The regulation also prohibits all other target shooting from taking place on State Game Lands, except at designated ranges. The regulatory change will not result in any increased cost or change in privileges for licensed hunters and furtakers.
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal...e__016_11.html
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
Quote:
Originally Posted by
PADingo
BOARD APPROVES STEP TO PROTECT GAME COMMISSION SHOOTING RANGES
I am not a big fan of more fees from governmental agencies, but in this case I think it is a good idea. I am a big fan of user fees for just about anything and everything that costs money. If people want to do it and it costs money, they need to be the ones who pay. The big hassle here will most likely be last minute shooting outings with other people who won't have a pass. At least at my local club, we can get a day pass when we arrive. I sort of doubt Smokey Bear is going to be standing around to hand out passes for anyone.
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
I'm all for the new changes to the Game Land Ranges, But if these ranges don't have a gate around them , specific hours of being open, and someone there during open hours checking for licenses it's not going to work !
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
Quote:
Originally Posted by
PADingo
The new regulation requires all users of State Game Land shooting ranges to possess either a valid Pennsylvania hunting or furtaker license or a Game Commission-issued range permit, which would cost $30 per year for residents and nonresidents.
Ok, so i was just checking to see if I could purchase my "range" license and I don't see it available yet, but i noticed that a hunting license is only $20.70 so why wouldn't everyone just get one of these?
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
Whats the distance for the pistol range?
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
Was @ range today (tuesday March 8,2011 around 1400). 3 shooters, nice people, no problems.
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
I'll be down there saturday before the rain starts. Not sure on the time but if anyone else wants to show up, the more the merrier (and safer).
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
i will probablly be there today and saturday
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
Quote:
Originally Posted by
kel ruger man
i will probablly be there today and saturday
wear boots!!!!! the mud is going to be killer!!
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
Quote:
Originally Posted by
jcabin
wear boots!!!!! the mud is going to be killer!!
Boots!?! You are going to need bowls strapped to your feet! :eek:
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Re: Tobyhanna SGL Range Reports
i know, at least the shooting area is concrete..i wear muck boots anyway.