Welcome to the Elwood Conservation Club, located about a mile south of Elwood, Indiana. It's been in existence for 50+ years. Current membership is about 430 people or so. It's one of the easiest clubs to join.... membership dues are only $65 per year. To join, all you need do is fill out an application....and, presto! You're in! No initiation fee. No waiting time. No probationary meetings or activities to attend. No voting on your application. How simple is that??
The Club has a spacious clubhouse that is heated and air conditioned, with fireplace and full kitchen facilities. Members can reserve it for a nominal fee, and it is also available for public rental, as long as it does not interfere with club operations and activities.
Other facilities include a fishing lake(canoe/kayak), archery range, pistol and rifle ranges, and a tactical combat range. I've never bothered to count, but I'd estimate probably 20 or so lanes in all.
The best news? IT'S NEVER CROWDED!!!!! Now granted, I don't go on Saturday or Sunday afternoons, but I do go at all other times, including evenings... and I've never had more than one or two other members for company. And they may have been on a completely separate range!
WOW! And all for only $65 per year. With a guaranteed no hassle enrollment. What a deal.
OK, let's get started. FIRST, we need to sign in at the clubhouse. No hassle: just sign the log sheet with the time and note any guests accompanying you. (We do charge a $5 guest fee.)
Today we are headed for the Pistol Range. As you can see, it is covered, is on a concrete slab, has benches and seats. It's 10 yards. That's 30 feet. Don't ask me how many meters....cause I don't really give a s....
TIP # 1..... Always bring help. Help is good. Good help is better.
To carry stuff. To set targets... To reset targets...To clean up, etc. (Note to self: Next time bring help with empty hands. Hands full of food and drink can't carry much.)See what I mean about 'stuff' ? Going to the gun range isn't just a matter of strapping on your favorite pistol, and bring a box of ammo and an empty coke can as a target.
You gotta have 'stuff'.
A Rifle on a pistol range???? Isn't that over kill?? Easy folks....easy. It's a Winchester 490, .22 LR.
I just put a scope on it. I lost my right eye in a m/c accident. So I'm trying to learn how to shoot 'left-handed.' Until I can get it sighted in, I'll be lucky to see the berm.
OKAY, OKAY, OKAY... we did come here to do some serious pistol whippin'.
From the far left pistol: Walther P22, .22LR; Charter Arms 2” Snubbie, .38 Special; Glock 26, 9MM; Walther PPQ, 9MM; Springfield Xds, .45ACP
And we are off and running!!! Well, at least my helpers are... Somebody has to walk 'all the way out there' and set the target.
As you can see...our target structure is simple: we hammer two wooden garden stakes into the soil, and staple a man-size paper target to it. I know, I know.....we coulda bought at Cabalas. <Sigh>
Sometimes we even spray paint orange dots on the paper, to give us more target points. 'Waste not, Want not.'
TIP # 2.....Bring plenty of staples, and plenty of targets.
TIP # 3.....Make certain your helpers are young and have plenty of stamina to hoof it back and forth to the target. Think this is bad? Try the 100 yard rifle range
We went through a LOT of ammo today. Glad we didn't bring all the rifles. We coulda burned up $500 in ammo easy.
The only hiccups were with the Springfield Xds. It definitely does not like the Magtech ammo. I tried rounds from both ends of two different boxes....Same results: FTF 2-3-4 out of 7 each mag. Intermittently, I'd switch to various other .45ACP Brands..... 0 failures. Go back to the Magtech and BOOM...FTF. Somebody suggested cleaning/lubing the cartridges. I might give that a shot...since I have a lot of boxes left
TIP # 4.....Clean up after yourself!!! Sure I pick up my re-loadable brass.. (No, I don't reload yet, but someday..) But I also pick up my .22LR brass, along with everybody else's....and dump it in the trash.
TIP # 5......Bring some help. Once again, 'help' saves the day! I don' have to bend, stoop, pick up, etc... lol. Ain't life grand???
Oh, BTW....here's a photo of our rifle range. Lanes from 25-100 yards. And plenty of them. I'd drive down there and show you around, but that will have to wait for another day, another report.
And finally.....'There's one in every crowd.'
As soon as this fellow sees my camera, and hears about the INGO contest, he wants to be in it. Not necessarily his face...but his car. He says that I can show him as a member leaving the club after a satisfying day at the range. OKEY DOKEY.
So there you have it folks! The ELWOOD CONSERVATION CLUB. In Elwood, IN.
Affordable *SAFE environment
No hassle enrollment *Multipurpose facilities
No range officer *No hassle
ECC
Clubhouse:
Post Address:
9240 N 1000 W
Elwood, IN 46036
Telephone: 765-552-3058
Respectfully submitted, by Skywired 9/30/2012
