Talladega Markmanship Park
- Thread starter gaboon
- Start date
I won't be there for the Garand match -don't own one- but I and some friends shot there today. I mainly shoot long range prone with a sling. The new CMP Talladega range is one impressive facility. Very nice clubhouse, beautiful range, large covered firing line with restrooms. Best of all, the electronic targets. I started shooting highpower xtc about 12 years ago, and there wasn't a full course range in the state of AL that we could shoot on. Closest one is Tullahoma, TN- a two hour drive for me and three hours for the Birmingham folks. There are ranges they used to shoot on in AL (military bases) but that was before my time. Needless to say, we are very excited about the new CMP range. Hopefully this will be the beginning of building up highpower shooting in the state of AL, it has declined in recent years. Of course, highpower shooters won't be the only ones using the range, it wasn't today.
You must go around the clubhouse to get to the range. Can't bring rifles through the clubhouse to get down to the range. The shortest route would be to park in the right side of the parking lot and take the golf cart path to the right. It curves around and down to the front of the range. About a 200 to 300 yard walk on a smooth paved cart path. No vehicles on the path, only golf carts. Right now, I don't think they have many golf carts, so you want something with wheels to transport your gear if a cart is not available.
Good shooting at the Garand match!
Phillip Crowe
You must go around the clubhouse to get to the range. Can't bring rifles through the clubhouse to get down to the range. The shortest route would be to park in the right side of the parking lot and take the golf cart path to the right. It curves around and down to the front of the range. About a 200 to 300 yard walk on a smooth paved cart path. No vehicles on the path, only golf carts. Right now, I don't think they have many golf carts, so you want something with wheels to transport your gear if a cart is not available.
Good shooting at the Garand match!
Phillip Crowe
I am looking foward for the midrange matches looks like an awesome place to shoot . And the clubhouse looks huge. Electronic targets a big thumbs up.
Caliche Pit
Silver $$ Contributor
Lots of buzz here in central Kentucky about the Talladega Park facility, as it is almost exactly the same distance south as Camp Perry is north. Fellow sling shooters I have talked to about the new facility are mainly interested in midrange matches as well, and are hoping for two day events to make the drive more worthwhile. With the nice, new electronic target system, I hope they can incorporate a center aiming point in order to attract the F-Class crowd, which now represent the largest segment of the participants. Also lots of older sling shooters use only optics due to aging eyes. Overall, Alabama is quite fortunate to have such a beautiful new range complex, and a huge commitment to the shooting sports by the CMP.
The CMP has always been about selling surplus rifles to fund and promote junior shooting programs and XTC service rifle matches, AR-15, M1A, Garand (at 200, 300, 600, standing, sitting, prone). I'm curious to see what type of matches they hold, but I wouldn't be surprised if midrange prone and f-class aren't shot there even though f-class is a very fast growing segment of the sport.
As I said in my previous post, the man in charge told me he planned on having mid-range matches. Sarah, the 600 yd rifle range RSO, said they have already considered adding an F class center (maybe just the X/10 ring, I don't remember) to give scope shooters an aiming point.
This would be an awesome range to host a big mid-range match, but they would have to change it up a little, as there is not a 500 yard line. Only 200, 300, 600.
This would be an awesome range to host a big mid-range match, but they would have to change it up a little, as there is not a 500 yard line. Only 200, 300, 600.
Caliche Pit
Silver $$ Contributor
Traditionally, CMP matches have been the XTC format, and understandably so, hence the 200, 300, 600 design format. Unfortunately, service rifle shooter numbers continue to decrease in many parts of the nation, as midrange and long range seem to be holding their own, with the greatest increase in these disciplines coming from the F-Class portion, particularly new shooters. Incorporating midrange matches, especially large, multi-day events, (state championships, regionals etc..) would go far towards bringing in large numbers from a broader base and help boost the local economy. Having 3 x 600, or 4 x 600 yard matches would be an easy to run format, and would fit in nicely with the electronic target system. Ultimately the CMP will decide how it wishes to utilize it's new complex, and while this would be branching into new territory for the CMP, there are many who would welcome the opportunity to be able to enjoy what appears to be one of the nicest new facilities in the nation.
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