Eagle Cap Shooters Association Newsletter, 31 May 2007

Tom Crooks (432-2580)–Editor

Spring Sale: Ralph Stewart reported that the sale was a success with about $725 profit. All this on less than $100 advertising. Thanks to the folks who got involved and participated in setting up, taking down and all the other essential activities.

Range Development: Lee Grover, Fencing Coordinator, reportes that the fence is now laid out and about ready for the wire to be strung. Rock jacks are in place and he needs help hanging the wire . Call him--426-8428 H or 426-9378 W to get in on the Saturday work party–starts at 1:00 and will continue every Saturday till the fence is up and the old fence is gathered up.

It appears that the range road work is completed. Charlie Olson is an artist with the cat. The new firing line is a masterpiece of work. If you have the time, take a break and go out and take a look. At this point the range continues to be closed to shooting until the Range Master, Eric Kozowski, has had a chance to inspect it. At the present time, the shooting benches have been placed on the firing line but not set in place for use. There are other items and equipment piled at the 25 yard line which need to be moved before the machine gun shoot. If you do go to the range, grab a few items and carry them to the back side of the firing line–west bank side.

At the direct result of a belated complaint about the noise from last year’s Machine Gun Shoot, we have formed a committee to investigate noise abatement measures. A suggestion from Brian Sullivan to use hay and straw bales to build a sound adsorption berm was implemented and we advertised for stackable bales. We have started construction of the berm at the north end of the firing line. The only hitch in the operation, despite numerous straw and hay bale contributions from around the county, is the fact that only three of us are working on it. John Joyce has been hauling the bales and Brian Sullivan and I have been helping him load and stack. Frankly all three of us are getting tired of working alone. If you want to assist in this, please contact me at 432-2580. If you have bad hay or straw bales to contribute and can get them delivered to the firing line, a call is all it takes.

Reid Kooch has volunteered to chisel a fire line around the range prior to the Machine Gun Shoot. This should give us an added measure of safety in keeping any fire from spreading onto neighboring ground and making life difficult for the Association. Reid has also donated 40 bales of hay for the noise abatement berm.

The NRA range warning signs have been completed and were posted around the perimeter of the range. Thanks to Floyd McCadden for at least 10 hours of cutting out sign boards and attaching the signs, and thanks to Dr. Bruce Cummings for his hard work in putting them up–2-1/2 miles of signs every 200 feet. Thanks also to Bob Reading for donating the signs.

Third Sunday Monthly Shoot: Floyd McCadden and I are planning to sponsor an egg shoot for the July 3^rd Sunday . This will involve long range firing at eggs suspended within a box against a black background. If shooting in front of other people bothers you, Floyd will have Nixon masks available to hide your identity. Call either one of us (Floyd at 426-4204 or Tom at 432-2580) for more info. If you have a dozen eggs to contribute, contact Floyd.

The 2^nd Annual Machine Gun Shoot: 16 and 17 June. Contact Eric Kozowski at 432-2214 if you want to work on getting this great event organized and running. We need work crews to gather junk from the dump for perforation, mark out camping area, parking lots and shooting booths. This event is only 2 weeks away–it is time to get things going.

Long Range Black Powder Cartridge Rifles: Jack Thompson will be coordinating development of this special range call him if you want to be involved–432-3214.

Classes: A NRA Range Safety Officer Course is tentatively scheduled for Saturday June 30^th. Contact Duncan Hunter at 569-2008 for additional information or to get on the list. The short course is still under construction but there seems to be limited interest in either course– I guess the question is: Should we even spend the time developing the short course if no one is interested?

A Concealed Carry Course is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, 7 and 8 July. Contact Duncan Hunter to sign up to attend. It actually is fairly painless–one day of class and a half day at the range shooting. Everyone seems to have a good time and no one has failed—yet.

Friends of the NRA: The 2^nd Wallowa County Friends of the NRA banquet/fund raiser is on the calendar for Saturday, 18 August at the Joseph Community Center. Contact Keith Newburn for information- 263-0574.

The NEVER-ENDING RAFFLE: At present we have taken in, over the nearly last 2 years, only $240 on this raffle. This is for guns whose combined values are at least double this amount. No one seems to be interested in promoting the sale of tickets. With this kind of record, raffles seem to be a waste of time. At the next meeting, the board of directors will be addressing the decision to draw for the guns following the machine gun shoot, regardless of the amount of money collected. This boils down to having only one more opportunity to sell tickets (at the machine gun shoot), unless someone steps up and takes charge of the sales. At some point, being an Association member involves more than just riding along and letting others do the work.

Advertising:

ECSA Gun Sales: Call Duncan Hunter at 569-2008 to look at the 2 remaining guns for sale. All proceeds go to the ECSA.

Wanted: original Colt 1911 WW I or civilian model pre-1920. Also original Winchester 1886 45-90 rifle. Denny Kehl, 432-1470

For Sale: 41 Magnum Smith and Wesson Mod. 357PD revolver in new or nearly new condition. Deal includes 250 rounds factory ammo, nylon holster, combat grips, and carrying case–asking $725. Gun alone retails for over $1000. Ralph Stewart- 432-5052.