Tuesday, August 02, 2022

The Four-Lane Range.

This post is intended for the CFDA family.  My regular readers can skip over it. 

The Four Lane Range

When Belle and I started CFDA, we quickly decided that we wanted to practice at home and got the money together to buy a two-lane set so that we could set up in the backyard.  That worked well for a while, but before long, we were cancelling shoots for the weather.  Then, God gave us the means to build a big metal building and set up our range in the building.  By that time we had traveled to several state and territorial matches and shot on six lane ranges.

Our building, a 40’ X 50’ metal building gave us enough room to set up a four-lane range on one end and have a gathering area on the other.  It has worked well for us, for a variety of events, large and small.

Shortly after christening our range, the Big Thicket Bushwackers came over for a visit and shot with us.  At some point after that, they lost their big range in the Great Flood.  Before long, they had converted at building at Camp Waluta to an indoor, four-lane range.

At Louisiana State 2018 and Louisiana State 2019 we held outdoor events with two, six-lane ranges. It seemed like the thing to do, a standard setup for a smallish state championship.  However, the weather did not cooperate, and we set standards for unmitigated disaster. Foks who were there still recall the time we shot in ankle deep mud, and the other time when a freak wind blew one range completely down.  I promised my club members that I would continue to hold Louisiana State, but I would never hold another one outdoors.  Planning a titled competition is hard enough without worrying about the weather.

At Texas state 2021, I was surprised to see that the Bushwackers had set up three, four-lane ranges.  Two of then outdoors, plus their indoor club range.  It worked well, and I was pleasantly surprised.  Later that year at Louisiana State 2021, we used two, six-lane ranges, because that seemed like the thing to do, but the four-lane range kept running through my mind.  At FGA 2021 in Fallon, I made some discreet inquiries of the seasoned shooters. They agreed that as a rule of thumb, a match needs one target for every 10 shooters.

Louisiana State has never had more than 80 shooters, and I became convinced that we could pull it off with two, four-lane ranges.  So, when the City of Pineville offered us a beautiful facility in the downtown area, we went out and measured the available space. The club believed that we had enough room to set up two, four-lane ranges.  It might be a little tight, but it was workable.  Best of all, it was indoors, with air conditioning.

It worked better than I suspected it would work.  The four-lane range takes up a smaller footprint on the ground and it is easier to get shooters staged for the next round.   It is easier to find hand judges for the last line of a round.  It takes less equipment and allows the score keepers to juggle ranges when necessary. At Louisiana State this year, we had 88 shooters on two, four-lane ranges.  We shot categories, a separate Shootist event, the main match, a resurrection match and a Magnificent 7.  All shot on schedule.  We cleared the building and left it to the City of Pineville by 3:00 on Sunday.

Six-lane ranges have been the standard in CFDA for many years, and they have served us well.  For a major event, three, six-lane ranges require 18 targets with the associated electronics.  Four, four-lane ranges require 16 targets.

I am convinced that the four-lane range has a place in CFDA.  It has a smaller footprint, requires less equipment, and gives event planners more flexibility.  If you are planning a major event, the four-lane range might be an option to consider.

2 comments:

Possum said...

One lane per 10 shooters comfortable standard. It doesn't matter how those pairs of lanes are combined 2, 4, 6, 8, 10. The 6 lane "standard" came through experience as it was found more range officials/officers were needed to control the line when it got beyond 6 lanes. I have heard stories of up to 10 lanes being used. The number most don't mention is the number required to keep the range running smoothly and should be considered when sizing the range. To run smoothly a 6 lane range requires 21 people, 3 times the number of lanes plus 3. 6 on the line, 6 hand judges, 6 in the hole, 1 range master, 1 scorer, and 1 announcer. At that number no one has a break, no time to clean, no time to rest unless the match is stopped. All this just to agree smaller ranges make sense in certain venues. As my friend used to say, "Don't let can't get in the way"

Anonymous said...

Thank you Major D. It all makes sense to me and I agree 100% about having shoots indoors. Even if it is just a cover to keep shooter and equipment out of the elements. We go to shoots to enjoy our selves and the brotherhood. Not to have heat strokes.😂