Altcar Merseyside

[Chris_h]

Hello everyone,

just wondering if there is still clay pigeon shooting available at Altcar rifle range, between Formby/Hightown?
If anyone has info and is willing to share then please let me know, I would be very grateful.

Thanks

Chris 

[Westley]

1 hour ago, Chris_h said:

Hello everyone,

just wondering if there is still clay pigeon shooting available at Altcar rifle range, between Formby/Hightown?
If anyone has info and is willing to share then please let me know, I would be very grateful.

Thanks

Chris 

Chris, there is no longer any 'open' clay shooting on Altcar rifle range, I know because I was involved with running of it at one time.  I believe the Merseyside Muzzle Loaders still use the range on the last Sunday of each month, but it is Members and guests only.  A lot of the former Altcar Clay Target club members and also non-members now all shoot at Ribble Bank, near Southport/Hesketh Bank  every Sunday morning.  If I can be of any further help, PM me.

[Chris_h]

8 minutes ago, Westley said:

Chris, there is no longer any 'open' clay shooting on Altcar rifle range, I know because I was involved with running of it at one time.  I believe the Merseyside Muzzle Loaders still use the range on the last Sunday of each month, but it is Members and guests only.  A lot of the former Altcar Clay Target club members and also non-members now all shoot at Ribble Bank, near Southport/Hesketh Bank  every Sunday morning.  If I can be of any further help, PM me.

Hi mate, thanks for replying. 
I’m a regular up at Ribble bank, go most Sunday’s weather permitting! 
Altcar is/was very much closer! Shame there’s no longer clays there.

chris 

[Westley]

1 hour ago, Chris_h said:

Hi mate, thanks for replying. 
I’m a regular up at Ribble bank, go most Sunday’s weather permitting! 
Altcar is/was very much closer! Shame there’s no longer clays there.

chris 

If you are there tomorrow around 11.00am. look us up. There will be 3 of us in a Volvo XC60. I will have my Beretta 301 auto, the other guys will have O/U's. One will have more electricians tape on the stock than you could ever imagine  ! They can tell you more, they went until it's end. I left after 17 years of running it. I think it was the Army upping the rent so much it became none viable. 

Edited February 29, 2020 by Westley

[Will Poon]

 It’s a real shame it’s gone as it was less than 10 minutes drive for me, nowadays it’s more up to 3hrs round trip to a decent clay ground.

[Salopian]

Will,

 Would that be Hodnet by any chance?😂

Deb's Open shoot this Thursday (first Thursday every month ) but you have to pre-book .

See you there.

[Will Poon]

Can’t make Thursday Peter but I’ll pop in this Tuesday, if your buttoning I’ll see you there.

[Westley]

19 hours ago, Will Poon said:

 It’s a real shame it’s gone as it was less than 10 minutes drive for me, nowadays it’s more up to 3hrs round trip to a decent clay ground.

Well, I believe that the 2 guys who were running it, up until it's demise, were looking for someone to take over lock, stock and barrel.  Seems like you missed yer chance  ?

[Chris_h]

23 hours ago, Westley said:

If you are there tomorrow around 11.00am. look us up. There will be 3 of us in a Volvo XC60. I will have my Beretta 301 auto, the other guys will have O/U's. One will have more electricians tape on the stock than you could ever imagine  ! They can tell you more, they went until it's end. I left after 17 years of running it. I think it was the Army upping the rent so much it became none viable. 

Hi mate I usually head up there for around 13:30 as it’s much quieter. Will keep an eye out for you though probably cross paths at some point! 

[Westley]

Some entertaining targets and scores with today's gentle spring like er...breeze  !  You can always tell when the fishing season is nearing, the breeze picks up.

[Diver One]

1 hour ago, Westley said:

Some entertaining targets and scores with today's gentle spring like er...breeze  !  You can always tell when the fishing season is nearing, the breeze picks up.

We ended up,at Toplands today........Ribble bank next Sunday I think.  It was a tad breezy and clays that were going away some 40 mtrs  then caught the wind and came back

[Westley]

19 hours ago, Diver One said:

We ended up,at Toplands today........Ribble bank next Sunday I think.  It was a tad breezy and clays that were going away some 40 mtrs  then caught the wind and came back

I may well be trying out a Perazzi MXS next Sunday at R.B.

[welshwarrior]

Altcar is RFCA run so the Army will have nothing to do with rent.  I’m up there at the end of the month and a recce for a clay shoot up there for next year.  
 

I know there’s a 2 DTL s with a sports trap overlaid.  
 

can’t help on who and when they can shoot there though. 

[Westley]

1 hour ago, welshwarrior said:

Altcar is RFCA run so the Army will have nothing to do with rent.  I’m up there at the end of the month and a recce for a clay shoot up there for next year.  
 

I know there’s a 2 DTL s with a sports trap overlaid.  
 

can’t help on who and when they can shoot there though. 

It is actually run by whatever the T.A. is known as nowadays. Their H.Q. and admin offices are in Liverpool city centre and it was there that I had to go to try and negotiate the rent increases that were about to be thrust upon us .

Another 2 lads and myself ran the clay shooting every Sunday. At that time Merseyside Police clay shooting section also used the same clay layout and we installed some traps there, to replace the Eley, lever operated green plus trap. Eventually the 'Army' as we called them, installed a Farey electric DTL trap on 'their' range. After months of wrangling, they allowed us to run an underground cable to our adjacent DTL trap house and we too installed  an electric trap, a Kromson bought from West Mids. Shooting Ground. We too eventually installed a Farey DTL trap. As parts were becoming harder to obtain and a range employee had a nasty accident with the Farey trap,  we persuaded the 'Army' to join with us and install 2 new Pro-matic ABT traps.  We took a loan and bought 4 sporter and 1 rabbit trap from Pro-Matic and I created a Compak sporting layout. We had been 12 years trying to get a skeet layout and more to the point somewhere to put it. Everything we did or put out had to be movable so they could cut the grass.  We also had the only 'flying rabbit, it had to fly so that the grass remained undamaged  ?  If it moved we had to salute it, if it didn't, we had to bloody well paint it. I had the old Portacabin moved from the ex Police club ground and put on site at Altcar. Even before the delivery wagon had pulled away, 2 guys with paint and brushes descended upon us,  to paint the damned thing green  !  We were, after 14 years allowed to install a skeet layout. It had to be completed inside 2 weeks,  so that some top brass of the TA could open it when they visited the ranges. The only way that we could fit it in was East to West. The high tower facing East. As we could only use that range during the summer on Wednesday afternoon into evening, it became an excellent test for 'sunglasses'. The only access to that range was through a rifle range and IF that range was in use, we were stuffed. Having spent out around £8,000 to install it and only THEN,  have all the restrictions put upon us, it was a real white elephant which sometimes only had 3 or 4 people attending it. We closed it down and incorporated the traps into the Compak layout on the 'Army'DTL layout. It was quite common to turn up on a Sunday morning only to be informed that the 'Army' were using their DTL layout, which put paid to our Compak layout. It became easy to understand why, when the range was initially earmarked for the Commonwealth Games at Manchester, after months of being messed about, the Commonwealth Committee went to Bisley instead  ! I had more run ins over range safety, or more a lack of it,  by some of the SAS  (Saturday and Sunday soldiers  !)  than I care to remember. We even organised for the CPSA to hold Safety Officers courses on site. These were attended by both Regular Army, TA and Civilians. For such a small club, we had around 6 Safety Officers and 2 Qualified CPSA Instructors .  We ran a lot of charity shoots and open days over the years that we were there. Eventually the camp 'Boss'  changed and a shooting man took the helm. This led to a small game shoot on the camp, which is still going to this day. It used to make me smile when Keepers told me that shooting pigeons on their ground would frighten their birds. The camp had shooting 24/7 including at night which did not bother those pheasants  !  With regards to the present day shooting, I feel certain the 'Army' will still have their DTL trap. I think the other DTL trap was sold. Most of the sporting and the skeet traps were sold off, although the Portacabin still remains. Merseyside Muzzle Loaders use the range on the last Sunday of each month, they use the Army DTL trap and have a couple of sporting traps that they put out.

So, Welshwarrior, BE WARNED  !   you could well be in for a rough ride. Do NOT be the least bit surprised if all of your best laid plans are turned upside down on the day of your event. Oh, and the clay layout covers less than an acre of ground, the bungalow to the North East, as you stand on peg 5 DTL Army layout is outside the 300 metre zone (just) but it is protected somewhat by the trees. I would suggest that you would need orange clays (against the tree background)  we were not allowed to use them as the Bossman did not like seeing orange clay bits on the lovely green grass  ?    Good Luck.

PS  The DTL trap house is NOT regulation size either.

Edited March 2, 2020 by Westley

[welshwarrior]

7 hours ago, Westley said:

It is actually run by whatever the T.A. is known as nowadays. Their H.Q. and admin offices are in Liverpool city centre and it was there that I had to go to try and negotiate the rent increases that were about to be thrust upon us .

Another 2 lads and myself ran the clay shooting every Sunday. At that time Merseyside Police clay shooting section also used the same clay layout and we installed some traps there, to replace the Eley, lever operated green plus trap. Eventually the 'Army' as we called them, installed a Farey electric DTL trap on 'their' range. After months of wrangling, they allowed us to run an underground cable to our adjacent DTL trap house and we too installed  an electric trap, a Kromson bought from West Mids. Shooting Ground. We too eventually installed a Farey DTL trap. As parts were becoming harder to obtain and a range employee had a nasty accident with the Farey trap,  we persuaded the 'Army' to join with us and install 2 new Pro-matic ABT traps.  We took a loan and bought 4 sporter and 1 rabbit trap from Pro-Matic and I created a Compak sporting layout. We had been 12 years trying to get a skeet layout and more to the point somewhere to put it. Everything we did or put out had to be movable so they could cut the grass.  We also had the only 'flying rabbit, it had to fly so that the grass remained undamaged  ?  If it moved we had to salute it, if it didn't, we had to bloody well paint it. I had the old Portacabin moved from the ex Police club ground and put on site at Altcar. Even before the delivery wagon had pulled away, 2 guys with paint and brushes descended upon us,  to paint the damned thing green  !  We were, after 14 years allowed to install a skeet layout. It had to be completed inside 2 weeks,  so that some top brass of the TA could open it when they visited the ranges. The only way that we could fit it in was East to West. The high tower facing East. As we could only use that range during the summer on Wednesday afternoon into evening, it became an excellent test for 'sunglasses'. The only access to that range was through a rifle range and IF that range was in use, we were stuffed. Having spent out around £8,000 to install it and only THEN,  have all the restrictions put upon us, it was a real white elephant which sometimes only had 3 or 4 people attending it. We closed it down and incorporated the traps into the Compak layout on the 'Army'DTL layout. It was quite common to turn up on a Sunday morning only to be informed that the 'Army' were using their DTL layout, which put paid to our Compak layout. It became easy to understand why, when the range was initially earmarked for the Commonwealth Games at Manchester, after months of being messed about, the Commonwealth Committee went to Bisley instead  ! I had more run ins over range safety, or more a lack of it,  by some of the SAS  (Saturday and Sunday soldiers  !)  than I care to remember. We even organised for the CPSA to hold Safety Officers courses on site. These were attended by both Regular Army, TA and Civilians. For such a small club, we had around 6 Safety Officers and 2 Qualified CPSA Instructors .  We ran a lot of charity shoots and open days over the years that we were there. Eventually the camp 'Boss'  changed and a shooting man took the helm. This led to a small game shoot on the camp, which is still going to this day. It used to make me smile when Keepers told me that shooting pigeons on their ground would frighten their birds. The camp had shooting 24/7 including at night which did not bother those pheasants  !  With regards to the present day shooting, I feel certain the 'Army' will still have their DTL trap. I think the other DTL trap was sold. Most of the sporting and the skeet traps were sold off, although the Portacabin still remains. Merseyside Muzzle Loaders use the range on the last Sunday of each month, they use the Army DTL trap and have a couple of sporting traps that they put out.

So, Welshwarrior, BE WARNED  !   you could well be in for a rough ride. Do NOT be the least bit surprised if all of your best laid plans are turned upside down on the day of your event. Oh, and the clay layout covers less than an acre of ground, the bungalow to the North East, as you stand on peg 5 DTL Army layout is outside the 300 metre zone (just) but it is protected somewhat by the trees. I would suggest that you would need orange clays (against the tree background)  we were not allowed to use them as the Bossman did not like seeing orange clay bits on the lovely green grass  ?    Good Luck.

PS  The DTL trap house is NOT regulation size either.

RFCA the Reserve Forces and Cadet Association own the camp. I use it quite regularly for rifle meetings and yes it has it quirks but all these camps do.  
 

However noted
 

I’ll mostly be in the dry training area and will build a bespoke clay lay out for next years event.  
 

I’m going at RFCA request and host the largest shooting events in the RFCA calendar, so ********* me about tends to be ********* there HQ or a Military HQ about.   

Edited March 3, 2020 by welshwarrior

[Westley]

Should you need any help, give me a shout. I would need a new gate or range pass though, as mine has well expired. 

[welshwarrior]

57 minutes ago, Westley said:

Should you need any help, give me a shout. I would need a new gate or range pass though, as mine has well expired. 

Thank you 

[Chris_h]

Hi @welshwarrior I am also local if there’s anything I can help with.

[welshwarrior]

Thank you. 

[TRINITY]

Not related to shooting but when I saw the thread title, I immediately thought of the Waterloo cup. One of the oldest sporting events of the country and in its day one of the most prestigious.  Ran over the withens at altcar. Coursing is not everyone's cup of tea but was the first victories of the anti brigade

[Robertt]

Shot DTL at Altcar, years ago when a true Gentleman called Fred Code ran it.

He'd shout ' blot em out ' when you missed

He sold Eley ' Trap shooting ' , paper cased 7's.

Only a few of us wore ear protection which no doubt contributed to my present deafness.

Happy days.

Since the new bridge opening at Runcorn it takes me virtaully the same time to get to North Wales Shooting School as it does to get to Ribble Bank.

I prefer NWSS as it has Skeet and a high tower.

Am able to go midweek and rarely have to queue.

Edited March 5, 2020 by Robertt

[Yellow Bear]

7 hours ago, Robertt said:

 

Since the new bridge opening at Runcorn it takes me virtaully the same time to get to North Wales Shooting School as it does to get to Ribble Bank.

I prefer NWSS as it has Skeet and a high tower.

Am able to go midweek and rarely have to queue.

Have you tried the Catton Wednesday practice shoot,  You virtually drive past it from Runcorn to NWSS.  Skeet stand, High birds, and some cracking "downhill" sporting stands.

[Robertt]

Yes I have and enjoyed it.

Some of the stands simulated no legal quarry I know and were more like trick shots.

But I would go again and pick my stands.

[Westley]

9 hours ago, Robertt said:

Shot DTL at Altcar, years ago when a true Gentleman called Fred Code ran it.

He'd shout ' blot em out ' when you missed

He sold Eley ' Trap shooting ' , paper cased 7's.

Only a few of us wore ear protection which no doubt contributed to my present deafness.

Happy days.

Since the new bridge opening at Runcorn it takes me virtaully the same time to get to North Wales Shooting School as it does to get to Ribble Bank.

I prefer NWSS as it has Skeet and a high tower.

Am able to go midweek and rarely have to queue.

I also shot the skeet that he ran on a Wednesday. The traps were manual traps so the calling went as follows, High Tower   "PULL",   The Low Tower   "MARK" and the pair was   "TRAP". This was so the trappers inside the skeet towers knew when they had to release their particular trap.  The trap houses were corrugated steel, clad in plywood with felt roofing, you could lose a stone in weight after an hour in there during a summers evening.  I still use those calls to this day, it really confuses some of the buttoners though.