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| Visitors to the Molleystown range will see some new features. The most recent activity was to have a contractor do both clear cutting and select cutting on our 70 acre Molleystown property, and also on the adjacent 250 acres in which the club has an interest. This was done as a "mining evaluation", revenue generating, and planning enhancement project. Really puts the area in perspective. All the property lines are now clearly marked. Development plans at this point have been pretty much put on "hold", and will be affected by how much coal is found in the 250 acre plot, and where the veins run. Until then, please continue to use and enjoy the "new" 30 yard utility range near the center of the 70 acres. Yours truly, your web administrator, Walter Schwenk, has asked for some time now that shooters discontinue use of the tentative "200 yard" envelope. This is asked not as a club requirement, but as a personal favor. Its already marginal backstop has been rendered, in his opinion, totally unsafe and inadequately absorptive through heavy use and erosion. Signs had been posted to that effect, at his own initiative. The Board of Directors ruled however, that they be taken down, and they have. Your thoughts on this topic are welcome. ”This Project was financed (in part) by a Grant From the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Community and Economic Development” Thanks, club members, for your response to the range development survey sent out in December. Results have been tabulated, and seem to indicate a club desire to see Rifle range development as a priority. The other proposed projects also all got strong support, although not quite as strong as for rifle. Will update info after the board meeting, which also doubles as the Range Development committee meeting. It should be noted that the recent improvements will not be visible on the following satellite photos, which were taken in 2004. See an approximation here, areas 7 and 8. A welcome addition to our facility is the portable "rest room" in the corner of "area 8". Please do your part to keep it clean and sanitary. "We aim to please; You aim too!", please... As we continue to make improvements, be on the alert for vandalism. If you see an incident, you need not confront a wrong-doer, that is a job for law enforcment, but please pass on as much information as you can. Date and time of incident, license plate numbers, description of and number of individuals, vehicle color, style, model, year, etc. We will as a club seek the maximum civil penalties for any "bad apples" found guilty of willfully damaging the property. New range to go in near Mollystown! Adjacent to SGL 229, and near SGL 211, soon to be the newest sport shooters paradise! See http://www.co.schuylkill.pa.us/parcelviewer/ . A pleasant hike around the property is yours for the taking, and formal range facilities are taking shape, which may be perused at your leisure. Winter satellite photo, year 2004, snow, no leaves. Streams, trails, are clearly indicated. The DEP settling ponds are the diamond shape across the stream from the word "Molley..." The two large north-south cleared envelopes are clearly visible. Our new property is the parcel that the stream flows from, in the upper left corner. State Game Land borders us on the south and south-west. Several pretty good ideas have come in recently. We have taken the liberty to set some of them to paper, as talking points, and a basis for debate. Can be viewed here . Envelope (1), already partially cleared of trees, has the potential of a 500 yd rifle range. Envelope (2) could be a good location for a secluded "plinking" range, or a bank of them. Envelope (3) is already cleared, and has the best back stop on the property for a general purpose 200 yd rifle range. Envelope (4) could accommodate 50 yd pistol, practical action shooting, and general purpose training range. Envelope (5) would be a good location for a bar-be-que pit, with it's wind-sheltered location, or a range for especially noisy firearms, or after-hours shooting, as, being located near the base of "Panther Head" mountain, the mass of the earth would form a natural sound suppressor. Tell us what you think! Envelope (6), having been favorably sculpted by coal mining activity decades ago, is already a virtually half-formed plinking range. In a natural "showcase" location on the property, both beautiful and accessible, it could easily become the "heart" of our new range complex. Wouldn't it be a great place for a combination Clubhouse-Gameroom-Indoor Range? Envelope (7) is among our best choices for a shotgun "trap" shooting field. An expedient 30 (+) yard line is a recent accomplishment (area 8) to accept temporary overflow from the Pine Grove range during Rifle matches, and for shooting activities more appropriate to the more remote nature of the Molleystown property. Location of this facility is in the area which used to be designated "parking" on our sketch of "ideas", just to the left of envelope "5". We welcome your thoughts on the process. Whether a club member, sport shooter, interested neighbor, or all of the above, your input is important to us! (See "Contact Us".) The August 2007 meeting at the Molleystown Range was well attended. Thanks, everyone, for your participation! The new parcel in which we have an interest is the one bordered by the water stream on the upper right, and with the other stream flowing out of it to the lower left. The property is well over 2000 yards long, and is a source of fresh water for the Lebanon reservoir (to the south-west). We can be thankful to enjoy such an excellent and convenient source of good water.  A USGS contour shot of most of our interests at Molleystown. We have the lowlands, surrounded by heights, ideal topography for the shooting sports.  You can get a perspective of how we relate to our neighbors  And nearby communities. And last but not least- how to find us! | |
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