Range and Target Activity Facilities
Mecklenburg County Council · Scouting America
Mecklenburg County Council operates two camp properties, each of which offers a variety of range and target activities. Units may also utilize private and commercial properties for range and target activities, but the surest (and usually cheapest) option is at one of our camp properties.
Belk Scout Camp
This camp has three BB gun ranges that are side-by-side near the front of camp. These ranges are also used for catapult and slingshot. This camp also has an archery pavilion with two separate archery ranges across the main road from the BB ranges. Each of these ranges is covered and have storage rooms so there is little need to carry equipment from the compound. Our BB guns are Daisy Grizzly models.
We recently received an exciting donation of new slingshot target stands. We’ve had the chance to try them out and I can assure you, they are a blast. The adults had so much fun that I’m not sure they will give the youth a turn!
MSR-Camp Grimes
Mecklenburg Scout Reservation (Camp Grimes) has a number of dedicated ranges.
We have a 50′ rifle range with shooting benches for up to eight (8) participants at a time. The participants are under cover while shooting, which is very helpful when it is raining. The rifle range also has a covered program area where classes are taught, and safety briefings are conducted before participants move onto the firing line. The range has lighting and ceiling fans for safety and comfort. The camp provides .22 bolt action rifles from Savage Arms. Eye and ear protection are available if participants do not bring their own. This range can accommodate BB guns for Cub Scouts, but the BB guns would need to be transported from Belk Scout Camp (and only for district/council events).
We have a shotgun range that has two (2) shooting stations. While the clay launchers are generally configured for “straight away” targets, we have a third launcher that can be deployed for more challenging shooting. The shotgun range has a covered program area and firing line. The shotgun range has lighting and ceiling fans for safety and comfort. The camp provides three different sizes of 12-gauge pump action shotguns (youth, mid, full). Eye and ear protection are available if participants do not bring their own.
We have a 150′ archery range that can accommodate up to eight (8) participants. We generally use Genesis bows, but there are a few long bows available. Arm guards and finger tabs are available if participants do not bring their own. We have battery powered lighting on the archery range to allow for archery after dark. “Night archery” will only be available for special events/activities, such as at Summer Camp during the Turkey Shoot.
We have a Cowboy Action Shooting range, which is a program made available by Scouting America in 2016. Our range features an Old West style facade and a variety of steel targets and a “clay flipper”. Participants will shoot three different firearms, a .22 single action revolver, a .22 lever action rifle and a 20-gauge double-barrel stagecoach shotgun. In the Fall of 2017, we added LED lights so we can have fun in the evening, too! This activity is only available as a district/council event, such as summer camp.
Another program that we are working to make available at Summer Camp is Chalk Ball. This program was released in 2016 and uses CO2 paint ball markers and balls of chalk fired at hanging targets, like cowbells. The participants wear full facemasks (for safety) while they get to see their chalk balls explode into a cloud of dust as they hit their targets. True paintballs are used when the chalk balls are unavailable or exorbitantly priced. This program can easily be run at the existing archery range which already provides adequate space. The targets are suspended from a portable PVC frame.
