HEAVY EQUIPMENT

MAINTENANCE NOTICE

By Paul Wilson

     A new system is being put into place for the usage of CRC’s heavy equipment.  The intent is to be able to maintain the vehicles per the manufactures published guidelines.  This will include oil changes, air, oil and fuel filters, hydraulic oil levels, radiator both liquid and freezing levels and the lubrication of moving parts.  Batteries, which require charging, fluids and cleaning will also be part of the program.

     Since all but one of the tractors (the old Farm All) and the grader have hour meters this will be required input for the operators to the operations log.  By tracking the equipment usage hours, all maintenance requirements can then be measured and kept up to date.  The old Farm All will be tracked by the hours of usage shown on the log sheet.

     The logs will be identified by vehicle and placed adjacent to the new lock box (see below) in the tool shed.  A sign will be posted above the lock box reminding the operators that they are required to fill out the log sheet for the equipment they are using.

      Input on this log will require the cooperation of all operators.

     I need to have a starting hour and an ending hour (columns on the log sheet) and there should not be unaccounted hours on the equipment.  If your readings for start hours do not agree with the previous ending hours, note it in the remarks/problems column.  Unaccounted for hours will be questioned.  Since logs are only as good as the inputs, we need to know why hours are missing.

     The existing location of the keys in the tool shed will be changed.  Instead of keys being placed in a drawer, a new lock box equipped with a combination lock will contain the keys.  Only approved operators will be provided with the combination.  Approval will be given by Paul Wilson based upon present usage or being checked out on specific vehicles as needed.  Members need to let me know who you are. 

     The purpose of this new system is to keep CRC’s large investment in equipment in operating order by preventative maintenance and repair.  Equipment that is used will require repairs, but without input from operators that something needs repairing, that equipment becomes a liability.  As more demands are being placed on the existing equipment we need the input from the operators. 

     Past experience has been unpleasant if the tractor you need will not start.  Or if something is broken and you have no means for repair and the other tractors are not available.  The cost to the club in lost revenue due to non-availability of equipment can be significant.  Been there, done that!

     I think all would agree that maintained equipment will pay off in the hours spent on actual operation and the lack of major service related down time. 

     Rick Blume is establishing an on-line reservation system to eliminate as much as possible, conflicting times of usage.  Those of you that know your required dates and the machine required, can go to our website, click WorkBond, reserve tools, and you can enter whatever you need by dates and times.  An established date for events (i.e. sporting clays or hunter safety courses as published in the 2005 calendar) will take preference.   If a piece of equipment is not available that you have checked out, we will try to correct that.  Do not fall into the habit of assuming your required machine is available.  Pulling the hay wagon with the road grader can get the job done, but it doesn’t make much sense.

     The time required to fill out the new log sheets is minimal, but the time it saves can be significant and the information gained has real value.

     Operators – check the oil, fill the fuel tank, fill out the log sheets, and concentrate on the task at hand, and everyone will benefit. 

 

Thanks!

 

 

Annual Meeting Reminder

     The CRC Annual Meeting will be held Saturday, February 19, at Captain Bligh’s Restaurant at 6^th Avenue and Simms in Lakewood.  The doors will open at 6:30pm, the dinner will begin at 7:00pm, and the meeting will begin at 8:00pm.  Remember, you don’t have to come to the dinner to attend the meeting afterwards.  We encourage all club members that can to join us.  We’ll hear reports from the Board of Directors, have the election to fill the three spots on the Board of Directors that come open this year, and hear from you – the CRC membership - about what you’d like for, and from, your club.  These elections are important and the meeting is not just a formality.  The Board is always available to hear from the members, but why not take this opportunity to meet and hear from your fellow shooters.  It’s your club so please come and be a part of it!  Can’t find your RSVP card?  No worries!  Visit the Club website at www.crci.org, and sign up on-line.  We look forward to the coming year and hope to see you at the Annual Meeting!

 

NOMINEES FOR

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

     As you know, CRC Board of Directors are elected by the club members to serve three year terms.  The terms have been staggered so we don’t have to place an entirely new slate at each election.  This year, the Board Members whose terms will expire are Martin Everitt, David Lee and Dennis Reul.  At the Match Directors Meeting in January, Tom Funk volunteered to again chair the Nominating Committee.  The committee is charged with finding willing and able candidates to stand for election.  Tom reports that thus far, the nominees are:

·         Jeff Andre

·         Les Dillman

·         Martin Everitt

·         David Lee

·         Gary Prebyl

·         Dennis Reul

Full biographical information about each of the nominees will be handed out at the annual meeting, and they will give a brief address on their plans and vision for the club if elected. 

     If you have questions about the candidates prior to the meeting, or would like to nominate someone to the Board, please contact Tom Funk at tmkthkrn@aol.com or call 303-690-5219. 

     Insert your own “Importance of Voting & Participation” lecture here.  Thanks to all who have volunteered to serve the Club!

               

 MATCH DIRECTORS MEETING

     Each year in January the Match Directors meet to review the past year of club activities and to plan for the year ahead.  This year the meeting was held January 22, and to follow are just a few of the highlights from that meeting.

  ●  Review of the Allis land purchase that was completed in August.  This land will protect us from the inevitable encroachment of development and provide revenue from sharecropping. 

 ●   The construction of three new toilets was completed this past year.  Thanks to David Lee, Don Fabrizio and all who helped in their building.  Now they need painting – contact Dave Paananen if you’re available to help out with that.

  ●  This was the first year we had a dedicated position of Workbond Coordinator. Dave Paananen has done a great job in this capacity and largely because of his efforts, fewer members than usual were dropped at the end of the year for not completing their workbond obligation.  Dave also suggested that we install a drop box out at the range so members who have completed their work can simply drop off their workbond cards and not have to separately mail them in. As soon as that’s done we’ll let you know!

  ●   Ron Best has created a general email address for CRC.  It is crci@comcast.net  Members can now email questions, concerns, requests, items for the newsletter, etc to this address and not have to worry did they CC all the right members etc.  The address is up and running.  

  ● The Club has purchased a new tractor and two new mowers to help with range maintenance.  If you are now or would like to be an equipment operator there are some new procedures.  See the overview provided by Paul Wilson at the beginning of newsletter for more information. 

  ●  While a lot of the clubs efforts have gone into planting over the years – native grasses, trees etc. we also have an obligation to kill noxious weeds.  Also we need to keep some backstops – especially those on the silhouette range where dirt splash is important for shot spotting - free of plants.  If you are the opposite of a green thumb or are a licensed herbicide applicator, please contact Dave Paananen or Gary Prebyl.  We’ll need to make a strong effort in spring to kill weeds and backstop growth before they take hold, so if you can help please let us know. 

  ●  Toby Warren is designing a radio system for the high power range to replace the hard wire system.  Until it’s ready Larry Kelley will keep the wire system working.

   ●  2005 is the Clubs 80^th year!  We’d like to design something which can be given to all members (there are currently 575 of us!) to commemorate this milestone.  In 2000 we issued special member badges at a cost of about $5.50 each.  We need something no more expensive and easily mailed.  Luggage tags or embroidered patches have been among items suggested.  If you’ve got an idea for an item, or would like to create a design, contact CRC Merchandise Manager John Ashcraft or Ron Best.

     The Match Directors do A LOT of work each year organizing the clinics and competitions for the members, reporting scores to the NRA, and planning for the improvements and maintenance of the various range facilities.  On behalf of all the CRC members, we’d like to take this opportunity to thank them for their time and efforts.

 

THANKS!

     Thank you Andy Yan for getting the January Newsletter, and all its various enclosures including dues notices, meeting announcements etc. put together and mailed last month! 

 

     The quarter ton trailer given to the club and mentioned in the last newsletter was donated by member Tony Horton.  Thanks Tony!

 

Silhouette News

By Bob McAlice

     Eight shooters braved 10 mph winds and temperatures in the mid thirties on January 2^nd to compete in the first high-power silhouette match of 2005.  This match is held on the first Sunday of each month, weather permitting.  Normally two matches are fired, but with quickly deteriorating conditions all agreed to end the day firing only one match.  In the AAA class Bob Snyder and Bob McAlice each hit 18 targets resulting in a shoot off for first place.  Both shooters fired on the turkey bank to determine the winner in a “sudden death” finish.  After two shots each McAlice came out on top.  In AA class Geri Snyder and Tom Bant tied for 1^st place with 12 hits each.  After a lengthy battle on the ram bank, Geri Snyder prevailed as the winner.  This group always welcomes new shooters to join in the fun of knocking down metal animal targets.  It is a great way to improve your shooting skills for next hunting season. Contact any of the silhouette match directors for more information.  Next matches are February 6^th at 10 a.m. and March 6^th at 10 a.m.  Come on out to a match and check out the action: see what it is all about.

 

Editorial Note:  My apologies to all the pistol shooters for the delay in getting the following item into the newsletter!

 

2004 Pistol Summary

By Wayne Harris

     We have come to the end of another outdoor Bullseye pistol season at CRC.  We held a total of seven tournaments and shot on eight days.  Attendance was higher for all but two tournaments and only one of those was down from last year.  Based on the tournament bulletins, we hosted over 80 shooter-days this year compared to around 60 last year. 

     I have already reported on our good start with the Kaser Memorial Silver Trophy Tournament, which was attended by ten shooters and won by High Master Brad Lightner of Bailey.  My previous report also included the Eastern Colorado Regional Tournament (as opposed to the Western Colorado Regional held in Gunnison, three weeks later) at which we hosted 24 shooters and Master Steve Locatelli won.

     Our next tournament was the Camp Perry Consolation Match, held in July on the Saturday just before the Pistol phase at Camp Perry.  We intend to shoot the match during Perry, but someone keeps changing the dates of the National Matches.  We had ten people shoot this tournament, same as last year.  Dwight Thyarks of Cheyenne, Wyoming, won the tournament with a 2556-89x score (out of 2700-270x).  Paul Figlia of Bailey, was first Expert/Sharpshooter with a 2511 and Curt Lackey was second in the same class with a 2503.  Since we only had two Sharpshooters and eight Experts, first and second in class are equivalent to overall second and third.  All the masters and high masters apparently were at Camp Perry.

     In August we hosted two matches, the “Late Summer Classic” 2700 and the USA Shooting Zone 9 Championships international style matches.  Attendance at the “Late Summer” 2700 was up with 12 shooters in 2004 versus 9 in 2003.  Brad Lightner showed his usual form winning the Grand Aggregate with 2607-107x.  John Hagan of Conifer was First Expert with 2495-50x and Marita Keeling of Denver was First Sharpshooter with 2469-49x.

 

     Late last year, USA Shooting announced that they would be sanctioning Zone and Regional Championships starting in 2004.  USA Shooting Zones and Regions are pre-defined: Colorado, Utah and Wyoming are Zone 9 and we are combined with Arizona, California, Hawaii and Nevada (Zone 11) to make the Southwest Region.  Each pistol discipline may have one championship within the zone and another within the region.  Medals are presented to the top three scoring shooters who are residents of the zone or region.  In conjunction with the National Training Shooting Club, CRC hosted the first ever Zone championships sanctioned by USA Shooting.  CRC hosted Free Pistol, Standard Pistol, Center-fire Pistol and Women’s Sport Pistol on Saturday, Aug. 28 and the NTSC hosted Men’s and Women’s Air Pistol and Rapid Fire Pistol at the Olympic Training Center on Sunday, Aug. 29.

     We were aware of the conflict with the Olympics when we scheduled these matches, but we thought attendance might be okay, since the US could only send two men and two women pistol shooters to Athens.  We had a total of six people shoot the matches at CRC and nine at the OTC.  The free pistol medals went to Steve Locatelli (Gold with 521 out of 600), Paul Figlia (Silver, 504) and Paul Ha of Grand Junction (Bronze, 487).  Standard Pistol Gold went to Steve Locatelli (555), Paul Figlia (528) and CRC member Doug Maxwell (525).  The Center-Fire gold went to Steve Locatelli (551), Paul Figlia (525) and Doug Maxwell (522).  The Women’s Sport Pistol Gold was won by Marilyn Mumby of Golden, Colorado with a 538 out of 600 score.

     The CRC 2700 Pistol Club Championship was held, in September, on the windiest day since we put up our wind breaks.   Eight shooters attended the tournament, yet another increase from 2003.  Scores were affected by the wind, more for some than others.  Master Steve Locatelli shot a Grand Aggregate score of 2564-84 to beat High Master Brad Lightner’s 2560-85x to take the trophy back.  Steve has won possession of the traveling trophy four times in the six years we have been awarding it.  CRC Member Doug Maxwell won the combined Expert/Sharpshooter class with a 2468-44x.

     Our final tournament of each year is held on the first Sunday in October, and we call it the Risk Takers, because we fully expect that some year will be rained or snowed out.  Hasn’t happened yet.  In fact, most years, the Risk Takers match has had the best weather of all our tournaments and this year was very close.  Attendance was again higher than last year with eleven shooters.  Steve Locatelli won the Grand Aggregate with a 2600-93x score.  With only three sharpshooters and no marksmen in attendance, there was only one class (Expert/Sharpshooter) for class awards.  That did not matter much to Sharpshooter Chuck Holt from Fort Collins, who won the combined class with a 2541-69x (2430 is Expert, 2565 is Master).   Expert Curt Lackey of Denver “traded paint” with Chuck through the fired and sub aggregate matches and came up with a 2520-71x for second Expert/Sharpshooter.

     It was a great season.  Wayne and I are very encouraged by the increases in attendance this year and hope they continue next year.  We would like to see more Marksmen and Unclassified (i.e. NEW) shooters at our matches.  If the club membership shows some interest we will try to hold a beginners clinic next spring.

Workbond Update

By Dave Paananen

      The Match Directors have their requested volunteer list for 2005.  The complete list is on the website (www.crci.org), under the WorkBond section.  A portion of the list is reproduced below.  Helping out the Match Directors is one of the best ways to get your workbond done.  Watch in particular for the Regional and National matches.  You can see top shooters, help the club, and help make in impression on folks who see the great facility we have and how well we pun on a shooting event.

     Also on the website is a list of activities suitable for completing your workbond.  Click on the current needs button in the WorkBond section.  A copy of this list is also posted just inside the door of the scoring building by the smallbore range.  This list contains jobs that don’t require an organized work part and most can be done by one person.  Check it out soon – the best jobs go by fast!

     Before the growing season gets underway, I’d like to develop a call list for people who can come out on a day during the week to mow a portion of the range facility when it is needed.  We will give you a week or more notice before the mowing needs to be done.  This may require using one of the large tractor mowers.  Our new heavy equipment manager Paul Wilson has agreed to host a training class on the proper use of the mowing equipment.  Give call me at (303) 673-0106 or email dpaananen@netzero.net to get on the list.

 

DATE	EVENT	CONTACT	PHONE	EMAIL	# Of  Volunteers
FEBRUARY
Sunday 20	Sporting Clays, 9am	Kingcade	303 . 644 . 3523		2
MARCH
Sunday 20	Sporting Clays, 9 am	Kingcade	303 . 644 . 3523		2
Sunday 20	Hi Power 1000  Yard Bench Rest	Brummerstedt	303 . 772 . 5145	jr338@juno.com	2
Sunday 27	EASTER
APRIL
Sunday 3	CMP John Garand Match Schuetzen Range	Adell	970 . 663 . 4779	Jim_adell@hotmail.com	4
Sunday 10	Sporting Clays, 9am	Kingcade	303 . 644 . 3523		2
Saturday 16	SPRING WORK DAYS ALL RANGES CLOSED SATURDAY
Sunday 17	SPRING WORK DAYS SOME RANGES CLOSED
Sunday 17	Hi Power 1000  Yard Bench Rest	Brummerstedt	303 . 772 . 5145	jr338@juno.com	2
Sunday 24	Silhouette IHMSA Pistol	Funk	303 . 690 . 5219	tmkthkrn@aol.com	4

 

IF GUNS ARE OUTLAWED, ONLY OUTLAWS WILL HAVE GUNS. 

     Most of us have heard this saying (bought the bumper sticker, worn the T-Shirt, etc) and for most it seems like a common sense truth. But some folks have a different kind of common sense, so its nice when you can back up your beliefs with some quantifiable scientific data.  Proof – so to speak.

     So I was excited to learn the National Academy of Sciences has just released a study that many in the shooting community were hailing as scientific validation of our common sense.  One article said that the report could find no evidence to support the conclusion that government restriction on firearms reduces gun crime, gun violence and gun accidents.  Inspired, I went to the website for the National Academy of Sciences to check it out.  And in a round about way, the report does say that.  But the tone of the report is troubling and I think it’s important to note.

     The report, titled Firearms and Violence: A Critical Review,  was written by the National Research Council – the operating arm of the National Academy of Science.  The commission was sponsored by the Institute of Justice, the Center for Disease Control, the Joyce Foundation, the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the David & Lucile Packard Foundation.  The 18 member panel reviewed 253 journal articles, 99 books, 43 government publications, 80 gun control laws, and did their own independent study.  The objective was to provide an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the existing social science data in research on firearms.  What is troubling about the report (and I didn’t read all 300-some pages – but the summary alone says a lot!) is that their focus is not on finding what role guns play in violent crime, but it seems to be focused on what role gun ownership has in violence.  At every turn the report says available data is inadequate, contradictory, or non-existent.   They recommend the creation of several new systems to record violent deaths, gun related incidents, and gun related suicides, to better determine the role of firearms in violence.

     What bothers me about all this – and why I encourage everyone to check out the study – is it seems to be approaching the problem from the wrong end.  Instead of examining violence - it’s psychological roots, its societal influences and its criminal manifestations  – they are examining gun ownership and looking for some connection between the two.  The study talks about the lack of data on gun ownership, and recommends “that appropriate access be given to data maintained by regulatory and law enforcement agencies…registration data maintained by the FBI…and manufacturing and sales data for research purposes.”  On the question of crime deterrence the report says “Firearms are used by the public to defend against crime.”  I don’t know about everyone else – but I consider my rifle sporting equipment.  I have insurance to protect me from theft, and morals and a conscience to keep me from violent behavior.  Even data that demonstrates 80% of criminals obtain firearms from illegal street trade or family & friends is questioned for lack of a control group.  Decide for yourselves.  Go to www.nationalacademies.org, click on the publications link and search for this study by title.  Then consider contacting the foundations and study participants and reminding them of the sporting side of shooting – and the benefits of common sense.