In just a couple of weeks a new shooting season will be underway at Reade Range. This winter has been mild compared to last year, but I’ll bet everyone still has a touch of cabin fever they are ready to get rid of. If you like rifles, especially very accurate rifles, Reade has something you’ll enjoy. The range holds regular league matches for Highpower (Across-the-Course), Mid Range Prone, Long Range Prone, and 1000-yard Benchrest. It also hosts a Long Range Blackpowder match, a Vintage Rifle match, Full Bore Prone matches, and a Marine Corps League match. And on the Schedule for the first time this year are four 3-Gun matches. With all this going on there is no shortage of shooting opportunities. The complete range schedule, match programs, and event contact information can all be found elsewhere on the website.

The first event of the year is our annual work day. The day is spent rebuilding targets, cleaning up from the winter, preparing the range for a new season, and catching up with folks we haven’t seen all winter. The more help we have, the easier it is, so come and give a hand.

Reade Highpower league matches are 80 shots- plus sighters and follow NRA rules and procedures. This year two rifles will be awarded at the conclusion of the league. One national-match service rifle will be presented to the season’s highest scoring junior and another to the high service rifle shooter.

On the first two weekends in June, Reade Range hosts the “Remington Open” Long Range Regional and the “Remington Classic” Highpower Regional. These matches, sponsored of course by the Remington Outdoor Company, are first rate! They are well run, atte

nded by both military teams and top notch civilian competitors, an excellent meal is provided at each one, and lots or great prizes are awarded- mostly guns! A lot of planning, effort, attention to detail, and money go into these regional championships, and it pays off in a big way for the shooters who attend them. This year a third Remington sponsored match- the Remington Full Bore Regional- is scheduled for the second weekend in July. The weekends of our summer calendars fill quickly, and so do these matches so mark them down now and register early!

The first weekend in September is Reade’s “State Championship Weekend.” This is a very interesting and fun three-day event. On Friday a Long Range match is held and a Long Range State Champion is named. The high score from Saturday’s Mid Range match is the Mid Range State Champion. And a State Highpower Champion is picked at Sunday’s Across-the-Course match, which is also the State Service Rifle Championship. Then the shooter with the highest three-day aggregate score is named Overall Pennsylvania State Champion. Last year was the first time this match was fired, and everyone who shot it agreed that it was a ball! Whether you are a Long Range devotee, an Across-the-Course service rifle shooter, or Mid Range F-class is your preferred sport, you should plan to shoot all three days of this match. So borrow, buy, or dust off some equipment and start getting ready. You won’t be disappointed!

Keep an eye on the website for more information on these matches or any others planned for this summer. And remember, juniors shoot any Across-the-Course, Mid Range, and Long Range league matches for free, so when you come out bring a kid or two along with you!