Nationals at Ridgway PA - Range overview

I had the good fortune to take some time off from work and make the 8 hour drive to Ridgway from NH.  Thanks Ron for riding shotgun and otherwise adding to the fun of the adventure.  Not to mention help me get my shots onto the animals...dang 1 pig!  Showed up with chicken setting on Pig line...duh!

The Ridgway Lever Action range was in its infancy when I was there last in 2017.  It has turned into quite a range with some rather clever elements that I thought I would attempt to explain without putting folks to sleep.  

The range itself has 6 banks, 10 shooter positions.  6 banks because it is designed to support both the LAR distances of 50m, 100m, 150m and 200m as well as the PCLA/SBLA disciplines which are shot at 40m, 50m, 75m, 100m.  The three disciplines all share the same 50m and 100m rail.  I will provide details on how they accomplish this a little later.  Below you will see my crude attempt to highlight the 6 distances and the underlined distance is shared by all three disciplines.  Look closely at the 100m line and you will see both LAR pigs and PCLA/SBLA rams to illustrate the point.  The 50m PCLA/SBLA pigs are in a pile behind the chicken line bank number for those wondering where the half scale pigs are.  

As for animal spacing, in LAR they put up 5 in each bank and 10 animals in each bank for PCLA/SBLA.  100 full scale rams would be one heck of a lot of real estate.  In LAR, target setters run out between the first and second five shots to put up the 5 animals.  A nice break in the action to evaluate what went wrong and what went right on the first bank.   

To aid in proper spacing- and placement, pads have been welded onto the inverterted rail road track used for all animal banks.  Many tons of steel for sure.  To the left you can see full size pigs on the line with their half scale Ram cousins on the ground.  

Short version, this is a great range for shooting the sport!  Shooting line is covered and has a nice concrete pad for shooters to perfect their sport.  If you are ever in the area you should see if there is some form of silhouette match and go see it for yourself.  

Better yet, when the 2024 match dates come out in February, even when shooting is the very last thing on your mind, be sure to get the Ridgway dates and pencil them in.  100 shooters were at the Lever Action Nationals.  A wealth of knowledge always willing to share.