Since the range has been fully operational, things have been a bit of a blur, for which we have our clients and members to thank.

A big change from the 1st April 2011 is the name of the facility – It shall now be known as the Corinium Rifle Range, after the old Roman name for Cirencester :

“The name of the Gloucestershire Rifle Range is changing to The Corinium Rifle Range incorporating Dama Deer Services. It will have its own website where we will be offering the usual range facilities as well as accompanied stalking (Medal and cull animals), a level 1 walkthrough, a reloading course as well as a post level 1 course,  DSC 1 & 2 will be offered as well through one of my associates, C & C Stalking,and impartial advice. We will not be tied to any one shop and look forward to developing our range of services with all the local gunshops. The new website is in progress and is expected to launch in April. We will remain a Home Office approved club and a LANTA approved facility and aim to build on our already high standards with a strong emphasis on tuition and sound impartial advice. I hope this gives you some idea of how I am planning to grow my business ie. The range along with some training and deer management generally.”

P.Hill  02/04/2011.

Constructing the range was a huge under-taking, but we got there in the end, driven by the realization that many rifle shots out there have no-where locally to practice, test loads, zero and generally improve. I have been surprised by the amount of safari shooters we get – I have seen a lot of big calibres, all heading overseas, to the Dark Continent to protect their owners from big scratchy, bitey things! I’ll be happy if I never hear another story about a Black mamba,or big hairy spiders, I am quite happy in the woods and fields of Gloucestershire!

The range itself was a hugely expensive build, even the sand has to be of a specific type with its own BS number, and that has to be changed twice a year to ensure no dangerous build ups of lead and behind the scenes we do a lot of work to keep this facility completely safe and up to Home Office specifications for those who use it.

Of course, it gives us a great site for the Open Days! First, back in the summer, we had our official opening weekend, incredibly well-attended by over 400 people, and well supported by Open Season (Blaser and Mauser rifles) and Zeiss Optics as well as Withington Wild Venison, who donated all the Venison burgers the proceeds of which went to Help for Heroes. It was something of a milestone to get Home Office Approval for the site and club – Wiltshire Police are very impressed with the facility, and several other constabularies are also looking at the site.

With the arrival of the darker nights we held our very successful optics and night vision weekend. We expected a smaller turnout, due to the technical nature of the gear, but were surprised to have over 150 people through the range over the weekend, with many shooters surprised at the quality and affordability of night vision equipment. It also brought home the difference in the quality between the cheaper optics and the high end more expensive glass, as is often the case, you do get what you pay for! The NGO (National Gamekeepers Organization) are talking about holding an event here in the early part of the new year after the shooting seasons are over and we are discussing a ‘Rifle Care’ theme for the event – bring your rifle down, we can inspect the bore and advise a cleaning routine if necessary. I am constantly surprised by the so called ‘cleaning regimes’ some people have, I have yet to come across a manufacturer who recommends not cleaning a barrel. I am off to Scotland for a week on the hill where I will be putting some more kit through its paces (look out for forthcoming reviews), so I will miss the start of the doe season here – remember, if you have numbers to get, start early. The range is always open by appointment to check up on your zero before your next trip.

Paul.