The Colorado Rifle Club has been around since 1925. We have been located in several different locations around Denver over the years. "Progress" and land development around the Denver metro area forced us to be relocated from time to time. Our last location was in the S.W. foothills of Jefferson County. We were forced to move again when the western link of C-470 was approved in 1990. This time we vowed not to be put in this situation again. In 1991 we bought a 2000 acre ranch property near Byers, CO (which is 65 miles N.E. of Denver) lock, stock and barrel. Several ranges were immediately developed and put to use. The old ranch house was updated and the outbuildings were used for tractors, mowers and storage.

In 1995 the steel shooters at the Watkins, CO club approached CRC about developing a new silhouette range in Byers. There were only enough funds available to get the earth moving work done and concrete pads on both the high power and small bore firing lines. The line cover was pushed off to a future date.

Well the future is here! After twelve years without a line cover, the board of directors approved funding for our long awaited line cover. This is no small structure. The HP & SB line is continuous for 325 feet. That is a lot of roof cover! The cover has to be tough enough to withstand the strong winter winds of the Colorado high plains. It will be contracted out to a local builder. The estimated start day is in early October. The estimated completion time is three to four weeks. From time to time I will try to post some progress pictures during construction. It has been a long time coming and we are all looking forward to having our range complete.

Bob M

You're right in saying that's no small structure. You've got a football-field-long (and almost one of the end zones) firing line there. Congrats! Definitely show off some pictures!

Good job Bob, When the club was founded, was that Ford Pickup that the club has, thrown in with the deal? It does what it is supposed to do, and is the Buffalo Ranch still there? Maybe I'll see you in a couple of weeks.

Congratulations.... Knowing how hard it is to get funding for these projects at the clubs I'm sure has been a long hard road for you. We just added a front brow roof to our range this last year to keep the sun and rain off the shooters, but we did the work ourselves which extended the time it took to complete, but it saved us a lot of money. We also used rough cut lumber from a local saw mill and left over steel roofing.

Hey there JB, what do you mean maybe will see you next week? Thought you being here was a done deal. At first, we were using the pair of oxen that came with the ranch to haul our targets down range. But this took too long. By the time we had set up, there was only enough time for a couple of practice shots before the sun went down. As for the Ford, I picked that up 3 years ago for a grand. Great truck. 390 cu. in. power house 4x4. Our other 76 caught fire and burned to the ground, un-noticed fuel leak. Were you one of the lucky people to see my home made grand slam ram trophy pictures before the photobucket police censored them last night? BASTARDS! Somehow I will get these back on for everyones viewing pleasure. I will contact Mike for approval and instructions on how to post a photo. The match wont be the same without you......... Oh yeah, the buffalo ranch is still here, and it is not like the Mustang Ranch in Nevada. Hope you did not have your heart set on a visit......Bob.

Bob, I was writting about the 76 Ford. I had a 76 Chevy C/D 10, with a 250 engine and three on the tree. My first wife couldn't drive it, so off it went, should have gotten rid of the wife instead of the truck, but that came later. I still miss that truck!

Hey there JB, what do you mean maybe will see you next week?

Now JB if I can take a day off and borrow a rifle from Kevin to shoot Colorado you can do it too....Be there or be square.

Innocent