Where can Boy Scouts qualify for rifle shooting badge in Middle TN?

[glockten]

A good friend of mine is a Scoutmaster and he asked me this question. I don't know, so I decided to run it past the good folks here at TFL.

He's got 12 boys who have apparently gone through the rifle shooting program except for the actual shooting for qualification.

Any ideas?

[ahenry]

Are there any Scout Camps there? If there aren't any, any range should work. IIRC (it has been a few years) the rifle MB is only 22 and limited to 50 yard shooting. Just about any range should be able to accommodate that. I would tell the Scoutmaster to call a few and see if the can use the range after hours for free or something (make sure he explains it is for the Rifle Merit Badge right off the bat). If that doesn't work are there any ranches around there? Lots of people love to help out the Boy Scouts and as long as they aren't worried about liability they probably wouldn't mind the use of their land.

So in short try:

1. B.S.A. camps in the area
2. Public ranges
3. Private land/ranches

Hope this helps. If he still needs some help send me an e-mail and I will try to put him in touch with some people that keep up with scouting a bit more than I do.

[Hardtarget]

The Scouts still have Camp Boxwell. Its on Hwy. 109, north of Hwy. 70. Unless they've removed the rifle range, your friend should be able to shoot there. If that is a no-go, you might try Gallatin Gun Club (located at the steam plant) Surely a member will sponser some range time for the Scouts.
Mark

[logansdad]

glockten, I spent numerous summers at Camp Mack Morris (http://boyscouts.tn.org/camp_mack_morris.htm) near Birdsong in eastern West TN (or western Middle TN - whatever). It is in the West TN council.

They have a range where the shooting merit badge can be earned during summer camp. Suggest you contact them for "off-peak" use by scout troops.

[Zander]

...suggest you try the council office on Hillsboro Rd., just north of Green Hills at Woodmont Blvd.

[615]383-9724

BTW, have you seen my thread in Lock&Load re: tables at the next Pope show?

[Doug444]

One more bit of information - .22's, air rifles and muzzle loaders may all be used to qualify for the shooting portion of the Rifle Merit Badge (just check the MB Handbook), they just use different targets and distances. Good Luck!

Doug444

[4V50 Gary]

Isn't there a range near Murfreesboro?

[glockten]

Thanks, all, for the suggestions. I'll ask my friend if he has looked into using Boxwell or any of the other area camps.

Hey there Zander!

I've looked, and I really don't have any superfluous items to sell. But I will be at the show.

[Forgetful Dave]

logansdad; when were you at Mack Morris. I was on the staff there many years ago as a lowly handicraft instructor. Later moved to S.C. and taught the shooting m.b.s and S.C. Hunter Safety. As I recall they had real honest-to-goodness hardwood trees at Mack Morris, not the scrub oaks and pines we have down here.