NRA Whittington Center visit

[Don Lovel]

Traveled out to the NRA Whittington Center in Raton this week with my dad and some of his buddies.
We stayed in the Thompson Center cabin in the founders area, excellent accomodations
on the Silhouette range with my 1952 International Harvester purchased from DCM in 1984 for $165


Dad has been loading M1 Garands since Boot Camp at Ft Riley Kansas in 1944, this one he built from parts last year, chambered in 308.


Dad bought this 03 Springfield sniper last year


Lots of antelope bucks hanging around our cabin area

 

[RonEgg]

Great pics, Don. Only been there once myself, great facilities.

 

[contender]

I've been there once as well. We spent a couple of days there, in one of the cabins. Explored the old mining town ruins, etc. I bet y'all have a great time.

 

[doccash]

Don, enjoyed your post and pictures. Dr.C

 

[gunsbam69]

Cool pics. My Dad was also stationed out of Ft. Riley in the Vietnam era. I grew up about 35 west as the crow flies and my other place is 19 west now. Ft. Riley is quite a spread. I did one project there back when I was in the telecom business, and used to take the tank trails into work in the mornings from Longford. Milford lake is on my side of the fort, and Tuttle creek reservoir and Manhattan/KSU on the other. Not just a great place to be from. It's a great place just to be. I was supposed to go to the Whittington center this year with a friend for The Shootists event, but the rules changed this year, so maybe someday

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Don Lovel]

If you are a NRA member, go there some day ! You have to buy a Whittington gun range pass which is $25/yr, but you will see right where the money goes, it is very well spent

I wish I had brought a shotgun, the new shotgun sports center is awesome and over at the Founders cabins we stayed at, a incredible view of the new long range High Power rifle range.
Take plenty of ammo, and don't get in a hurry to leave, there is so much to go check out and the different ranges each offer something challenging to shoot
The headquarters gift shop has good gun and ammo and accessory prices and the new Frank Brownell gun collection is worth a look, there is a 30-40 Krag chambered Gatling in the main entry

 

[Zeus]

Cool pics. My Dad was also stationed out of Ft. Riley in the Vietnam era. I grew up about 35 west as the crow flies and my other place is 19 west now. Ft. Riley is quite a spread. I did one project there back when I was in the telecom business, and used to take the tank trails into work in the mornings from Longford. Milford lake is on my side of the fort, and Tuttle creek reservoir and Manhattan/KSU on the other. Not just a great place to be from. It's a great place just to be. I was supposed to go to the Whittington center this year with a friend for The Shootists event, but the rules changed this year, so maybe someday

Thanks for sharing.

Milford is a nice place....Don, looks like you were on my favorite range with the Bison target out on the mountain side. It's a really neat place to visit. Wish I lived closer to use it more often!

GS

 

[WendyZXZ]

Great pictures and looks like some fun shooting!

 

[sixshot]

The NRA center is a very interesting place, I've been there several times & its always a treat to go back. I've stayed in most of the founders cabins as well. One time we were sitting on the front porch after supper & noticed a smallish black bear working its way along a low spot below the cabin. Off to the west there was an older couple going for an evening stroll.
We whistled & they stopped & waved.... so we whistled again & they turned & now spotted the bear getting closer & closer. The brave man got quite aways ahead of his wife in a very short time.

Dick