METACON  NEWS  Metacon Gun Club, Inc Simsbury, CT

VOLUME 15 ISSUE 07 JULY 2014

Go to GOL p. 2

New Metal Targets

at 100 Yards

Safety And Education News

By Robert Ronstrom

Go to Update, p. 6

Go to Payment, p. 2

Budget Passes, Dues and Fees Set

Dues and fees for the fiscal year starting April 1st have been set as follows: Dues ..................$95.00 B&G Assess..... $30.00 CT tax................ $3.00 TOTAL...........$128.00 Some members owe small amounts from last year (usually PayPal fees) and many of you will have work or letter-writing credits. PLEASE do not make payments until you receive your invoice and voucher, (around April 1); then return the voucher with payment. PayPal users MUST pay all fees associated with the payment. Click on the “Personal” tab and select “Payment Owed”. Click the “Continue” button. If you are paying by credit card, you will see a box labeled “I will pay the fee”. Make sure that this box is checked. Payments are due April 1st, and will be late only if paid after April 30. Late payment results in suspension of membership and a $25 penalty. Payments not made within 60 days result in loss of membership.

* * *

OR Range Safety – Summer is here and with the warm weather and longer days our outdoor range use is seasonally higher. We’ve installed some new enhancements. A new safety HOT/COLD range system and I want to take a minute to explain it. On approximately every other post you will see a yellow button that is labeled “COLD RANGE.” Pressing any of these buttons will activate the buzzer for a short blast and it will activate the yellow caution lights. To turn these lights off, simply hit the red HOT RANGE button located on the RO tower at the center of the range. In addition to the lights visible under the canopy, there are two lights on the canopy that are visible from the berm and forward of the firing line. None of the rules to call the range COLD have changed. Please ask other shooters if it’s OK to go cold, verify that all actions open and empty and then confirm that the range is cold. Now you may hit the COLD button. When everyone is safely back behind the firing line and shooters want to go HOT, verify with everyone that the range is going HOT, get an acknowledgement from all others and then hit the red button on the RO tower. The COLD buttons can also be used to call for a “CEASE FIRE” should any unsafe condition arise, such as wildlife on the range, a hang glider below the tree-line, or anyone forward of the firing line. Please remember to hit the HOT button and disable the safety lights if you are the last one leaving the range. We don’t want them running all day or night. Additionally, there are now flood-lights over each port on the range. These are all on timers under outdoor switches and you can activate them for 10, 20, 40 or 60 minutes. The bottom button is OFF. These lights help greatly when inspecting actions, or searching for something in a range bag. Blue Sky Barrier – After painting our blue-sky barrier last year, we have recently noticed some new holes in

it. PLEASE be careful that your shots ALWAYS impact the berm. Should an unintended discharge happen, you must report it to our Safety & Education Committee. The consequences of reporting are very minor, but the consequences of not reporting are major, up to expulsion from the club. PLEASE take this seriously and report all safety issues immediately. IR Range Ventilation – As we progress in the rather large project of our ventilation system on the indoor range, we have run into some unexpected complications that have lead to higher than planned expenses, significantly higher in fact. Without getting into great detail here, the cost of getting the needed 3-phase power from Nod Rd. to the site of the new equipment is considerable. Worse than that, to support this very heavy equipment out of the flood plain it needs to be elevated to a level that has never flooded in the past. That is proving to be engineering challenge that is solvable, but at great expense. The steel alone was quoted at a stunning number that honestly we never expected. We will of course be working to value engineer a solution that is less costly, but currently, we’re looking at about double what our original estimate was. A motion was made at the June regular meeting and it will be voted on in July. Please be at the meeting if you would like to hear details or voice your opinion. For the record, the board considers this project a “need” and not a “want.” Newsletter Editor NEEDED – We’re looking for a volunteer to take over this monthly project. Someone should have skills with a computer and be able to assemble the newsletter electronically and save it to a .PDF file for distribution. There’s not necessarily any writing that needs to be done. The editor will assemble from content submitted by others and proofread it. If you would like to know more, contact me or Mike Palmer and we’ll go through the details.

* * *

President’s Corner By Robert Margolis

NOTICE FRIENDS NEEDS YOU!

Friends of Metacon (FOM) Shoots are in need of instructors and coaches! You do not have to be a certified NRA pistol/rifle instructor. If you enjoy teaching or mentoring people how to safely handle a firearm, you are just who we want ....Contact June Shew at 860-653-6330 or june.sunset@cox.net.

FOM meets on the Indoor Range and classroom every fourth Saturday from 6 PM to 10 PM. Next FOM Shoot is May 24, 2014! Hope to see you there.

The motion made at the June meeting to approve additional funds for the Indoor Range Ventilation Project will be voted on at the July Regular Meeting. Please see article below for more details.

IR Ventilation Costs Increase

Approval Needed for Additional Funds

Indoor Range Ventilation Budget

Update By Bruce Thompson

As reported at the June 10 Board of Governor’s (BOG) meeting, and to the membership at the June 17 regular meeting, the estimated costs to implement the replacement of the indoor range ventilation system have increased. The BOG recommended that the membership be presented with the additional costs for approval, and that the work proceed. At the June membership meeting, there was a long discussion of the work, including that funding the increase is expected to result in a $100 annual assessment for the next three years. The membership approved a motion in June that a vote be taken at the July meeting on proceeding with the work. The reason for the increase is not related to the original proposal from the ventilation contractor, but instead relates to the associated support work. Specifically, the total cost for this project has increased from the $170,000 approved at the annual membership meeting in March, to approximately $300,000 (as of our most recent proposals). The major increase is associated with the equipment platform and structural work, which includes building two dormers on the existing roof to accommodate the

2

Directory The Metacon Gun Club, Inc.

PO Box 691, Simsbury, CT 06070 www.metacongunclub.com

OFFICERS President Bob Margolis 860-778-1212 margolis.bob@me.com Vice President Gary Lenk 860-521-2440 gary.lenk@comcast.net Recording Secretary Ed Leitkowski 860-237-0297 eleitkowski@sbcglobal.net Membership Secretary - Peter Donahue 860-985-9547 PO Box 330069 West Hartford, CT 06133 membership@

metacongunclub.com Treasurer Mike Palmer 860-658-0061 treasurer@

metacongunclub.com Asst. Treasurer Jason Newman 860-678-6059 jdnewman27@att.net DIRECTORS Bldng & Grnds Robert Sunday 860-525-8338 bsunday@comcast.net Class III Mike D’Angelo djmiked@msn.com Handgun Jeff Moores jefmoores@gmail.com Jr. Program Andrew Davenport

davenports4@sbcglobal.net Rifle Vladimir Mashkovich odessabld@sbcglobal.net GOVERNORS AT LARGE Roy McAdoo

860-651-0375 mcadoo@juuno.com June Shew 860-653-6330

june.sunset@cox.net Bruce Thompson

860-662-0526 bruce@demaximis.com Past President Dennis Golden

860-651-4911 dennis@im-safe.com TEAM CAPTAINS Archery Bob Roberge 860-529-6483 Bullseye Pistol Dan Schaper 860-651-9160 Combat Pistol John Freda Falling Plate Glenn Weldon 860-763-1439 Small Bore Rifle Andy Davenport860-670-5864 COMMITTEES Bylaws George Leeper 860-844-1205 Environmental Mike Palmer 860-658-0061 Finance/Planning June Shew 860-653-6330 Finance Oversight Jason Newman 860-678-6059 Outreach/PR Dom Basile 860-274-8411 Politics John Buckley 860-944-3060 Safety&Educ Jim Couture 860-595-5152 couture9404@yahoo.com

Notice of Regular Meeting:

July 15, 2014 7:30 PM

Next RE-CRO Class Sunday 9:00AAM

July 20, 2014

Re-CRO Needed Per Club rules, you must take a refresher safety course (called Re-CRO) every five years. Failure to do so results in de-activation of your membership. You may attend any CRO class; check the calendar for scheduled classes. You take only the written test, not the shooting portion of the class. Contact the membership secretary with any questions. The following members are due for Re-CRO:

Added to Wait List

Few Volunteers for Work-or-Pay

There has been a fairly mild response to the request that those who are interested in working off their B&G assessment submit their names for inclusion on a call list. Again, here are the relevant points: 1. E-mail (preferable) or phone Mike Palmer with your name and contact information. 2. Indicate the kinds of work you feel you are competent to perform. 3.Specifiy your hours and days of availability. 4. State if you are a contractor or skilled tradesman and want to bid on jobs that the Club hires out. With this information, I will try to match up interested workers with available jobs. Contact info: E-mail: mmpalmer@comcast.net Phone: 860-658-0061 (business # with answering machine)

* * *

Applicants Please review applicants’ names, and submit any comments to the Board of Governors. The following applicants appeared at the last meeting: Martin Magnusson, West Hartford Jan-Michael Denis, Burlington Len Cossette, Bloomfield John Ficaro, Weatogue John Meany, Granby Janice Porri, Windsor Michael Drew, Granby

* * *

860-763-1439 or sitemanager1@att.net

Wait List These applicants from the previous meetings were approved for placement on the Wait List. Robert Grosso-Avon Robert Zapatka-Plainville George Coyne Jr-Plainville Leslie A Hyatt- Avon

* * *

Think, Act, Be Safe

Junior Program Report

By Robert Ronstrom

Think, Act, Be Safe

Go to

This year the Annual Meeting will be held at the Tower Ridge Country Club on March 20, 2012. All members are also invited to attend an informal cocktail reception that will begin at 6:15 PM and end at 7:15 PM Cost of admission to the reception is $15 (collected at the door) and will cover the cost of hot and cold appetizers. Adult beverages and soft drinks are also available. There is no fee to attend the regular meeting that will begin at 7:30 PM

* * *

Annual Meeting Announcement

Bryan Adams

Bruce R. Avritch

Tim Baierwick

Donald R. Barrett

Chris Batrna

David A. Blaise

Adrian Bludeau

Teresa Bludeau

Jeremy Brainsky

Ken Bratton

Add Late Fee of

$27.50 to

This list as of June 25, 2013.

Disaster cont’d from p.1

The link below gets you to Bob Crook’s web site. Everyone should get on his e-mail list, as he provides information on just about everything political about guns, hunting and fishing. www.ctsportsmen.com

Go to President p. 2

Payment, cont’d from p. 1

Metacon Gun Club NEWS Michael Palmer, Editor

e-mail: mmpalmer@comcast.net

CCDL needs you. They are carrying the fight to protect our gun rights. First, they need you as a member, which costs nothing. Second, any contribution you can make will help the fight.

www.ccdl.us

Septemberfest The annual Simsbury Septemberfest event will be held on the weekend of September 5, 6 & 7 and Metacon will be continuing its years-long tradition of participating in it. This venue has proven itself to be an exceptional way for us to get positive exposure and meet with hundreds of our neighbors...and it’s fun and easy! We need people to man the booth, any time you can give would be greatly appreciated and will count towards your work / pay assessment. If interested please contact me with your preferred time slot and your contact information. I'll be filling out the schedule on a first come, first-served basis. Thanks in advance, Dom Basile ( dot_dom1@msn.com).

* * *

Colin F. Britton

David Bushong

Chris J. Byrne

John Cantelmo

Daniel Carvalho

Richard Cavo

David Chekas

Ken Corey

Jeffrey Couzens

Chris Daugherty

A.Davenport

Michael Donato

George Dooley

Brian Dowd

Jerry Ellis

Kim Ellis

Chris Fleming

John Freda

Victor Fryxell

Kenneth Gostyla

Rich Green

Jimmy Guerrero

James Higgins

Kristina Hilborn

Tim Hopkins

Thor Kayeum Steve Khemthong

Paul Kochanski

George C. Ku

Michael W. Kwas

Scott Livingston

Chris Lynch

Michael Maffia

Fran. Massucci

Gretchen Mini

Anthony Monaco

Scott W. Organ

Jorge A. Ortolaza

Stephen Paolino

Gary W. Paul

Stephanie Paul

Roy Ryzak

Dean C. Scheffler

Mark Schilling

Daniel Steinmetz

Wilhelm Wexler

Gary Young

Christine Zarrella

Vito Zarrella

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5

Meeting Notes As submitted by Ed Leitkowski

Meeting was called to order at 7:31PM in the Metacon Clubhouse on Tuesday June 17, 2014. Officers/Chairs in attendance: Bob Margolis, Gary Lenk, Jason Newman, Roy McAdoo, Jeff Moores, Mike Palmer, Peter Donohue, Bob Sunday, Mike D’Angelo, Bruce Thompson, Vlad Mashkovich Absent: Ed Leitkowski, June Shew, Andrew Davenport A representative from Senator Kevin Witkos’s campaign was present prior to the monthly meeting to collect signatures on behalf of the Senator’s effort to be placed on the Independent ballot along with the Republican ballot for the upcoming election cycle. (Senator Witkos currently represents the 8th Senatorial District of Avon, Simsbury, Canton, Barkhamsted, Granby, Torrington, Norfolk, Hartland, Colebrook & New Hartford. He has an A+ rating with the NRA and has always been a friend and supporter to Metacon). Assistant Treasurer Jason Newman provided notes and comments for the meeting in Ed Leitkowski’s absence. Meeting minutes from the May 20, 2014 Membership Meeting were reviewed and a motion made to accept the minutes, seconded and approved. Club President Bob Margolis addressed the membership, guests, and new applicants. He described the various disciplines available, Friends of Metacon events each month, and invited new applicants to participate and keep abreast of happenings at the Club through the website calendar and newsletter. Bob also discussed the new email system that is being implemented, which will provide us with more flexibility and be a good resource for the club. Membership Report: Membership Secretary Peter Donahue reported: total membership count of 769, 723 regular, 27 spousal, 9 junior, 5 life, 4 law enforcement and 1 discretionary. There are 260 on the wait list. There are 46 members with balances due greater than $25. Two members have requested suspension of Membership due to financial circumstances. There are 54 people on the Re-CRO required list. Last CRO class was on Saturday, April 19, 2014 which had 11 Re-CRO members in attendance. Due to scheduling issues, the May 25, 2014 CRO class was cancelled. The next

CRO class will be Friday, June 27, 2014 starting at 7PM and will be a Re-CRO session only. The next CRO will be on Sunday July 20, 2014 at 9:00 AM. Seven new applicants introduced themselves to the club, and four people were moved to the Wait List (see page 2). Building and Grounds Report: Building and Grounds Director Bob Sunday provided a report on several categories: 1. Jobs in Progress or Completed

a. Mosquito Control spraying will continue into October.

b. Outdoor Range port lighting and safety hot/cold range lighting is nearing completion.

c. Still looking into Trauma and/or First Aid Kits.

d. The clubhouse and OR telephone lines have been repaired.

e. The new camera has been installed in the classroom area.

f. Repair of the bench tables on the outdoor range (Call for volunteers with carpentry experience).

g. The entry doors to the indoor range have been painted causing some sticking, but the problem should be resolved shortly.

h. Fire extinguishers being updated. 2. Jobs requiring discussion and/or approval

a. Members having the ability to cut downed, broken or dead trees and branches for their own firewood. Treasurer Report: Treasurer Mike Palmer reported total liquid assets of $459,601.17 in various deposit accounts and CD accounts. An additional $15,000 has been collected but not deposited yet. All bills have been paid to date. All invoices for membership dues, work or pay and the special assessment was sent via email to members. Printed and mailed invoices were sent out for those whose email addresses were blocked, but were lacking the required billing info. A second mailing was processed and returns are being received. Mike discussed moving certain funds to another bank to avoid being over the FDIC insured limits. Officer / Director / Governor Reports: Juniors Director Andrew Davenport report was presented by Roy McAdoo: Junior shooters competed in two matches held at Blue Trails Range since the last meeting. Three shooters attended the first outdoor match for this year. The Regional Prone matches were attended by Richard

Haverhorst, Lily Davenport, and Kaylee Pasko. All did well and settled into the routine of the outdoor season. At the Nutmeg games we were represented by the ladies again and they showed what Metacon can do. In only her third match since starting with the juniors program last fall, Kaylee Tasko scored a 565 and was the High Female Subjunior. Lily Davenport scored an impressive 598 with 42 X’s. Her last relay she scored a perfect 200. She was High Female Intermediate Junior and Second Highest female overall. Scores are out of a possible 600. June 28/29 is the Camp Perry Warmup at Bell City which is the final match before the National Matches this summer. We currently have two and possibly a third headed out to the National Matches this July. Practice is Mondays starting at 5:30 on the outdoor range..

Governor at Large June Shew’s report for Friends of Metacon: On 5/24/2014 Friends (FOM) had an entry of 13 and collected $130.00 in entry fees, and ammo reimbursement totaled $135.00. We had an abundance of help - 12 instructor/coaches so we could give each of our entries a one-on-one mentor! The entries came early and left early so we were able to close on time, clean up and pack up, and get home before midnight! MEMBERS WE NEED YOUR HELP, PLEASE VOLUNTEER! It's a great way to earn your work or pay time.

Women On Target (WOT): June Shew reported: On 06/07/2014 WOT had an entry present of 78 ladies, and the weather was one of those "... what is so rare as a day in June ..." days. Our ladies had a terrific time as witnessed by their written surveys which the Committee is organizing via computer for our website and the NRA. WOT had a new Chief RO this year: Bob Margolis ... outside of June's notes, it was Bob's "on-the-job-training" throughout the day and he took it with the greatest of ease! Thank you ,Bob! Again Dom Basile presented a history of the Armalite Rifle (AR-15), the ladies were enchanted and very interested as were most the instructors and RO's. This history lesson is likely to be a permanent part of future WOTs. WOT opened the day with a breakfast snack, safety class (we got some

Go to Meeting, p.8

6

The link below gets you to Bob Crook’s web site. Everyone should get on his e-mail list, as he provides information on just about everything political about guns, hunting and fishing.

www.ctsportsmen.com

Another Successful Women On Target Event! By: Barbara Bond

“This is a terrific program that provides great information and education which empowers and dispells some myths about firearms.”…. “Awesome program!”…. “Can't improve on perfection!”…. “This is a wonderful experience with very knowledgable staff and instructors.” That is just some of the overwhelmingly positive feedback that we received from the 75 ladies that attended our 11th annual WOT event held on June 7th. This year, Mother Nature cooperated and the weather was one of those "... what is so rare as a day in June ..." days. The ladies were greeted with a breakfast snack while we signed them all in, followed by the safety class (we got some great pictures this year). The NRA was very generous this year in providing all eye and ear (S&W earmuffs!) protection. On the range, we started with an intro to shooting with .22's in the AM. After a tasty lunch provided by Kane's Market, the women moved on to the bigger caliber rifles and handguns (including both pistol and rifle black powder!), and closed the day at about 4:15 p.m. with three full autos! WOT had a new Chief RO this year: Bob Margolis. Outside of June's notes on the course of shooting for the event, it was "on-the-job-training" for Bob throughout the day and he took it with the greatest of ease! Thank you. Bob! Again Dom Basile

presented a history of the Armalite Rifle (AR-15). Dom’s ability to de-mystify the black guns in such an interesting and informative way captivated the ladies who were very interested, as were most of the instructors and RO's. This year we invited ASC, LLC of New Britain who came with a full compliment of their custom magazines, AND donated 30 pink 10-round .223 mags with the American Cancer Society ribbon logo engraved on each. It was most impressive to see those pink mags peeking out of from under all of our AR's! In lieu of paying for the pink mags, WOT, Metacon (MGC) and ASC, LLC is making a joint contribution of $300 to ACS for breast cancer research. Last, but not least, Steve Estes, one of our outside instructors, pulled his best strings and got three Kimbers (a .22 conversion, a 9mm, and a 1911) delivered to our clinic via collaboration with Newington Gun Exchange! Boy are they nice ... Thanks, Steve! This year, we asked the ladies to complete a survey of their thoughts on the event. We collected 59 surveys and below are some of the results:

• 100% would recommend this event to a friend

• 97% would consider attending another WOT event.

• 94% rated our facilities as very

good or good (86% very good; 7%; good)

• 100% felt that the instructors were informative and professional

We want to give a big shout out to all of the wonderful volunteers that are due credit for this marvelous feedback! There is a lot of work that goes on to organize and run this event… from collecting and tracking registrations, planning and feeding 110 people and so on. However, it is ultimately the instructors on the line that make the impression that will shape the womens’ opinions of the event. Our volunteer instructors’ professionalism and commitment to making this a safe and positive experience paid off because, by the end of the day, the ladies’ level of comfort with firearms was notably improved for the 57 ladies that responded to that part of the survey:

Before Event

After Event

Very Comfortable

12 33

Somewhat Comfortable

25 24

Uncomfortable 21 0 A big thank you to all of the volunteers that made this year’s event such a huge success!

* * *

ductwork, and for steel platforms to raise the ventilation equipment above potential flood elevations. We have obtained another quote for the platforms since the June 17 regular meeting, which lowered the estimated cost reported at that meeting. In summary, the cost elements are as follows:

Cost Element March Estimate June Estimate Carey’s Central (design/build contract for system)

$130,500 $130,500

Electrical (240V three-phase supply, hook up of system)

$25,000 $34,500

Propane hook up $1,500 $1,500 Equipment pads / platforms, structural work

$2,500 $67,000

Permits / drop ceiling 0 $6,000 Contingency $10,500 $45,000 Sub-total $170,000 $284,500 Construction Management (5%)

0 $14,225

Total $170,000 $298,725 – rounded to $300,000

Two aspects of this project, the electrical service and the equipment platforms, are being implemented at a small additional cost so as to support the addition of a second floor on the range should the membership want to proceed down that path in the future. The contingency has been increased due to additional work that has been identified, but not yet budgeted – this includes moving the current Class III, Rifle and IDPA storage boxes that abut the south side of the range, necessary to install the duct work. Finally – please understand that the BOG is doing its best to control and manage the costs of this project, and that we appreciate the support of the membership.

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Indoor Range Ventilation Update, cont’d from p.1

7

Go to Defense, p. 8

Meeting Notes

"Watch what we do, not what we say". Those were words spoken by John Mitchell, Richard Nixon's Attorney General, in 1969. For many, that pretty much summed up the political climate of the times. In many ways it's an appropriate comment about today's gun prohibition movement. After the terrible incident at Sandy Hook in Dec of 2012, there was an epidemic of anti-gun bills proposed in the CT legislature. These proposals were touted as a much needed response in promoting "gun safety". Many focused on "high capacity" magazines, and further restrictions on so called "assault weapons". The resulting bill, SB 1160 which became PA 13-3 was an overly complicated mess. Passed under Emergency Certification, with no public hearings, and only brief debate on the floor, it's hardly a wonder that no one really knew what was in it, except perhaps, those who wrote it. Many of the provisions made little sense from a public safety standpoint. Some feel that this was intentional; that making life miserable for gun owners was the whole point of it all; to frighten them to getting rid of their guns. I'd like to focus, for the moment, on the section dealing with semiautomatic pistols. The original 1994 Assault Weapons Ban was directed at pistols which were cosmetically similar to sub-machine guns, listing many by name, as well as listing a host of "evil" features, of which any permitted gun could have no more than one. In general, the

original goal of getting these types of "military style" guns out of circulation, was accomplished. For various reasons, they just aren't that common anymore. With the passing of PA 13-3, the 2013 AWB, semiautomatic pistols with detachable magazines were not allowed to have any of the so-called evil features. This had the unintended consequence of prohibiting the sale, and requiring the registration, of many guns which were not even remotely military look-alikes. Pistols with threaded barrels were caught in the net. Modern target pistols, whose magazine wells are located in front of the trigger guard, for better balance, were now also designated as "Assault Weapons". Most of these guns are 22 rimfire. A sensible person might ask: Why are these guns now being classified as Assault Weapons? An unintended consequence?...... Frankly, I doubt it. When the inevitable corrections bill was drawn up (PA 13-220) the powers that be, got wind of the fact that they had inadvertently(?) banned "Olympic Target Pistols", which had the potential to be a public relations embarrassment. This apparently was not acceptable and needed to be addressed. What is enlightening is how it was done. They will tell you that they made target pistols exempt, but they didn't really. That would have been the sensible way to deal with it, to the extent that "sensible" has anything to do with it. They could have simply removed target pistols, from the AW list. No. Their solution was to make these "evil and deadly" target pistols transferrable, provided

that they were "designed expressly for use in target shooting events at the Olympic games sponsored by the International Olympic Committee" bla bla bla......, and happen to make it on the DPS Commissioner's list of approved Olympic handguns. So, this is the current situation. What is arguably one of the most benign classes of handguns, target pistols, most of them in 22 rimfire, are still defined as "Assault Weapons", still need to be registered, and are still subject to strict transportation requirements. However, if your gun is on the Commissioner's approved list, at least you can transfer it, provided the buyer signs a form indicating that the pistol will be used "primarily for target shooting practice and events".(*) A violation of the Assault Weapons provisions, can subject you to Class D felony charges, with the possibility of serious jail time.....; for a target pistol..... This, my friends, is just another example of the CT legislature's idea of "reasonable gun laws"; one where they had two chances to get it right. I wonder, does any observant gun owner still think they're not out to get us? "Watch what they do, not what they say." SB 1160: Remember in November. (*) http://www.ct.gov/despp/lib/despp/slfu/faqs_06192013.pdf (see question 18)

* * *

In Defense of our Gun Rights III One in a series, from Jeff Moores

Go to Missing, p. 8

No, they weren’t kidnapped by terrorists (at least we don’t think so). Wherever they were on May 17th, they were NOT at Metacon’s Spring Clean-up Work Party. Fortunately, 42 members (and one on the Wait List) DID respond to Bob Sunday’s call, and gave up a few hours on Saturday morning to help make OUR club live up to its web-site boast as being “A Premier Shooting Facility”. When I arrived, I was greeted by the busy sound of chain saws, weed-wackers, table saws, leaf-blowers, hammers and drills. People were making target frames, clearing brush, repairing fences, hauling junk to the dumpster, raking leaves and winter debris. Some were cleaning gutters, raking around the Clubhouse and sweeping paths. Others

were walking the perimeter, posting signs and checking for safety hazards. My first impression was “WOW…this is a GREAT turn-out!”. Then, it occurred to me that 42 is only about 5% of our total 750 membership…but they were doing 100% of the work! Perhaps that’s a typical participation ratio for other organizations, but why should it be ‘typical’ for such a special place as Metacon? Just who were the volunteers that did turn out? Were they somehow ‘different’ from the members who had better things to do on a beautiful Saturday morning? They ranged in age from 17 to 80. Some were skilled with power equipment or hand tools; others not. Some were strong, healthy and fit. Others had physical

limitations and handicaps. They came from all walks of life. They were a cross-section of Metacon. So, what made them ‘different’? I suspect that what they ALL had in common was pride in their Club, and an awareness that membership carries with it obligations that don’t stop by simply paying dues. Membership means stepping up from time to time, to help out. Volunteers are always needed on large work parties, but more often on small projects… even one-man jobs. Everyone has something of value to give back to Metacon…their time. Of course, some of the 708

708 Members went Missing on May 17th! By John Newton

8

Meeting, cont’d from p. 5

great pictures this year), intro shooting with .22's in the AM, a tasty lunch by Kane's Market, the bigger caliber rifles and handguns (including both pistol and rifle black powder!), and closed the day at about 4:15 p.m. with three full autos! This year we invited ASC, LLC of New Britain who came with a full compliment of their custom magazines, and donated 30 pink 10-round .223 mags with the American Cancer Society ribbon logo engraved on each. It was most impressive to see those pink mags peeking out of from under all of our .223's! WOT, Metacon (MGC) and ASC, LLC is making a joint contribution of $300 to ACS for breast cancer research in lieu of our paying for the pink magazines. Last, but not least, Steve Estes, one of our outside instructors, pulled his best strings and got three Kimbers (a .22 conversion, a 9mm, and a 1911) delivered to our clinic via collaboration with Newington Gun Exchange! Boy are they nice ...

Archery Director Bob Roberge discussed the archery range and the rules for usage. Targets have been placed in the field – 3 lanes are for Club targets, and the other 2 lanes are for personal targets which members may choses to use instead. We are looking into competitive programs that may occur in the July/August timeframe. There is also the potential for Scouts to earn an Archery Merit Badge at some point in the future. Contact Bob Roberge if you are interested in learning more about qualification to use the range.

Class III Director Mike D’Angelo submitted a report indicating that we had a successful shoot at our match on Sunday May 13th. Total collected was $60. Also, 2 people successfully completed the Class III checkout after that match. Also, our latest match this past Sunday May 19th hosted 10 shooters. The next match is the annual AR (Assault Rifle) match on Sunday June 22, 2014. Currently the roster is full. Those who have ordered T-shirts who have not paid yet, please contact Mike ASAP.

Metacon IDPA Match Director John Freda reported: Completed matches - May 16th was a revolver-only match and $ 112 was provided for 14 competitors, including staff. June 1st was a regular match and $350 was provided for 26 competitors including staff.

• Thanks to the following members for staffing the matches: Ed Daly, Bruce Thompson, Tom Quattrochi, David Mocarsky, Peter Donahue and Kevin Jackson.

• Future Matches and activity – July 6th will be a regular match.

Rifle Director Vlad Mashkovich reported that he is considering putting together a team match featuring multiple disciplines: bow, rifle, and handgun. Stay tuned for more info! There will be no Rifle match in June. The next rifle match will be July 26th. Matches start at 9AM with set up at 8:30AM. Handgun Director Jeff Moores reported for Bullseye as follows: As of June 17, there were 18 shooters signed up for Summer Bullseye It is open to members and non-members alike, held every Tues evening. First match starts at 5:30 sharp. Plan on arriving by 5:20. The second match starts immediately after the first ends; usually around 6:30. Bring a .22 pistol or a revolver, and optionally a center-fire handgun for the second string. Also "eyes" and "ears", a stapler, clipboard and pen. Targets and score-sheets are provided. Non-members should have at least moderate shooting skills, and a working knowledge of the club's range and safety rules, which are on the Club website. Match fee is $10 for the season. For those unfamiliar, Bullseye consists of two courses of 3 targets with 10 shots fired on each. The first is Slow fire; 10 shots fired in a 10 minute period. The second is Timed fire; 2 strings of 5 shots each, fired within 20 seconds per string. The third is Rapid fire; 2 strings of 5 shots each, fired within 10 seconds per string. We do this twice; once with 22 rimfire, and once with centerfire. Optionally you can shoot both with 22 rimfire. Shooting is one-handed, and the target distance is 75ft. To participate, just show up on a Tues night with 10 bucks. It's cheap, and it's fun; a great way to brush up on your shooting skills. Mike Palmer and Bruce Thompson presented a Indoor Range Ventilation Project Update to the membership: As more pricing has been developed, there has been a significant increase in cost relative to the estimate presented at the Annual Meeting. There was discussion of contributing factors as well as of options that may be considered. More information will be presented in the newsletter, with a possible vote on the matter in July. Bob explained that if we are to proceed, there would be a motion to move forward, published in the newsletter and voted on at the next meeting. Questions were taken from the members. A motion was made and seconded to authorize spending of up to an additional $160,000 on the indoor ventilation system. Notification will be provided in the newsletter, and a vote will take place at the July membership meeting.

Dom Basile reported on Public Relations issues for the Club. Media coverage has resulted from WOT. Septemberfest is coming up this fall in Simsbury. Metacon will have a booth on the 5th, 6th, and 7th. We’ll be needing volunteers to help out at this event, so be sure to contact Dom for details. John Buckley reported on his attendance at the June CCDL meeting. There is a push on for helping pro-2nd Amendment candidates in the upcoming races. Need support in local areas. Jeff Moores discussed the website becoming a resource for political knowledge. Old Business – None New Business – None Bob Margolis called for a motion to adjourn at 9:00 PM. Motion made, seconded and approved.

* * *

Missing, cont’d from p. 7

members who went missing on May 17th had very good reasons to be elsewhere. Some would certainly have volunteered, if they could…and will at another time. Nevertheless, please stay in touch with YOUR Club. Attend meetings, read the News, participate in activities, and watch for opportunities to help out. It takes a lot of member volunteers to maintain Metacon as “A Premier Shooting Facility”!

* * *

Wanted: Editor For Newsletter

We started publishing the Newsletter when the current bylaws were approved in the early 90’s. It was pretty simple in the beginning. Several of us would meet at the club to fold, address and stamp the single sheet and mail it out to some 250 members. Except for a few years in early 2000’s, I’ve been involved ever since, and am ready, willing, and eager to turn it over to someone new...soon. If you are interested, please contact me, Michael Palmer, at either 860-658-0061 or mmpalmer@comcast.net, Or Bob Margolis at Margolis.bob@me.com, I’ll be available to work with you until you are comfortable in the position. The new editor will be appointed by President Margolis per the bylaws.

* * *

9

Boy Scout Troop 163 on the archery range, June 18, 2014. See article on page 10

10

FIRST CLASS U.S. Postage Paid

Simsbury, CT Permit No. 86

Metacon Gun Club, Inc. PO Box 691 Simsbury, CT 06070

FIRST CLASS MAIL

Think, Act, Be ...Safe

Silhouette Match Help Needed

Contact Glenn at sitemanager1@att.net or by phone at 860-763-1439.

Safety And Education By Robert Ronstrom

Metacon will again be holding events to benefit our annual Gifts of Love food drive. In the upcoming months directors of our various disciplines will be holding matches and asking for your donations of food and/or money, all of which is earmarked for the Avon based Gifts of Love food pantry. Donations will be accepted at any time at Metacon in our club house. Food items can be placed in the Gifts of Love receptacle and financial gifts can be placed in the office mail slot. Please make any checks payable to GIFTS OF LOVE. All donations are tax deductible. Please check the website for more details. Below is a listing of some of the match dates: 11/20 - Class III match 11/26 - Friends of Metacon 11/27 - .22 Falling Plate match 12/4 - Northeast Combat Pistol League

* * *

Events to Benefit Gifts of Love

By Bob Margolis

Defense, continued from page 7

Safety And Education News

By Jim Couture

The link below gets you to Bob Crook’s web site. Everyone should get on his e-mail list, as he provides information on just about everything political about guns, hunting and fishing. www.ctsportsmen.com

events, will be at the upcoming Women On Target with her mom and daughters, and has given us equal coverage in their newsletter alongside other sponsors. They are in the process of moving right across the street to a larger facility. The specific date is not yet known as of this writing but if you'd like to lend a helping hand to some good people that do really good work their phone is 860-676-2323. Please note: This is not an official club event so your volunteerism, although greatly admired, cannot go towards your work assessment.

* * *

“Evil thrives when good men do nothing” – Edmund Burke

Please remember, “If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.”

* * *

Eye on Politics

Connecticut Citizens Defense League...

CCDL needs you. They are carrying the fight to protect our gun rights. First, they need you as a member, which costs nothing.

CCDL needs you. They are carrying the fight to protect our gun rights. First, they need you as a member, which costs nothing. Second, any contribution you can make will help the fight.

“Evil thrives when good men do nothing” – Edmund Burke

MAKE A NOTE . . . TO VOTE

AUGUST 12, 2014 from 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM – State Wide Primary

Voting

All Metacon members, as well as their family and friends are reminded of the extreme importance to vote in the upcoming August primaries! Right now is the time to make sure you are registered to vote the pro Second Amendment candidates in your area! Next month’s newsletter will have specific information to assist you in your decision. The best source of current information and links for this is www.ccdl.us.

The groups that are fully engaged in fighting for our Second Amendment rights have made it clear that we must now go beyond just voting for pro gun candidates / incumbents by getting actively involve in their campaigns, donating money to as many as we can and, most of all, becoming members of our city and town political committees. This last action step is necessary to ensure pro gun candidates are on the ballots. Although the Republicans are normally more gun friendly, it is not necessarily the case 100% of the time; there are some Democrats who have high marks from the NRA for their voting record. Please remember, “If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.”

* * *

On June 18th, the Metacon Archery Range hosted 17 scouts and a number of leaders and parents from Troop 163, West Hartford. Always looking for a fun and interesting way to have regular scout meetings, the Troop thought of a great way to end the regular scout year and get ready for summer camp…. teach and hone archery skills. The boys were able to utilize a variety of compound and recurve bows and learned that it is better to hit the target rather than searching the grass field. The meeting started off with Archery Director, Bob Roberge and Assistant Treasurer, Jason Newman reinforcing the range rules, safety guidelines and general information about the equipment. The boys also enjoyed some pizza in between rounds. Each archer had a “spotter” and adult to supervise the activity with some of the parents and leaders getting in on the fun. Some had never picked up a bow before and left with a new confidence in their ability. A special thank you goes to our fellow members Bob Roberge, Bob Sunday, and Mike DeTuccio for their help on the range. We generated positive interest in our facilities and a number of parents commented on all of the great things to do in our recreational corridor. Pictures on p. 9.

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Metacon Archery Range Hosts Boy Scout Troop 163

By Jason Newman