Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
rlrr entry
rlrr guns
A close look at the entrance to the Rock Lake Rifle Range will reveal the intended purpose, which is long-range rifle shooting, among other things. The proprietors are working on making it a world-class shooting facility.
A St. John farmer's passion is building something a little unique on the family's farmland, and it is drawing people from beyond the county lines.
“We're working on building a world-class shooting facility,” said Doug Glorfield.
He has started Rock Lake Rifle Range, located a couple miles west of Rock Lake, to share what he loves with others, whether new to the sport or veteran marksmen.
“My passion has been rifles and long-range shooting,” Glorfield said. “I am fascinated with very accurate, custom-made rifles.”
Glorfield started long-range shooting 15 years ago after growing up hunting and shooting on the farm. He said there is nothing better than shooting an accurate rifle. The family farm with 2,200 acres of crop and scabland made a good location for shooting long-range. At first it was just Glorfield, family and friends, but five years ago he decided to host a Precision Rifle Series match.
The Precision Rifle Series is an organized point series race for precision rifle competition, and shooters across the U.S. participate. The first match was a success, and things grew from there with people asking when Glorfield's range would be open to the public.
That happened in August of last year. Now members can use any of the pistol, carbine or rifle ranges, shooting up to 1,400 yards. In September that will expand to one mile.
“It was kind of a way to think outside the box,” Glorifeld said of building the facility. The support from family and neighbors throughout the endeavor has been “outstanding,” he added. He noted neighbors Brandon and Gary Miller constructed the entry gate which greets members to the facility.
“You can't miss it, let's put it that way,” he said.
Already the rifle range is standing out.
“There's nothing like it in the Northwest right now,” Glorfield said. He estimates he has another three to five years of building and improvements to make it the world-class location he envisions. In the immediate plans are a shooting platform set to go up in September.
Glorfield also plans for a clubhouse, bathrooms, camping and motor home park. He has two major long-range shooting areas and seven pistol bays with plans to add four more.
In addition to shooting for members, the rifle range puts on training for long-range weapons and pistols and hosts competitions.
A prone marksman takes aim from a weather-protected position at the rifle range. In addition to this structure, there are plans for a clubhouse, bathrooms, camping area and more.
“We shoot pretty much anything and everything there. Except tanks and cannons,” Glorfield joked. The targets are mostly steel plates. Exploding targets are not allowed.
A calendar for the various contests can be found on the range's website http://www.rocklakeriflerange. com. Contests include pistol matches, three-gun (shotgun, AR15 style and pistol), precision rifle which is a timed event shooting at steel targets in 10 stages spread more than 400 yards and .22 matches.
“Those have been a hoot,” Glorfield said. Participants shoot .22 rifles at targets 15 to 200 yards away. Every time the range hosts one of those events, it draws 8-year-olds who come out to shoot with their dads.
The range not only tests those with experience, but also offers training.
“I love teaching and showing people what rifles are capable of,” Glorfield said. The rifle range has about four or five group training sessions a year and private single-day rifle classes for hunting or precision. Glorfield noted the private classes require a minimum of three people.
People wanting to join Rock Lake Rifle Range can contact Glorfield or go to the website. You have to be a member to shoot except for the contests. A safety course is part of the requirement for joining.
Memberships are generally $20 a month on a year contract for unlimited use, but the rifle range also has six-month memberships available. The current membership is spread throughout the Northwest with members in Seattle, Oregon and Idaho. The range has an 1,800 foot air strip.
Seekins Precision of Lewiston and Defiance Machine of Montana are range sponsors.
Jana Mathia is a reporter at the Whitman County Gazette.
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