Author: Rich

2022 Fall Clean up

October 2, 2022

We’ll be looking for some members to help with a fall clean up work party around the club.

  1. Clean fallen leaves around the clubhouse area, as well as high-bore range and trap field.
  2. Trim tree limbs along the driveway and road to outdoor ranges
  3. Trim the shrubbery in the trap field
  4. Transport clay targets from the clubhouse garage to the trap field.
  5. There may be some other side projects as well.

1st Annual Public Safety Night

August 8, 2022

Come see some of the Smokin’ Clays SCTP youth trap team and Jr Rifle hot shots, at TPD’s 1st Annual Public Safety Night at the Tewksbury Memorial High School.  This event is in lieu of the previously held National Night Out and will be in collaboration with Tewksbury Fire Dept. and Northern Regional Middlesex Communications Center.

The FREE event is scheduled to have a cookout, dunk tank and display of emergency vehicles.

Tewksbury Police Department’s 1st Annual Public Safety Night
August 21st 3pm to 5pm
Tewksbury Memorial High School: 320 Pleasant St, Tewksbury, MA 01876

CMP – Match Clinic

August 7, 2022

Please come down and join us on Saturday August 13, 2022 from 9:00 AM – Noon (weather permitting) for our monthly CMP Match Clinic.

These match clinics allow people the opportunity to shoot M1 Garand or AR-15 rifles in a structured but fun setting. M1 Garand or AR-15 rifles can be provided.  If you have your own favorite centerfire rifle please bring it.  This is especially encouraged in light of COVID-19.  All matches are iron sights only.

The event is conducted in a match format (5 rounds for practice, 10 rounds prone, 10 rounds sitting or kneeling, and 10 rounds standing), but the competition is secondary to the experience of firing these two iconic military firearms.

We will be practicing social distancing and disinfecting club provided rifles between shooters in order to ensure the health and safety of all.

The cost for each match is $20 for ammunition (.30-06 or .223) and there is no cost if you bring your own ammunition. Minors must have a parent or guardian present.

Come down and shoot a piece of history!

LTC Restrictions removed in MA

August 5, 2022

Recently the Massachusetts State Senate has passed legislation that removes any restrictions appearing on any license holder’s License to Carry (“LTC”)—limiting the license holder to carrying a firearm only for such activities as hunting, target shooting, employment, etc—are no longer enforceable.

As a result, if your LTC has any such restrictions, those restrictions are no longer enforceable. If you would like a new license issued to you to reflect this change before your renewal, you may contact your licensing authority. Otherwise, when you reapply for an LTC in the future, you will be provided a new LTC without any such restrictions provided that the licensing authority does not deem you to be a “prohibited person” or “unsuitable” under the law.

For more information, check out Mass.Gov.

Club clean up day

April 24, 2022

It’s that time of year again, for us to all get together and clean up around the club.  Please come down with gloves, rakes, leaf blowers, shovels, wheelbarrows. etc on May 7th at 8:00am.

The more help the less time it will take!  Work off those hours!!  Please note all ranges (indoor and outdoor) will be closed during the clean up, as there is work to be done on each range.

We have plenty of projects to be worked on around the clubhouse, indoor range, hi-bore, trap and archery fields.

Indoor Range we will be looking to have a crew to clean up the lead pit, haul brass, as well as painting the walls.

Summer Pistol League

April 10, 2022

Every Monday, starting on May 2nd through September 26th The Tewksbury Rod & Gun Club will be holding a Bullseye competition.  These matches are open to the public, membership is not required.

This semi-formal setting is a great way to become accustomed to the calls used on the firing line, and to learn how to score targets. 

This competition is intended to get new shooters involved in the sport, as well as maintaining the edge during the long summer break for the experienced Bullseye competitor.

Shooters may compete in rimfire (.22 cal), centerfire, or both.  There is a nominal fee of $2.00 for one match or $3.00 for both matches.  The shooter competes against his/her own average, so everyone has a chance to win. The League will provide the targets, however the shooter must bring their own ammunition.

Each shooter gets one point for shooting each night, and additional points are awarded for first through fourth place for each night.  At the end of the season an awards banquette is held to honor those who persevered.

The Ranger Officer calling the match will enforce all range and safety rules.  These matches typically start around 6:00 pm and the last relay typically goes off around 7:45 pm (depending on the number of shooters who show up on a given night).

2022 Sporting Agenda

April 8, 2022

A few weeks ago a representative of the Mass Conservation Alliance (MCA) met with a number of Board Members to discuss some active legislation that is under way. MCA has hired a lobbyist on behalf of these initiatives and has 4 bills that would benefit the hunters in Massachusetts.  Information about the bills can be found here:

  1. Reimburse MassWildLife for free and reduced cost licenses. (Bill S.546)
  2. Legalize crossbow use. (Bill H.991, S.536, and H.1024)
  3. Reduce archery setbacks to 250 feet. (Bill S.552 and H.1025)
  4. Relax Sunday hunting prohibition (Bill H.914, H.984, H.1015, H.1019, and S.547)

The ask of you is to reach out to your State Rep and Senator today!  Make contact in person, by phone, fax or email.  Politely tell them the following:

  • I support reimbursement to MassWildLife for free and reduced cost licenses. (Bill S.546)
    • I support this bill because those that receive reduced fees deserve those reductions, however the remaining hunters should not have to have reduced opportunities because of reduced overall funding.
  • I support legalizing crossbow use for all hunters, not just the disabled. (Bills H.991, S.536, H.1024)
    • I support this bill because all hunters should have the opportunity to utilize a crossbow when hunting.  
  • I support reducing archery setbacks to 250 feet. (Bills S.552, H.1025)
    • I support this bill because hunting with a bow should not be subjected to the same safety restriction as a shotgun or muzzleloader.  Both those instruments have a range greater than a bow.  By having different regulations, we can open up additional hunting areas for bow hunters.
  • I support action to reduce or eliminate Sunday hunting prohibitions (Bills H.984, H.1015, H.1019, S.547)
    • I support this bill because the world has changed, there are very little Sunday restrictions on anything in the state today.  Today’s hunter should be giving the opportunity to hunt throughout an entire weekend.

If you need help finding your Rep and/or Senator, you this link here: https://malegislature.gov/search/findmylegislator.

More information about Mass Conversation Alliance can be found here: https://www.massconservationalliance.org/

Spring Ham Shoot

March 20, 2022

On Saturday, April 30th*, we’ll be hosting The TRG Spring Ham Shoot from 9am to about noon. Come down and kick off spring with a BANG! The ham raffle will held after the Adios.

This is a great time for all, if you would like to try shooting trap, this is a great no pressure fun event. The fee is $5 per round, each round is a total of 15 targets.  3 shots per station, 5 stations.  Ammo is NOT supplied.

The Rules
1.) Every entry gets one ticket in turkey raffle.
2.) Yellow targets hit earn an extra ticket in turkey raffle.
3.) targets per station (15 targets total per round).
4.) “Backup” format – two shooters mount guns, the first shooter calls for the target and if they miss the target, the “backup” shooter can shoot at the
target. If the second shooter fires, that is his/her shot for the round regardless of whether or not the target is hit.
5.) Shooting out of turn is a lost target regardless of the actual target result.

* April 30th is new date, previous date was April 9th.