Calverton Range
Looking at some of these threads, I saw a few references to the Calverton Range.
I remember back in the 70s or early 80s driving down the L I E to I think Ext 72 and hanging a right. I remember old George sitting under a beach umbrella next to a beat up 63 Chevy and handing him 5 bucks to shoot for the day. Anyone else go back that far?.............Lew
I remember back in the 70s or early 80s driving down the L I E to I think Ext 72 and hanging a right. I remember old George sitting under a beach umbrella next to a beat up 63 Chevy and handing him 5 bucks to shoot for the day. Anyone else go back that far?.............Lew
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I found that place back in the mid 1980s and went there until the early 90s before I moved to nePA. It was a nice ride to tha range and cheap to shoot there.
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I was going there since the late 80's through to 2005.
His Son took over around 2002 or thereabouts I think.
His Son took over around 2002 or thereabouts I think.
Yup, remember that back in the mid 70's you could go there when the weather was cold and sit by the small wood burning stove in the old shack he had there.
George would sell shell casings really cheap out of his car and if things were slow in the late afternoon, if George knew you, he would tell you to lock the gate when you left because he had other things to do.
It was a nice place to go back then, he had a couple of manual trap machines, a separate pistol range and the rifle range.
Good memories, have not been there since about 2005 or so. Last I remember I believe his wife or another family member was calling the line and boy, could she yell!
George would sell shell casings really cheap out of his car and if things were slow in the late afternoon, if George knew you, he would tell you to lock the gate when you left because he had other things to do.
It was a nice place to go back then, he had a couple of manual trap machines, a separate pistol range and the rifle range.
Good memories, have not been there since about 2005 or so. Last I remember I believe his wife or another family member was calling the line and boy, could she yell!
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Very late 70s,early 80s for me too. Have very close friends who live in Eastport, one exit away from Calverton. My closest friends brother owns that house. We'd make a weekend out of it. Go shoot, then hit the Hamptons in the evenings.
Used to show up, have to call the fone number posted and someone would come out and open the range if not already open. Instructions to "lock" the gate when leaving if no one else was there.
There used to be a lil-o-lady who sometimes ran the range (Georges wife maybe ???), she absolutely LOVES shooting the M1 Garand. If you allowed her a clip or 2 and your rifle, she would pretty much let you "have at it" regarding "very rapid" firing.
Been there when a NG unit was shooting M60s, one time Grumman was there with a mini gun.
I'm positive that my tinnitus started at that range. Cease fire was in affect, targets checked and changed. Was standing at the fire line when resume fire was heard over the bull horn. I had my back to the targets, I didn't get my ear protection in quick enough and guy to my left next to me shot off his 03 Springfield. Ears been-a-ringin ever since.
When we'd leave LI,on the way home, we would often hit a store called T&T Gunnery. Is that place still around???
Used to show up, have to call the fone number posted and someone would come out and open the range if not already open. Instructions to "lock" the gate when leaving if no one else was there.
There used to be a lil-o-lady who sometimes ran the range (Georges wife maybe ???), she absolutely LOVES shooting the M1 Garand. If you allowed her a clip or 2 and your rifle, she would pretty much let you "have at it" regarding "very rapid" firing.
Been there when a NG unit was shooting M60s, one time Grumman was there with a mini gun.
I'm positive that my tinnitus started at that range. Cease fire was in affect, targets checked and changed. Was standing at the fire line when resume fire was heard over the bull horn. I had my back to the targets, I didn't get my ear protection in quick enough and guy to my left next to me shot off his 03 Springfield. Ears been-a-ringin ever since.
When we'd leave LI,on the way home, we would often hit a store called T&T Gunnery. Is that place still around???
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The "Lady" at the range gave me some 22-250 55 grain loads with Rem HP Bullets.
She was tough when she wanted to be!
I broke my rule about shooting something rolled by someone else but they looked good and on new brass. They shot great and I found my Ruger MK77 MKII VT Liked the jump of a short Bullet.
I Bought my Colt 1911 at T&T in 1988.
NY was fun back than.
She was tough when she wanted to be!
I broke my rule about shooting something rolled by someone else but they looked good and on new brass. They shot great and I found my Ruger MK77 MKII VT Liked the jump of a short Bullet.
I Bought my Colt 1911 at T&T in 1988.
NY was fun back than.
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Ah Memories: I used to Live in Seaford right around the corner from T&T Gunnery. Me and Marty did a lot of business on Surplus Military Rifles. One time I walked in there and he had a Cardboard barrel full of Garand Barreled Receivers that came back from England. At that time Sarco was in NJ, and would sell you a Complete Garand Parts Kit less the Receiver for $179.95. I bought 7or 8 of Marty's barreled receivers and Humped up the Rifles with the Sarco Parts Kits. They were great shooters as I remember. So sorry that I passed on the shipment of pristine SVT 40s that he had come in. Them were the Daze
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I remember going to the Huntington Range to Sight in a Rifle with a new scope before Early Bear season.
If anyone has shot there they will understand In 2 Hours I got off 6 Rounds.
The next day I just went to Calverton at 3 PM after work the day before I left on the Trip and was "in" in 1/2 hour.
If anyone has shot there they will understand In 2 Hours I got off 6 Rounds.
The next day I just went to Calverton at 3 PM after work the day before I left on the Trip and was "in" in 1/2 hour.
Yes Sir,
I do remember, I shot there one day with the range officer standing behind me and letting me chamber only one round at a time and firing only on his orders.
I never went back there again. Did I mention that he felt he needed to instruct me on every shot? His instructions came very, very, very slowly!
Wow!, cool memories being stirred up with this thread!(Thanks Guys!) I shot at Calverton a couple times a year, up to a couple of years ago(still have to bring your own backer boards & bailing wire). During the weekends its normally shoulder to shoulder unless the weather is acting up, or you go after 2 in the afternoon. On Saturdays, after they close(at 4PM), after everyone is out of the parking lot, they re-open for 2 hours? and you can shoot from over the parking lot(right above the porta-potties), which increases the 200 yard targets to 300 yard targets. I think they are only open Friday thru Monday, unless it is sight in season.
And T&T Gunnery,... I used to love going in there(back in the late 80's) and rummaging through the barrels of milsurps, looking for sub-$100. dollar treasures!
And last but not least, the Huntington Range. The first and only time I got yelled by an RSO(actually about 3 of them). It was my first time there, with a brand new, out-of-the-box HK 91(bought at T & T, late 80's). EVERYONE else there had bolt action Hunting rifles(it was sight in season). I misunderstood the directions over the garbled PA--" 1 round in the rifle at a time, limit of 5 rounds fired, per person, between cease fires", then rack em and wait. I loaded 5 rounds into my HK, and let them all fly, as I normally would(safely, with the intent of checking cycling, and rough sight in(they were all on paper). When I looked up, everyone on the line was staring at me, and I had 3 RSOs standing behind me.
I thought for sure they were going to have me do pushups
And T&T Gunnery,... I used to love going in there(back in the late 80's) and rummaging through the barrels of milsurps, looking for sub-$100. dollar treasures!
And last but not least, the Huntington Range. The first and only time I got yelled by an RSO(actually about 3 of them). It was my first time there, with a brand new, out-of-the-box HK 91(bought at T & T, late 80's). EVERYONE else there had bolt action Hunting rifles(it was sight in season). I misunderstood the directions over the garbled PA--" 1 round in the rifle at a time, limit of 5 rounds fired, per person, between cease fires", then rack em and wait. I loaded 5 rounds into my HK, and let them all fly, as I normally would(safely, with the intent of checking cycling, and rough sight in(they were all on paper). When I looked up, everyone on the line was staring at me, and I had 3 RSOs standing behind me.
I thought for sure they were going to have me do pushups
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Yep the good old Huntington Range. I got balled out by a RO for setting up a Hostage Target. RO stated that it was a Rule Violation to Shoot at a Target that depicted a Human Figure, but that was NY. Much better here in FLA. BTW I shoot with an ex RO from the Huntington Range at my present Range in Hernando County.
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So what's up with Calverton? I heard it's still in operation. I'll be up there next wk. visiting my Brother and Family in Miller Place and Rocky Pt., Smithtown and Brooklyn. East end is still a BEAUTIFUL area with all kinds of Revolutionary War history. Our Father, two Uncles, and two cousins killed in SVN are all buried there. My father right under what we believe to be the largest tree (Maple) on the reservation. We used to park next to the F-14 Tomcat by the corner of the old RCA property and get drunk. IF the range is still in operation I'd like to go over there and meet some guys (Hawk used to shoot there too) and my Brother has his Brookhaven Rec. pass to prove residency though it would be great if I could board the plane to LAG with me M1A slung over me shoulder carrying a 250 rd. can.
Last time I drove past it about 5 yrs, ago the old runway was overgrown and I saw what looked to be about 20 HEALTHY looking deer in the middle of the day no less. I remember we used to go fishing out of Port Jeff for Blues and Stripers back when Grumman was beginning the proof flights of the Tomcats out of Calverton after assy. in the huge plant in Nassau/Bethpage. That was where the LWM/Lunar Landing model R&D was done also and when that oxygen tank blew in Apollo 13(?) those L.I. Engineers were THE ones who got them back. Right there and mostly using slide rule "technology" at that. We'd watch them take off and land sitting in my Brother's '66 tri-power GTO when NY National Speedway was still running in Center Moriches. Sadly one of the Tomcats went down just outside Calverton and the Pilot was killed.
If anyone knows what the status of the Calverton Range currently is Please post it here. Thanks.
And by the way forgot to ask if anyone's heard from Hawk lately. I swapped emails with him before last Thanksgiving through his website and said he was pretty much out in Greenport on the north fork down from the Adirondacks. Stand up guy. A true American Patriot.
Last time I drove past it about 5 yrs, ago the old runway was overgrown and I saw what looked to be about 20 HEALTHY looking deer in the middle of the day no less. I remember we used to go fishing out of Port Jeff for Blues and Stripers back when Grumman was beginning the proof flights of the Tomcats out of Calverton after assy. in the huge plant in Nassau/Bethpage. That was where the LWM/Lunar Landing model R&D was done also and when that oxygen tank blew in Apollo 13(?) those L.I. Engineers were THE ones who got them back. Right there and mostly using slide rule "technology" at that. We'd watch them take off and land sitting in my Brother's '66 tri-power GTO when NY National Speedway was still running in Center Moriches. Sadly one of the Tomcats went down just outside Calverton and the Pilot was killed.
If anyone knows what the status of the Calverton Range currently is Please post it here. Thanks.
And by the way forgot to ask if anyone's heard from Hawk lately. I swapped emails with him before last Thanksgiving through his website and said he was pretty much out in Greenport on the north fork down from the Adirondacks. Stand up guy. A true American Patriot.
They are definitely operating, check the link below to their website. I have not been there in a couple of years. As always, it is a good idea to bring EVERYTHING you might need when you go. you may get stuck with the only available point having no backer board. The crowd tends to thin out after 1:30-2 PM. When I went, my strategy was bring a little of everything to shoot. If rifle range was packed, I would go to pistol side, or shotgun.
BE AWARE of the local gun laws if you are bringing anything! and for that matter, if you are borrowing anything from local friends/family.
http://calvertonshootingrange.com/
BE AWARE of the local gun laws if you are bringing anything! and for that matter, if you are borrowing anything from local friends/family.
http://calvertonshootingrange.com/
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THANKS OFH. And WELCOME to the Forum. Appreciate it. Had no idea much less the url. I'm in Texas now so anything I get to shoot will be, if possible, from one of my old Crew still on L.I. If I tried to bring my 6920, Mosins onto the plane out of DFW to LAG it would go "viral" and hit the pages of youWho too. My Brother doesn't shoot anymore for some reason I don't know, but I'll for sure stop by if they let me in on his Town of Brookhaven pass.. just want to talk to guys there now and watch what they're shooting.. hopefully more Wood and Steel than black plastic. Maybe look up Hawk too unless I spot him there. Stop by Orion7 too and see what I can maybe pick up from Pucci.
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Went through my files, and found this Picture of one of my best friends firing his M14 at Calverton. I met Jimmy around 1969 while we were both working at the same Shop in Freeport NY. Jimmy was a Master Machinist, and tought me how to build Garands and M14s. He did Gunsmithing for Marty at T&T also. He was also member of this Forum under the Name Jimmy D. Jimmy Passed in 2012 at his new Home in North Carolina. I so do miss our Phone Calls and long conversations about Guns.
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