Sealand: what's it like?

[meles meles]

Where off to release some canned bangs back into the wild at Sealand. What's the range like, oomans? What facilities? Anything interesting in the locale ? Any good places for scran ?

[Meaty]

Hi Badger,
Never shot at the ranges but I used to do commissioning work on the Deeside Ind Estate next door. If you like an Indian then the Amantola on Welsh Road (opposite the married quarters of RAF Sealand) was always worth a visit, there was a good Chinese in Queensferry called the Honour House and virtually opposite is a good Italian called Da Vinci's. You can park on the road outside all the above which is probably a good thing as I wouldnt like to leave anything of value (or bangsticks) in a car down a side street in the area, if you know what I mean!
Theres a good supply of juicy worms in the mud down by the old steel works as well if you fancy a snack

[meles meles]

Well oomans, we're just back from Sealand and can report it's a great place !

The sun shone all day though there was a challenging shape-shifter of a breeze coming in off the Dee estuary that really kept us on our toes and made the V bulls all the more enjoyable ! The local geese, 'undreds of 'em, flew over all day in long lazy skeins, clearly aware they are currently out of season. We'd bet they don't fly directly overhead at 20 feet over the winter months...

Half a mile off to one side a model aircraft club provided excellent entertainment all day as they looped and wheeled, soared and swooped, pausing only for lunch and then again mid-afternoon to gasp in awe, along with we shooters, when a real Spitfire and Hurricane roared over at just under 1,000 feet !

The ranges at Sealand are very well kept, with firing points at 25, 50, 75, 100, 200 and 300 metres. Everything is in tip top shape and works perfectly: no missing phones, sticking frames or unswept gravel. Not a hint of litter or graffiti anywhere. The icing on the cake is the range warden: you couldn't hope to meet a friendlier, more helpful chap !

[meles meles]

Our particular highlights were:

1. Baffling the target markers by shooting out the red marker disc from the 100 m firing point using our moderated, sub-sonic .22LR. Without any warning, and hardly a hole to be seen in the hessian screens, the disc would just leap into space and then come fluttering down. It took them a while to figure out what was happening.

2. Scoring 5 consecutive V bulls using rapid fire from our AIA 7.62x39 jungle carbine look alike fitted with a red dot sight.

[BaconButty]

I wish Badgers were able to operate cameras!

[meles meles]

Oh we don't hold with this modern concept that nothing exists if it isn't captured on an boing... Isn't it better to to enjoy the moment and commit it to memory, telling people the details in due course rather than pointing to two tiny, out of focus black dots on a dim screen and saying, "...and those are a Spitfire and Hurricane" ?

[BobH]

I saw the Hurricane but missed the Spit. Having been stuck in the sentry box all afternoon I'd started talking to myself by then and thought at first I was seeing things too. It was a good day though.
If anyone needs to stay overnight try the Springfield Hotel. Only 8 miles from the range and they do a great help yourself breakfast... Sausages, black pudding, bacon, eggs, mushrooms, beans, tomatoes, toast.

[Alpha1]

2. Scoring 5 consecutive V bulls using rapid fire from our AIA 7.62x39 jungle carbine look alike fitted with a red dot sight.

What sort of ammo did you use and what make of scope.

[meles meles]

The ammo was standard milsurp from www.ammo-zone.co.uk and the scope a Walther P55

7.62x39 is a very capabubble cartridge, and far more accurate than many people realise when fired through something other than a Kalashnikov.