The “Steel Challenge” is growing in popularity across the country, and Southwest Oklahoma is no exception. For new shooters in the Duncan-Marlow area, the best place to try this new sport is the Stephens County Rifle and Pistol Club, better known to shooters by the acronym SCRAP. Unlike most USPSA competitions, the Steel Challenge is primarily shot with .22 rimfire (long rifle) handguns and rifles, making it affordable for most of us who may find the centerfire handgun cartridges a bit pricy for much practice.
SCRAP’s Director for their Steel Challenge events is David Gildon, and you would be hard pressed to find a friendlier and more knowledgeable person to introduce you to this sport. He hosts the Steel Challenge matches the second Saturday of every month, form 10 am to 1:30 pm.
For those who are not familiar with the Steel Challenge, there are eight different stages, any one (or more) of which may be set up on one Saturday. SCRAP has sufficient steel on hand to run as many as four stages on a single day. One stage typically consists of five steel targets of various shapes and sizes, set at various distances. The course of fire for one stage is fired four times and one score (shooter’s choice) is dropped. In theory, if a shooter never missed, a complete course of fire for one stage would take just 25 rounds. Missed targets which need to be refired push that number considerably higher. Experience dictates I plan on 50 rounds per stage.
The SCRAP range complex is located nine miles east of Duncan, Oklahoma, on CS 2910/Duncan Lake Road, between East Plato Road and Old Highway 7. The SCRAP sign is not immediately visible from the road; just look for the “Duncan Gun Club” sign and turn the other way. When you see the radio-controlled airplane site, turn right.
The SCRAP club was founded in 1949 to promote rifle and pistol marksmanship among its members at a reasonable cost. The club is chartered by the State of Oklahoma and is affiliated with the United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA), the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP), the Oklahoma Rifle Association (ORA), and the National Rifle Association (NRA).
The SCRAP complex is located on approximately 20 acres of land leased from the City of Duncan. There are four separate rifle ranges: 50, 100, 200, and 300 yards. There is also a conventional (bullseye) pistol range and a range for Steel Challenge matches. Not least among the other amenities is a grand view of Lake Duncan.
Regular club programs are High Power Rifle, Military Bolt Action Rifle, Steel Challenge, and Practical Pistol. All matches are open to club members and non-members alike. In additional to formal competitions, the range complex supports informal shooting for the club’s nearly 300 members and special community events including Sighting-in Day, Ladies Day, and a fund-raising Steel Challenge to benefit Alzheimer’s Research.
The club meets on the third Monday of every month at the Duncan Senior Citizens Center, north of East Elder Ave. on 7th Street. Go in the north door. There is open membership for anyone without a disqualifying record. New members receive a required range safety briefing. Upon payment of the membership fee, each member receives their own key to the range gate locks. SCRAP is on Facebook, and that site provides additional information and contact points.
