The Chaplin Creek Muzzleloaders are an NMLRA Charter Club. Find out more information on Charter Clubs here
Chaplin Creek Muzzleloaders Club is located in Franklin Grove Illinois. We share the Chaplin Creek Historical Village site. About 150 acres of restored historical buildings and open spaces, along with our range at the far south end of the property.
We have 100 yards, 50 yards, and 25yd berms/backstops with target racks. We have an all-weather target shed large enough to meet in, a pergola to cover the loading benches and shooting positions, with rubber mating to walk on throughout all the shooting positions. We have 10 shooting positions with loading spots at the loading benches.
We are a muzzleloading club only no modern guns, no black powder cartridge guns, inline muzzleloaders are ok, but no smokeless powder.
The range is open daily from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, there must be a minimum of two people at the range to shoot, one member, and one other person for safety.
Our shooting schedule of monthly shoots, March thru November, generally the third Sunday of each month. We shoot all kinds of paper targets, whatever members dream up, so long as the shoot is safe. We have a range officer during monthly shoots.
This year, due to the virus, our first organized monthly shoot, was the fourth Sunday of June, the only exception to the schedule. We are planning on resuming all the rest of our regular third week shoots thru November baring any State orders telling the club otherwise
Our physical location is on the west side of south Whitney Rd, Franklin Grove Illinois, 61031 Goggle, 41°49'59.4"N 89°18'01.3"W We have no post office address at the range.
October 18th is our most attended shoot every year, it is our "Pumpkin Shoot" We set up a row of pumpkins on a long bench in front of the backstop. Each shooter has 6 shots to make the best pumpkin face on their pumpkin. After shooting ends we get an impartial group of spectators to judge who shot the best face on their pumpkin. Prizes are awarded for first, second, and worst! We generally have lunch, a very short officers meeting, and then after the lunch break, we set a row of hedge balls out to shoot at, on the bench, to end the days shooting. This year we are planning an overnight camp out for members on Saturday night the day before our shoot and an open house for the public on the next day Sunday, the day of the pumpkin shoot.
