Beck's Lake Range

Pensacola Rifle & Pistol Club is using 2020 to celebrate a milestone recognizing 75 years as chartered by the NRA in the 1940s. We hope you enjoy seeing photos from our history.

In the late 1950s, the land our club was using had donated for the use of moving Pensacola Junior College from the small campus downtown, to develop a much larger facility. It still occupies that property and changed its name to Pensacola State College in July 2010.

St. Regis Paper Company donated land for the use of the club about one quarter mile east of US Highway 29 and their mill on Muscogee Road. This range is now remembered as the "Beck's Lake Range". This era began in 1957 with even the City of Pensacola getting involved by donating money to building the range.

In the late 1970s St. Regis required their property back from the club and another move would be required. This time our club's leaders looked toward purchasing land that we could call out own.

Club History In Photos: 1957-1979

Thanks to Charlie Webster and Dr. Nathan Arenson, a large collection of photos from our club's past became available and sharing with everyone seemed like the best thing that could be done with them. Our hope is that while you enjoy the photos, you may see something or someone you recognize.

If you can help us pin point a date or year, see something or someone familiar, please share with us to complete the "picture", please feel free to send that information in an email to the editor at newsletter@pensacolarifleandpistolclub.com

1937-1957 Club Range Shooting and Organized Events.

The "Beck's Lake Range"

Here are a few images of the first buildings at the new range in Cantonment which among other things included modern restrooms. Notice the automobiles in some of the images on this page.

1957 Beck's Lake range building overview image

1957 Beck's Lake range building from back image

The Covered Ranges

All the ranges at Beck's Lake featured the luxury (some may say necessity) of covers for the firing lines to ward off the intense Florida sunshine. Compare this to the previous range where no photos of firing line covers can be found.

The Bullseye Pistol Range

This range featured turning targets, however the original targets were turned without electricity.

1950-70s bullseye pistol competition range, manually powered

Then the target system was replaced with an electric system. Many believe this was built at the Naval Air Station Pensacola in the 1960s. In those days, materials were made available in a recreational craftshop. This is conjecture of course, but seems plausible.

This system was eventually moved to our current location and still sees active use.

1960s new bullseye pistol competition range, manually powered

Shooting on the "Beck's Lake Range"

The range was a popular place during this time, we had not just recreational shooting with families, but many competitions. In particular, the Fiesta of Five Flags Pistol Tournament grew to an event with up to 250 competitors and took a week to complete. The match also included International Pistol events.

adults shooting smallbore rifle competition

juniors shooting smallbore rifle competition

prone position shooting smallbore rifle competition

An additional pistol range was built due to the overwhelming demand of 250+ competitors. This was for 50 yards only and did not have a cover. It is not known if this extra range firing line ever had a cover built over it.

Fiesta Match winners from florida highway patrol competitors

Pensacola Rifle and Pistol Club

"Beck's Lake Range" 1957-1979

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