Pacific Rod & Gun Club

Website

http://www.prgc.net

Location

520 John Muir Drive, San Francisco, California on the South Shore of Lake Merced between Skyline Blvd and Lake Merced Blvd. [Map]

Telephone

(415) 586-8349

Hours of Operation

Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm. Last squad goes out at 4:30 pm.

Fees

Trap and Skeet fees are $8 per round (25 targets) for non-members and $4 for members. Active duty military and police may shoot for member fees. Shooters under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or a supervisor.

Facilities

The Club has Trap Fields, Skeet Fields, International Skeet, and a Duck Tower. In addition, Sporting Clays are available by request and by appointment. There is a Clubhouse on the grounds that is available to rent for meetings, dinners, parties, etc.

Membership Information

Please contact the Club for complete membership details. Highlights include:

• Membership fees are $100 a year, with a $75 initiation fee.
• The Club meets the second Tuesday of each month. The meeting starts at 7:30 pm.
• There is one Club Shoot each year for Members Only. There are several Registered Trap and Skeet Shoots held throughout the year.
• For social events, the Club sponsors several Dinner Dances during the year.
• The Pacific Breeze, the official bulletin of the Pacific Rod and Gun Club, provides the complete calendar of events for the year. Please contact the Club for a copy.

Limitations

Minimum barrel length is twenty (20") inches. Non-toxic shot required. Low base shells only are allowed. No shells over 3 drams, 7 1/2 shot. No magnums or high base shells are allowed. Muzzle loaders are not allowed on this range for practice.

History of the Club

This Club celebrated its 68th Anniversary in 1996. Actually, it was born on May 10th, 1928 when a group of sportsmen met in San Francisco and decided to start the Club. Joe Springer was elected the first President and group of investors leased a piece of land on the Napa River in 1929. The facility included only one trap field.

In 1930, only four years after the American Game of Skeet was introduced, Pacific Rod and Gun Club added a skeet field at its Napa facility. In addition, at the same time, the Bay Sportsmen Club merged wtih Pacific Club and their skeet field at Fort Funston, in San Francisco, was added to Club territory. One individual who was very instrumental in the merging of both clubs was Jules P. Cuenin, the rod and gun columnist for the San Francisco Examiner. Cuenin, who was the organizer of the Club at Fort Funston, was to become a very important figure in Northern California Skeet Shooting history.

In late 1930, the Pacific Club hosted its first of many charity shoots. Groups like the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO), the Shriners, Needy Families, and Ducks Unlimited were among the many charities that received money from functions at the Club.

By 1933, skeet shooting was becoming so popular that it was necessary to find a new shooting facility to handle the demand. The present groups at Lake Merced were chosen as the new site by the late Don Westwater and Walter Campbell. Some opposition was felt by golfers and horseback riders, but with the help of San Francisco Mayor Angelo Rossi, the obstacles were overcome and two skeet fields were constructed and dedication ceremonies were held in June of 1934.

Between 1934 and 1936, some of Skeets' top gunners got their start at the Pacific Club. In the meantime, major skeet shoots like the California State and Nor-Cal Championships were held at the Club. The only drawback at this time, was that there was no Clubhouse for the shooters to relax in. This situation was rectified in 1937 when a clubhouse was built.

In late 1937, catastrophe struck when Lake Merced rose several feet, flooding the fields. Members of the Club went to work and the Club was moved to higher ground. By March 1939 the work had been completed and the Club now boasted eight skeet fields plus a small bore rifle range.

The Pacific Club achieved major league status in 1939 when it hosted the National Skeet Shooting Championships. With the beginning of the war, shooting was curtailed and the Club installed horsehoe pits which were used quite extensively until shooting was able to resume. In 1949, trap facilities were built which allowed another game to be added to the list of the Clubs' activities.

The Club offers many special events for its own members including N.S.S.A., Skeet Shoots, P.I.T.A., A.T.A. Trap Shots, and International Skeet Competitions.

Facilities at the Club include Skeet Fields, Trap Fields, and a small bore rifle range.

Of all the gun clubs, the Pacific Rod and Gun Club is one of the most beautiful Clubs around. If you are ever in the area, please take the opportunity to visit our Club. You will not regret it.

Affiliations

• National Skeet Shooting Assn.
• Nor-Cal Skeet Shooting Assn.
• Pacific International Trap Shooting Assn.
• Amateur Trap Shooting Assn.
• Associated Sportsmen of California
• California Wildlife Federation
• National Rifle Assn.
• Ducks Unlimited
• California Waterfowl Assn.

Note: This information is subject to change without notice. This information is posted as a courtesy to GGUNRAMC members who frequent this range(s) and does not represent an endorsement by GGUNRAMC or any other organization. Information correct as of 5/97.