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Chelsokee Gun Club started in 1968 with 21 acres on Buckhorn Mountain and a mission: create a place where hunters, shotgunners, pistol shooters, and black powder enthusiasts could practice their sport. Today, CGC operates on 115 acres (64 acres purchased in 1986, expanded with 51 more in 1991) just ...
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Full description and what we offer
Chelsokee Gun Club started in 1968 with 21 acres on Buckhorn Mountain and a mission: create a place where hunters, shotgunners, pistol shooters, and black powder enthusiasts could practice their sport. Today, CGC operates on 115 acres (64 acres purchased in 1986, expanded with 51 more in 1991) just off Candler Road near downtown Gainesville.
This is a working competitive shooting facility, not a retail shop. CGC hosts:
New shooters get special treatment. First-timers to IDPA can register for free safety briefings at 11:30 AM on match days. You can shoot 3 matches as a non-member before needing to join.
Matches run the first Sunday of each month. Setup starts at 9:00 AM with volunteers shooting for free. Registration opens at 10:45 AM. New Shooter Briefing at 11:30, main shooter meeting at 12:15 PM. Registration closes at 11:45 AM, and matches happen at the Pistol Bays.
All pistol ranges operate as a cold range – firearms stay unloaded and holstered until a Safety Officer gives you the word to load. This isn't optional.
Competitors match up against others using similar equipment, not just skill level.
| Division | Requirements |
|---|---|
| CDP (Custom Defensive Pistol) | Semi-auto, .45 ACP |
| ESP (Enhanced Service Pistol) | Semi-auto, 9mm or larger |
| SSP (Stock Service Pistol) | Semi-auto, double/single action or striker-fired, 9mm or larger |
| CCP (Compact Carry Pistol) | 9mm semi-auto, barrel 4 3/8" or less |
| Stock Revolver | .38 Special or larger, no moon clips |
| Enhanced Revolver | .357 magnum or larger, rimmed or rimless |
| BUG-S (Backup Gun Semi) | .380 ACP or larger, barrel 3 1/2" or less |
| BUG-R (Backup Gun Revolver) | .38 or larger, barrel 2 1/2" or less |
| Carry Optics | Like ESP but with red-dot sights instead of iron |
| PCC (Pistol Caliber Carbine) | Semi-auto rifle, 10" minimum barrel, shoulder stock |
Active duty LEO can wear duty belt and skip the concealment requirement.
Cash only at check-in. CGC doesn't take cards—bring cash for your match fee.
Register through Practiscore.com. Tell them if you can help set up (match fee waived for volunteers and CGC members helping with setup). Choose your squad and save. On match day, check in at the IPSC Shack and pay. Scores post to Practiscore shortly after the match ends.
This is a cold range. The four cardinal rules apply:
1. Treat all guns as if they are loaded. 2. Never point a gun at something you're not prepared to destroy. 3. Always be sure of your target and what is beyond it. 4. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.
No shooting before the match. No handling firearms in parking areas. No driving around the facility unless accompanied by a CGC member. Children under 8 not permitted on ranges. 10 MPH speed limit.
Observers must sign a waiver, have eye/ear protection, and stay in the pistol bay area.
IDPA started in 1996 and emphasizes self-defense scenarios—the kinds of situations a lawfully armed citizen might actually face. Unlike some competition formats that reward equipment and gamesmanship, IDPA tests individual skill and ability. The sport works for new shooters (that's actually the design goal) and stays challenging for experienced competitors.
You can shoot 3 matches as a non-member. After that, you need IDPA membership. Check idpa.com for details or watch YouTube videos to see what the sport looks like before you show up.
CGC caps membership at 700 and is currently full. There's a waiting list. To join, you need two current CGC members to sponsor you. Requirements:
CGC started with 21 acres and hand-thrown clays in 1968. The first gun shows (1969) paid for early improvements. The club incorporated as non-profit in 1974 and built its first clubhouse in 1983. When Buckhorn Mountain became unavailable, members voted in 1986 to fund the move to Candler Road—each member paid $150. The new facility opened in 1987 and has been continuously improved since. Registered NSSA skeet shoots started in 1989. Sporting clays followed. Skeet and trap fields were realigned in 1992. The 2000s brought membership growth to 600, new sporting clays stations, new trap field construction, and equipment replacements.
Sign up for monthly emails about matches, weather cancellations, and club news. Follow the Facebook page for announcements.
Mike Miller (Match Director) 678.462.2101 [email protected]
1700 Candler Road Gainesville, GA 30507 770.531.9493
P.O. Box 941 Gainesville, GA 30503
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