River Bend Practical Shooters

The early history of River Bend Gun Club dates back over 60 years to the Seven Hills Gun Club. The Seven Hills Gun Club was formed in the early 1950's and its range facilities were located just south of the intersection of Roswell Road and Interstate I285. In those days, that area was open farmland and I-285 had not been built. The club ranges were built on 25 acres of that farmland. The club had about 50 members who built a 10-point 100-yard rifle facility, a 30-point pistol range with turning targets and 2 duplex shotgun fields. Seven Hills Gun Club members enjoyed these facilities for six or seven years. By 1955, Atlanta was growing so rapidly that urban sprawl encroached on this range site. A massive apartment complex and the proposed I285 expressway forced the Seven Hills Club to relocate in 1955. This was to be the birth of River Bend Gun Club. The Seven Hills Gun Club found a 45 acre tract just north of Norcross just off Medlock Bridge Road where it crosses the Chattahoochee River. This property, located at a bend in the river, was leased to the club by the Medlock family for about $1000 per year. This site was ideally suited for a gun club since it was located on bottom land and in a sparsely populated area. The River Bend Gun Club was officially born in December 1955 at that site. This was to be its home for the next thirty two years.

River Bend Gun Club members pitched in and constructed an 80-point covered pistol line roughly 320-fect long as their first of many projects. The club erected a 33-foot by 95-foot club house just behind the pistol range on the bank of the Chattahoochee River. This served as a place to hold the annual membership meetings, various other club functions, and became the site for the indoor air gun range. During the early years, members also built a 20-position, 100-yard small-bore rifle range and a 12-point 200- yard high power range. By the late 1950's River Bend Gun Club had nearly 200 members.

Competitive shooting activities required range improvements. Members again worked to lengthen the high power range to 300 yards and to