DIY Easter Sunrise Hike

January 9, 2023

Written by Katy Ward & Kyle Upson

What could be a better way to celebrate our Risen Christ than to watch His sun rise to begin your Easter day? We believe this Sunrise Hike will help to start your day off in the right mindset, setting your mind on God and His creation.
Cole Mountain is about an hour from campus and with it’s short, relatively easy climb and beautiful scenery it is one of the more popular hikes in the Liberty community, but around holidays, the crowds are not as frequent, making this hike a peaceful one to enjoy by yourself or a few close friends.
At only a 2-mile loop, this hike is an easy one to do first thing in the day and still have plenty of time for anything else you have planned. Follow this itinerary for a step-by-step timeline:

04:30am – Leave campus
05:30am – Arrive at the base of Cole Mountain
05:45am – Begin hike to summit
06:30am – Reach Cole Mountain open field

Find a good spot with a good view and relax for a bit

06:44am – Sunrise
06:45am – Do a devotional or spend time in prayer

We have provided a devotional below if you would like to use that one

07:30am – Depart … Read More

Montview Arcade

December 15, 2022

Written by Lincoln Miller, Montview Recreation Manager

When thinking about the Montview Bowling Alley, what comes to your mind is likely billiard tables, some televisions to watch sports games, and, of course, bowling. While in the past these were the only things that were available to do, that is no longer the case.
Arcade Machines
Montview Bowling Alley has recently made an addition of two arcade machines in the back corner of the alley. These machines each are free for all customers to play and hold about twenty games on each of them. The games on those machines consist of traditional games, such as Pac Man, Donkey Kong, Mario Bros, or Galactica. There are also lesser-known games available such as Bubble, Side Kick, and Gunsmoke. While you may be unfamiliar with them, I encourage you to give these fun, retro games a try!
History of Arcade Machines
In the late 70’s, arcades were the place to be. The first thought that comes to mind when a person thinks of arcades is likely dimly lit rooms in places like Chucky Cheeses or Dave & Busters. But while these rooms may have been dimly lit, that was hardly a drawback for the kids who inhabited them. The first … Read More

Shotgun Games at LMGC

June 10, 2021

Written by Josh Bryant, Assistant Director of Operations

Are you a complete novice to shotgun games? Maybe even shooting in general? Don’t worry, we’ll give you a primer in the shotgun games available at the Liberty Mountain Gun Club.
LGMC currently offers American Trap, American Skeet, and 5 Stand. The targets for all three games are small clay discs—commonly referred to as clays, pigeons, or birds. Each game consists of 25 targets. Only one person shoots at a time, but up to five people can participate in a game at once. So, keep that in mind when you’re getting a group together to come to the range! When it’s a shooter’s turn and they’re in position ready to shoot, they call out ‘Pull!’ and the clay pigeon is thrown.
American Trap
American Trap is a good place to start for people unfamiliar with shooting. In American Trap, only one target is presented at a time, and the targets are always going in the same general direction—away from the shooter. The shooting positions are 16 yards behind the target launcher, or trap machine, which is inside a small building also known as the ‘trap house’. There are 5 shooting positions, evenly spaced in a line (or … Read More

Gun Club Lingo 101

April 29, 2021

Written by Bill Crawford, General Manager of Liberty Mountain Gun Club

Every industry/sport/hobby has its own lingo to one extent or another, and shooting is no different! In this brief introduction to gun lingo, we’ll look at some words and phrases you may hear at LMGC. After reading this, you’ll have a better understanding on the most common phrases spoken on our ranges. Our goal is to explore more obscure phrases in another blog to come!
“The Range is Hot”
We may declare this on a 25-degree day in February…when it’s snowing…and windy…and everyone is bundled in five layers of clothing. It’s not a weather observation, but rather a command that means the range is now ready for individuals to handle firearms and begin shooting. Prior to this command, however, we must say something else that sometimes seems an equally odd statement (see next).
“Eyes and Ears Everyone!”
We are aware that the vast majority of our range users do, in fact, have eyes and ears. We’re not suggesting that folks check for the physical presence of their eyes and ears, but rather it is telling everyone that the range is about to “go hot” and that everyone must put on their eye and ear protection. … Read More

Gun Storage Options

April 2, 2021

Written by John Nelson, LMGC Range Safety Officer
With the record setting number of first-time gun owners in America today, many individuals are finding themselves the proud owner of a new handgun, rifle, or shotgun and are now wondering how to safely store this new firearm. Whether it is to safeguard it from children or other occupants in the home, potential thieves, or for any other reason, firearms should absolutely always be safely locked up whenever they are not in your possession! Common options for securing your firearm include gun safes, gun cabinets, and single-gun lockboxes.
Gun Safes
Gun safes are very commonplace in homes across the country and are an excellent option from a security standpoint. Typically the costliest and heaviest of the options, weighing in at several hundred pounds, these containers are ideal when you do not intend to move the container frequently, would like to store multiple firearms, or desire a container rated for protection against fire and flooding in addition to theft. That last feature also makes them great for other valuables and important documents.
A few options I recommend are Cannon Safe and Stack-On’s Sentinel line.
Gun Cabinets
Gun cabinets come in a myriad of sizes and shapes, many similar to gun safes … Read More

Find Your Passion at LMGC

September 25, 2020

Written by Bill Crawford, General Manager of Liberty Mountain Gun Club

The morning started off with a quiet calm and just a bit of low-lying fog. Rumors of “record-breaking weather” were murmured until the lead edge of the cold front started to blow in. Now everyone is conceding defeat, but not you. You suspected the front would bring crazy winds, and you were right.
You’re at the 1000-yard Benchrest Shooting National Championship and surprisingly find yourself as one of the favorites. Who would have thought just few years earlier you had wandered up to Liberty Mountain Gun Club with no experience and no expectations whatsoever? The Range Safety Officers and staff there immediately made you feel comfortable and encouraged you to learn.
Undiscovered Talent
You quickly found your passion in precision rifle shooting. When you found out there was an academic rifle shooting class, you were pleasantly surprised. Who would ever have thought you could get two credits learning to shoot? So you became a regular at the range and your skills grew rapidly.
While LMGC offers 100, 200, and 300-yard shooting ranges (which are good distances to learn precision and some wind reading), your tastes grew to longer ranges—600 yards, then 1000. From contacts you made while studying at Liberty, you even got an opportunity to engage steel targets … Read More

First Time Visit at LMGC

July 31, 2020

Written by Hope Thompson, Range Supervisor

There are moments when we wish we could decide on something to do as fast as Phineas with a, “Ferb, I know what we’re going to do today!”. Well good news, there are plenty of options for you to spend your day up at Liberty Mountain Gun Club! Located directly across from Hydaway, LMGC is a recreational shooting venue available to current students, staff, and faculty and caters to both new and experienced shooters alike.

So, What Does a First Visit Look Like?
For new shooters or first-time visitors to the Liberty Mountain Gun Club, there are always friendly faces ready to help you learn about the ranges or any other questions you may have. The staff at LMGC strive to make sure every customer is comfortable and following the four main safety rules. When you first enter the facility to check-in, you watch a four-minute safety video and sign an Assumption of Risk form. After that, you will be all set to check out and start your range time or game! Liberty Mountain Gun Club typically offers a variety of different rental options if you don’t have your own firearms, which include Ruger Mark IV pistols (.22 caliber), Ruger 10/22’s, and Beretta over-under shotguns (12 & 20 gauge).  In addition to … Read More

Facility Series: Gun Club

May 29, 2020

Written By Victoria Dissmore, Marketing Employee

LMGC is a full-service shooting facility located just minutes from main campus, offering a number of shooting opportunities for all skill levels. Whether you have never shot a firearm before or you are working toward an Olympic shooting medal, there is something for you. Read on to discover everything the Gun Club has to offer.
Shotgun Range
LMGC is proud to offer one of the nicest shotgun facilities on the east coast. Shooters can try their hand at:

American Skeet
American Trap
Five Stand (at two nine trap 5-stand fields)
International Skeet
International Bunker (International Trap)
Sporting Clay Course

The shotgun range is currently open to students, faculty, and staff Thursday–Sunday.
Rifle Range
With ten bays ranging from 100 to 300 yards, LMGC gives rifle shooters the opportunity to shoot both steel and paper targets at each range. Any .22 caliber rifle will also be able to shoot targets at 50 yards.
Knowledgeable Range Safety Officers (RSOs) will be available to assist and provide safety for all rifle range shooters. The rifle range is currently open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Pistol Range
LMGC offers a broad array of shooting opportunities on our pistol range. With the capability to engage targets from 7 to 50 yards and offering steel and paper targets, the range … Read More