Cameo Shooting Complex Hosts Editorial Roundtable

Last week, the Guns & Ammo team traveled to Grand Junction, Colorado for the Outdoor Sportsman Group (OSG) Editorial Roundtable. There, we tested and previewed a variety of rifles, shotguns, and handguns at the Cameo Shooting and Education Complex. Some of the products had been recently released, such as the Kimber KDSc 9mm pistol and the Franchi Momentum All-Terrain Elite rifle, while others are set to be announced in the coming days — like the Rossi break-action .45 Colt/.410 Brawler — and months. The event is great opportunity for the writers and editors across OSGs numerous shooting and hunting properties to see, in one place, the latest and greatest from firearm, ammunition, optic and accessory manufacturers.

The star of the event, though, may have been the range itself. Nestled in the high desert of Western Colorado, the Cameo complex was flanked by incredible views and abundant wildlife. More than a few times was the range called cold to allow the resident herd of bighorn sheep to pass through. Fun fact, the reports from gun fire effectively scared off the area’s predators, so the sheep population has been booming!

Cameo used to be the home of a coal-fired power plant and shuttered coal mine, but now exists as a nationally recognized sport shooting and education center. In fact, following our conference the site would be hosting the Ultimate Hunter Shooting Sports competitions for rifle, archery, and rimfire. The space at Cameo is not just for events, however, as lanes are normally open to the public. At writing, a $12 Day Pass will get you in! The range is more than accommodating for all types of shooting sports, including sporting clays, 3D archery loops, and 2000-plus-yard ranges found high up the mountainside, beyond the numerous pistol and rifle bays.

The Complex is a proud employer of Veterans, and uses 100 percent of the funds from resold brass to host a twice-per-year veterans’ BBQ. The General Manager, Walt Proulx, is proud of how much the range has expanded, and the positive impact Cameo has had on local communities. He was also profuse in his praise of the volunteer staff, who count Navy Captains, NASA engineers, military veterans and retired law enforcement among their numbers. The cause for Proulx’s pride was evident – the staff was helpful, professional and truly made the event more enjoyable. They are hardcore gun guys, too, with more than a few long-time Guns & Ammo readers.

We also owe a special shout out to the team at Crazy Quail for keeping the skyline full of breaking clays. Shotguns were a big part of the event this year — stay tuned, scattergun enthusiasts — and the robotic target throwers kept up a flurry of fresh "birds." One of the big surprises, and a fan favorite at the shotgun station, was Weatherby's new Orion SXS side-by-side shotgun. Maybe not your typical clays gun, but a lot of fun, nonetheless.

After our time in Colorado, we at Guns & Ammo would encourage anyone passing through the Grand Junction area to give the Cameo Shooting and Education Complex a visit. We can’t wait to go back!