Are the people at your range nice or mean?

My club has around 700 members. Sometimes I work as a RSO there. Most members are respectful and helpful to others, but you do have the occasional dunce, mostly those who can't remember to unload or lay down weapons when the line is cold. The old timers there congregate for some long BS sessions, but welcome anybody who is willing to listen and learn, and some of them have a lot to teach. We usually don't have a lack of range space unless previously scheduled matches are going on. We are at SCSSA Homepage, Birmingham, AL.

Never been to a range have private gravel pit

I spend each Thursday morning as a range marshal at the public shooting range just outside of Menomonie, Wisconisn. The range is owned by the county but staffed by volunteers from both the Menomonie Rifle & Pistol Club and the Dunn County Fish & Game Club. It's only open when a range marshal is present. It has been a positive experience and everyone who comes to use it has been appreciative and supportive based on my experience. I go out of my way to be friendly and helpful. Here's a link to our website: Menomonie Rifle and Pistol Club

This range has been ugraded substantially with a tremendous amount of time donated by volunteers and materials/support from local companies and corporations. We had a work day yesterday and an overwhelming number of people showed up and much was accomplished. It's in keeping with the spirit of the upper midwest (Remember all those volunteers filling sand bags in and around Fargo, ND?). Carl

I'm a member at P. Greaney's range. He hit the nail on the head. See you at the next match Pat.

I was at Charolette Rifle and Pistol Club in SC attending a match. Myself and a friend were told by the match organizer himself that my friend could take some sighter shots at an adjacent range. We talked to the rangemaster at that range, then he walked off.

Along comes the fired up bozo demanding to know what we were doing and where our "supervision" was. We pointed to the gentleman that was originally there, but this retard went on and on proclaiming his authority and how we were to be supervised at all times. Fine, however, we did NOTHING wrong.

This guy was looking for us to pay homage to his authority and bow down to his greatness. Just a nasty pathetic excuse for a man.

When we checked into the place, the people running the range house were sarcastic and rude. There were some people there that were fullfilling thier duties as applicants for membership and they looked like boots on the first day of boot camp, scared and not worthy. These people that run that place act as if you must acknowledge thier authority at all times.

My friend lives close by and checked on membership, but got the same rude treatment. He said later that he would rather not even shoot as to join that place!

Keep in mind, we were cordial and polite to these people at ALL times. Notice they have an initiation fee. I've already been initiated-at Parris Island. CHARLOTTE RIFLE AND PISTOL CLUB

Louis of PA,

Thank you for your kind comment(s).

As a club official it was always my objective to treat everyone equally, assure that safety measures where observed and promote the well being of the club within the membership and the local community. I held a "strict constructionist" opinion of the clubs' By-Laws. I always pointed out the amendment clause contained in them to anyone objecting to my stance.
As far as our range security goes we've found that our "any member may proof any person on the property" policy has led to a great reduction in "sneak in's".
Should a member come across a tresspasser they instruct the tresspasser to leave, also member gets the vehicle tag number. The local PD then provides the name and address of the violator, to whom the club sends a warning letter. If there is a repeat violator we file a complaint, which we've only had to do twice. It seems that word eventually gets around that the club is not to be toyed with. We occassionally hear from the community that the club has a reputation of not tolerating tresspassers. Of course the local police and town court does its' part to help.
Due to our intensive (about three hours), mandatory. pre-membership meeting, we don't have much trouble with new members as far as range safety issues/misuse goes. About an hour of that meeting is dedicated to Rifle/Pistol range use policy. By the way, every new member gets a copy of the club By-Laws and a copy of the range rules to take home. "I didn't know excuses" are never accepted, but we don't often clobber 1st time range rule violators either. A second offense is a differant situation.
Our biggest range problem comes from those members who joined prior to when our mandatory meeting policy began about 15 years ago. Even though we supply a list of range procedures in at least one newsletter (which goes out to all members) EVERY year, a few of those older people feel that they are exempt or otherwise worthy of special status somehow based on their long term membership.
That attitude seemed to change suddenly after word got around (ie in a newsletter) as to what happened with the group of old bullies mentioned in my previous post. We did have several older members who resigned in sympathy (just couldn't reason with them) with those members which were expelled but our subsequent increase in new member applicants and member retention that quickly followed that action is proof enough for me that the correct thing was done.

KCW

It is on an old family owned ranch in some of the most beautiful country in the world. It is the only range left in this area. They run a pretty tight ship as they should. There are guys who work there like Jack who is a retired Navy guy who runs it like a military range. Jack carries a loaded pistol on his hip so nobody argues with him. He is just great, the rules are there, read them, if you violate them you get a warning and then you get to go home if you do it again. I like that kind of efficiency, it protects you from getting shot by the people who come there and don't know anything about firearms. The rules also help to protect your firearms from being stolen while you are down range. I get along fine, have great conversations with people and enjoy the regulars. It isn't often you get to swap war stories with a chopper pilot who won 2 DSCs. It isn't the best range because it is oriented across wind N/S but it's all we got and God love them for having it there.

I have the pleasure of shooting with a great bunch of guys ( I mostly shoot trap and some skeet ). I find that the pistol ranges and the rifle ranges are often just too busy for my liking and if you are going to get trouble that is the most likely place.

Mind you our club has grown enormously over the past few years and the politics seem to be getting bigger.

We have a great caretaker ( Claude ) and his wife who live up there and keep things good.

But to be honest with you I think that shooters and hunters are great people. I would feel safer taking my kid to the range than taking him to school. What's that tell you?

http://www.pcdhfc.com/

KTK

Ken,

Nice looking range. I also read some of the requirements. Makes for a safer club/range. Would like to take the Pistol Course and it looks like the trap range would be a fun day/evening of shooting. Have not done any trap shooting in 35 or more years. Wonder if I could break as many as I use to break way back when.

Also the annual membership costs are very reasonable compared to those in my area.

Thanks for the link.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JohnMOhio

Ken,

Nice looking range. I also read some of the requirements. Makes for a safer club/range. Would like to take the Pistol Course and it looks like the trap range would be a fun day/evening of shooting. Have not done any trap shooting in 35 or more years. Wonder if I could break as many as I use to break way back when.

Also the annual membership costs are very reasonable compared to those in my area.

Thanks for the link.

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Hopefully one day you will get to shoot with me there. The best part is that it is a 5 minute drive from home.

KTK