Bare Bones Range in SNH

[Mattyd7]

I moved to Nashua this summer and have been trying to find a good bare-bones range to join. I put in for membership at Pelham for when I want to do serious shooting, but sometimes I like to go somewhere where it's more laid back. My MA club was Littleton, which if any of you have been there is as basic as it can get. No real club house, nothing fancy, but the great part is I could go on a Saturday and not see anyone else there all day.

Are there any in Southern NH like that? Just a basic range that isn't packed every weekend? I realize this is kind of silly to ask, because everyone would join if so, but membership numbers at Littleton were very low for the 4 years I have been there (through all the craziness and everything), so it's not unheard of to exist.

Thanks!

EDIT: Should note that I would really like to bring my steel plates and shoot those, so if the club allows that it would be a huge plus.

 

[natf]

Some clubs in Nashua and surrounding towns, unfortunately I believe they all have some sort of waiting list for membership at this point. I suggest visiting each of them to find one you like. I'm also fairly sure I've missed some clubs.

Nashua Fish and Game - Merrimack
Horseshoe Fish and Game - Merrimack
Londonderry Fish and Game - Litchfield
Horse Pond Fish and Game - Nashua
Pointer Fish and Game - Bedford
Hudson Fish and Game - Hudson
Lone Pine Hunters Club - Hollis

You can find more clubs here.
http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/hunting/clubs-ranges.html

 

[drgrant]

NH is bricked out. Make some friends/network and find back 40 ranges or other informal places to shoot.

 

[fivepak]

Some clubs in Nashua and surrounding towns, unfortunately I believe they all have some sort of waiting list for membership at this point. I suggest visiting each of them to find one you like. I'm also fairly sure I've missed some clubs.

Nashua Fish and Game - Merrimack
Horseshoe Fish and Game - Merrimack
Londonderry Fish and Game - Litchfield
Horse Pond Fish and Game - Nashua
Pointer Fish and Game - Bedford
Hudson Fish and Game - Hudson
Lone Pine Hunters Club - Hollis

You can find more clubs here.
http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/hunting/clubs-ranges.html

Horse Pond is pretty bare bones. I thought Lone Pine was litigated out of existence?

 

[Boghog1]

No shooting at Lone Pine thanks to the lawyer that moved into the neighborhood. most of the ranges in Southern NH are at capacity and you will need to wait for a spot to open. Purgetory Falls in Mont Vernon is probably the most bare bones club I know of but it is at capacity and you need to attend multipe meetings to get in

 

[Bcamos]

I shoot at my house for this reason. Steel plates and all.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Kevin_NH]

Your best bet is to buy a few acres out in the boonies. There's a lot of swampy land selling cheap in S.NH, just need to buy stock in a mosquito repellent maker.

... but the great part is I could go on a Saturday and not see anyone else there all day. Are there any in Southern NH like that? Just a basic range that isn't packed every weekend?

I don't know of anyplace to shoot in S.NH that wouldn't be busy on a Saturday. Some of the ranges near Nashua can be quiet on weekdays, but every place I know of gets busy on the weekend.

 

[Kevski]

I know you said Southern NH but have you considered the Centralville Sportsmen's Club in Dracut - which is close to Southern NH. It is usually dead and has a good indoor range which more often than not is empty. Further, the membership dues are cheap. If you would like a tour shoot me a PM and I'll take you.

I don't agree with many of things done by the person(s) running the place, but if your looking for a place solely to shoot and not get involved, this is may be the secondary club you are looking for. This is your typical FUDD club that cares more so about their community image than firearms - but the indoor range is good.

 

[beng620]

I used to be a member there. Don't bother with Centralville if you plan on bringing someone more than "twice per year". One of my biggest pet peeves with gun ranges. How the hell am I supposed to get new people interested and invested enough in the sport if I can only bring them once or twice?

 

[Zx6rrider]

Any luck on finding a range accepting memberships? I too just moved to Nashua and been stuck going to granite state range but want to join a club so I can use my rifles. So if you don't mind letting me know if you find one and maybe a sponsor that would be great

 

[Kevin_NH]

Now is the time to start attending meetings as a guest, get your name on the wait list, make some new friends.

For example, I believe [thread=57487]Purgatory Falls[/thread] is at the membership cap, but will have openings after January, as usually a few members do not pay their annual dues.

 

[M1911]

I used to be a member there. Don't bother with Centralville if you plan on bringing someone more than "twice per year". One of my biggest pet peeves with gun ranges. How the hell am I supposed to get new people interested and invested enough in the sport if I can only bring them once or twice?

I can understand their view, especially for a smaller club that needs income. Why buy the cow if you can get the milk for free?

 

[drgrant]

I can understand their view, especially for a smaller club that needs income. Why buy the cow if you can get the milk for free?

I'd rather see clubs have guest fees (even 10 or 20 bucks a whack, per visit) than outright bans or static limitations. There are some situations where I need to take people out periodically a few times a year with me but they can't justify the hoopla of getting a full boat membership somewhere. Not to mention some of these people live far enough away that even if the money wasn't an issue, they couldn't get to the meeting, etc.

ETA: Some of the club guest bans I've seen aren't even based around money. (or at least they're not "sold" that way.) For example at one club that shall remain nameless, I was told we couldn't have guests due to liability blah blah blah (insert bloviation here). In another case some club officer made up an imaginary law.

-Mike

 

[Kevin_NH]

A bare bones guest policy:

• All guests must be accompanied by a member
• A members may have three guests at any one time
• Members responsibility to ensure guests understand & follow Range rules and firearms safety rules

Anything more involved is asking for drama.

ETA: Some of the club guest bans I've seen aren't even based around money. (or at least they're not "sold" that way.) For example at one club that shall remain nameless, I was told we couldn't have guests due to liability blah blah blah (insert bloviation here). In another case some club officer made up an imaginary law.

There may actually be a liability issue; members usually have signed waivers, but few clubs can enforce a "guests must sign and file a waiver" policy. Not that a waiver is worth the paper it's printed on.

For a club that gets crowded, or is consistently below the membership cap, I can understand the motive for onerous guest policies. But is any S.NH club (with a 100 yard range) hurting for new members?