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Barnstable public range opinions...
- Thread starter two-rocks
- Start date
I live in Bourne, Can I become a member of the barnstable public range? Where do I apply and get a key. My parents live right down the street from there and it would be a great place for my wife and I to shoot. Drop the kiddo off at the grandparents house and blast a few rounds off with the wife while the grandparents get to spend quality time with the kid...win win..
Gatling77
NES Member
You can, I think its $50 for non Barnstable residents. You can get the permit at the natural resource office across the street from the Barnstable PD on Phinneys Lane. With what's been going on (currently closed for renovations and insurance issues) you might want to wait and see what happens.
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F
Finalygotabeltfed
Why? They think a resident is less of a liability? Less Likely to sue the town? The Barnstable town government is phucking absurd.
Gatling77
NES Member
I don't know why. I just know that I paid $25 for being a resident of Barnstable and non residents pay $50. Its a local government money making scam...go figure!!! There was an article in the Cape Cod Times when the range shut down a good few months back and it mentioned the $ they were pulling in, obscene if you ask me. Might even be mentioned in this thread or another.
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The other day I called and was told non-residents will still be allowed to shoot. There will be a range officer on duty once the construction is completed and the town is still working on the insurance issue. So other then that its the same news different day.
So I heard on the radio the other day that an insurer has been found....beyond that, I haven't heard anything. A week ago I drove by the range and couldn't see anything going on through the trees...no trucks or machinery. I'm at the point now where I have to decide in the next couple weeks if I'm going to move on and join a local R&G nearby and buy into the stuff that comes with a club membership, or if I'm going to wait out the Barnstable range. Anybody have any recent updates? Any calls to the office for timeframes or anything??
Bump to the top. I too am waiting for the Barnstable range to reopen. That's great news about the insurer. Hope that's accurate. More and more people are becoming gun owners, we need places to shoot or else in invites problems.
Have not heard anything about the 2013 season as of this time. Plenty of roomers about them having the Insurance worked out but still nothing definite. I'm just 3-4 miles from the range site and don't see a hole lot of activity. Looks like a new parking area has been cleared & some dirt has been moved around.
Sure would be nice to be kept updated on this ? The membership cost of local R & G clubs are not in my budget this year.
Sure would be nice to be kept updated on this ? The membership cost of local R & G clubs are not in my budget this year.
The following is not official news, and don't shoot the messenger!
Talked with someone @ Natural Resources this week, she says she doesn't think it's re-opening until (the earliest) fall. Said there's a lot to be hashed out re: the Safety Officer(s) - what department, scheduling, etc. Then the business plan has to get worked out and each step has to be approved by the proper town department.
This person might not have all the current info, so don't take it as anything but speculation. She also said to contact the Town Manager's office and/or Con Comm for more info, which I didn't get a chance to do yet. I'll update if I get any more info...
Talked with someone @ Natural Resources this week, she says she doesn't think it's re-opening until (the earliest) fall. Said there's a lot to be hashed out re: the Safety Officer(s) - what department, scheduling, etc. Then the business plan has to get worked out and each step has to be approved by the proper town department.
This person might not have all the current info, so don't take it as anything but speculation. She also said to contact the Town Manager's office and/or Con Comm for more info, which I didn't get a chance to do yet. I'll update if I get any more info...
So it seems a committee has been formed ![[rolleyes]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/042.gif "Roll Eyes [rolleyes]")
to figure out the operating plan, with assistant town manager Mark Ells heading it up. Here's an interview from two weeks ago with him discussing it(barely), you have to skip ahead - it's right at the beginning of his interview:
************************ Official Website of The Town of Barnstable
For those who can't view it or whatever, the main points are:
- DPW is finishing up the berm work, should be completed by the end of June
- He was supposed to have drafted an initial operation plan for the town manager by the end of May, and they were looking at sending out a questionnaire to the users to see if it matches what the users would find acceptable
- Says they are the only municipal shooting range in the state, they had to search far and wide while researching the issue of municipal owned shooting ranges. I've told several folks about the New Bedford range, I guess that bit of info got lost in the shuffle.
- Hoping to reopen by the end of the year![[angry]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/008.gif "Angry [angry]")
What a joke. What they should have done is solicit bids for the management/operation of the range similar to what they did with the town owned golf courses. RFP, 30 days, lowest bidder, approval, reopen. Instead we got a committee. Calls/emails to Mark Ells/ Town Manager Lynch wouldn't hurt, let them know the process needs to be hurried - we want to go shooting.
I'm headed up to Woodcock Rd to join up, even though the hours suck and it's a bit of a haul.
to figure out the operating plan, with assistant town manager Mark Ells heading it up. Here's an interview from two weeks ago with him discussing it(barely), you have to skip ahead - it's right at the beginning of his interview:************************ Official Website of The Town of Barnstable
For those who can't view it or whatever, the main points are:
- DPW is finishing up the berm work, should be completed by the end of June
- He was supposed to have drafted an initial operation plan for the town manager by the end of May, and they were looking at sending out a questionnaire to the users to see if it matches what the users would find acceptable
- Says they are the only municipal shooting range in the state, they had to search far and wide while researching the issue of municipal owned shooting ranges. I've told several folks about the New Bedford range, I guess that bit of info got lost in the shuffle.
- Hoping to reopen by the end of the year
What a joke. What they should have done is solicit bids for the management/operation of the range similar to what they did with the town owned golf courses. RFP, 30 days, lowest bidder, approval, reopen. Instead we got a committee. Calls/emails to Mark Ells/ Town Manager Lynch wouldn't hurt, let them know the process needs to be hurried - we want to go shooting.
I'm headed up to Woodcock Rd to join up, even though the hours suck and it's a bit of a haul.
Yes NB range is great. Careful of the cops that come and shoot though! I was down posting a target at 200yds and the cops let loose (about 30 of them emptying their sidearms) and a fragment wizzed over the berm seperating the range. They have trees planted on top of the berm which is kind of stupid as it promotes ricochets. Hit me in hip area on my winter jacket (it was cold out).
I picked up the fragment and went to tell the cop in charge. He detoured into the bouse house....
Now I can tell the story about being shot by the cops....Otherwise great range! I am hitting the 500 yard plate with my .308 which is as dialed in as I am going (or need) to get!
I picked up the fragment and went to tell the cop in charge. He detoured into the bouse house....
Now I can tell the story about being shot by the cops....Otherwise great range! I am hitting the 500 yard plate with my .308 which is as dialed in as I am going (or need) to get!
WXTK has been giving updates on the shooting range for the past couple days during their news updates. As we already know, insurance is contingent upon staffing the range with safety officers - the town is trying to determine how to do that. What's concerning to me is they are considering running it through the police department (natural resources being another option), it might be worth it to contact the town to express your opinion on the matter. Mark Ells would be the person to talk to, he heads the committee formed to solve the problem. 
Also, if you are a trained range safety officer and you're interested in being part of the discussion contact me through PM and I'll put you in touch with the right people.
PM me if you want to be put on the email list for direct updates.
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Also, if you are a trained range safety officer and you're interested in being part of the discussion contact me through PM and I'll put you in touch with the right people.
PM me if you want to be put on the email list for direct updates.
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2
I watched the meeting tonight on TV. My impression is that the range will not be opened this calender year. Too many departments going through too many committees, not knowing the order to get everything squared away. Glad I didn't go in person, I was going to turn in my permit and key right in front of them.
Gatling77
NES Member
I spoke with one of the Natural Resource officers yesterday at Kalmus beach. His opinion is that it might be open by the Fall. The town is still working on the insurance and range officer issue along with the range itself not finished with the rework being done.
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The insurance issue is settled, but it seems like we're still forever away. There's a lot of issues that have to get hashed out as a result of the insurance policy - safety officers, signage at the recreation trails behind the range, etc. After they figure that out they'll create operating hours/budget(that's a big mess - range wasn't part of this year's town budget so a special approval will have to be made). Then, the Conservation Commission will have to re-write the rules and regs. Each step of this process has to be approved by the corresponding town department, and we all know how fast government works....
I remain hopeful, but I'll be surprised if it opens this year.
I remain hopeful, but I'll be surprised if it opens this year.
Not a member of any Cape clubs, so I can't help. I wanted to join Shawme since my shop is right around the corner in the Sandwich Industrial park, but there's a waiting list(which is a bit crazy to me - I drive by there several times a week and there's hardly ever anyone there - oh well). I've heard good things about Monument Beach, Nauset, and Cape Cod Fish + Game.
Bass River is nice and their pistol range (indoors) is top notch. I just don't have time for the whole volunteer thing (and I understand their position, they want participating members).
What we need is a simple, 12 lane indoor pistol range that charges a yearly membership fee. Access to a 200 - 300 yard outdoor rifle range would be the cherry on top.
What we need is a simple, 12 lane indoor pistol range that charges a yearly membership fee. Access to a 200 - 300 yard outdoor rifle range would be the cherry on top.
MoBeach just changed their membership policy. I was at the meeting when it was announced, and whether the BOD had the authority to change policy or not, IMO they went about it the wrong way. It seems that everyone there is afraid to speak their mind. I was interested in joining, but now they will never see any of my money for any reason, and their monthly dinners were great. I can go shoot steel/idpa/uspsa at Nauset, Bass River or New Bedford.
