Gun Club closure megathread

Lee Sportsmans Association: Open to members starting today (shotgun) and tomorrow

The Club will only be open to Members during Phase 1 of the MA Reopening Plan or until further notice, no guests are permitted on the property at this time.

The Shotgun Fields will open on Friday, May 22nd at 5pm.
Shotgun Fields hours of operation are: Sundays 9am – 12pm, Wednesdays 10am – 2pm, Fridays 5pm – Dusk, and Saturdays 10am – 1pm.

The Outdoor Pistol Ranges, Rifle Range, Outdoor Archery Range, and fishing quarry will all open on Saturday, May 23rd.
Outdoor Pistol Ranges hours are: 9am – dusk daily, except during Shotgun Fields hours when Outdoor Pistol Ranges are closed (check the website Calendar), special events will be posted to Club Calendar.
Rifle Range hours are: 9am to ½ hour after sunset daily, check the website Calendar for closures.
Outdoor Archery Range hours are: 9am to ½ hour after sunset daily, check the website Calendar for closures.
Fishing Quarry hours are: 9am to dusk daily, check the website Calendar for closures.

The Clubhouse and Skeet House are closed until further notice.

Plus a bunch of distancing/hygiene stuff. If anyone needs a copy of the whole email or has any questions, let me know.
 
No it is NOT a "yearly membership". BR&P membership year is from Jan 1 to Dec 31. They give you until March to pay before adding a late fee. I was a member there for 20 years and only quit due to moving to NH. Similarly I'm still a member at Mansfield F&G and their membership year is Sept 1 to Aug 31, so no matter when you join, your membership expires at the end of the club's fiscal year.
Congrats on explaining that better than they did! Thanks and I stand corrected on that part.
 
went to HSC this afternoon...it was like pre-covid...except you had to toss your brass in a dumpster ~30 yards away. It felt so good to be back out there!!!!!!
 
I'm a member of Taunton, in October my votes are going to any non-incumbent. The current E-boards lacks balls, communication and willingness to change.

Opening on the 26th, website also states they are looking for new E Board members. I’ve been a member there mainly for convenience but then shutting down has kind of been the deciding factor in me not renewing.

Edit: No mention of what restrictions etc. will be in place when they reopen.
 
Opening on the 26th, website also states they are looking for new E Board members. I’ve been a member there mainly for convenience but then shutting down has kind of been the deciding factor in me not renewing.
This is called opportunity to make a change, though don't expect it to happen all at once with only one new member - but even one can help break the groupthink logjam.
 
Went to Old Colony in Pembroke yesterday from 10-12 as it was appointment only. Not sure if there wasn’t demand (really?!) or if members booked, then no showed, or some form of pushback against the process, but it appeared there was unused capacity when I was there, and that is factoring some lanes closed for distancing purposes. Made me scratch my head and wonder why.
 
Went to Old Colony in Pembroke yesterday from 10-12 as it was appointment only. Not sure if there wasn’t demand (really?!) or if members booked, then no showed, or some form of pushback against the process, but it appeared there was unused capacity when I was there, and that is factoring some lanes closed for distancing purposes. Made me scratch my head and wonder why.
@DigIDPA
I was at Old Colony as well down at the IDPA pits from 10-2 with a few others. The overall range did seem relatively quiet for a Saturday.

The updated rules don’t say anything about appointments, but it does say to limit yourself to two hours if others are there and waiting to give more people an opportunity to shoot.
 
@DigIDPA
I was at Old Colony as well down at the IDPA pits from 10-2 with a few others. The overall range did seem relatively quiet for a Saturday.

The updated rules don’t say anything about appointments, but it does say to limit yourself to two hours if others are there and waiting to give more people an opportunity to shoot.
Hey Steve, I swung through the IDPA pits with a potential OCSA member around noon yesterday, so we probably saw you. I just had made the appointment, once that first email allowing us back went out -- and you are right, the rules have been adjusted since then, thankfully.
 
Personally, Braintree Pistol and Rifle Club can suck it. They had zero willingness to waive $10/month late fees for those laid off from COVID-19. Their answer was "should have paid in December". Well, chuckles, I always paid in May since I joined in May and it's a yearly membership (d'uh) why the hell would I have paid earlier (not being Nostradamus, I didn't predict a global pandemic). I get it, $10-$50 bucks is "nothing". It was the principle. Especially when they had to close and they knew full well we would be paying for something we could not access.
Loop clubs like BRP don't care, they know that the bulk of their member base are lazebags who can't be bothered to "graduate out. "
 
BRP is an okay club. Like everything, it's got it's short comings like would it be to hard to put a port-a-potty by each range but whatever, I'm old now, I can be concerned with such things. It has met my needs in the past in all but long distance rifles. It's only about a 10 minute drive from my house which makes it quite convenient. I also like the fact that I can access the indoor ranges whenever I want like at 2:00 am on a winters night. I said in the past as I've regulated myself to the pistol and plinking ranges and occasionally the archery. I'll use the rifle ranges only to zero a new rifle, scope, teach someone, etc. I've lost interest in anything but reactive targets hence the plinking range. With that said, it's got some decent variations for shooters and a number of programs to join if you wish to do so.

drgrant,
What is a loop club? Does that mean as being in the loop like one of the boys?
It's got a large membership of like 5-6,000 or so. It's an easy membership where you don't need a sponsor or have to do club work and so on, just the orientation course. I believe the bulk of the membership is due to certain towns requiring a club membership for an ltc and Braintree makes that easy. For such a small club and large membership, I've never had to wait for a spot but I also check the calendar and avoid events. If I ever feel crowded, that's what the post ban is for with it's min-y-comp. One minute you're crowded, the next everyone has gone to both ends to provide me my space, some considerate people there.

assault spork
Braintree has always been that way and as Len mentioned is based on a fiscal year, not join date. I think, I just can't remember all the little things, the only time they pro-rate time is when you join. You get X amount knocked off by how many months of the fiscal year has passed. I'll be corrected I'm sure if I've misunderstood. Other then that, it's screw you, pay me like in Good Fellas.
 
Taipan01, porta-potties was brought up some years ago at BR&P. They investigated and was told by the town that they would only allow them as temporary for a special event/construction/etc.

You are right about pro-rated membership only when you join depending on what part of the year you join.
 
Wonder if they fixed/replaced the steel plates at the pistol range. last time i was there (1 week before close) they were all taken down

I stopped by Braintree on Tues afternoon hoping the rifle range was re-opened (baffle work) to test fire one of the new quarantine builds. Unfortunately it’s still closed. A few shooters were plinking at the outdoor pistol range.
Ended up sending a few rounds downrange at the indoor range. Note: the floor was shining & bathroom sparkling!!! Hand sanitizer stations were conveniently located!
With such a large membership & after such a long shutdown, I was surprised I had the whole building to myself. The old range looked deserted as well. It only reopened on Monday, where is everybody?!
 
What is a loop club? Does that mean as being in the loop like one of the boys?
It's got a large membership of like 5-6,000 or so. It's an easy membership where you don't need a sponsor or have to do club work and so on, just the orientation course. I believe the bulk of the membership is due to certain towns requiring a club membership for an ltc and Braintree makes that easy. For such a small club and large membership, I've never had to wait for a spot but I also check the calendar and avoid events. If I ever feel crowded, that's what the post ban is for with it's min-y-comp. One minute you're crowded, the next everyone has gone to both ends to provide me my space, some considerate people there.

I'm betting it means "clubs that lay within the 495 loop around Boston." The convenient nature of their location might make them less responsive to member input due to high demand and low supply.

That's the way I read it, anyway.
 
I'm betting it means "clubs that lay within the 495 loop around Boston." The convenient nature of their location might make them less responsive to member input due to high demand and low supply.

That's the way I read it, anyway.
Yup that’s what he meant.
 
Do all ranges have to go through these BS hoops to reopen? I haven't heard anyone mention this stuff at any of their ranges.
This is the email from Hanson R&G I received yesterday. They want members to volunteer as "range coordinators" (not to be confused with an RSO). There is no training for this except some verbal explanations.

Responsibilities of a Range Coordinator
1 schedule your time at least a week in advance so we can post club hours

2 Must check members for badges if they don’t have a badge they don’t get in

3. Carry a notebook and record people as they come in and direct them as to where they will be shooting in the notebook. When it is their turn to shoot write down the time they enter the range.
This is when their hour starts. ( Range time will be limited to one hour for the immediate future )

4 you will have access to the golf cart

5. It is also your responsibility to sanitize the areas people shoot between shooters
Gloves will be available for range coordinators

7. Make sure there is hand sanitizer available

8. Empty trash at end of day

9. No sitting inside of any building

Below are the new rules expected to be in force when the club initially re-opens in any capacity. PLEASE note! These are subject to change. We will all need to be flexible.

New Range Rules



  1. No guests ( card carrying members only)and you must be wearing your badge at all times
  2. Must sign in with Range Coordinator to get a range position and time to shoot(the ranges will be limited to 7 people on pistol and 9 people on high power range. 1 hour shoot times to accommodate all members
  3. You must bring your own targets and materials to shoot.
    !! This includes a target stand. Bases that accept strapping are expected to be available.
    No materials will be provided by the club.
  4. All buildings will be closed with no access.
    Extra portable toilets will be available.
  5. Masks are required and gloves are recommended
  6. No club events
  7. No sharing of firearms
  8. The club will only be open when there is an RSO on the premise.
    This is your chance to give back please pick up a shift
  9. Any pushback or disregard for the rules will result in closure of the club
    !! to be clear , the entire club will be closed. We all need to be flexible.
While I don't mind volunteering for my club I can't schedule anything a week out due to actually having to work at a job (not many of us left).
I am not vilifying HR&G in any way, I am just wondering if our town BOH is overdoing it with the rules they are making us enforce.

Thanks.
 
Taunton appears to be open even though their website hasn't been updated to reflect as much.

Thankfully @Bender kept us updated via the Range Subforum on NES.
 
Do all ranges have to go through these BS hoops to reopen? I haven't heard anyone mention this stuff at any of their ranges.
This is the email from Hanson R&G I received yesterday. They want members to volunteer as "range coordinators" (not to be confused with an RSO). There is no training for this except some verbal explanations.

Responsibilities of a Range Coordinator
1 schedule your time at least a week in advance so we can post club hours

2 Must check members for badges if they don’t have a badge they don’t get in

3. Carry a notebook and record people as they come in and direct them as to where they will be shooting in the notebook. When it is their turn to shoot write down the time they enter the range.
This is when their hour starts. ( Range time will be limited to one hour for the immediate future )

4 you will have access to the golf cart

5. It is also your responsibility to sanitize the areas people shoot between shooters
Gloves will be available for range coordinators

7. Make sure there is hand sanitizer available

8. Empty trash at end of day

9. No sitting inside of any building

Below are the new rules expected to be in force when the club initially re-opens in any capacity. PLEASE note! These are subject to change. We will all need to be flexible.

New Range Rules



  1. No guests ( card carrying members only)and you must be wearing your badge at all times
  2. Must sign in with Range Coordinator to get a range position and time to shoot(the ranges will be limited to 7 people on pistol and 9 people on high power range. 1 hour shoot times to accommodate all members
  3. You must bring your own targets and materials to shoot.
    !! This includes a target stand. Bases that accept strapping are expected to be available.
    No materials will be provided by the club.
  4. All buildings will be closed with no access.
    Extra portable toilets will be available.
  5. Masks are required and gloves are recommended
  6. No club events
  7. No sharing of firearms
  8. The club will only be open when there is an RSO on the premise.
    This is your chance to give back please pick up a shift
  9. Any pushback or disregard for the rules will result in closure of the club
    !! to be clear , the entire club will be closed. We all need to be flexible.
While I don't mind volunteering for my club I can't schedule anything a week out due to actually having to work at a job (not many of us left).
I am not vilifying HR&G in any way, I am just wondering if our town BOH is overdoing it with the rules they are making us enforce.

Thanks.

Three quick thoughts:
1. "This is your chance to give back please pick up a shift." Your club free, or do they provide a service and facility for which you pay a fee? Give back?
2. You have to sanitize the ranges and empty the trash? What a great deal.
2. You at least get access to the golf cart.
 
I really just want to know if other ranges are seeing things like this as a requirement for opening. I am not complaining about the range itself, more about the local/regional people dictating terms. Our club has a very low (in my opinion) yearly fee and volunteerism is and should be part of membership (unless you want something like an MFS where you just want to pay to shoot).
Throughout our two month closure I have heard shooting from a different range that is 1.5 miles in the other direction/different town and it sounds like they never closed.
Just wondering if other clubs have reopened without the sanitizing between shooters BS.
 
Any clubs that are having USPSA practice nights open to non members?

I messaged Harvard, great guys, but due to COVID their practice is limited to members only. They told me to check back when things open up a bit more.
 
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