Harvard sportsman club

[tnmt_donkey]

I’ve been to both practices for a couple times, and as well as the cowboy action shooting and steel Challenge. Lots of helpful people and great experience!

 

[kalash]

Sorry I'm seeing this rather late but here's a schedule of IDPA practice sessions at Harvard: MetroWest Tactical - Practice

The gate will be open (maybe not if you're really early or if the person running practice is running late but at some point it WILL be raised for everyone). As you head down the dirt road, keep going until you see the clubhouse on your right - park anywhere in that lot. Head towards the basement door (bear left as you approach the building) - it will also be left unlocked during practice. From there it gets even easier - just ask anyone there who's running the practice session that evening and tell that person that you're new - they'll take care of you. The only thing anyone there cares about is that you're safe - otherwise just have fun, we're a really friendly bunch. The next practice is Jul 16 and, according to the schedule, Michael is running it - he's been around for a long time, is a great shooter, and has started many of us down the competition path; great guy.

I cannot speak for USPSA practice, as I have never attended, but I'm sure they're just as great of a group so either way you can't go wrong.

 

[bigblue]

Sorry I'm seeing this rather late but here's a schedule of IDPA practice sessions at Harvard: MetroWest Tactical - Practice

The gate will be open (maybe not if you're really early or if the person running practice is running late but at some point it WILL be raised for everyone). As you head down the dirt road, keep going until you see the clubhouse on your right - park anywhere in that lot. Head towards the basement door (bear left as you approach the building) - it will also be left unlocked during practice. From there it gets even easier - just ask anyone there who's running the practice session that evening and tell that person that you're new - they'll take care of you. The only thing anyone there cares about is that you're safe - otherwise just have fun, we're a really friendly bunch. The next practice is Jul 16 and, according to the schedule, Michael is running it - he's been around for a long time, is a great shooter, and has started many of us down the competition path; great guy.

I cannot speak for USPSA practice, as I have never attended, but I'm sure they're just as great of a group so either way you can't go wrong.

You should go to a USPSA practice.

 

[SJan]

Is the IDPA practice indoors year round?

 

[uwaeve]

Is the IDPA practice indoors year round?

Again, I don't go to it, but I've been down there Monday nights during the summer and it looks like it is indoor year round. The USPSA guys follow the weather: outdoors in summer, indoors in winter.

 

[minininjer]

Anyone know what times the IDPA matches will be from/until on Sat 8/18? And if the (other?) ranges are open for non-match shooting that day?

 

[DW357]

Anyone know what times the IDPA matches will be from/until on Sat 8/18? And if the (other?) ranges are open for non-match shooting that day?

Next weekend 8/17-8/19 is the New England Regional IDPA Championship match. That will be an all day affair, at least from 7 - 6. Cant remember what time it wrapped up last year.

I don't know if the other ranges will be open that weekend. @kalash might know better

 

[gerrycaruso]

I'm at Harvard at least twice a week every week and I've never seen the rest of the club closed during a match. Parking spaces at other ranges get taken by match competitors so get there early.

 

[kalash]

Oops, just seeing this now.

IDPA matches only take over the action pits (most, not all), the indoor range, and the back 40. The regular 7/25/50 range is left open, as is the 100, the 200/300, the class 3 pits, and the trap field. The full events calendar for IDPA at HSC is here: MetroWest Tactical - Calendar

 

[Rob Boudrie]

I've had several conversations with BOD about this. Their reasoning for disallowing 22s on plates at the 25y range is literally that someone might see you shooting a rifle at the plates, not realize it's a 22, and think it's okay to shoot centerfire at the plates. Fudd thinking at its finest, imho, but they're adamant about it.

Seems a sign would accomplish what is needed here.

 

[kalash]

Seems a sign would accomplish what is needed here.

That's exactly what I suggested.

 

[Rockrivr1]

I know others have asked in the this thread, but are there any Harvard members on this that would be willing to sponsor me for membership? I'd like to get involved in their Cowboy Action group and would like to become a member if possible. If so, please PM me. Thanks

 

[kalash]

Membership criteria have changed and are a lot more stringent now. Your sponsor needs to have been a member for some time and needs to really vouch for you and show that they know you well.

 

[Larry Gentile]

I'm going to the open USPSA practice this Wednesday at 5pm. Taking vacation time off work to go (i work 2nd shift).
Hoping to meet someone to sponsor me. Look for the old (46) short, fat Italian guy who looks totally lost. LOL!

 

[soam]

I'm going to the open USPSA practice this Wednesday at 5pm. Taking vacation time off work to go (i work 2nd shift).
Hoping to meet someone to sponsor me. Look for the old (46) short, fat Italian guy who looks totally lost. LOL!

Just be aware that it may take more than attending a single practice to get someone willing to sponsor you. The level of commitment for sponsoring someone has increased considerably with the new rules, particularly with the letter the sponsor needs to write explaining how they know you. "I met this dude one time for a couple hours" probably won't cut it.

That being said, USPSA is tons of fun and very easy to get hooked on. If you come to one practice, chances are you'll start coming to more practices, and then to matches, and you'll be able to get a sponsor eventually!

 

[Larry Gentile]

Just be aware that it may take more than attending a single practice to get someone willing to sponsor you. The level of commitment for sponsoring someone has increased considerably with the new rules, particularly with the letter the sponsor needs to write explaining how they know you. "I met this dude one time for a couple hours" probably won't cut it.

That being said, USPSA is tons of fun and very easy to get hooked on. If you come to one practice, chances are you'll start coming to more practices, and then to matches, and you'll be able to get a sponsor eventually!

Wish I had the time to do that. I was hoping it was like just prove you know how to handle a gun safely and prove you are not some kind of yahoo idiot. Unfortunately for me, I work 2nd shift. Since almost every private club in Mass is sponsor driven and only has meets and meeting at night or that afternoon i'm stuck. Plus I have a special needs child that i watch during the day. My wife works most weekends so but my sister-in-law watches my daughter at least one day on the weekends so i can have a day off. Hoping to do some shooting since i just got my LTC"A". Really frustrating for me cause I just went out to purchase some firearms and ammo that i cant shoot or practice with. Really don't know what else to do. Heck I would even come down to the club and volunteer for a few weekends to prove i'm a "good guy" just to join. oh well, guess i will just have to look around.

 

[bfm]

Wish I had the time to do that. I was hoping it was like just prove you know how to handle a gun safely and prove you are not some kind of yahoo idiot. Unfortunately for me, I work 2nd shift. Since almost every private club in Mass is sponsor driven and only has meets and meeting at night or that afternoon i'm stuck. Plus I have a special needs child that i watch during the day. My wife works most weekends so but my sister-in-law watches my daughter at least one day on the weekends so i can have a day off. Hoping to do some shooting since i just got my LTC"A". Really frustrating for me cause I just went out to purchase some firearms and ammo that i cant shoot or practice with. Really don't know what else to do. Heck I would even come down to the club and volunteer for a few weekends to prove i'm a "good guy" just to join. oh well, guess i will just have to look around.

Well, for the actual application part, they have been accommodating in the past if you can show up for one of the Sunday brunches instead of the weeknight meeting.

for the sponsor part, I am really not free on weekends any more, but I am sure you can find someone on here who already knows you or is willing to get to know you.

I have always insisted on meeting someone a few times and at least one decently long range session before I will sponsor them.

 

[Larry Gentile]

Shot at the HSC today with two other guys. Very nice club and perfect location for me. I now have a sponsor and hope to become an active and contributing member next month.

 

[Dench]

Membership criteria have changed and are a lot more stringent now. Your sponsor needs to have been a member for some time and needs to really vouch for you and show that they know you well.

What is the new membership sponsoring seniority requirement? Were there some issues with new members and problems?

 

[Rockrivr1]

What is the new membership sponsoring seniority requirement? Were there some issues with new members and problems?

A member must wait a year before they can sponsor a new member to the club. From what I was told there were a few bad apples that joined and starting causing problems by not following the rules, leaving messes and basically being asshats.

 

[Dench]

Oh ok. I thought "some time" could be a decent amount of time, a year is nothing. I think I'm at 10 years at HSC now.

 

[gerrycaruso]

Maybe it's just me getting old and crotchety but it seems the stupidity at HSC has increased lately. I notice much more damage to club property. Some is due to ignorance but a lot is deliberate. Today I witnessed a new height in stupidity. I was driving from the 50 yard range to the 100. There was a hunter with his dog walking in front of me and when he got almost to the 100, he raised his shotgun and fired. He was standing in the road and the muzzles of his shotgun were pointed in the direction of the 100 yard backstop. I drove past and saw a guy at the 100 yard backstop. I don't think a load of birdshot would do any damage at that distance but if that was me and a load of birdshot rained down on me, I wouldn't be happy.

 

[namedpipes]

Maybe it's just me getting old and crotchety but it seems the stupidity at HSC has increased lately. I notice much more damage to club property. Some is due to ignorance but a lot is deliberate. Today I witnessed a new height in stupidity. I was driving from the 50 yard range to the 100. There was a hunter with his dog walking in front of me and when he got almost to the 100, he raised his shotgun and fired. He was standing in the road and the muzzles of his shotgun were pointed in the direction of the 100 yard backstop. I drove past and saw a guy at the 100 yard backstop. I don't think a load of birdshot would do any damage at that distance but if that was me and a load of birdshot rained down on me, I wouldn't be happy.

I tend to stop "just" shy of tinfoil territory (with an occasional skinny dip in the anti-koolaid) but I can't help but wonder if some of that idiocy is carefully coordinated under a false flag campaign?

Libs joining, seeming to be good old regular folks and then pull a series of stupid stints that eventually get a range shut down.

 

[Royal]

Maybe it's just me getting old and crotchety but it seems the stupidity at HSC has increased lately. I notice much more damage to club property. Some is due to ignorance but a lot is deliberate. Today I witnessed a new height in stupidity. I was driving from the 50 yard range to the 100. There was a hunter with his dog walking in front of me and when he got almost to the 100, he raised his shotgun and fired. He was standing in the road and the muzzles of his shotgun were pointed in the direction of the 100 yard backstop. I drove past and saw a guy at the 100 yard backstop. I don't think a load of birdshot would do any damage at that distance but if that was me and a load of birdshot rained down on me, I wouldn't be happy.

Holy shit... wtf! I know I’m MMQB’ing here but I wish you had gotten that a**h***s name or plate number somehow. They have no business being members of the club.

 

[Larry Gentile]

Maybe it's just me getting old and crotchety but it seems the stupidity at HSC has increased lately. I notice much more damage to club property. Some is due to ignorance but a lot is deliberate. Today I witnessed a new height in stupidity. I was driving from the 50 yard range to the 100. There was a hunter with his dog walking in front of me and when he got almost to the 100, he raised his shotgun and fired. He was standing in the road and the muzzles of his shotgun were pointed in the direction of the 100 yard backstop. I drove past and saw a guy at the 100 yard backstop. I don't think a load of birdshot would do any damage at that distance but if that was me and a load of birdshot rained down on me, I wouldn't be happy.

I am a new member there and if i saw that at minimum i would have reported it. I'm all for minding my own business but seriously i would have stopped and said something. Your right about the birdshot but who knows, someone that stupid might be hunting birds with 00 buckshot. Never underestimate the stupidity of people!

 

[Massman]

Maybe it's just me getting old and crotchety but it seems the stupidity at HSC has increased lately. I notice much more damage to club property. Some is due to ignorance but a lot is deliberate. Today I witnessed a new height in stupidity. I was driving from the 50 yard range to the 100. There was a hunter with his dog walking in front of me and when he got almost to the 100, he raised his shotgun and fired. He was standing in the road and the muzzles of his shotgun were pointed in the direction of the 100 yard backstop. I drove past and saw a guy at the 100 yard backstop. I don't think a load of birdshot would do any damage at that distance but if that was me and a load of birdshot rained down on me, I wouldn't be happy.

Probably the same guy that was actively hunting on the 200-300 yard range and climbing over the range berms.

 

[Rockrivr1]

I'm also a new member and if it was me who had birdshot raining down on me I would have had to say something. That is not right. I just did the safety walkaround a couple weeks ago and there is specific areas where they can hunt and it's not on the ranges.

 

[10mmdave]

I just did the safety walkaround a couple weeks ago and there is specific areas where they can hunt and it's not on the ranges.

Thanks for posting this, I thought there had to be a certain areas that one should not hunt on HSC property but couldn't remember.
Hunting on HSC property is allowed by members only but I have seen a truck parked off Lincoln County Rd. maybe this was the offender and maybe a non-member.

 

[M1911]

I tend to stop "just" shy of tinfoil territory (with an occasional skinny dip in the anti-koolaid) but I can't help but wonder if some of that idiocy is carefully coordinated under a false flag campaign?

Libs joining, seeming to be good old regular folks and then pull a series of stupid stints that eventually get a range shut down.

You are way into tinfoil territory here. For about a dozen years I was an officer at a gun club. There are morons at every club.

Never ascribe to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.

 

[M1911]

Probably the same guy that was actively hunting on the 200-300 yard range and climbing over the range berms.

If you see that sort of crap, please try to find out who they are and contact the club leadership. We have to police our own club and stop bad behavior when we see it