Looking for a Club Recommendation in/around SE Mass

[Bill ZRT]

Hi everyone,

After a bit of an absence from shooting I’d like to get back into it again and I’m looking for a gun club that will be a good fit for me.

Here’s what I’m looking for:

Environment: I’d like a friendly, easygoing environment... someplace where new members are welcome and the people are relatively social. I don’t want to have to worry about a lot of ugly internal politics or a club that’s very ‘cliquey’.

Access: Looking for a club that has an indoor range and would prefer one with 24/7 access.

Location: Within an hour of Easton, preferably within 30-40 minutes. Obviously the closer the better since the farther away it is, the less likely I am to be able to make it there as often as I’d like, but I’m absolutely willing to make the drive to a club that has the environment, facilities and access I’m looking for.


Those are the main things I'm looking for...I’ll primarily be shooting pistols in the near future, but I’ll also be shooting rifles as well. Any feedback is welcome. Thanks, everyone - looking forward to your suggestions and checking out a couple of clubs!

-Bill

 

[Keyman1808]

Taunton rifle and pistol. Indoor and outdoor. Indoor 24/7 access. Very easy going. Right off 138 over the raynham line

 

[dnepro-mike]

Eeaston's Ames rifle and pistol is your best bet. has all the features you are looking for.
http://amesriflepistolclub.com/
additional feature is heated 300 rifle yard range that you won't find anywhere else in the area.
they have mandatory work party when you join.

 

[jbize1]

I am member of Braintree Rifle and Pistol, http://www.brp.org/, awesome club, everything you're looking for, but i am considering joining ames as well with a couple of buddies of mine, you can shoot at steel, and the 300 yrd heated range sounds good to me, waiting to finish my building my AR-15, then i plan on signing up

 

[Billy]

Ames is the worst place for politics and rule changing for new members. Try Mansfield, Taunton or Holbrook. Read about Ames on here, bad call Mike.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Ames is the worst place for politics and rule changing for new members. Try Mansfield, Taunton or Holbrook. Read about Ames on here, bad call Mike.

As a former member of Ames I fully agree.

Mansfield has good 50 & 100 yd outdoor ranges but that's it. You can shoot steel and at any distance, from the holster, etc. on the 50 yd range. But we don't even have a usable building and likely won't for another year. After that it's anyone's guess if work will re-start on the indoor range, but my SWAG is that you'd be looking at 5 years minimum before that might happen. I am a member here and like the place for what it offers.

Braintree is great on HEPA filtered indoor ranges, 24x7x365. Outdoor ranges are very nice but rules are paper targets at fixed distances only and require presence of a RO (who is a volunteer, so sometimes but not often life gets in the way and the outdoor ranges are closed). Place is extremely well maintained, as we pay people to do the work and don't rely on volunteers to get it done. Coffee is free and available all the time as is satellite dish TV and usually a group of retirees sitting around chewing the fat . . . but these guys know a lot about guns if you have questions/problems and ask for help, otherwise they don't bother anyone. I'm a member here as well.

I'll be happy to show the OP around either club, just ping me. I'm the RO on duty this Saturday and can show you around anytime from ~1030 to 3PM, however I can't let you shoot as my guest during that time as I have to be available to drift around the ranges. CMP will be using the rifle range during almost all of my time as RO, it is the once a month CMP match that is open to the public.

 

[retroLS1]

Another recommendation here for Taunton R&P. 24/7 access indoor range with a very nice setup. Outdoor range pretty close by with (2) 50yd, (2) 100yd, (1) shotgun, and (1) 300yd ranges available.

 

[Bill ZRT]

Thanks for your suggestions so far. The replies re: Ames confirms the feeling I had from searching and reading through other threads here. Too bad... it sounds like they have a nice facility, but it's probably not worth it to me based on all of the other potential issues that might go along with it.

I've shot at Mansfield when I took a refresher pistol course last year, and I'm open to joining a couple of clubs, but I do have a strong preference for one with an indoor range and 24/7 access so I can shoot on a rainy day or later in the evening.

Braintree and Taunton both sound like pretty good matches for me. For Braintree the paper target/RO requirement is fine with me. Too bad the next orientation wouldn't be until September - that's what I get for not posting a couple weeks ago! The facilities look great... is it generally pretty crowded, or is it not too bad?

Len - I would definitely be interested in having you show me around Braintree. I'll have to let you know about Saturday because my parents will be visiting this weekend from western Mass. If this weekend doesn't work, hopefully we can work out another time. Thanks for the info - it's greatly appreciated.

Taunton looks like a good option too - I'll have to check it out as well.

-Bill

 

[Len-2A Training]

RE: BR&P

Bill, unless there is an event going on, the ranges aren't usually too crowded . . . in 13 years I've never had to wait for a shooting position to open up.

This Saturday (3rd Sat each month) will be "as crowded as it gets" since CMP can run 15-40+ shooters taking the rifle range until anywhere between 1 and 3PM. Second Amendment Sisters have exclusive use of the old range (8 positions indoors) from 1 to ~5PM and usually overflow into the new indoor range (15 positions). Typically on my shift there are anywhere from 5 to 25 shooters on the 25'/45' outdoor pistol range during the 5 hours I'm on duty. Most shoot for an hour or so and then leave.

I can meet up with you another time and you'll be able to shoot as my guest. Just ping me in advance.

 

[Bill ZRT]

Thanks again, Len - I will definitely be in touch.

-Bill