MA Gun club recommendations

Darkslide

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I live in Reading and I’m looking to join a gun club north of Boston. The Reading Rifle & Revolver Club is minutes from my house but they’re not accepting new members and I have no sponsor. Most clubs I looked at online are either not accepting members or require a sponsor, so my choices are limited. The two that are a available close by are North Reading Rifle Club and Andover Sportsman Club.

Anyone have experience with those clubs? The North Reading club has no pictures so I can’t tell what it’s like.
 
Ah crap, missed the fine print. Andover Sportsman Club also require a sponsor. Anyone a member of a club close to Reading that is willing to sponsor me? Otherwise my only option is North Reading.
 
I live in Reading and I’m looking to join a gun club north of Boston. The Reading Rifle & Revolver Club is minutes from my house but they’re not accepting new members and I have no sponsor. Most clubs I looked at online are either not accepting members or require a sponsor, so my choices are limited. The two that are a available close by are North Reading Rifle Club and Andover Sportsman Club.

Anyone have experience with those clubs? The North Reading club has no pictures so I can’t tell what it’s like.
Another option, maybe: Woburn Sportsmen's Association is not terribly far and has nice facilities too. Confusingly not actually in Woburn.

As for Reading, dues are payable at the beginning of the year and usually around now is when unpaid members get dropped. Also there's a quarterly membership meeting next week. It would not surprise me if new memberships get opened up after that. (This is a guess, though.)

I think with any club that wants somebody to be sponsored, if you show up to a public event or two it's pretty easy to find somebody to recommend you.
 
I live in Reading and I’m looking to join a gun club north of Boston. The Reading Rifle & Revolver Club is minutes from my house but they’re not accepting new members and I have no sponsor. Most clubs I looked at online are either not accepting members or require a sponsor, so my choices are limited. The two that are a available close by are North Reading Rifle Club and Andover Sportsman Club.

Anyone have experience with those clubs? The North Reading club has no pictures so I can’t tell what it’s like.
Your choices aren't limited.....you are limiting your choices.

Don't be afraid of clubs that require sponsors. Most clubs have public events. Go to a couple....introduce yourself......It gives you a chance to see what the club has to offer and a chance for a few members to meet you and you can usually get a sponsor that way to almost any gun club. You may have to put some work into getting a membership at a gun club.....if your not willing to put in a little work then just pay by the hour at rental ranges.

All that said....

Country pond fish and game Newton nh isn't terribly far from you and is not capped.....and has plenty of public events to attend to get to know some people.
 
Just pistols for now because that’s all I have. Eventually I’d like to shoot rifles. Nothing crazy, just regular 5.56.

Go take one of the action action pistol classes that Jerry Gallo runs at Reading. You’ll get to know some members that way and it’s also good training (and fun.)
 
Go take one of the action action pistol classes that Jerry Gallo runs at Reading. You’ll get to know some members that way and it’s also good training (and fun.)
The nra courses clubs offer are a great way to get a sponsor.....most clubs a member teaches the classes so it's easy to talk to the instructor and get a sponsor that way
 
Thanks for the advice everyone. It’s a good idea to get training anyways, so I’m signing up for the action pistol class whenever they announce the dates.
 
Your choices aren't limited.....you are limiting your choices.

Don't be afraid of clubs that require sponsors. Most clubs have public events. Go to a couple....introduce yourself......It gives you a chance to see what the club has to offer and a chance for a few members to meet you and you can usually get a sponsor that way to almost any gun club. You may have to put some work into getting a membership at a gun club.....if your not willing to put in a little work then just pay by the hour at rental ranges.

All that said....

Country pond fish and game Newton nh isn't terribly far from you and is not capped.....and has plenty of public events to attend to get to know some people.
A sponsor is like a college degree, it filters out a lot of people.

Some clubs make it easy, for example Old Colony, you show up to the monthly meeting and someone says they will sponsor you. Easy. (At least thst was the way when I joined around 2011).

Others, like Reading, actually ask the sponsor to write some information on the application, making it a little harder.

That being said, there are at least 5 NES members at every club in MA, make friends, get to know people and you will get a sponsor / recommendation.

It does take some work, but people here are great and will help you out.

Go to a meet and greet, show up to competitions, meet people ... they will eventually become good friends you are glad you met.
 
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