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Manchester Firing Line
- Thread starter DocRx
- Start date
M
MACGYVR
Not a member. But you just pay the fee. No meetings, not board of directors.
It is a business, not a club. Becomming a member just gives you discounts on range time, stuff, and priority range assignment and reservations.
It really is a good deal.
But being in Peabody probably not worth it when you add in the hour+ drive. Join a local club.
Come over to Cape Ann Sportsman. Have 100yrd outdoor rifle, 50yrd pistol, indoor pistol, and trap/sporting clays.
It is a business, not a club. Becomming a member just gives you discounts on range time, stuff, and priority range assignment and reservations.
It really is a good deal.
But being in Peabody probably not worth it when you add in the hour+ drive. Join a local club.
Come over to Cape Ann Sportsman. Have 100yrd outdoor rifle, 50yrd pistol, indoor pistol, and trap/sporting clays.
you get a discount on range time if you are a "member"
I know MFL is a member here, but my gripe with the operation is there is no range safety officer, and anyone can walk in, fill out the form, rent a gun, and go out in the range area.
My wife and I were there one friday afternoon, 10 people were in 2 lanes, with full auto weapons, and my wife was none to happy to see some azzhat stuffing a magazine into the gun, with the muzzle not pointed down range, with his finger inside the trigger guard.
That was the last straw for me I have not been back since.
I love Cape Ann , I shot there all the time, albeit 20 years ago, and I'd go there before I went to Manchester
I know MFL is a member here, but my gripe with the operation is there is no range safety officer, and anyone can walk in, fill out the form, rent a gun, and go out in the range area.
My wife and I were there one friday afternoon, 10 people were in 2 lanes, with full auto weapons, and my wife was none to happy to see some azzhat stuffing a magazine into the gun, with the muzzle not pointed down range, with his finger inside the trigger guard.
That was the last straw for me I have not been back since.
I love Cape Ann , I shot there all the time, albeit 20 years ago, and I'd go there before I went to Manchester
yanici
NES Member
I'm in Andover Sportsman's Club. Nice, well kept club. There are a lot of Peabody people too. Here's a link. Take a look. http://www.andoversportsmensclub.org/
I used to hang around there as a kid. Thought about joining but getting there from Boston isn't that practical.
I go to MFL on occasion as I take people from work (office in Manchester). I'm spoiled by the ventilation at Braintree.
Bob's in Salisbury is a little closer to Peabody than Manchester.
The range is a little smaller than Manchester and run by a great group of people.
www.originalbobsshootingrange.com
The range is a little smaller than Manchester and run by a great group of people.
www.originalbobsshootingrange.com
Wow, last time I called Bob's it had limited hours (weekends only or by appt). I'll have to give them a try, too.
Thanks for all the feedback on the local clubs. Does it matter if (someday) I want to shoot IDPA? I'm hoping to get into that this spring.
Thanks for all the feedback on the local clubs. Does it matter if (someday) I want to shoot IDPA? I'm hoping to get into that this spring.
40 caliber
NES Member
Manchester firing line since moving to the new location has placed a roving range officer in the place. (between the member and non member side) I also like the improvement of the member side seperate from the non members. This makes me feel somewhat safer. I agree with the post that anyone can walk in and rent a firearm. I believe Jim's improvements have made it better.
I am a member, I call ahead and always walk into a lane. The prices are lower as a member and the membership pays for itself. I also like the people behind the counter.
I am a member, I call ahead and always walk into a lane. The prices are lower as a member and the membership pays for itself. I also like the people behind the counter.
![[cheers]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/018.gif "Cheers [cheers]")
- Joined
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I'm a member. I was a member of the old MFL, but then let my membership lapse for a few years when I joined a private club. Then I rejoined when I saw the benefits of the new MFL. The first benefit is MFL is the cleanest, best ventilated, brightest range I've ever shot in. The rest are you can reserve range time so you go to the head of the line when it's busy,your first guest is free, and your time is discounted.
Sorry to bump an old thread... the last reply was over a year ago. But I hope I can get some useful information without starting another thread with the same title as this one. ![[grin]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/041.gif "Grin [grin]")
A group of friends and I (we're all firearm owners) are headed up to NH for New Year's this weekend and were thinking about heading up to MFL, renting some machineguns for the hell of it on the way. We would rent firearms and purchase ammo, probably bring our own eyes and ears.
From what I can gather, things have changed a little since this thread originally started, but I'm trying to gauge whether it's worth our time, is this a good place to go, etc.
Basically, we said, "Hey, what the hell, we could shoot machine guns." Since we're residents of MA/RI and wouldn't normally have the opportunity to do so... We're not really looking to rent any of the more "basic stuff."
Stuff like this would easily turn me (and my friends) off.
- HP
A group of friends and I (we're all firearm owners) are headed up to NH for New Year's this weekend and were thinking about heading up to MFL, renting some machineguns for the hell of it on the way. We would rent firearms and purchase ammo, probably bring our own eyes and ears.
From what I can gather, things have changed a little since this thread originally started, but I'm trying to gauge whether it's worth our time, is this a good place to go, etc.
Basically, we said, "Hey, what the hell, we could shoot machine guns." Since we're residents of MA/RI and wouldn't normally have the opportunity to do so... We're not really looking to rent any of the more "basic stuff."
Stuff like this would easily turn me (and my friends) off.
- HP
The new range is a lot safer than the old one overall. You will see some level of retardation at any public range, and MFL is no exception.... but I've never felt "unsafe" there. The ROs usually keep pretty good tabs on people. Bear in mind that post you quoted was in 2009, and I don't even think the new range was open back then.
If you are going up as joes off the street, I would highly suggest you get there right when they open. The colder it gets the longer the lines/waits get, if you don't have a membership. In the summer it doesn't matter too much, but in the Winter they are crazy busy all the time, particularly on weekends.
-Mike
If you are going up as joes off the street, I would highly suggest you get there right when they open. The colder it gets the longer the lines/waits get, if you don't have a membership. In the summer it doesn't matter too much, but in the Winter they are crazy busy all the time, particularly on weekends.
-Mike
Thanks, doc.
I do realize that it was an old post. I wanted up-to-date info, but also didn't want to just create another thread that said "Manchester Firing Line."
If we go, we'll call first, since there will be six of us (3 couples). I also realize a fair amount of people are on vacation/off of work this week, so it might be extra crowded.
It might actually get too stupidly expensive to make sense. We want to just go shoot fully automatic machine guns. Looks like from the website, the cost to rent the firearm is $48 - $150 (is that for the hour?)... when you throw in the ammo... and 3 guys... and maybe some of the ladies would like a turn... that's a lot of money. Just yesterday we were at my friends' range and I borrowed his 33 rounder for my KelTec Sub2k... it was surprising how "quickly" I could empty it shooting at steel, paper targets and (bowling) pins. Even though it was "only" 9mm, we joked about how stupidly easy it was to go through ammo quickly.
- HP
MFL has also had an employee stationed in the range rooms the few times I've shot in the new facility. There are two rooms (one for members, one for everyone) separated by a wall & door. The ranges are also much better lit. The only concern I'd have about taking a group there to rent machine guns is the wait to get a lane. It is a public commercial shooting range but I think they have done a very good job with the new facility.
If you are driving by on I93 I think it's worth a quick stop just to check out the guns on display on the walls. The pictures don't really do it justice.
http://www.gunsnh.com/pictures.php
If you are driving by on I93 I think it's worth a quick stop just to check out the guns on display on the walls. The pictures don't really do it justice.
http://www.gunsnh.com/pictures.php
I am a member. The lane rental fee goes down from $16 an hour to $9 an hour person when you are a member. I feel much more secure in the member range then the public range. Only seen a few morons in the public lane before we became a member. Another big thing if you have kids that want to shoot. Under 18 in the public range costs another $16 per kid per hour. But kids under 18 are free with a member. I go there twice a week with my 15 year old and we shoot everything from a Walther PPK to AK-47. The people are nice and the ability to make a reservation as a member and not wait in line is fantastic. Well worth the $9 per hour. Plus your not freezing to death in a outdoor range in the New England Winter.
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The normal non-member rate is $18/hr not $16, so it is literally half off at $9/hr. You also get pretty significant discounts on gun rentals. (varies depending on type of gun you rent).
It's also worth noting that members bring in guests at their rate. So when I have a guest with me it only costs me an additional $9/hr for that guest.
-Mike
