Massachusetts Rifle Association - Woburn, MA

It's a little upsetting to pay 330 a year for a membership and to come to the Loeb range and have it pretty much completely destroyed. That new target system didn't last long!

Do people just not know what the hell they are doing when shooting?
 
I was there last week and only two (three max) lanes were closed.... how bad is it?

i think it was 5, 6 and 8 - i know they were the center ones and one towards the end...
 
The closed ones were down because someone left the carrier switches in the "on" position which burned out the motors.

But there are people who seem to do this deliberately.
 
vellnueve said:
The closed ones were down because someone left the carrier switches in the "on" position which burned out the motors.

But there are people who seem to do this deliberately.
Click to expand...

i don't know how one could leave them in the on accidentally.... [thinking]

with all the survaillance, you'd think they'd have it narrowed down...
 
vellnueve said:
The closed ones were down because someone left the carrier switches in the "on" position which burned out the motors.

But there are people who seem to do this deliberately.
Click to expand...

Maybe replace the toggle type switches with dead man style switches so they have to be held to work. Can't be clicked on and left on.
 
I just got my 2009 Due's letter in the mail. Enclosed were new range rules for Loeb, and I'm not happy. [angry]

I can understand the rule about controlling the rate of fire, that isn't even a new rule. The rule has always been that all shots need to be on paper, I know that if I were to do a mag dump I would count 30, 20, or 10 holes on my target respective of the type of mag I'm using. I have no issue with this rule at all.

What pisses me off is the prime example of the "FUDD" level at MRA. It's almost a liberal model of leadership over there - (Forget punishing those responsible; lets punish everyone because some idiot can't keep his shit on paper)

The last paragraph of the new rules page states:

"There is no reason to shoot rifles at 30 feet"

Maybe YOU don't have a reason to shoot a rifle at THIRTY feet because you shoot five rounds a year out of your deer rifle to make sure it still functions. But when I intend to use MY rifle as a home defense tool I do have a reason to practice with it at thirty feet.

Saying that there is no reason to shoot a rifle at thirty feet is like saying that there is no reason to fire a handgun at 7 yards.

Is Martha making the rules at MRA now? "We don't want people trying to protect themselves"

They've got thousands of dollars worth of security cameras in the place. I don't believe for one second that they can't single out who causes the damage. I get pissed when I go to use Loeb and only ONE of the new carriers works but that doesn't mean I want to punish every member by limiting what they can do with their range time. Maybe they should've spent that security camera money on something useful if they don't intend to use it.

You can bet that if there were any other range within a reasonable distance I wouldn't bother re-upping my dues this year and that I'd take all the new people I've recruited to join MRA with me.

I wish Harvard wasn't so fricken far away, it sure would be nice to have the facilities and membership climate to participate in the more modern and less "Fudd" aspects of our sport.

I'm anticipating the 2010 range rules change - "Only sling shots may be used on all MRA ranges using balls of dryer lint as ammunition."
 
I have to agree. I may have missed the paper twice in my two years (using a problematic .22 pistol) as a member.

If I wasn't too busy to try to get into Harvard, I'd be there in a heartbeat.

Nail the a**h***s who are deliberate damaging the carriers and leave the rest of us alone.
 
What I don't get is why the designed the carriers such that the flat faced the shooter. Put the edge facing the shooter so it's harder to hit. It wouldn't solve all problems but it would help minimize them.
 
I was at MRA this weekend shooting next to a MRA instructor. A few lanes down, 2 gentlemen were shooting some large caliber revolvers and I heard them knock down 2 Carriers. MRA instructor did not say a word, I kept looking at him to see if he would do or say anything tot hem, nothing. Next this gentleman and his GF are shooting. Well, his GF shot the ceiling. I packed up my items and left.

I know I should have said something to either of these parties, but I was;'t not in the mood and figured an MRA instructor would say something.

Mostly the hours I go the place is empty, so this is the first I saw some egregious marksmanship.
 
If you don't want to confront, fill out an incident report, get their member numbers from the log or the exact time, and leave it under the office door. It's our job to make sure these people are caught.
 
Last time I was at Loeb someone had actually shot the cable for the carrier and split it...not the carrier, not the track the CABLE! There were only three lanes up and running and on the one I picked I had to put a little tension on the cable with my finger to get it to run back in or it would stick. Like I said earlier, something needs to be done to punish those who break the things but mandatory 75' minimums for AR's and AK's isn't it.
 
Urj said:
Last time I was at Loeb someone had actually shot the cable for the carrier and split it...not the carrier, not the track the CABLE! There were only three lanes up and running and on the one I picked I had to put a little tension on the cable with my finger to get it to run back in or it would stick. Like I said earlier, something needs to be done to punish those who break the things but mandatory 75' minimums for AR's and AK's isn't it.
Click to expand...

Don't get me wrong, I totally agree with what you're saying. The asshats that do that should be booted out.

Personally, I always run the target out all the way when I use the AR but only because that's what I like. The AR is my first rifle and I've had my license for less than a year and I could keep it on the paper from the beginning. I don't really get how these people can be that bad.
 
The only feasible reason I see for setting the minimum at 75 is that not everyone puts their target at eye level while shooting. If you don't, although you're hittng the target, downrange from the target you may be hitting the floor or the ceiling. This is why your target should always be at eye level.
 
So some a**h***s keep shooting up the carriers and now they have to shoot from further away. Last time I checked it was easier to hit a target at 30ft than 75ft. If you hit a target carrier at 30ft with a rifle you should just Gomer Pile yourself.
 
Urj,
I'd suggest contacting an MRA Director or attending a Board of Directors meeting if you have issues with how the rules are/were written. I am sure one of the Directors would be happy to share the reasons for the new rule.

One thing you need to remember is that MRA is the only club in the area that I am familiar with that allows shooting rifles indoors.

As an active member and volunteer at Mass Rifle I have seen the damage rifles did to the old carrier system and are doing to the new target carrier system at MRA - it's crazy.

The target carrier hanging system is being redesign - the factory system is getting shot up too quickly - one prototype carrier is in the Loeb and seems to be holding up, as there is less metal at the top of the carrier.

A lot of club monies have been spent on the new target system and air system.
If shooting at 75' allows us to continue using the indoor range for rifle shooting I am all for it.

Paul
 
Junglerott said:
So some a**h***s keep shooting up the carriers and now they have to shoot from further away. Last time I checked it was easier to hit a target at 30ft than 75ft. If you hit a target carrier at 30ft with a rifle you should just Gomer Pile yourself.
Click to expand...

As I understand it - the target placement at 75' is to help control the impact into the berm.
When a target is placed closer and a shooter is short or if a shooter is shooting from the bench the impact could hit the track - next time you are at the range take a look at the angle - also look at the ceiling and baffles - lots of bullet strikes.
 
PMD said:
Urj,...


One thing you need to remember is that MRA is the only club in the area that I am familiar with that allows shooting rifles indoors.


Paul
Click to expand...


That's because Loeb is the only range at MRA where you can shoot a rifle that loads more than one round. There is no outdoor facility for shooting an AR unless you manually load each round and that's a 100yd range with fixed bench firing positions. Along with that, who shoots an AK from a bench at 100yds while loading a single round either?

I don't care if I shoot indoors or out, I care about being able to use my rifle in the manner I see fit so long as it doesn't damage any club property or jeopardize safety.

Being told I can't practice my skills at a range closer than 75' because someone can't hit a target at 30' with a rifle makes no sense whatsoever. It's not even that I necessarily want to shoot at 30' but there is no in-between anymore, it's 75 or nothing.
 
I don't think I got this letter with new rules...is it available on the mra webpage? While I admit personally I have never hit the carrier myself I've brought a few new shooters who have shot the steel bar but not the actual carrier! I think its sad we can't shoot at 30ft anymore...in the past 6 months I've taken 8 new shooters to the range who loved shooting my ebrs at 30 ft so much they all went to get licenses...don't think they'd be as happy shooting at 75ft...andover here I come!
 
i got mine in the mail today... same mumbo jumbo.

one thing that irks me: "rimfire rifles will now be min. of 50ft"... -on top of the other nonsence.

i don't know about the rest of ya'll, but 30' is kinda far for me. i like to warm up at closer distances before going to 30' and 50' with handguns.

WTF?

I have from now until December 31st to decide if i'm going to stay a member...
 
Urj said:
That's because Loeb is the only range at MRA where you can shoot a rifle that loads more than one round. There is no outdoor facility for shooting an AR unless you manually load each round and that's a 100yd range with fixed bench firing positions.
Click to expand...

Doesn't McLaughlin allow that? 8 rounds?

But your point is taken. That and I never have time to get up there on Sundays to qualify on McLaughlin (I've only done Summa so far)

Also, note that you can shoot offhand or prone on Summa as well as bench.

jay_chris said:
I have from now until December 31st to decide if i'm going to stay a member...
Click to expand...

Yeah, I think it's about time to look into getting sponsored as a member for HSC... I love Loeb and mostly shoot handgun, but punishing the lot of us for a few people who either maliciously destroy equipment or can't hang targets properly is just abhorrent. Maybe some instructions on how to hang targets would be in order, not many people realize how important the height is when hanging targets.

That, and I like to sight in new builds/rebuilds at 30 feet first to get windage correct.

Got some thinking to do between now and December...
 
Last edited:
Massman said:
The rules for handguns have not changed. You can still shoot at 30 feet with all types of handguns.
The problems on the Loeb range may not have been as a result of your shooting, but as someone once said, no bad apple spoils the rest.
Plus as it was pointed out previously, point of impact was a big factor.
Click to expand...

correct. i have no problem with the 30ft for handguns, outside of personal pref. However, I'd like to warm up at a little bit closer distance. no problem there (handguns only)

i do have a problem with having to shoot farther than 50ft. with a .22LR rifle, especially when I have my son with me. -i can't always find standard velocity .22LR and we end up downstairs in the Loeb Range.

for the new 75ft. - i don't have any centerfire rifles yet. i have a build in progress, so i'd like to shoot it at 30, 32, 36, 40 ft. ect... before taking it out to 75 ft. -it's my own little way of zeroing in.. with both handguns and rifles.

we'll see. i'll probably adapt and overcome, but i don't see how this is a solution, as others have stated..
 

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