Massachusetts Rifle Association - Woburn, MA

Re: Harvey Paul's Post # 1440

I've never been a member of MRA or even visited the place, but a few comments about your query:

  • With the nature of gun ownership being what it is, and the fact that no club really vets members, there is no way that I'd want all the members of any such group to have my phone number and Email address. IIRC stated above . . . MRA has something like 2000 members, not a small club.
  • Officers/BOD member info should be available to all members. Each club should decide how this is done: bulletin board at the club, website (open or restricted to members), etc.
  • Rules, bylaws and regulations should all be posted preferably on the website, so members and prospective members understand what is and isn't allowed. It shouldn't be a secret. My first gun club (24 years a member) never has had a website and current management doesn't want one, reason enough for people to look elsewhere. Another club I used to belong to - all rules were made in BOD meetings which were secret, no minutes of BOD meetings were ever released to members, no copies of bylaws or rules available to members (or even the secretary of said club) - signs of bad management.
  • Braintree R&P used to print your name on your badge (we are NOT just a number). They stopped doing that when they got overrun with 60-100 new members joining each month. We still introduce ourselves and call each other by name, not badge number.
  • Clubs "requiring" sponsors is a joke. You meet someone, talk with them for a few minutes and they "sponsor" you. There is no mechanism for doing background checks and all 4 clubs I've belonged to require sponsors but if you don't know someone an officer/BOD member will volunteer to be the name put down on the application. There is no risk being a sponsor either. And 3 of the 4 clubs I've belonged to only had 250-350 members, not big clubs.
 
warwickben said:
How do you join do you just show up on a wensday or Sunday? Fill out some paper work pay cash and you get a key?
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LOL.

A lot longer than that and you need a sponsor (me). Actually scratch that, must have stopped doing that. And not Weds, it's Sunday morning.

You'll get a date for the test you need to take to get in, usually 3 weeks away. Then wait for key.


Membership Process and Application

Our office staff of volunteers is available to meet with you to answer your questions about the facilities and programs offered at the
MRA as well as to provide a tour of the clubhouse and ranges.
Membership Process:


  1. Complete application, pay initiation fee and first years dues and have picture taken.
  2. Schedule appointments for orientation and interview.
  3. Attend orientation.
  4. Participate in member interview.
  5. Receive access FOB to facilities.
Member Fees

The price structure for new members is a $125.00 Initiation fee plus $170.00 for the first years dues for a total of $295.00. All fees and dues are due and payable with submission of this application.
Orientation Process

The orientation process consists of a review of the orientation video, a test on the range rules and a safety examination on the range. The safety examination consists monitoring by a qualified instructor while you handle and shoot a .22 caliber revolver, semi-automatic pistol and a bolt action rifle.
Interview Process

The interview process consists of the new member having a conversation with a current member who follows a approved set of questions.
Access to Facilities

New members successfully completing the orientation and interview processes will receive their electronic key FOB for access to the club facilities and ranges. This FOB will provide 24 hour access to the facilities.
Annual Dues Thereafter

MRA’s Membership Year is from January 1 through December 31. Annual dues are mailed during the month for September for the following year and must be paid by December 31st. Annual dues are $170.00. Members can contribute 8 hours of work time for a reduction of $50.00 reducing yearly dues to $120.00. Work time must be performed for the year prior to receipt of the dues bill.
Membership Form

The MRA Membership Application form can be found here: Membership Application

This form may be printed out and submitted at the MRA Office during Regular office Hours:
Sunday Mornings: 9am to 12 noon

Wednesday Evenings: 6pm to 8pm

Phone Number: 781-933-2138
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warwickben said:
How do you join do you just show up on a wensday or Sunday? Fill out some paper work pay cash and you get a key?
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HAHAHA! Good luck.

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ColdDayInHell said:
LOL.

A lot longer than that and you need a sponsor (me). Actually scratch that, must have stopped doing that. And not Weds, it's Sunday morning.

You'll get a date for the test you need to take to get in, usually 3 weeks away. Then wait for key.
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And then you make 47 appointments, and get stood up, trying to show people you're big boy enough to shoot on the outdoor ranges.
 
[QU OTE=Martlet;3805132]HAHAHA! Good luck.

- - - Updated - - -



And then you make 47 appointments, and get stood up, trying to show people you're big boy enough to shoot on the outdoor ranges.[/QUOTE]
This is the type of stuff I've worried about. I pay and can't get in .
 
warwickben said:
Martlet said:
HAHAHA! Good luck.

- - - Updated - - -

And then you make 47 appointments, and get stood up, trying to show people you're big boy enough to shoot on the outdoor ranges.
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This is the type of stuff I've worried about. I pay and can't get in .
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That's one of the main reasons I left. The other is I'd show up at various times and find the indoor ranges either closed or in use for activities. I'd have to turn around and go home. The knife in the gut is watching "special members" take their friends out on the ranges you aren't allowed to shoot at.
 
Martlet said:
That's one of the main reasons I left. The other is I'd show up at various times and find the indoor ranges either closed or in use for activities. I'd have to turn around and go home. The knife in the gut is watching "special members" take their friends out on the ranges you aren't allowed to shoot at.
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As noted in the club range rules, linked to from the website, you must be a member for 6 months and then qualify on the 50 yard and 100/200 yard ranges. The qualifying standard is pretty much that you understand the rules for each range and can safely hit what you are shooting at as opposed to sending rounds into the baffles, walls, ceilings or Cummings Park.
Then you too can be a "special member"!

FWIW, Activities are generally listed on the club calendar and sent out a week or more in advance to anyone signed up for the email blasts.
 
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SkuaSeptember said:
As noted in the club range rules, linked to from the website, you must be a member for 6 months and then qualify on the 50 yard and 100/200 yard ranges. The qualifying standard is pretty much that you understand the rules for each range and can safely hit what you are shooting at as opposed to sending rounds into the baffles, walls, ceilings or Cummings Park.
Then you too can be a "special member"!
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No. I was referring to "special members" who let their friends not worry about the rules. You know. The good old boys who are above all that.
 
SkuaSeptember said:
As noted in the club range rules, linked to from the website, you must be a member for 6 months and then qualify on the 50 yard and 100/200 yard ranges.
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Right, you pay a full year's membership (plus initiation) and sit on your hands for half of it. Join Massachusetts RIFLE Association and you can't shoot on the RIFLE ranges (such as they are) for six months? Exactly what is supposed to happen during those six months that makes someone more qualified to shoot outside? It's a really dumb rule.

(I'm a former member. I didn't see the value so I went elsewhere.)
 
Yes, 6 months. I hated the iniation for outdoor ranges.

Everyone had match 1911s/G17s and I had my Ruger MKII for the 50yd range. They asked why the MKII. I said because I can shoot it accurately. 2 of them failed, I passed. [laugh]

A shitty rule too IMHO.
 
Dragon2115 said:
Do you have any examples of who these "special members" are and when the last time you saw this was? Can you give an example of what rules were being broken? Have you asked anyone in the office what's going on?
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Nope. I'm no longer a member there. I've seen members take guests to the outdoor ranges. I've seen members give guests their fobs. It's OK if you're one of the cool kids. I've had long time members take ME to the outdoor range to sight in a gun.
 
Dragon2115 said:
I'm going to ask about this because first, members should not be giving their fob's to guests. Second, I believe, and I'm going to verify this as well, that it's not against the rules for a member qualified to use a certain range to take their guest out on that range. But you also have to bear in mind that as the member YOU are fully responsible for anything that happens. As the qualified member it's up to YOU to know whether your guest is capable of shooting there and it's up to YOU to supervise them.
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I just listed reasons why I left your club and wouldn't come back unless things changed. You guys can do whatever you want. There are other clubs that suit my needs better. YMMV.
 
The wait for the outside range isn't an issue for me as I am more interested in the indoor range. I am keeping my other membership for use of their outdoor ranges. I don't know what politics might be going on and honestly I don't care. I try to stay out of that stuff as much as possible and if I find myself involved in it I will simply end my membership.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk
 
Dragon2115 said:
And I just listed why I think your complaints didn't have merit and were a misunderstanding on your part. But as I've said all along, if you don't like the way a club does things, leave. There are plenty of clubs out there and I'm sure at least one of them will make you happy.
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I wasn't misunderstood. It's a good ol' boys network. I left the club for numerous reasons, every one of them had merit. They might not bother you, or you may be one of the good ol' boys. Doesn't really matter at this point. It's just information a prospective member should have before forking over a decent amount of money to not be able to use the facilities.
 
Massman said:
Lies+no proof+critical of management=expulsion and being banned from the property. Entirely predictable.
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Rich, I'm sorry to hear that. They were taking so long in their closed session I figured there was a battle going on in there between the BOD members. If they came back in 5 minutes, that would've been a slam dunk.
Thanks for all your hard work @ MRA over the years, I'm sure I'll see you at Harvard on of these days.
 
Massman said:
Lies+no proof+critical of management=expulsion and being banned from the property. Entirely predictable.
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This is a shame. I fail to see how this makes the MRA a better club. I guess Harvard will make out.

Thanks for your hard work and friendship @ the club.

Don't forget to remove the "MRA" from your sig. line.[rofl]
 
Lies+no proof+critical of management=expulsion and being banned from the property. Entirely predictable.
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Contrast this to the procedures at Hopkinton Sportsmens Assn. Years ago, a member was expelled by the board. He exercised his right of appeal to the membership. He was allowed to present his case directly to the membership and a secret written ballot was taken that was fairly counted (I know, I was on the counting team) with parties not on the board doing the counting. He won the ballot, was re-instated, and remains a member in good standing to this day.

Cases of rule violations that do not pose a threat to safety of persons or facility have been dealt with effectively, but using less of a club than expulsion.
 
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Thank you for all the work you did for the members of that club. The MRA will suck more with out you. I learned so much from you about action shooting.
too the BOD my name is Jonathan Spillane
 
Massman said:
The membership has no further appeal past the BOD.
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The structure of club governance is at least as important as who is sitting on the board at any particular minute. One good structure is one that allows a club board to serve without going to the membership for every little thing, but requires membership approval for certain actions (such as sale of land), and grants the membership at large final authority over the board in issues such as member expulsion.
 
Dragon2115 said:
I'm going to ask about this because first, members should not be giving their fob's to guests.
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Are you saying that if I have a guest in the Loeb or Pope ranges, and she needs to use the toilet, I have to escort her to the bathroom so she can get back into the range? That sounds... absurd. I see no problem whatsoever with my handing my fob to her to go to the bathroom and come back while I stay with my guns and ammo and stuff on the range.
 
tracer2.jpg
 
warwickben said:
Nah they looked at the rounds and said the copper looked too new like some one cleaned the paint off .... Looked pretty tarnished and old to me .
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I would like to follow up on Warwickben's post.

The gentleman, firing the Enfield in question, quickly reported the incident. Board members quickly responded and extinguished the fire.

No noticeable damage was apparent except a little melted backstop material and the discharge of a fire extinguisher.

The cartridges in question were 0.303 British that were purchased at a local gun show. They were sold in plastic bags as standard ball ammo. They appear to be, in fact, tracer rounds.

The gentleman responsibly disposed of the remaining rounds, providing the club spent brass and several unspent rounds. It is my understanding that the bullet will be pulled and the rounds tested for phosphorus.

It is the custom, to normally identify tracer with the application on an external identify color in the bullet tip. While the brass and bullet appeared normally aged, the tips of the bullets appeared to have a slightly different patina. This may or may not be indicative of alteration.

In any case, if you have bought repackaged 0.303 British at a local gun show and the head stamp is marked HN GII 44 with a primer annulus color of red, please take care. They appear to be tracers. Thanks. Dave
 

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