bdb
NES Member
Just wait a couple of days and see if the check is cashed. They do that pretty quickly
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Massachusetts Rifle Association - Woburn, MA
- Thread starter PMD
- Start date
Just wait a couple of days and see if the check is cashed. They do that pretty quickly
GlockJock
NES Member
Get used to it.... I've had more luck with Keno and Megabucks over the (many) years than I have reaching anyone... But it just goes with the territory. Pretty much every club except the BIG ones have very limited, part time staff... Call the ones in Manchester or Attleboro and they'll answer by the second ring... but you'll pay for the convenient service, yet if I lived anywhere near one of em I'd be a member there (example, as you're undoubtedly aware, Mass Rifle still uses the coat hanger-ish thingamajig to "hang" your targets, etc.. . They'll update em eventually - and probably double the annual fee...
If the board was more hands-off and the rules and procedures weren't so strict, that'd be fine. However if they don't receive payment by 12/31, they shut off the rfid, and knowing them, may demand another initiation fee or some penalty. Even though I put a check into the office a month before it was due. But, who knows.
Is it possible to Join the club without having received a LTC yet?
amb
NES Member
Just wait a couple of days and see if the check is cashed. They do that pretty quickly
Took a little while for mine, actually (more than a week), but they got to it eventually.
M
member 58617
They let you apply before you have your LTC. I don't think they will let you take the test without it, though, and you certainly can't use the facilities without it.
Is that really true? There's archery, and air pistol/rifle, neither of which require a licence. Plus, as a member, there's no reason you can't bring licensed friends to the range, and there's no reason you can't take or pass the range test without an LTC, the club provides the guns and ammo for the test, and the test is administered by someone with an LTC.
M
member 58617
I've been wrong before, but during my test it was mentioned that they expected we already had our licenses. Might have just been a comment, I don't know.
Thanks! Living in Boston, this range is close. How good are the indoor facilities/ranges? I'll mostly be shooting pistols.
Rob Boudrie
NES Member
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Very nice (only been there as a visitor for matches)
I only have three complaints about the Loeb indoor range:
1) it's noisy. I think due to historical reasons involving the old floor (dirt) and the old policies (black powder was allowed!) there's no sound damping on the walls or ceiling. It would be expensive to fix this, but it would be totally worth it. (I'd donate funds to make it happen)
2) the lights seem to break a lot. This is probably mostly because people miss the paper and hit something metal and schrappnel breaks the fluorescent tubes. This can be helped a bunch by replacing them with LED tubes. (I'd donate for that, too)
3) The carriers break more often than I think they should. I can think of a couple ways to make that better, but the real problem there is some shooters are dumb-asses.
But, those three are minor complaints; it's 25 yards, indoor, heated all winter, has a good HEPA air handler, has a useful ready room, it's open 24/7, there's lots of lanes, and you can shoot nearly anything in there. That range is a big reason I maintain my membership there.
Oh.. two more:
a) the distance lines painted on the floor are wrong. I think the 50' is pretty close, but the 30' (or 35'?) is off by a bunch. There was some stupid reason why that didn't get fixed when the range was last repainted. (move the line or change the number! How hard is that?)
b) The shortest target distance is farther away than some people want, it would be nice to be able to shoot at like 15'.
The other indoor range (Fazio, .22 standard velocity and air only) was pretty nice before they did the renovation on it (except the air filtration was... lacking) and I haven't seen it since then. I'm guessing it'll be even better. I like that range because the .22 and air shooters tend to be more serious target shooters, so they're good to shoot near.
That kind of sucks, but as I said, it's only about 20 minutes from where I live in Boston, so I suppose it's worth dealing with! How busy does the range get? I often work nights (4pm on) so I would be able to visit during the day...Do the lanes often fill up in the 10am-3pm window on weekdays? How are the members? Is there any other range in the Boston area you might recommend over MRA, when it comes to quality/business/technology etc? I was a big fan of the range in NH at Granite...The electronic lcd display for the target track is amazing.
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MRA has 2+ Thousand members and I have never had to wait for a lane at the Loeb range. If you are looking for a Country Club type range you could give the Weston Shooters club a try. https://www.westonshootersclub.com/
It kind of sucks, but not a lot. I just wear earplugs and earmuffs and it's fine. Also, if you go when there are 10 guys rapid-fire shooting ARs and short barreled AKs, it'll be really loud and unpleasant. But (far more likely) If there's three or seven people shooting 9mm handguns and maybe a .357 magnum, it's really not a big deal.
During the day it's practically empty, and if you went after work (2-4 am?) it's be a ghost town. Your schedule sounds pretty ideal for shooting there.
I'm only a member at one other range around here, (Woburn Sportsmens Association) and its indoor range is quieter (sound damping stuff) but also more limited (no centerfire rifles, no magnum cartridges, 50' only) but their outdoor pistol range is 50Y and you can shoot any handgun or rimfire rifle (as long as the sun is up)
There's a reason I'm a member at both, they each have merits that the other doesn't.
Great. Thanks.
Anyone know when Fazio range will be open? I got my daughter a 22 rifle and the Loeb range is a little too noisy for her.
Are the outdoor ranges open today?
The last Email Blast I saw said that there were closed Weekdays until the installation was complete.
I haven't been over there in a while though.
so open weekends?
Regarding the Fazio Range: Air handling units have arrived from Canada. The most current update is April.
The indoor range does allow 25' as well as 50' shooting. The outdoor range, alas, allows *only* 75' shooting. And while you have to quit at sundown, you can't start shooting until 9:00 AM (10:00 AM Sundays). Sucks for me as I'm an early morning shooter. Might have to take a look at MRA.
Da_lucche
NES Member
I've found the best times to go if you wanna be by yourself is early morning during the middle of the week or very late at night. I've gone at 11pm - 1am before and only one time there was one other person there.
If you've qualified for the outdoor ranges, the 50 yard McLaughlin range is not frequented much at all, especially early in the day during weekdays.
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Da_lucche
NES Member
At the MRA, the indoor rifle/pistol range (Loeb) is 75 feet max with 30 ft and 75ft distances. The outdoor pistol range (Pope) is 50 feet max with 22 ft, 35 ft and 50 ft distances.
Also, no shooting before 7:30 Mon to Sat and no shooting before 10am Sun and Holidays.
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Da_lucche
NES Member
Does anyone know if the Loeb range is open this weekend with the air handling units replacement going on?
M
member 58617
I haven't gotten anything from their eblast list, so I would assume yes.
bdb
NES Member
I hit the Suma (100/200) and McLaughlin before work fairly often, meaning a couple times a month, not as much in the winter. I show up 7:20am to get all setup for the 7:30 first shot. I don't think I have ever had anyone else shooting with me, so yeah they are pretty empty in the early AM on weekdays. Even on a Saturday if I show at 7:30 more often than not I am shooting solo or with the buddy that came with me. Friday and Saturday evenings Loeb is pretty crowded. By 11 it's pretty empty though.
Da_lucche
NES Member
Comes in handy, especially lately when it seems the Loeb range is closed every weekend for the majority of the day because of classes or events.
I have a question hopefully someone will have some insight. I plan on going down Wed night to talk to the club staff, but I was a member there and due to other important life crap I had to let my membership expire for non payment. What am I going to have to do to get reactive there? I was an active member in 2015 but not 2016. Thanks for any info.
