I've been a member at NFGA for almost 10 years. The ranges are well kept but the overall feeling is that at any moment a RSO will jump out to scold you. If anything I feel that this club is trending toward unsafe because of this mentality. I really want to like it and that is what makes writing this incredibly frustrating. I am on the waiting list for another local club.
If this can give you any glimpse of what it's like, NONE of the friends or family members that I've brought as guests have ever wanted to join. I've offered plenty of times but they ended up joining other ranges. The common theme is that the range is nice but it is too overbearing and awkwardly confrontational. Also if you are into NFA, fully expect RSOs to question it and demand paperwork.
Here's a quick gist of it.
Every range has a log book that requires you to sign in/out with name, time, position and caliber. Leveridge also requires license plate #.
-Fowler: 25/50/100yd. Most popular range and generally for rifles. 1x Qualification
-Federal: 10-20yds?. Pistol and rimfire. No qualification required.
-Archery: Multiple targest out to 60yds. No broadheads unless you bring your own target (makes sense). No qualification.
-Leveridge: 200/300/500/600yds. 200yds standing or kneeling permitted, everything else is prone. 2x Qualifications
-Proctor: Indoor Pistol and Rimfire range. 1x Qualification
-Action Pistol: Not sure if it's used anymore. 1x Qualification and only used during scheduled events.
-Trap: open to the public on thursday and sunday evenings. No Qualification needed.
-There is a main gate which is opened by your badge card. The Fowler, Proctor and Leveridge ranges have a second locked gate. Your badge will unlock these ranges after you are certified. Fowler and Proctor have one qualification, Leveridge has two.
-Don't forget to wear your NFGA pin in a visible location! Otherwise a RSO will ask to see your identification. Mind you this place is surrounded by a barbed wire fence and some ranges have a second access gate. Can't take chances of people sneaking in... (has this every happened?)
-Rule book is approximately 65 pages and HIGHLY detailed. Not just safety stuff but things like where you are permitted to drink water, use a cell phone, eat snacks, must present NFA paperwork to anyone that asks, types of targets permitted, etc. Lots and lots of rules and they are always changing. It feels like a lawyer for a defense contractor wrote it.
-You are permitted to bring one guest no more than two times per year. They must fill out a waiver and cannot shoot at the same time as you. Immediate family members do not count against this two time per year amount.
-Each range has a seperate qualification that typically runs one time per month. Each qualification requires a written test and shooting proficiency test.
-There used to be an action pistol range, not sure if they still use it anymore. From what I remember, you had to qualify for it but it was only open during certain times. Funny enough, around the time I initially joined, a RSO freaked out on a local off duty police officer for improper use of a chamber safety flag.
-Leveridge range has 200, 300, 500, 600 yd positions. One qualification for the 200/300 yd use and a second qualification for the 500/600yd use. When I qualified for the 200/300 yd (they didn't allow 500/600yd unsupervised at the time) you had to make 10 out of 10 shots at 200yds, 7 ring or better, standing. Miss one shot and have to wait for the next qualification.
-Indoor Proctor range is being rebuilt. I qualified for it right before they shut it down two years ago. Now everyone must re-qualify when the rebuilt Proctor range reopens.
My "issues"
1) First time was circa 2015 and I brought my uncle to the Fowler range to shoot bolt action .22s He's a member at a fairly strict range in Acton, MA and is used to ranges with lots of rules. We set up at the 50 yd position and waited because 4-5 "Range Safety Officers" were downrange chatting. They weren't shooting that day but just hanging out. After 20-30 minutes of waiting, I went down and politely asked if they could chat elsewhere so we could use the range. They moved their chatting session and hovered over us the rest of the afternoon. The rest of the day was just awkard and simply not fun. My uncle has never returned.
2) A couple years ago I was on the 25 yd position at the Fowler range and had a RSO on roaming patrol confront me over the gate being open. It was a quiet day and I had the range to myself aside from another man (governor/RSO?) cleaning out the brass buckets and bringing trash to the dumpsters just outside of the Fowler range. While I'm on the range someone starts screaming at me from the parking lot infront of the Fowler Range. Immediately caught off guard and not sure what's going on, I make sure my position is safe/clear and take off my ear pro to see what's up. The man, a "Range Safety Officer" was doing a roaming patrol through the club and saw the gate for the Fowler was open and lost his temper. It was a brief tense situation until he figured out what was going on. I demanded his name and ended up reporting this to one of the club "governors".
This wasn't an isolated occurance because I've witnessed this type of behavior directed at others on multiple occasions. It is incredibly unsafe!
If you join this club be careful and understand that it will not always be a relaxing experience. Bringing experienced guests is also a pain because it feels like you spend more time explaining rules and procedures than actually having fun.
