Pay as you go Gun ranges?

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rufunky

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I'm not in the position to dish out a large sum of money for sign up fees and a yearly commitment so I was wondering ..are there any pay as you go Gun ranges around the Brockton area?

I have two brand new guns now and have not even had the chance to fire them yet [thinking].

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
 
The only "Pay as you go" ranges that I know of are :

The Original Bobs tactical Gun range in Salisbury MA
http://mysite.verizon.net/originalbobs/index.html

and

Manchester Firing line in Manchester NH
http://www.gunsnh.com/

Both are open to the public and you pay for the range time as well as targets. They both have rental guns and ammo for sale as well. If you don't have your own eye and ear protection, they also have it available.
 
Also American Firearms School in No. Attleboro. http://www.americanfirearmsschool.com

Those "pay as you go" fees will add up to MUCH more than a club costs to join in short order, assuming that you go at least a dozen times/year.

There are many gun clubs in your area: Hanson and Old Colony (Pembroke IIRC) have good reputations. Braintree R&P to your Northeast is one I belong to and can recommend highly. A lot also depends on what you want to shoot, indoors or outdoors (Mansfield F&G is another that I belong to and can recommend if you don't need an indoor range - starting to work on building one, but it's going to be a while before it is usable).
 
Fat Cat Sports in Bridgewater on Rt 18... Butch is the owner, nice guy if you give him a chance 508-279-2600 $25/hr $365/yr Nice selection of guns up front
 
In contrast, Braintree R&P is $170 1st year and $100/year after that. Mansfield is $200 1st year and $100/year after that.

You don't have to make any "long term commitments" to any club and at $20-25/hr for a "pay as you go" range, the cost of club membership is attained in very short order.
 
JGreen, what clubs do you know of that have Yearly dues as low as $35??

Braintree R&P isn't sounding to bad. LenS, in another thread did you say they have a well filtered indoor range ?
 
the range i go to is the Ames rifle club in Easton. First year is $250 and then it's $100 each year after. They have a nice indoor range and 3 outdoor ranges. reactive with metal targets, 100 yard and 300 yard. The 300 yard shooting hut is heated for winter use.

Also, it's closer than the braintree club if that makes any difference.
 
As Len said, if you shoot much at all, you will spend far more at a pay-as-you go range than at a non-profit gun club.
 
rufunky said:
Braintree R&P isn't sounding to bad. LenS, in another thread did you say they have a well filtered indoor range ?
Click to expand...

Yes, it is a HEPA system in the "new" clubhouse, 15 positions, you can shoot any pistol ammo and even black powder there. The "old" clubhouse has a standard ventilation system, allows jacketed ammo, 11 positions IIRC (not certain of that). Plans for a HEPA system in the "old" clubhouse too, phased over 2 years.

You need to visit some clubs to make your own assessment of where you'd be most comfortable, facilities, friendliness of members/officers/BOD, do they sponsor events for children/women to learn to shoot, do members bring their SOs/children or do you see only male members a the club, do they welcome minorities, etc. Just some things to think about.
 
Ames is a very nice place indoor/outdoor has everything you will never get bored. Avon Fish and Game has only indoor but has more amenities, more functions. I belong to both for best of both worlds.
 
Thanks LenS, the place sounds like it is definitely worth checking out.

After working in construction for years I've really learned to hate the outdoors In the winter. It would be nice to find an up to date, well filtered indoor range.

I sent you an email.
Not sure if you received it.
 
rufunky said:
Thanks LenS, the place sounds like it is definitely worth checking out.

After working in construction for years I've really learned to hate the outdoors In the winter. It would be nice to find an up to date, well filtered indoor range.

I sent you an email.
Not sure if you received it.
Click to expand...

Hmm, no I never received an Email from you. I just added you as a "contact" so you can now PM me. Try that method instead. No idea why Email didn't work.
 
I have been in a similar situation the past couple months since I got my LTC-I wanted to join a club, but didn't feel I had sufficient funds and thought I might as well just do pay as I go for the time being. Financially, not a good decision. When I first really got into shooting on my own, Manchester FL was a great option because I did not yet have my own gun, so I could go there and rent, and I became a member there to cut down on cost, which paid for itself in about my first 4 visits. Long story short-if I had joined a club in this area, my wallet wouldn't be hurting as bad as it is at the moment. I originally thought I wouldn't be shooting very much this year and that pay as you go would be just fine, but in about 4 trips to Manchester I spent about as much as I would have on a local membership, and I was still without a place to shoot locally, and without the funds for a membership. I still go there from time to time, because at the moment it is my only place to shoot, but I am presently trying to decide where to apply for membership around here, as I should have done right after getting my LTC. Don't make my mistake-wallets are extremely unforgiving!
 
LenS said:
In contrast, Braintree R&P is $170 1st year and $100/year after that. Mansfield is $200 1st year and $100/year after that.

You don't have to make any "long term commitments" to any club and at $20-25/hr for a "pay as you go" range, the cost of club membership is attained in very short order.
Click to expand...

Holbrook is only $125 per year. Plus, it is probably only 5 minutes away from the fellow's home. Why didn't you suggest this?

bill
 
the_doctor said:
Holbrook is only $125 per year. Plus, it is probably only 5 minutes away from the fellow's home. Why didn't you suggest this?

bill
Click to expand...

Simply because I can only suggest (with $ listed) those clubs that I know about. Not a member of Holbrook so I have no idea about their fees.

Also keep in mind that the dues are only part of the cost for the first year. Essentially every club has an initiation fee ($70 at BR&P and $100 at MF&G) making the first year fees $170 and $200 respectively. [To further confuse the issue, both of these clubs pro-rate dues depending on when during the year you join up. Neither charge "key fees" but some other clubs do.]

So what is the initiation fee (and any key fee, if any) at Holbrook?
 
RUFUNKY - I second the recommendation for Braintree. I used to go there from Easton, and now "commute" from Wakefield.

I'll likely join a second club closer to me but I'll maintain my BRP membership. Strong club, comfortable and welcoming place to shoot.
 
Viking Kitten said:
RUFUNKY - I second the recommendation for Braintree. I used to go there from Easton, and now "commute" from Wakefield.

I'll likely join a second club closer to me but I'll maintain my BRP membership. Strong club, comfortable and welcoming place to shoot.
Click to expand...

Thanks Viking Kitten ... Always good to hear other opinions :)
 
I would recommend Ames Pistol and Rifle club. Nice heated 300 yard range, the pistol range is heated, but not as well as the 300. Good indoor range

They also offer a Practical pistol course every Sat at 2:30. Basically they teach you how to shoot on the move, draw from the holster, shooting multiple target. In the warmer weather, there is a course of fire setup to shoot, when is real cold, its mainly drills
 
LenS said:
Simply because I can only suggest (with $ listed) those clubs that I know about. Not a member of Holbrook so I have no idea about their fees.

Also keep in mind that the dues are only part of the cost for the first year. Essentially every club has an initiation fee ($70 at BR&P and $100 at MF&G) making the first year fees $170 and $200 respectively. [To further confuse the issue, both of these clubs pro-rate dues depending on when during the year you join up. Neither charge "key fees" but some other clubs do.]

So what is the initiation fee (and any key fee, if any) at Holbrook?
Click to expand...

I have been a member of Holbrook for a little while, now. I have toured several clubs including Braintree.

Holbrook has just instituted a key fee. The initiation is $100 and the key fee is $10. With the dues now at $100, Holbrook has become pricier than other clubs. The dues are also pro-rated depending on your start date. There is also a senior rate.

There are several other clubs immediate to the vicinity of Brockton.

There is Avon Fish & Game(only indoor range) and Satucket(only indoor range).

Has anyone realized the irony? One should find it quite disturbing that in leftist Massachusetts that you would be able to go to 5 different gun clubs in the adjacent towns to your city.

I challenge everyone to find a similar setup in any other state.
 
Just a quick statement not to overly politicize MA. MA is densely populated, we had and have a lot of clubs. Large states don't need as many, they shoot on private land or they don't have to organize as much as their laws are less stringent.

I will agree we have a lot, and an example is NJ. NJ laws are worse than MA, it is a big state, more liberal in ways than MA, and they don't have the choice of clubs.

Having said this, clubs and pay ranges need to pull in new members, not members from other clubs to grow. Going up and down slightly in membership each year doesn't strengthen clubs as much.

MA clubs could protect themselves where they can with more land buffer, better outdoor ranges, and many clubs have to do this slowly. Many clubs are somewhat small in membership.

Look at the clubs enhancing or adding indoor ranges. They help bring in new gun owners and money. They make it easier to train and attract new shooters, or get shooters to pick up new interests. They make it easier to run events and shoots outside of the summer when there isn't as much daylight.

MA makes it difficult to sustain new interest in gun ownership and therefore use of pay ranges or joining clubs. So we have a lot of clubs and some of them have problems growing. Look at the list on various sites of clubs that only are in the phone book. No GOAL affiliation, no website, etc.

Dana
 
DCunniff said:
MA clubs could protect themselves where they can with more land buffer, better outdoor ranges, and many clubs have to do this slowly. Many clubs are somewhat small in membership.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, many clubs simply do not have the funds to purchase additional land, particularly in eastern MA -- real estate prices are just too high.
 
Right and that's why clubs that add members that will stay will be able to build funds to add land or better protect the club land and club they have.

Dana
 

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