place to try diff pistols?

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str8shooter

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Does anyone know of a range, club or store where you can try different pistols? Would love to "try before buy". Just wondering.
Thanks in advance...
 
str8shooter said:
Does anyone know of a range, club or store where you can try different pistols? Would love to "try before buy". Just wondering.
Thanks in advance...
Click to expand...

Join your local club - shoot your friends' guns.
More than a few of my recent acquisitions have been because I've shot someone else's and liked it so much that I had to have one.
 
You're in western ma....used to love to go to the range at S&W and rent firearms......a sad day when they closed to the public.
I like Mass Firearms and Manchester Firing Line, never to Bob's again without wearing Kevlar!!!
 
Ive been to MFS. They have a good selection to try and pretty cheap. Been there a couple times where we rented a hour and went way past and they didnt charge more. Ill keep going back.
 
Hoffman's in Newington CT may be closer than Salisbury or Manchester. Are you looking for anything in particular?
 
Mass Firearms School looks like the closest (~1hr). They also have what I'd like to try... Sig 229 although it is in .40 and I am looking to try .357. Have heard that it is "the same, only different". Would also like to try a Sig 239.

I've also sent an email to Manchester Firing Line and Hoffman's to see what they have to try... Could not find a list of rentals on their site.

Thanks everyone for the help! Much appreciated...
 
allen-1 said:
Join your local club - shoot your friends' guns.
More than a few of my recent acquisitions have been because I've shot someone else's and liked it so much that I had to have one.
Click to expand...

I belong to a local range... problem is that it is outdoors and the pistol range is divided so that each person gets their own "space" between the berms. I'm new (although I was a member back in the 80s) so don't really know anyone there yet. My friend has an arsenal but not what I'm looking for... Sig .357.
 
Enzo said:
You're in western ma....used to love to go to the range at S&W and rent firearms......a sad day when they closed to the public.
I like Mass Firearms and Manchester Firing Line, never to Bob's again without wearing Kevlar!!!
Click to expand...

S&W was state of the art when it opened. I never shot there... Too expensive compared to my own range. It is sad to close it to the public... My friend used to shoot for Spfld Police Team and has his custom pistol on display there.

Did you have a bad experience at Bob's?
 
str8shooter said:
S&W was state of the art when it opened. I never shot there... Too expensive compared to my own range. It is sad to close it to the public... My friend used to shoot for Spfld Police Team and has his custom pistol on display there.

Did you have a bad experience at Bob's?
Click to expand...
A couple of bad experiences at Bob's......
Never go during school vacation week or weekends because you seem to get inexperienced shooters who have poor or no firearms handling knowledge and you're on constant lookout for muzzle sweeping and ND's.
Never had that issue with Manchester, Mass Firearms or Hoffmanns.
 
Enzo said:
A couple of bad experiences at Bob's......
Never go during school vacation week or weekends because you seem to get inexperienced shooters who have poor or no firearms handling knowledge and you're on constant lookout for muzzle sweeping and ND's.
Never had that issue with Manchester, Mass Firearms or Hoffmanns.
Click to expand...

Thanks... I take safety to heart. That's one of the reasons I don't like shooting when it's busy at any range. Too many people to wonder about.

I do keep an eye out for shooters next to me, trying to judge whether they are more experienced in safety than someone who would be new/unfamiliar with handling weapons.
 
Last edited:
Mass Firearms said:
Thankfully, we don't have any safety issues at our facility. No vest required...
Click to expand...

My personal experience and that of many, many, many others says otherwise in person, this forum, other forums, facebook, twitter, and most of all, in person as a result of your members joining elsewhere and taking their bad habits with them. Muzzle control has been a problem since you opened but I'm not going to get into an argument here about it.


free said:
Why, this is a very safe place?
Click to expand...

OP, in my opinion your best bet is to do one of two things:

1. Take an NES member up on an offer to try their guns at the club you belong or their club.
2. Go to one of the commercial ranges that rents guns. If you do this, go during the day when it is slow and quiet and you aren't likely to have a bunch of kids waving shotguns, handguns, and rifles around behind the line. Be very aware of your surroundings and follow the three basic rules of gun safety.
 
Last edited:
bigblue said:
My personal experience and that of many, many, many others says otherwise in person, this forum, other forums, facebook, twitter, and most of all, in person as a result of your members joining elsewhere and taking their bad habits with them. Muzzle control has been a problem since you opened but I'm not going to get into an argument here about it.
Click to expand...

Well then, I am going to quit my membership at the Mass Firearms School range, and ask for my money back. I did not know it was unsafe and that it was so widely known as such. Thank you for warning us to stay away from this business. I will bring this thread when I go to cancel. I will tell everyone I know to stay away because of just what you said. Thanks.
 
free said:
Well then, I am going to quit my membership at the Mass Firearms School range, and ask for my money back. I did not know it was unsafe and that it was so widely known as such. Thank you for warning us to stay away from this business. I will bring this thread when I go to cancel. I will tell everyone I know to stay away because of just what you said. Thanks.
Click to expand...

lol. Make your own decisions based on your own experiences. Nice trolling though.
 
free said:
Well then, I am going to quit my membership at the Mass Firearms School range, and ask for my money back. I did not know it was unsafe and that it was so widely known as such. Thank you for warning us to stay away from this business. I will bring this thread when I go to cancel. I will tell everyone I know to stay away because of just what you said. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Do members use the same range as non members? When I was there about a month ago to try out a particular handgun I saw others who I believe were members going to a different range.
 
Enzo said:
Do members use the same range as non members? When I was there about a month ago to try out a particular handgun I saw others who I believe were members going to a different range.
Click to expand...

There are two ranges. Members are not funneled to one or the other. But if there is a class happening that provides shoot time, they will be in one.
 
bigblue said:
My personal experience and that of many, many, many others says otherwise in person, this forum, other forums, facebook, twitter, and most of all, in person as a result of your members joining elsewhere and taking their bad habits with them. Muzzle control has been a problem since you opened but I'm not going to get into an argument here about it.
Click to expand...

I would dispute what you wrote here. You admit in your post that you actually have no personal experience with the safety of our range. The "personal experience" you mentioned of meeting former members is not the most solid evidence. You really should reconsider your thoughts on this. If you shot at our range I am confident you would change your mind.

MFS's reputation of being a safe place to shoot is not by accident. Here are some of the steps we have taken to help create a safe environment:

1. Our range is not open to the public like many ranges. At MFS you need to have a Mass license in order to shoot unsupervised. A LTC does not make a person a safe shooter, nor does taking a safety class, but what our policy does do is prevent irresponsible walk ins looking to recreate their favorite movie scenes (and other assorted bad actors).

2. Our staff are very diligent to confront and correct unsafe shooting. While we cannot 100% eliminate stupid behavior we can confront it and create an environment where our members know safety violations will be handled in a professional way.

3. People make mistakes. You visit any gun range and look around and you will see evidence of irresponsible behavior (holes where they should not be). At MFS shooters are under constant supervision. This supervision helps keep people under check in their behavior.

4. MFS utilizes ballistic dividers in the stalls that give shooters another level of safety. Thankfully, our shooting stall dividers have never been shot. However, it is good to know they are there if needed.

Many years ago I was visiting a commercial range where a couple of people did come in wearing kevlar vests. That sight made me really uncomfortable (my biggest worry was that they knew something I did not...LOL). Years later when I opened MFS I was determined to create an environment different from that. Today, when I visit the range and see parents bringing their young children to shoot I am greatly encouraged. The trust they place in us is encouraging. In my opinion, it is a trust that is well deserved.

steve
 
At all my visits I have always felt safe and was therefore 100% able to focus on my shootings. I go during the week so I never have run into crowds but I am sure that is still a safe environment too. Thanks.
 
I have been going to MFS for the past 2 years my Fiance is a member so I go as a free guest. Im going to join this year. I will say i usually feel safe. There have been a few times especially when its busy I have seen some inexperienced and unsafe handling of guns. Mostly sweeping. One guy I almost said something as he swept me about 5 times. I do wish there was an employee in the range to supervise. I have seen some teens goofing off in the ranges before as-well. They have cameras but I have never seen an employee watching them. One other thing. I wish a few guys at the front desk were friendlier. I understand its a gun shop and its gets busy but I mean yes and no answers and acting like your customer is a bother makes it awkward and not a great initial experience. Just be nice or less miserable. For the most part the staff is great. Overall I feel safe and I like it. I think putting a employee in the range at all times to help and supervise would greatly improve the experience. Someone you can ask for help if there's a problem, or observe un safe practices and stop bad habits. It would make me feel much safer.
 
ryanmlt1 said:
I have been going to MFS for the past 2 years my Fiance is a member so I go as a free guest. Im going to join this year. I will say i usually feel safe. There have been a few times especially when its busy I have seen some inexperienced and unsafe handling of guns. Mostly sweeping. One guy I almost said something as he swept me about 5 times. I do wish there was an employee in the range to supervise. I have seen some teens goofing off in the ranges before as-well. They have cameras but I have never seen an employee watching them. One other thing. I wish a few guys at the front desk were friendlier. I understand its a gun shop and its gets busy but I mean yes and no answers and acting like your customer is a bother makes it awkward and not a great initial experience. Just be nice or less miserable. For the most part the staff is great. Overall I feel safe and I like it. I think putting a employee in the range at all times to help and supervise would greatly improve the experience. Someone you can ask for help if there's a problem, or observe un safe practices and stop bad habits. It would make me feel much safer.
Click to expand...

Glad to hear you are planning on joining the range. In the future, I would encourage you to let us know if you observe any safety issues. We will be sure to handle the situations promptly and anonymously. We do have staff in the ranges on a regular basis. I will be sure to review their current schedule to make sure it is optimal for safety.

Also, if you know of any of our staff who have been short or unfriendly be sure to PM me. Keeping customer service where is needs to be can be tough when things are busy. I will be sure to speak with anyone you identify just to keep them on their toes.

steve
 
Granite State in Hudson NH seemed to have a fine selection, and it's new and very clean. Had active RO walking up and down the line while we were there. Place was packed, but it was also a Sat afternoon. Nice facility, I'd definitely recommend them, too when it's too nasty to go shooting outside.
 
bigblue said:
My personal experience and that of many, many, many others says otherwise in person, this forum, other forums, facebook, twitter, and most of all, in person as a result of your members joining elsewhere and taking their bad habits with them. Muzzle control has been a problem since you opened but I'm not going to get into an argument here about it.




OP, in my opinion your best bet is to do one of two things:

1. Take an NES member up on an offer to try their guns at the club you belong or their club.
2. Go to one of the commercial ranges that rents guns. If you do this, go during the day when it is slow and quiet and you aren't likely to have a bunch of kids waving shotguns, handguns, and rifles around behind the line. Be very aware of your surroundings and follow the three basic rules of gun safety.
Click to expand...

Are you sure your not thinking of bobs?
 

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