Long Distance Rifle Ranges in MA?

awm

NES Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2011
Messages
756
Likes
938
Feedback: 109 / 0 / 0
Starting to take up long distance shooting. Im currently a member at Worcester Pistol and Rifle which is an absolutely awesome club but the rifle range is limited to 100 yards.

I used to be a member at Woburn Sportsmans Association however not to rag on that range but many of the "elder statesmen" there would look down on young new members to the point where I just stopped going but miss the 200 yard rifle range.

Any others in the area that are 200 yards+? I know Taunton has 200 yards. Any others?
 
Cool will need to see if I can find a member there to sponsor me. I just picked up a savage ashbury precision ordnance .308 rifle with a 6.5x-20x50mm vortex scope and at 100 yards its not even fair. Shot 200 at a buddies place and was cake so shouldnt have an issue.

Any idea how often they allow for new member enrollment?
 
Harvard is a great all-around club. As noted, out to 300 yards.

Granby, (when it's up and running again) will get you out to around 1K (see threads).
There's a place near Nashua (Nashua Fish and Game) that is out to 600 yards. I haven't been there, yet.

I believe for all of these clubs, you'll need to qualify.

Certainly start out with 200-300 yards. Get everything tuned in and make certain you have good idea of the performance aspects of your ballistics and firearm. Small things start to become significant the further out you go.
 
Cool will need to see if I can find a member there to sponsor me. I just picked up a savage ashbury precision ordnance .308 rifle with a 6.5x-20x50mm vortex scope and at 100 yards its not even fair. Shot 200 at a buddies place and was cake so shouldnt have an issue.

Any idea how often they allow for new member enrollment?

Membership meetings are once a month. There is a first time fee and then the yearly dues when you sign-up. Then, a safety briefing and optional qualifications for the special ranges (automatic range, 200-300 yard).

As noted, need a current member to sponsor you. It's on the sponsor's head if the sponsored individual does something unsafe. So, in general, a sponsor will want to have met you or have seen you shoot.

There are plenty of HSC members floating around this board so you may want to make a call for someone to meet you before the meeting at HSC for some range practice and then onto the membership meeting. Yeah, it's a PITA but it's only once.
 
Thanks for the replies! I’m in Worcester mass but will to travel up to 45 mins or so away. I’m looking for 200+ yards. Minimum 200 but 300+ would be ideal as long as it’s not way out of Massachusetts.
 
The Granby 300 yard range and the pistol pits are open. General membership is pretty simple- check it out online. IMO, 300 yards starts to get at least a little challenging for a precision rifle, if the target is small enough. I think for your Ashbury Precision a 200 yard distance will only be a longer walk- it won't be much more challenging than 100 yards. Granby keeps a relatively small plate set up at 300 and you can easily hear it ring when you hit it.

The town zoning board will give their decision to Granby by end of December, so hopefully the 1000 yard range will be up and running. Members must qualify to use the 1000 yard range, and the qualification is not a 'gimme'. They call it an orientation, but you must already be proficient with the rifle and ammo you bring. You must bring your DOPE & chronograph data along with match ammo or match quality reloads. When I qualified this summer, about half of the 15 people did not qualify for various reasons. It's a one time thing, and worth it.
 
Hardwick Rod and Gun Club currently has a 300 yard rifle range with Steel plates at 100 yards and every 25-50 yards past that up to 300 yards, there has been work in progress to extend it out to 400 yards.
 
Ames has 300. Not sure if we are still boycotting though.

We should be. From everything I hear nothing has changed there since Ira's passing. At MF&G we still get FORMER members of Ames joining us every month or two and they tell us briefly why they quit there. You may recall that I was a member there that quit and joined MF&G many years ago.
 
I decided to go in the opposite direction. Rather find a long range for my larger cal rifles I shoot 22lr at 100-200 yards.
I'm trying to get a few guys together to have a 22short challenge at 100 yards.
 
So glad I read this thread. It seems silly to shoot a rifle at 50 yds., unless you're tuning your hunting rifle. I'm glad to see that there may be many ranges at 100 yds. and longer.
I'm still going to miss shooting at my friend's place in south Georgia when I move to Mass. Last time there, we were ringing steel at 650 meters (according to my rear sight) with my Swiss K31.
 
Isn't Woodcock (operated by New Bedford PD) in Dartmouth 500 yards?
Somerset Sportsman Club is 300 yards.
Wallum Lake Rod and Gun is 200 yards.

Also there is going to be a 500 yard range opening soon in Coventry RI
 
Reading Rifle and Revolver is in fact 600 yards. During non-winter months they have various long range rifle competitions from 200 yards nearly weekly. These are usually NRA events so you do not need to be a member to participate and can meet members that way for possible sponsorship. I know during the summer there were various sniper challenge competitions where you shot from 200 to 600 yards and from some unmarked distances to test your ranging skills.

http://www.readingrifleclub.com/

http://readinghighpower.com/
 
I used to be a member at Woburn Sportsmans Association however not to rag on that range but many of the "elder statesmen" there would look down on young new members to the point where I just stopped going but miss the 200 yard rifle range.

I'm sorry to hear that. How long ago were you a member? I've been a member for about... 11 years I think (crikey!) and I don't remember being treated like you describe. Also, the BoD and activity chairs have rolled over to mostly new people so I suspect the attitude is different than you remember. (I hope it is anyway)
 
I'm sorry to hear that. How long ago were you a member? I've been a member for about... 11 years I think (crikey!) and I don't remember being treated like you describe. Also, the BoD and activity chairs have rolled over to mostly new people so I suspect the attitude is different than you remember. (I hope it is anyway)

Yea I joined in 2010 and stopped going in 2014. Hopefully its changed. Great club met tons of great people there but routinely id get guys who would see myself and my friends enjoying ourselves and having fun in a 100% safe way and would just give us the third degree. People id take sometimes it would be their first time shooting so they would want someone to stand back behind them (again in a safe spot) and take a picture while they were shooting and id get the "this isn't facebook" "are you even a member here" "you are shooting too fast! (even though taking a full 2 seconds plus between shots)", etc. Grew up around military, police, and guns and i'm now 36 years old so probably knew more than most when it comes to safely handling firearms.

It is what it is. I love Worcester Pistol and Rifle where i'm a member now. Woburn is too far as I no longer work in Bedford Mass so it wouldnt make sense to join back up again. Glad to hear though that the club is doing well!
 
reading is 600. Good luck getting in unless you know someone who matters there.

Is there just a long waiting list? I dont mind getting on a list and waiting a bit. For the money most clubs charge (anywhere between $150-$300 or so) I dont mind joining up to multiple clubs.
 
Back
Top Bottom