Best indoor range? South Shore MA

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jrw1

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Hey All,

I'm planning on joining the Braintree Rifle and Pistol Club, as I have heard some great things. Although I missed the orientation of new members by about 2 days... ugh. So I was wondering if anyone knows a great indoor pistol range that is reasonable and public? I'm in the South Shore of MA.

Also, because now I have some time to do some research before joining a club (the next orientation is in Jan), does anyone have any recommendations on 'NICE' private clubs? I'm not worried about the fees etc, but rather good facilities, people, hours of operation etc?

Thanks in advance! I'm eagerly awaiting to tryout my new Walther P99c and PPQ.
 
Shoot me a PM I'd be willing to take you to BRP as a guest. American Firearms School in North Attleboro is your closest public option.
 
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I'm a member at BRP, its really nice there. Despite being the most populated range in MA, there are always free lanes. A lot of people join because of club requirements for an LTC and then are never seen again. Too be honest, as far as fees and hours of operation, I'm not sure you can do better than BRP on the South Shore. Its open 24/7, 365 days a year. And the price isn't bad either. All the range officers I've met have been very nice as well. One gave me some tips while I was using my new Single Six which was totally unexpected but much appreciated.

I'd be willing to take you to BRP for a shooting session if you're interested and show you around.
 
I joined BRP this year. I went to the Holbrook gun show yesterday and it looks like a nice place too. My son joined there and they "make" you work hours... Marshfield has one and I found out Weymouth has one. Pembroke is suposed to have one also.
 
lobstercatcher said:
I joined BRP this year. I went to the Holbrook gun show yesterday and it looks like a nice place too. My son joined there and they "make" you work hours....
Click to expand...

We don't "make" you You do have to get signatures which you can get for going to a meeting or help with a shooting event. we do this so you get to know people and we get to know you. It's an ice breaker.
 
fat cat

Bridgewater's fat cat sporting goods has a nice indoor range. Just show up and you can rent range time by the hour
 
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claybreaker said:
We don't "make" you You do have to get signatures which you can get for going to a meeting or help with a shooting event. we do this so you get to know people and we get to know you. It's an ice breaker.
Click to expand...

I have to admit that this is the main reason I don't join Holbrook. It is a real nice club and I have been to a few of the pin shoots there. Met some great people and had a great time.

I don't doubt that the signature period is intended to be an icebreaker, but I have no desire to to pay for the privlidge of being a janitor. I'd help when I can, and do at my club all the time, but the whole process seemed to me to be an initiation period where you basically have to kiss ass and run around and get signatures from members.

If I want to get to know my new neighbor I invite him over for a bite and a beer, not make him rake my leaves and then charge him to do it.

I do want to add however for anyone interested in the club that it is one of the nicest clubs around.
 
cja1987 said:
There are no such requirements, in fact its against the law to require it. I really wish BRP would not harp on this so much and play right into the hands of our screwed up gun laws by openly giving out letters to PD's and encouraging people to obtain them.
Click to expand...

True but if you believe that by BRP not giving the letters out that the requirement at whatever douche town asks for them is going to go away, then I got a bridge to sell you.... the reason BRP probably "advertises" this is because a large portion of their member base probably lives in those "inside 128 douche towns" that put lots of unlawful requirements in the way.

I'd rather a club be openly trying to help members trying to get licensed. The alternative is those people give up and not get an LTC. Even a restricted license is better than nothing. Obviously lawyering up is great, but I doubt most applicants in those douche towns have the resources to take on the city they live in. Most of them just want to legally be
able to own a gun.

-Mike
 
You make it sound like we make you get on your hands and knees and scrub the bathroom[rolleyes]. If you went to the bowling pin shoot and saw some people help set up or help take it down at the end of the night they would get a signature for that. And last time I checked noone gets paid to run these events They all have real jobs.(you get what you put in to it) we don't have a staff and employees to do all the work. oh and if you neighbor's yard for... let's say a pool party would you help him clean it up or help him take care of it??
 
drgrant said:
True but if you believe that by BRP not giving the letters out that the requirement at whatever douche town asks for them is going to go away, then I got a bridge to sell you.... the reason BRP probably "advertises" this is because a large portion of their member base probably lives in those "inside 128 douche towns" that put lots of unlawful requirements in the way.

I'd rather a club be openly trying to help members trying to get licensed. The alternative is those people give up and not get an LTC. Even a restricted license is better than nothing. Obviously lawyering up is great, but I doubt most applicants in those douche towns have the resources to take on the city they live in. Most of them just want to legally be
able to own a gun.

-Mike
Click to expand...

Mike is right. People wanted to join BR&P but couldn't because they didn't have a LTC or FID. Their PDs refused to give them a LTC or FID because they didn't belong to a club. Catch-22 Yossarian!! [thinking] So BR&P did something about it and provided proof of "provisional membership" based on them getting a LTC/FID before getting full membership. This made the prospective member and their PD happy and the person gets what they want/need out of it.

If you want to make a political stand, you need to suck it up and realize that you will NOT get a LTC for years, will pay $5-20K to fight "city hall" and may well lose. See the oft-quoted MacNutt case where Karen MacNutt, Esq. challenged Boston PD and LOST in court!

BR&P is very near the MBTA/Commuter Rail and right off the highway from Boston so they get a very large membership population from the most gun-unfriendly places. BR&P is serving the needs of those people.


claybreaker said:
You make it sound like we make you get on your hands and knees and scrub the bathroom[rolleyes]. If you went to the bowling pin shoot and saw some people help set up or help take it down at the end of the night they would get a signature for that. And last time I checked noone gets paid to run these events They all have real jobs.(you get what you put in to it) we don't have a staff and employees to do all the work. oh and if you neighbor's yard for... let's say a pool party would you help him clean it up or help him take care of it??
Click to expand...

I am NOT a member of Holbrook and never have been, but I'm about to defend their policies here.

- If you want to get the keys to a million-dollar complex (making an assumption of Holbrook's value), I don't think that it is unreasonable at all that they make you attend a meeting or three (so you have a clue about the club and they get a clue that you are a responsible adult and not hell-bent on destroying the place).
- Almost all clubs rely on volunteer help. Asking a new member to volunteer some time to help out at a shoot, gun show, meeting, event, etc. is NOT unreasonable.
- Getting to meet experienced people can help the new person. You might develop a friendship or resource for that time you want to learn how to reload, how to disassemble/clean an unfamiliar gun, have a particular problem with a gun, etc.
- All the clubs in E. MA are in "urbanized areas" with gun-unfriendly neighbors. ONE irresponsible incident (bullet hitting someone's house/car/etc.) can shut a club down (ask Scituate gun club how that worked for them).
- Holbrook seems to be a very nice club. It didn't get that way without the assistance of lots of volunteers. MANY NES'rs come to NES Shoots early to help setup, stick around late to help clean up. Comments by host clubs have been almost always uniformly positive and results in an invitation to return again.

If you want to be an isolationist, there is a solution for that person too.

- Don't join a gun club! Buy a very large parcel of land in an uninhabited area and shoot there. You get to make your own rules, nobody will bother you or help you with anything (setup, cleanup, jams, unfamiliar guns, etc.).
- All the money you spend on upkeep or to repair damage is on you and you alone.
- All the work required to keep the range up is on you and you alone.

Clubs aren't for everyone.

But if you are about to become a "partner" (part owner) of an expensive facility, they have a right to know that you are and can act as a responsible adult (that means being safe as well as helping out).

Just one person's opinion.
 
LenS said:
Mike is right. People wanted to join BR&P but couldn't because they didn't have a LTC or FID. Their PDs refused to give them a LTC or FID because they didn't belong to a club. Catch-22 Yossarian!! [thinking] So BR&P did something about it and provided proof of "provisional membership" based on them getting a LTC/FID before getting full membership. This made the prospective member and their PD happy and the person gets what they want/need out of it.

If you want to make a political stand, you need to suck it up and realize that you will NOT get a LTC for years, will pay $5-20K to fight "city hall" and may well lose. See the oft-quoted MacNutt case where Karen MacNutt, Esq. challenged Boston PD and LOST in court!

BR&P is very near the MBTA/Commuter Rail and right off the highway from Boston so they get a very large membership population from the most gun-unfriendly places. BR&P is serving the needs of those people.




I am NOT a member of Holbrook and never have been, but I'm about to defend their policies here.

- If you want to get the keys to a million-dollar complex (making an assumption of Holbrook's value), I don't think that it is unreasonable at all that they make you attend a meeting or three (so you have a clue about the club and they get a clue that you are a responsible adult and not hell-bent on destroying the place).
- Almost all clubs rely on volunteer help. Asking a new member to volunteer some time to help out at a shoot, gun show, meeting, event, etc. is NOT unreasonable.
- Getting to meet experienced people can help the new person. You might develop a friendship or resource for that time you want to learn how to reload, how to disassemble/clean an unfamiliar gun, have a particular problem with a gun, etc.
- All the clubs in E. MA are in "urbanized areas" with gun-unfriendly neighbors. ONE irresponsible incident (bullet hitting someone's house/car/etc.) can shut a club down (ask Scituate gun club how that worked for them).
- Holbrook seems to be a very nice club. It didn't get that way without the assistance of lots of volunteers. MANY NES'rs come to NES Shoots early to help setup, stick around late to help clean up. Comments by host clubs have been almost always uniformly positive and results in an invitation to return again.

If you want to be an isolationist, there is a solution for that person too.

- Don't join a gun club! Buy a very large parcel of land in an uninhabited area and shoot there. You get to make your own rules, nobody will bother you or help you with anything (setup, cleanup, jams, unfamiliar guns, etc.).
- All the money you spend on upkeep or to repair damage is on you and you alone.
- All the work required to keep the range up is on you and you alone.

Clubs aren't for everyone.

But if you are about to become a "partner" (part owner) of an expensive facility, they have a right to know that you are and can act as a responsible adult (that means being safe as well as helping out).

Just one person's opinion.
Click to expand...

LenS I couldn't say it any better then that[grin]

Oh and we can shoot jacketed round also at holbrook.
 
claybreaker said:
You make it sound like we make you get on your hands and knees and scrub the bathroom[rolleyes]. If you went to the bowling pin shoot and saw some people help set up or help take it down at the end of the night they would get a signature for that. And last time I checked noone gets paid to run these events They all have real jobs.(you get what you put in to it) we don't have a staff and employees to do all the work. oh and if you neighbor's yard for... let's say a pool party would you help him clean it up or help him take care of it??
Click to expand...

I hear what you are saying, and in therory the signature approach should work well, but let me tell you my experience and why I have a problem with it.

I was invited by a friend and had never been to a shoot there but had taken my son to the gun show a couple of times. There was a really good crowd there and they were using both indoor ranges. I have a real bad back, 4 herniated disk and degenerative disk disease. Most of the time I am fine but when it acts up it get pretty tough, and standing for long periods can be uncomfortable.

So, we had been at it for a couple of hours and I am having a great time. I met some great people and had a chance to shoot the breeze with some really cool people, ask about their guns etc. The guy who was running the shoot ( I don't remember his name) was a great guy. Mid 40's, glasses, shooting a 1911 and a 44 revolver. So I am convinced I am going to enquire about membership. I belong to 2 other clubs but really like this place. Wicked nice club.

So it's getting late, the back is acting up, and I figure, one more shoot and I am going to pack it up. I get paired up with this young guy, fat and pimply faced, full fledged member. I think he was shooting his new Glock. I introduce my self, shake his hand and wish him luck. He had a real bad run and I was shooting pretty well. I don't think he hit a single pin and I cleaned 8 pins with 8 shots with my 226. I shoot it alot. The guy running the shoot says "Good shooting" and I reset the pins and started sweeping up some brass.

The kid I was shooting with disappears and I am packing up my range bag, thanking folks for the great time and saying my goodbyes. The fat kids shows up with a broom and says " You, come with me". I probably should have to the kid to go F himself but I was a guest an didn't want to be a prick. I follow him onto the 22 range and start sweeping up. I finish and see the little prick and say " All set, here is your broom, where do you want it?" He goes " Oh, your not done". At this point I was done playing and told him I was. One of the members who overheard the exchange, who obviously thought the kid was being a jerk, said, "Give me your card and I will sign it". No card, I am here as a guest.

The kid was just a member, and as it was explained to me the signatures can come from any member. The whole thing smacked of a college franternity and the pledge process.

The thing is, if someone had just come up and said " Hey can you give us a hand?" I would have been eager to help. I'd like to believe that I just ran into one guy that was being a jerk and like I said all of the guys I met that were clearly part of the club were super nice guys and very friendly etc.

Also, I want to say again that I think Holbrook is one of the nicest clubs around with some of the coolest shooting events I have seen. Everyone I met associated with the club was great and I understand the need for volunteers to help with shooting events and think that everyone should help out at their club when they can and like I said, I do at my regular club all the time. I don't want to discourage anyone from joining Holbrook as I think it is great. I just ran into a guy that was being a jerk. Hell maybe he was just having a bad day. Whatever.

Also, I don't know that I could come up with a better way to get the help you need and get to know new members. I get it, guy joins a club and starts talking to his imaginary friends on the range or reliving the assault on Khe-Sahn on the rifle range. I understand the need to weed out the wackjobs and nutcases. Maybe it just should not be left to all of the members. Give some guys a little power and it goes to their head.
 
claybreaker said:
You make it sound like we make you get on your hands and knees and scrub the bathroom[rolleyes]. If you went to the bowling pin shoot and saw some people help set up or help take it down at the end of the night they would get a signature for that. And last time I checked noone gets paid to run these events They all have real jobs.(you get what you put in to it) we don't have a staff and employees to do all the work. oh and if you neighbor's yard for... let's say a pool party would you help him clean it up or help him take care of it??
Click to expand...

As a Member of Holbrook, I will "defend" the signature policy, doing a "work" party is only one of the ways to obtain a signature, there are many ways to obtain the signature. the best example I can give is the fact that last night it was raining, not hard, and it did stop, but we still set up the trap fields for wednesday night trap shooting. we had more than the necessary people to get the work done, and all the members that needed signatures got one, so its not that difficult or strenous work. most of the volunteers got to meet other members, get to know them, still got to shoot if they wanted too.

it is defenitely more of an ice-breaker, get to know the members and the facility program. many of the members volunteer their time well after the initial work that they do to obtain the signatures. In the 2 years since i have joined I can't calculate the time I have spent at the club helping out to make it a better club for everyone. you get out of it what you put into it, and that goes for anything not just joing a club.

its a great club and has some great events.
 
I think the best club around is the Westwood Gun Club but we do not have an indoor range. I also been a member of BR&P fror over 20 years and I have to say they have one of the best indoor ranges going.
 
fencer said:
I hear what you are saying, and in therory the signature approach should work well, but let me tell you my experience and why I have a problem with it.

I was invited by a friend and had never been to a shoot there but had taken my son to the gun show a couple of times. There was a really good crowd there and they were using both indoor ranges. I have a real bad back, 4 herniated disk and degenerative disk disease. Most of the time I am fine but when it acts up it get pretty tough, and standing for long periods can be uncomfortable.

So, we had been at it for a couple of hours and I am having a great time. I met some great people and had a chance to shoot the breeze with some really cool people, ask about their guns etc. The guy who was running the shoot ( I don't remember his name) was a great guy. Mid 40's, glasses, shooting a 1911 and a 44 revolver. So I am convinced I am going to enquire about membership. I belong to 2 other clubs but really like this place. Wicked nice club.

So it's getting late, the back is acting up, and I figure, one more shoot and I am going to pack it up. I get paired up with this young guy, fat and pimply faced, full fledged member. I think he was shooting his new Glock. I introduce my self, shake his hand and wish him luck. He had a real bad run and I was shooting pretty well. I don't think he hit a single pin and I cleaned 8 pins with 8 shots with my 226. I shoot it alot. The guy running the shoot says "Good shooting" and I reset the pins and started sweeping up some brass.

The kid I was shooting with disappears and I am packing up my range bag, thanking folks for the great time and saying my goodbyes. The fat kids shows up with a broom and says " You, come with me". I probably should have to the kid to go F himself but I was a guest an didn't want to be a prick. I follow him onto the 22 range and start sweeping up. I finish and see the little prick and say " All set, here is your broom, where do you want it?" He goes " Oh, your not done". At this point I was done playing and told him I was. One of the members who overheard the exchange, who obviously thought the kid was being a jerk, said, "Give me your card and I will sign it". No card, I am here as a guest.

The kid was just a member, and as it was explained to me the signatures can come from any member. The whole thing smacked of a college franternity and the pledge process.

The thing is, if someone had just come up and said " Hey can you give us a hand?" I would have been eager to help. I'd like to believe that I just ran into one guy that was being a jerk and like I said all of the guys I met that were clearly part of the club were super nice guys and very friendly etc.

Also, I want to say again that I think Holbrook is one of the nicest clubs around with some of the coolest shooting events I have seen. Everyone I met associated with the club was great and I understand the need for volunteers to help with shooting events and think that everyone should help out at their club when they can and like I said, I do at my regular club all the time. I don't want to discourage anyone from joining Holbrook as I think it is great. I just ran into a guy that was being a jerk. Hell maybe he was just having a bad day. Whatever.

Also, I don't know that I could come up with a better way to get the help you need and get to know new members. I get it, guy joins a club and starts talking to his imaginary friends on the range or reliving the assault on Khe-Sahn on the rifle range. I understand the need to weed out the wackjobs and nutcases. Maybe it just should not be left to all of the members. Give some guys a little power and it goes to their head.
Click to expand...

Fencer,My Intentions are not to bash you or for anyone else to. I just want to make it clear to everyone what what the process is to join and not to scare people off. that being said Not everyone can sign the card I don't know who that was but that doesn't happen often sorry to hear about that. (Maybe a bad day or just a new member that doesn't know any better and thinks hes a bad ass now that they got there ltc You guys know the type noobies) You can get a signature from just going to a meeting also. We don't make ypu do pysical labor if you have a bad back.Last thing we want is someone to get hurt or not have a good time. Sorry brother.
 
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fencer said:
I hear what you are saying, and in therory the signature approach should work well, but let me tell you my experience and why I have a problem with it.

I was invited by a friend and had never been to a shoot there but had taken my son to the gun show a couple of times. There was a really good crowd there and they were using both indoor ranges. I have a real bad back, 4 herniated disk and degenerative disk disease. Most of the time I am fine but when it acts up it get pretty tough, and standing for long periods can be uncomfortable.

So, we had been at it for a couple of hours and I am having a great time. I met some great people and had a chance to shoot the breeze with some really cool people, ask about their guns etc. The guy who was running the shoot ( I don't remember his name) was a great guy. Mid 40's, glasses, shooting a 1911 and a 44 revolver. So I am convinced I am going to enquire about membership. I belong to 2 other clubs but really like this place. Wicked nice club.

So it's getting late, the back is acting up, and I figure, one more shoot and I am going to pack it up. I get paired up with this young guy, fat and pimply faced, full fledged member. I think he was shooting his new Glock. I introduce my self, shake his hand and wish him luck. He had a real bad run and I was shooting pretty well. I don't think he hit a single pin and I cleaned 8 pins with 8 shots with my 226. I shoot it alot. The guy running the shoot says "Good shooting" and I reset the pins and started sweeping up some brass.

The kid I was shooting with disappears and I am packing up my range bag, thanking folks for the great time and saying my goodbyes. The fat kids shows up with a broom and says " You, come with me". I probably should have to the kid to go F himself but I was a guest an didn't want to be a prick. I follow him onto the 22 range and start sweeping up. I finish and see the little prick and say " All set, here is your broom, where do you want it?" He goes " Oh, your not done". At this point I was done playing and told him I was. One of the members who overheard the exchange, who obviously thought the kid was being a jerk, said, "Give me your card and I will sign it". No card, I am here as a guest.

The kid was just a member, and as it was explained to me the signatures can come from any member. The whole thing smacked of a college franternity and the pledge process.

The thing is, if someone had just come up and said " Hey can you give us a hand?" I would have been eager to help. I'd like to believe that I just ran into one guy that was being a jerk and like I said all of the guys I met that were clearly part of the club were super nice guys and very friendly etc.

Also, I want to say again that I think Holbrook is one of the nicest clubs around with some of the coolest shooting events I have seen. Everyone I met associated with the club was great and I understand the need for volunteers to help with shooting events and think that everyone should help out at their club when they can and like I said, I do at my regular club all the time. I don't want to discourage anyone from joining Holbrook as I think it is great. I just ran into a guy that was being a jerk. Hell maybe he was just having a bad day. Whatever.

Also, I don't know that I could come up with a better way to get the help you need and get to know new members. I get it, guy joins a club and starts talking to his imaginary friends on the range or reliving the assault on Khe-Sahn on the rifle range. I understand the need to weed out the wackjobs and nutcases. Maybe it just should not be left to all of the members. Give some guys a little power and it goes to their head.
Click to expand...


Fencer, sorry you had a bad experience at a shoot at the club, we always try to make every event a good one, I hope that the person you ran into was just having a bad day and you got caught up in it, if you were a guest of another member, you should have not helpped out beyond what you wanted too, you were a guest. sorry it happened.
 
Thank You Claybreaker and KOMA for setting me straight. I really like the club and like I said, the shoot was awesome and I met some really cool people. The facility is great.
 
jrw1 said:
Hey All,

I'm planning on joining the Braintree Rifle and Pistol Club, as I have heard some great things. Although I missed the orientation of new members by about 2 days... ugh. So I was wondering if anyone knows a great indoor pistol range that is reasonable and public? I'm in the South Shore of MA.

Also, because now I have some time to do some research before joining a club (the next orientation is in Jan), does anyone have any recommendations on 'NICE' private clubs? I'm not worried about the fees etc, but rather good facilities, people, hours of operation etc?

Thanks in advance! I'm eagerly awaiting to tryout my new Walther P99c and PPQ.
Click to expand...

Check out old Colony in Pembroke. They have a nice club and I think orientation is soon. I think it is every month, on the first monday. Check out their website.
http://www.old-colony.org/phpwebsite/phpwebsite_1_3_2/index.php?module=webpage&id=1

I can take you there if you want, so you can check it out.

By the way, if you are a college student, renewal is free every year. All you need to do is send them a pic of your college ID. And they also have scholarships, for Pembroke residents, and a scholarship for family members of club members.
 
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