Boston area rifle ranges?

[Camhabib]

Well so with that said, what are some clubs ~1 hour of Boston with a good rifle range I should consider?

 

[Da_lucche]

There are no walk on pay per use outdoor ranges in this part of the US.

One of the few positives of the Fed Gov: all that BLM land out west able to be used.

Well so with that said, what are some clubs ~1 hour of Boston with a good rifle range I should consider?

I have been a member of MRA and now a current member of WGC. MRA has 50, 100 and 200 outdoor. The WGC has 50, 100 and 200+ (250 I think).

The mandatory training they had received in order to obtain membership?

Besides making me shoot a 7 yard 10 shot grouping at one range I was a member of, I never had mandatory training to become a member of any range.

All my training has been voluntary; whether it was actual carbine classes or just doing it myself to hone in the craft.

 

[mac1911]

The mandatory training they had received in order to obtain membership?

Right , but what is in place to stop them?
I know it sucks that in to days world that we have to out line everything and hold each others hands but I give a little beneficial doubt that those on the line at least follow the basic gun safety rules they should have learned in classes for licensing
Or owners manuals or word of mouth .
A club I go to went to no handling of ammo or mags because a instructor while talking to students loaded up his mags ,slammed on in his pistol and un loaded it down range. While people where down range. During a seize fire /cold range
I can only think the added cost to a pay and play out door range.
Again stupid of me in this day and age to think people will at least look into minimal requirements of what they need to do at a range?

 

[DW357]

I've said it here before, I don't understand the issue of joining a club. People spend thousands of dollars in guns and then complain when they have to cough up a couple hundred bucks to be a member of a club.

I mean I guess if you're like a cop and shoot 50 rounds per year then maybe joining a club is a PITA???

 

[AJK129]

Granite State Range is indoor, you can walk in and pay, and allows rifle calibers. Also not far from Boston.

I can tell you no way in hell I want to be placing targets at 100yds in anticipation of a random walk-in who can start shooting while range is cold.
Just to walk in and shoot pistol calibers - there is MFS in Holliston.
If you want to join a club - get a sponsor who will walk you over and apply. I just got into Harvard club - it is all doable, if one is ready to work toward the goal.

The Sunday at maga arms most folks were under 40 and one at his 20s. There are plenty of younger people who care of what shit we are in

There's a lot of us in our 20s, and my friends and I are working on converting more

 

[Camhabib]

I've said it here before, I don't understand the issue of joining a club. People spend thousands of dollars in guns and then complain when they have to cough up a couple hundred bucks to be a member of a club.

I mean I guess if you're like a cop and shoot 50 rounds per year then maybe joining a club is a PITA???

I think the issue, at least for me, is that it's easy to "collect" club memberships. One club I belong to only has indoor pistol ranges. Another I belong to only has outdoor shotgun. Each has its benefits, which is why I initially joined them (like 24/7 access to a range 10 minutes from my house, or the ability to shoot skeet on more than just one day a week), but also some obvious drawbacks (like $400 membership dues and very limited guest ability). I don't mind joining a third club, this time for a rifle range, but it just comes down to how much of a return on my investment am I going to get in terms of dollars vs time spent there. I don't have an issue joining a club, but a pay-to-shoot would just make more sense for me. Looks like that isn't possible, so I'm happy to join a club in this case.

 

[Wildcard]

I've said it here before, I don't understand the issue of joining a club. People spend thousands of dollars in guns and then complain when they have to cough up a couple hundred bucks to be a member of a club.

I mean I guess if you're like a cop and shoot 50 rounds per year then maybe joining a club is a PITA???

Not every club is taking new members. Of the ones that are, they may require "sponsors", volunteer hours (free labor), interviews and high fees just to shoot once and awhile.

Of all the states i've shot in, Idaho, Alaska and upstate NY, Massachusetts is by far the worst and the way ranges are run is a big reason for it. We have a weak shooting culture because of it and things will only get worse until thats fixed. MFS is a godsend and I wouldnt have been able to get several people into shooting without them but they're limited.

 

[mac1911]

Not every club is taking new members. Of the ones that are, they may require "sponsors", volunteer hours (free labor), interviews and high fees just to shoot once and awhile.

Of all the states i've shot in, Idaho, Alaska and upstate NY, Massachusetts is by far the worst and the way ranges are run is a big reason for it. We have a weak shooting culture because of it and things will only get worse until thats fixed. MFS is a godsend and I wouldnt have been able to get several people into shooting without them but they're limited.

It would not surprise me if mass has nore gun clubs than those 3 states .
The way they are run is a different matter all itself.
the only way clubs change is if someone steps up and does something.
You want anything done different at the clubs I belong to and you will be nominated. As chair of that committee .
Chair a committee or get on a board of a club.
do that and you will be at the club more thsn you could imagine and shooting even less.

 

[AHM]

A club I go to went to no handling of ammo or mags because a instructor while talking to students loaded up his mags ,slammed on in his pistol and un loaded it down range. While people where down range. During a seize fire /cold range ...

No reloading mags because some ignoramus had a range pop?

Was his membership revoked?

 

[mac1911]

No reloading mags because some ignoramus had a range pop?

Was his membership revoked?

No handling mags , ammunition or fire arms during a "cold range call" at least we have flashing red lights now.

As far as membership revoked, no he was at the time one of the clubs special people or what i call the inner circle . I could also call him part of the "deep state" of the time.

 

[paul73]

No handling mags , ammunition or fire arms during a "cold range call" at least we have flashing red lights now.

what club prohibits reloading spare mags at cold? why? you should not be touching the weapon or removing mag from the weapon - but why you cannot touch the stand alone mag?
are you allowed to touch your range bag? or move a muscle, for what it takes?

 

[drgrant]

what club prohibits reloading spare mags at cold? why? you should not be touching the weapon or removing mag from the weapon - but why you cannot touch the stand alone mag?
are you allowed to touch your range bag? or move a muscle, for what it takes?

Its just overboard fudd stuff. Some clubs will not let you refill magazines while standing at shooting benches (but ask you to step away when the line is cold) I get that, but no reloading magazines at all? nope.

"Black Cross"


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIvxqUCu41Q

 

[Camhabib]

I got chewed out by some micropenis at the range once for grabbing a handful of ammo and a mag, stepping off the line, and reloading it while a cold range was called. Made a point of coming to find me after I had packed up an hour later to chew me out a second time. The experience turned me off from shooting for a bit. I’ve never done it since but always figured it was just a universal rule that I wasn’t aware of at the time (was a relatively new shooter then). Interesting to hear that not all clubs are like that.

 

[drgrant]

I got chewed out by some micropenis at the range once for grabbing a handful of ammo and a mag, stepping off the line, and reloading it while a cold range was called. Made a point of coming to find me after I had packed up an hour later to chew me out a second time. The experience turned me off from shooting for a bit. I’ve never done it since but always figured it was just a universal rule that I wasn’t aware of at the time (was a relatively new shooter then). Interesting to hear that not all clubs are like that.

You have to either check the rules or find someone with (at least some form of authority) and ask. Every club is different, it would not surprise me if some of the loop clubs had that BS.

 

[AHM]

No handling mags , ammunition or fire arms during a "cold range call" at least we have flashing red lights now.

As far as membership revoked, no he was at the time one of the clubs special people or what i call the inner circle . I could also call him part of the "deep state" of the time.

That would have yielded (yelt?) some embarrassing questions at the next general meeting.

 

[CStirling8011]

Ames in Easton has an audible and visual warning when going to place targets. All guns not in direct use also require a chamber flag.

 

[mac1911]

That would have yielded (yelt?) some embarrassing questions at the next general meeting.

Clubs are like politics some can do no wrong

 

[drgrant]

Ames in Easton has an audible and visual warning when going to place targets. All guns not in direct use also require a chamber flag.

Yeah, that place got destroyed by some cabal of fudds, IIRC.

 

[ReluctantDecoy]

Completely incidental and not entirely relevant, but worth mentioning just in case someone can back this up: My boss swears that the Boston Park Plaza Hotel has an underground shooting range in the castle, technically across the street. Claims he's seen it in person, and that it's ancient. I've been in that main building and have seem some weird, nearly colonial sh*t in the sub basement, so I can't dismiss this as hearsay. Anyone know anything of this? Is there a 1800 shooting range in the castle?

 

[drgrant]

Clubs are like politics some can do no wrong

The sad thing most of the bad clubs are ruined by one or two shitbirds that everyone follows around like lemmings. People rarely have the balls to say "While its true we always did it that way, I think we need to examine the issue further" because then the shitbird that supports the shit rule will like take umbrage at it or something.

Even Jim Lahey wasnt that unreasonable


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4iDurCE3Yk

 

[mac1911]

Its just overboard fudd stuff. Some clubs will not let you refill magazines while standing at shooting benches (but ask you to step away when the line is cold) I get that, but no reloading magazines at all? nope.

"Black Cross"


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIvxqUCu41Q

I would think if you stepped out side the range with your mags and ammo no one would say boo.
Over the years i have seen RSO’s violate more of their own rules than most members.
But yes during red light cold range you might as well just play pocket pool.
We have had over the top RSOs that say you cant bring a weapon on the range that does not have a bolt hold open function ..... that led to chamber flags
We almost got to the point of the chamber flags that go all the way to barrels end with a little flag on them

something like this

View: https://youtu.be/OAnnqkGe94I

 

[71montess]

Uggg... this is the reason why there are not too many gun owners in newengland , no place too shoot, and it tough to get into gun.i wish that all the gun clubs around here will let people pay and shoot, that way more people will get into this sport, then they are more likely to become progun voters.the way that thing go right now newengland states will become gun free zone in 20 years lol.last time that i went to a gunshow i seen nothing but a bunch of old gunowners , not too many young shooters around,this is sad.

Or an unofficial group of club members willing to take “friends” to the club as guests.

 

[paul73]

Its just overboard fudd stuff. Some clubs will not let you refill magazines while standing at shooting benches (but ask you to step away when the line is cold) I get that, but no reloading magazines at all? nope.

so far, and i am new to 'clubs' part of this - i like how Harvard club operates, and so far i have not heard anything too crazy there, at all.
Only rule they are firm on - of what i do not fully understand the reason for - the complete prohibition of any transitions of loaded weapons, including action pits - so, you cannot practice 3gun, cannot shoot macedonian from both hands, etc. i guess they had some accidents, go figure. but it is a minor thing compared to the rest of more or less reasonable approach to this hobby.
a lot of clubs are not so sane at all, frankly, so it fully justifies for me to drive there for 40min compared to most other places that are closer to me.

 

[DW357]

Over the years i have seen RSO’s violate more of their own rules than most members.
But yes during red light cold range you might as well just play pocket pool.
We have had over the top RSOs that say you cant bring a weapon on the range that does not have a bolt hold open function ..... that led to chamber flags
We almost got to the point of the chamber flags that go all the way to barrels end with a little flag on them

THIS! I had a RSO ask me if i had empty chamber indicators the minute I started unpacking. I'm like well if you give me a second to unpack, I can pull out the ECI's I have...

Meanwhile his wife (don't know if she's a RSO) unbags a rifle and sweeps everyone as she moves it from the back table to the firing line bench

 

[AHM]

Clubs are like politics some can do no wrong

Look on the bright side.

If having an ND isn't grounds for expulsion,
then reloading mags at a table that doesn't even
have an uncased gun can't be any worse.

Only rule they are firm on - of what i do not fully understand the reason for - the complete prohibition of any transitions of loaded weapons, including action pits

I don't even know what that means.

 

[paul73]

I don't even know what that means.

What exactly?

 

[AHM]

What exactly?

I can normally fill in the blanks,
but I really don't feel confident that I know what
it means to commit "transition of a loaded weapon".

I won't be shocked if it's actually something outlawed at my club, too.
But I don't wanna guess.


If that was some cell phone spel-chek fail, sorry.
I'm not yanking your chain like that.

 

[paul73]

I can normally fill in the blanks,
but I really don't feel confident that I know what
it means to commit "transition of a loaded weapon".

I won't be shocked if it's actually something outlawed at my club, too.
But I don't wanna guess.


If that was some cell phone spel-chek fail, sorry.
I'm not yanking your chain like that.

Ah. Ok. In 3 gun you have 3 guns, all ready to fire. So, you cannot do that. You cannot shoot pistol, holster it , transition to AR and start shooting it immediately.

Same, you cannot have 2 pistols, shoot both hands at once. No 2+ guns ready to fire or firing, essentially.
But you can have pistol, rifle and shotgun, if latter 2 got no ammo in them and mags are on you, so you do pistol targets, empty and holster pistol, put mags into rifle and continue. Dunno how else to explain, that is how it was told to me. No transitions.
No shooting dominant hand while holding cocked pistol in left hand.

I guess they had some accidents, may be. Dunno.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Its just overboard fudd stuff. Some clubs will not let you refill magazines while standing at shooting benches (but ask you to step away when the line is cold) I get that, but no reloading magazines at all? nope.

"Black Cross"


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIvxqUCu41Q

A few years ago a current member of the club I quit after 24 yrs (14 of which on the BOD) told me that they made a rule that if you shot your carry gun, you were prohibited from reloading it and reholstering it on the property. I always got shit there for carrying openly on the property. [BTW: It was NOT Braintree or Ames.]

 

[AHM]

Ah. Ok. In 3 gun you have 3 guns, all ready to fire. So, you cannot do that. You cannot shoot pistol, holster it , transition to AR and start shooting it immediately.

Same, you cannot have 2 pistols, shoot both hands at once. No 2+ guns ready to fire or firing, essentially.
But you can have pistol, rifle and shotgun, if latter 2 got no ammo in them and mags are on you, so you do pistol targets, empty and holster pistol, put mags into rifle and continue. Dunno how else to explain, that is how it was told to me. No transitions.
No shooting dominant hand while holding cocked pistol in left hand.

OK, I see what you mean, now. Thanks for bearing with me.

I don't see myself getting into action shooting,
so I'm not gonna get all huffy for someone else's pains.

Which has the bonus benefit that I got no alternate
phrasing to suggest to you.