Boston Gun Range to remain closed

[Transporter]

Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Boston Gun Range to remain closed

Judge denied request for injunction

By Scott J. Croteau TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
[email protected]


WORCESTER— The Boston Gun Range will remain closed for now after a Superior Court judge denied the range’s plea for a preliminary injunction to lift the police chief’s suspension of three of the business’ licenses.

In his decision issued today, Judge Bruce R. Henry said he did not find the gun range showed during a hearing Monday that the motion for a preliminary injunctive relief has “substantial likelihood of success” on its merits.

Lawyer James P. Ehrhard of Worcester, who represents range owner Mark Tashjian, said the business will now explore other legal options that could result in the case going to the appeals court.

“We’ll have to analyze the situation and see where we go from here,” he said.

Even if the range appeals the May 8 License Commission vote not to renew its license to operate, the range still needs the three licenses issued by the police chief for the business to stay open, Mr. Ehrhard said.

Police Chief Gary J. Gemme suspended the licenses to rent firearms, sell ammunition and operate as a gunsmith on May 13. The range closed its doors after receiving the letter and has been shut down for 11 days. The licenses are all suspended until they expire Jan. 26, 2009.

It will remain closed, said Mr. Ehrhard, noting his client is losing money every day the doors at the 317 Southwest Cutoff business stay shut.

See tomorrow's Telegram & Gazette for full story.

 

[CRSIII]

Saw this coming from my house. Honestly, I don't know how Mark held out so long. On the other hand, he has a great retirement fund in there.

 

[Sleepytime]

He should move the shop to Oxford. The Chief (last I knew) was on the right side of the gun battle.

What does the Worcester Chief have against law-abiding citzens learning to correctly fire handguns, shotguns, and rifles? Is he afraid that citizens will be able to shoot better and stop criminals better than his officers?

 

[Jose]

What does the Worcester Chief have against law-abiding citzens learning to correctly fire handguns, shotguns, and rifles? Is he afraid that citizens will be able to shoot better and stop criminals better than his officers?

He's probably afraid someone will cap his sorry ass.

 

[medic12]

He should move the shop to Oxford. The Chief (last I knew) was on the right side of the gun battle.

I'd second that. There is a new chief but I am pretty sure nothing has changed. I have always had a great experience dealing with the PD there.

 

[BillK]

Well I guess the whole day I spent at one of the city hall meetings went to &^$&. And to think the one year membership card I got, I never went and redeemed it, guess now I saved my gas from taking the trip and saw it coming.

 

[Brunosr]

For what reason was it closed in the first place?

 

[ateamrob]

Wow... theres a surprise... Boston, MA voted to keep a gun range closed.

who knew Boston was so anti 2nd Amendment...

 

[Mr Weebles]

Wow... theres a surprise... Boston, MA voted to keep a gun range closed.

who knew Boston was so anti 2nd Amendment...

I think the range in question is in Worcester.

 

[M1911]

For what reason was it closed in the first place?

The rationale being used is that a person committed suicide on the range. But the real reason is that the Worcester politicians are anti-gun.

 

[BillK]

During the city hall meeting I was at in Worcester supporting the rights of the range, it looked to me all of the city officials seem to be pricks. They had the microphone on low I swear, I could not hear much from them being casted over the rooms speaker system.The constant whispers to the ears of city's officials from each other looked to me like a game of tag. It was sad to see that they had to say they needed to look into the subject more and research the state laws. You would have thought they would have done so in advance.

It was even sad to see they had more issues like parking areas and fences then this to take care of.

 

[joehaus]

To bad. That was the first place I shot on my own before I joined a range. It's hard to break into the shooting hobby if your on the outside like I was. At least there everyone(the public) had the opportunity to try it if they wanted.

 

[reks]

To bad. That was the first place I shot on my own before I joined a range. It's hard to break into the shooting hobby if your on the outside like I was. At least there everyone(the public) had the opportunity to try it if they wanted.

It's actually not that bad as most of the people who shoot are friendly and eager to get more people into the sport. But if you don't know anyone, don't happen to catch a open house flier for a local club, and don't know about these forums it sure can be tough. There's always driving up to manchester

 

[TonyDedo]

It's actually not that bad as most of the people who shoot are friendly and eager to get more people into the sport. But if you don't know anyone, don't happen to catch a open house flier for a local club, and don't know about these forums it sure can be tough. There's always driving up to manchester

I agree with joehaus. If someone doesn't have a gun or license and wants to try shooting, they'll find it's not an easy thing to do. There are only a handful of public ranges where a non licensed person can rent a gun, and this was one of the big ones. Now they either have to know someone who shoots, or find a private club with an open house (which don't do much, if any advertising outside the firearms community, so odds are they'll never know it existed).

I was never a fan of the Boston Gun Range - I felt they were really stringy and price gouged. But this sort of crap just infuriates me.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Now they either have to know someone who shoots, or find a private club with an open house (which don't do much, if any advertising outside the firearms community, so odds are they'll never know it existed).

I have to disagree!

When I got into shooting in 1976, I found names and phone numbers of gun clubs from local gun shops and phone books. I was told that most places have folks there on Sunday mornings, so I either called or dropped by on Sunday mornings, asked for and got a tour and application form (if I wanted to pursue it).

In 1998, with the advent of the Web, I went to GOAL's website and checked the clubs in the area and the facilities they had. After that I was again on the phone and/or paying visits.

It really is very easy, even without forums.

I've belonged to 1 or 2 gun clubs since 1976 and only one time did any of them have an "open house" (which I think is a great idea) . . . so if anyone feels compelled to wait for such an event, they may wait a lifetime in most of this area.

I don't see an issue with finding and joining clubs, even if you know nobody there. The BOD/officers will see to it that you get a "sponsor" if you are a half-decent human being.

 

[TonyDedo]

I have to disagree!

When I got into shooting in 1976, I found names and phone numbers of gun clubs from local gun shops and phone books. I was told that most places have folks there on Sunday mornings, so I either called or dropped by on Sunday mornings, asked for and got a tour and application form (if I wanted to pursue it).

In 1998, with the advent of the Web, I went to GOAL's website and checked the clubs in the area and the facilities they had. After that I was again on the phone and/or paying visits.

It really is very easy, even without forums.

I've belonged to 1 or 2 gun clubs since 1976 and only one time did any of them have an "open house" (which I think is a great idea) . . . so if anyone feels compelled to wait for such an event, they may wait a lifetime in most of this area.

I don't see an issue with finding and joining clubs, even if you know nobody there. The BOD/officers will see to it that you get a "sponsor" if you are a half-decent human being.

I'm not taking about joining a gun club (I agree that's easy), I'm talking about getting into shooting in the first place. An average citizen who doesn't have a license or own a gun can't walk up to HSC or the MRA on a given Sunday morning with a couple friends to ‘try out’ shooting to see if they like it. Even if they did (which is pretty intimidating) they may be lucky enough to run into some of the fine people on this board who’d offer to take them out to the range and let them shoot, but they’re just as likely to run into some a**hole who dissuades them entirely.

BGC, over priced as it may have been, offered a valuable service – a professional shortcut into the world of gun ownership, a way for the average person to dip in their toes without taking the plunge (which is expensive and time consuming). It was professional, easily accessible and a valuable asset for our community.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Tony, gotcha.

Never gave that a thought. Always wanted to shoot, therefore the only questions after getting the license was where and what. Better to try stuff than buy it, but I've only made a handful of mistakes along the way (buying guns I didn't like).

 

[TonyDedo]

Tony, gotcha.

Never gave that a thought. Always wanted to shoot, therefore the only questions after getting the license was where and what. Better to try stuff than buy it, but I've only made a handful of mistakes along the way (buying guns I didn't like).

It’s all about spreading the good word and recruiting people into the firearms community.

Guys like you in 1976 are easy; they’ll figure it out and do what it takes all on their own. Others will have family or friends to guide and influence them. But there are so many people out there who would become members of the community, who would become passionate gun owners, if only they were more exposed or had better access.

You tell someone, ‘You need to apply for a $100 license that will take 3 months to process, possibly by a hostile police department, need to cough up another $100 to take a class, pay $300 to join a club and spend $1000 for your first gun, ammo and accessories.” Then you tell them you need to do this in a society that’s frowned upon by the media and pop culture and governed by aggressive laws. In economics, we call that ‘barriers to entry.’

On the other hand, you tell someone that for $75 bucks they can go out with some friends after work to rent a gun and fire off a few rounds. Even the remotely curious will do it, just to have done it. At best, they catch the bug and join the community. At worst, they see firearms for what they really are, not what the movies and news makes them out to be, and maybe they’re more passionate to our cause. Either way, we win.

We should have an official “Take A Friend To The Range Day.”

 

[Kurtz]

The rationale being used is that a person committed suicide on the range. But the real reason is that the Worcester politicians are anti-gun.

So if the same person committed suicide inside a local Walmart would they close that down as well? This isn't the fault of the property owner no matter where it happened.

 

[M1911]

So if the same person committed suicide inside a local Walmart would they close that down as well? This isn't the fault of the property owner no matter where it happened.

You are preaching to the converted.

 

[dwarven1]

We should have an official “Take A Friend To The Range Day.”

Ooooh! [squeals like a little girl] I like this idea!

First, we gotta get GOAL on board, and have them spread the word in The Outdoor Message. Then, we gotta let the clubs know, so that clueless clubs like Boston (which, IIRC, only allows guests to shoot IF they have an LTC already) can arrange to make sure that they are ready. And last, we need to put signs up in all the gun/outdoor stores.

I like it. Since Massachusetts Masonic Lodges started holding statewide open houses, we've gotten a LOT of members that way. Mass gun owners might just benefit from the same sort of thing.

Maybe something like the third Saturday in October - that way, it's always on a weekend. Sort of like National Ride to Work day is always the third Wednesday in July.