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Charging LEOs to use Club Range
- Thread starter Knob Creek
- Start date
How do your members feel about the range being closed for the day.
One week turned into 7 at a club I belong to and it sucks.
Call Sig see what they get to have a group rent a range for a day.
I watched Amherst PD show up and start f***ing around with full auto at Franklin County Sportsman’s when I was a member.
They were a mess and clearly shooting over the berm. Not wanting to be around it I packed up my gear to leave, and stopped in the clubhouse on the way out to wash my hands.
On my way out of the clubhouse the phone on the desk rang, which was odd. Nobody would have any reason to call that phone or expect anyone to pick it up at that time, but I did pick it up, and they did have a reason. It was some guy from the company working on the power lines that ran behind the riffle range. Seems one of his guys up on a tower called him because rounds were whistling by his head and could I do something about it. “Holy Shit! Yeah, right away…”
Get outside just in time to see Amherst’s keystone cops bugging out, kicking up an enormous cloud of dust as they tore down the drive.
Shut down the range, went and found the linemen to sort things out. The guy on the tower being shot at was remarkably calm about it but was more than clear about how close they had come to hitting him.
Bunch of children.
You can see the tower the guy was on beyond the cutout for the 200yd range:
fencer
NES Member
Potentially. I think a lot depends on the town. The Lakeville PD is pretty gun friendly and a small department. Weymouth PD is just the opposite.
Because safe ranges, with modern ventilation systems are expensive to build, maintain and operate, and the ROI for very little use would honestly be a huge waste of tax payer money.What I don't get is with all the State Property out there, why don't they have their own shooting ranges (or two) in each county? Seems like a no-brainer...
Probably don't want lead-contamination issues. Let the clubs worry about that...
Yeah, Some years ago, a guy built a house way down range of Ames in Easton. He claimed his house was hit (probably bullshit) and the club was shut down and they had to spend a lot to make the ranges "no blue sky ranges." When they re-opened, the guy claimed that a piece of equipment like a bulldozer or something on his property was shot up.
The cops told him to cut the shit and he was threatened with charges. At least, that's the story I was told. I was also told the guy was a builder or something and when the leaves were off the trees, the sound carried and was effecting his ability to sell or something.
So, I am conflicted about this issue, but think that the answer lies somewhere in the middle. I think we all agree that if a cop is going to be carrying a gun, he should have as much training as possible. Even small departments in Mass have rifles in the vehicles. I for one would prefer that the first time a guy fired one was not the day that he is responding to an active shooter call at my kids school or the local Market Basket.
As the saying goes, "Your club, your rules." I think it is reasonable to charge them a fee that is equal to the cost of the annual membership fee for each officer, and then a fee if they need to use the entire facility and members can't use the range. So as an example, 20 Cop memberships at $150 per year =$3k and maybe $500 -$1000 to shut down the range for their private use, for the hours you stipulate. Make sure they know that they will be responsible for any damage and janitorial services required as a result of their use.
Yeah, yeah... I know. f*** the police and all that, but really, the cops are going to shoot somewhere, and as a society we all benefit from them being as well trained as possible. Make them buy a membership and maybe some of them will actually practice and train.
Personally, I wouldn't be able to resist the urge to f*** with them. Like putting post it notes all over the place when they had range days that said stuff like.. "Did you know that magazines that hold more than 10 rounds in Mass are perfectly legal if manufactured before Sept. 1994?" and " Did you know that observing a holstered firearm is not probable cause for a search?" and " The average donut is about 500 calories" or " A car leaves Springfield traveling west at 65 mph on Pike. How long to get to the nearest Dunkin?"... I wouldn't be able to help myself.
The thing that bothers me most about that incident, is that if they had hit that guy, I was the only non-cop there shooting.
How much you want to bet that the coroner would have determined that it was the caliber I was shooting and unfortunately they couldn’t recover the bullet.
How much you want to bet that the coroner would have determined that it was the caliber I was shooting and unfortunately they couldn’t recover the bullet.
As we speak . . .
Milford police will conduct annual firearms training four nights this week
Daily News StaffMon, November 14, 2022 at 8:43 AM·1 min read
MILFORD — The Police Department advises residents that police will be conducting their annual nighttime firearms training over four nights this week.
In a press release, police said training will take place from 4-10 p.m. on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the Milford Police Department firearms range on Cedar Street (Route 85).
Police said that although this training may be inconvenient for some residents, it's an important — and mandatory — piece of training that all officers must attend to ensure they are well trainied and prepared to serve the community.
Those with questions are asked to contact Sgt. Michael Mastroianni at 508-473-1113.
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Since when did the Commonwealth of Massachusetts care about wasting taxpayer money???
![[rofl]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/013.gif "ROFL [rofl]")
My guess is they like being able to have unfettered access to Gun Clubs...
The closer your sight is to the target, the less you have to aim. Duh.
I don't think it is as much the training as the type of training. PD training is more than likely not punching paper at 30 to 50 ft. Practicing moving while shooting etc. This is probably outside the capabilities and rules of many ranges. Moving while shooting is going to impact accuracy.
Mesatchornug
NES Member
For reference, the MA Std Qual:
Since when did the Commonwealth of Massachusetts care about wasting taxpayer money???
My guess is they like being able to have unfettered access to Gun Clubs...
This. They want to have the facilities, but not be bothered with all the overhead and maintenance.
Holy shit. A2 uppers with gooseneck-mounted Aimpoints. That's HS/LD right there...in 1995.I’m a member at Cape Ann sportsman’s club in Gloucester and the club allows the police to use the outdoor ranges 3-4 times per year. No idea if they charge them a fee. I doubt they do. It’s always during the week so it’s not a huge deal.
It’s closed to members when they’re there so I can’t comment on their trigger discipline or shooting abilities
They posted photos on their FB page last month.
I will say they don’t trash the range and they usually leave behind buckets of brass. Which I may or may not pick through
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In God We Trust
NES Member
Police departments don’t have that kind of money. If they did, every department in the state would have their own range. The towns would never earmark that kind of money.
Most of the crap police departments have is from federal grants like the bear cats and stuff.
Edit: I’m not saying that some cops can’t shoot, but in my experience that is the exception. I’m calling bullshit on some of the stories here making it sound like the cops are spraying full auto at each other and taking turns sticking their dicks down the barrel.
If a BearCat is crap, I'm happy to dispose of their crap for them.
I don't think anyone implied they were taking turns...
In God We Trust
NES Member
I used to get seriously annoyed when they issued us all these new toys nobody wanted. Robocop armor, fancy earpieces for the radios, etc. now I have more shit to carry around on duty or find a place in my already stuffed locker for it. Most guys don’t want more crap to lug around and be accountable for
Good on you for not being excited to try out new toys on your neighbors. Stay safe
Yeah, I get that. It's why I said they could get in their car and go use the nearest police range. MSP has facilities, I know. Police academies, presumably, have ranges. Or they can go ahead and join the clubs and contribute.
Or? Hell, just clean up after themselves. I didn't pile on because there are so many other similar stories, but they use my club's range too (though the department pays something) and they leave a huge mess when they do.
mikelawtown
NES Member
Andover Sportsmans club does that sometimes for like 4-5 days at a time, I mean I don’t mind a couple of days but it gets out of hand
Boghog1
NES Member
"Only ones professional enough"
YIKES!!!!!Truth!
Now that I no longer live in MA, I can tell the story.
A man was shooting a pistol at Massapoag Sportsmen's Club and had a skip-shot that struck a person taking a cigarette break at Crescent Ridge Farm (police estimate was 1/2 mile away), striking her in the arm and the spent bullet just fell to the ground. Sharon PD was called and found the shooter, confiscated the gun, MSP ballistics proved that the bullet came from his gun, etc.
The chief ordered the Lt. to shut down Sharon F&G Club outdoor range (which wasn't involved and >1 mile away). It took a lawyer, $14K in baffles and >6 months to get the selectmen to okay opening the outdoor range again. Sharon F&G was where SPD and a handful of other PDs qualified each year at no cost to them. I attended the selectmen's meeting after the club was shut down and I also had some words with one of the selectmen about it (he was and still is an a-hole attorney).
Subsequently and on advice of counsel, SF&G demanded a $1Million insurance policy naming the club before allowing any outside agency to use the facilities. SPD refused and only Boston College Police provided the required policy.
The Sharon PD chief begged me to bring to the BOD his plea to use the range as they were having to pay OT and travel to Raynham to qualify officers. I was legislative chairman of that club for 14 yrs and thus a BOD member. I told the chief that I would put it on the agenda but wouldn't support it. It failed and SPD was not allowed to use the facilities.
I know that after I quit the club in 2000, at some point they again allowed SPD to use the facilities. That same chief ordered an officer to shutdown Wednesday evening skeet/trap shooting one Summer night ~6:30PM after a Karen called to complain about the noise (this was within the past 10 yrs). SF&G was incorporated in the 1930s and I personally know that Wednesday night skeet/trap has been going on there since at least the 1970s . . . and I heard this particular incident on the police scanner directly.
At Sharon F&G, members were forbidden from going up to the outdoor ranges when the police were shooting. I think it was for our own personal safety to avoid being "accidentally" shot.
Yes, read the post here somewhere about the lawsuit against a harassing neighbor of Londonderry F&G. Litchfield Police (and maybe Londonderry Police as well, the property is in both towns) investigated the neighbor complaints and concluded that none of the alleged incidents came from LF&G ranges. But NH is a very different state and culture!
![[thinking]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/010.gif "Thinking [thinking]")
BlackwaterFence
NES Member
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My experience is that they tie up the range and I can’t use it when I want to.
fencer
NES Member
Everyone should take a look at this.
I'd be willing to bet that half of NES wouldn't pass.
I was disappointed that there wasn't a stage that started.. "With pistol holstered, shooter holds a medium coffee in one hand and a chocolate frosted donut in the other.
When buzzer sounds, shooter transitions coffee and donut to non dominant hand. Shooter draws pistol and moves to 5 yard line. Shooter then fires at medium dog silhouette. 10 rounds, number of hits required 1."
Mesatchornug
NES Member
I think that's one of the "distraction techniques."
D
Deleted member 12999
You are correct. As a guy that ran that qual more than I care to remember… the average shooter would struggle if held to those exact standards using a level 3 holster and duty belt setup. That’s why almost no one uses the time standards they set. 90% of cops would fail
Edit: looks like they removed a lot of the time standards since I hung it up
