I am a resident of Boston and I am planning on applying for my LTC-A. Boston requires applicants to be a member of a gun club. I am thinking of joining Massachusetts Rifle Association but I was wondering what other options are out there. I don't know any gun owners in the area so I need clubs that don't require a reference from a member or anything like that. Can anyone suggest any clubs within a reasonable driving distance from Boston?
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Club in the Boston area
- Thread starter e2d
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BR&P will NOT turn you away because you don't know folks that are members.
Just give 3 references of people you know, regardless of where they are or what club (if any) they belong to.
After you join, come to the members meeting the following Monday night and introduce yourself to me (most folks present can point me out).![[wink]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/002.gif "Wink [wink]")
Just give 3 references of people you know, regardless of where they are or what club (if any) they belong to.
After you join, come to the members meeting the following Monday night and introduce yourself to me (most folks present can point me out).
Boston Gun and Rifle Association, Fields Corner Dorchester. Fifty foot indoor range that allows you to draw from a holster. This club is rather expensive to join (I'm not sure of the exact cost) but the initial cost includes training for your LTC. I was a member for several years, but let my membership lapse as traffic made the drive a nightmare.
Most clubs ask for references on their applications. In almost every case it's nothing more than a formality. In a lot of cases, the people who take the application and have known you for close to 15 seconds by now will be happy to sign for you.
Ken
Ken
It seems that the "May Issue" part of the law allows them to do whatever they want. The most ridiculous thing about applying in Boston is the marksmanship test requirement. All for an LTC restricted to "Target/Sport".
No, the local PD MUST within a certain period of time (45 days IIRC) either approve or deny you. The law specifies what the applicant must provide. The membership in a "Bona fide" gun club and range test are bogus BS but require someone with the money and endurance to hire a lawyer and fight it.
![[angry]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/008.gif "Angry [angry]")
Ummm, I only used the word once, and I'm pretty sure I used it correctly.
{Your quote seems familiar but I don't remember it's origin.}
MaverickNH
NES Member
I work just a few miles up the road and could catch the T down.
Is this the sort of place that you can come to any time day/night and shoot on an open lane? Or can you only fire on schedule like Bullseye with an RO?
I haven't been there in years but I believe the club is open until eleven or midnight. During the morning and afternoon on weekdays the range is sometimes rented out to LE. This is definitely a range you would want to use at night. No schedule, no RO necessary. I forgot to mention that they specialize in coaching you through your LTC application and have guns for members to use for practice.
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BRGA is a commercial business, not a "club" in the traditional sense. The olast I heard, they didn't require someone on the range supervising members using the facility, however, it is not 24x7 self serve.
MaverickNH
NES Member
As mentioned before, it's a bit expensive, but shooting in Boston is a rare thing indeed. MIT still has a range but it isn't open to the public, last I checked.
I'm not too familar with the area, but Dorchester seems to be a rather high crime area (6 homicides just a bit West http://www.boston.com/news/globe/city_region/2007_homicides/). My instincts tell me not to be seen walking out of a gun range at night and into the nearby T stop.
I'd be carrying whatever gun I was shooting concealed and leave eyes, ears and ammo in a rented locker there, so wouldn't have a range bag with gun and ammo over my shoulder. But it seems tempting for some group of punks to hang across the street and trail someone leaving the range with the notion of a grab-and-run theft.
Maybe I'll have to do a viist and check parking nearby. If available, I could always pop out for an hour during the day and drive down, as they are just 3mi south of my workplace.
I'm not too familar with the area, but Dorchester seems to be a rather high crime area (6 homicides just a bit West http://www.boston.com/news/globe/city_region/2007_homicides/). My instincts tell me not to be seen walking out of a gun range at night and into the nearby T stop.
I'd be carrying whatever gun I was shooting concealed and leave eyes, ears and ammo in a rented locker there, so wouldn't have a range bag with gun and ammo over my shoulder. But it seems tempting for some group of punks to hang across the street and trail someone leaving the range with the notion of a grab-and-run theft.
Maybe I'll have to do a viist and check parking nearby. If available, I could always pop out for an hour during the day and drive down, as they are just 3mi south of my workplace.
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There was a shooting there within the past 1-2 years, as the MBTA property is adjacent to the range/club/shop.
It's at Fields Corner. I haven't been by there in many years, but it's not an area that I'd want to hang around.
Parking should be investigated as well, since Boston is infamous for "if you don't live in THIS neighborhood, you can't park here" signage. A number of years ago I parked at a meter down the street from the State House on a Sunday and found a parking ticket when I got back (since I don't have a "Bacon Hill" parking sticker)!!
Personally I'd travel to Braintree R&P or North to the clubs up there before considering anything in that area of Boston. YMMV
P.S. It is only smart to be armed entering and leaving ANY gun club anywhere, since perps have wheels (or steal them) they might decide to go to where the guns are to pick up their next pieces!![[thinking]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/010.gif "Thinking [thinking]")
It's at Fields Corner. I haven't been by there in many years, but it's not an area that I'd want to hang around.
Parking should be investigated as well, since Boston is infamous for "if you don't live in THIS neighborhood, you can't park here" signage. A number of years ago I parked at a meter down the street from the State House on a Sunday and found a parking ticket when I got back (since I don't have a "Bacon Hill" parking sticker)!!
Personally I'd travel to Braintree R&P or North to the clubs up there before considering anything in that area of Boston. YMMV
P.S. It is only smart to be armed entering and leaving ANY gun club anywhere, since perps have wheels (or steal them) they might decide to go to where the guns are to pick up their next pieces!
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Come down to Holbrook. I like the club there. They have the only EPA approved Trap range in the Commonwealth AFAIK. They are a solid bunch.
As far as Fields Corner I think it is less dangerous than Randolph. Seriously. I do not believe that there is any residential street parking on Dot Ave. The purpose of the resident parking sticker is preserve free parking for individuals residing in the area during the working hours of the weekday. There are meters, which are free after 6PM, too. Beacon street for the most part alternates between meters and residential parking.
There are perpendicular streets which have meters, but no parking is allowed during the weekdays from the hours of 8AM to 6PM AFAIK. You can only park at those meters AFTER 6PM. Isn't it wonderful?
I would also say to read the darn instructions on the meters! Your story does not sound right to me because you said that you were parked at a meter on Beacon Street. I do no think there are any res. parking only meters on Beacon St; I have never heard of such a thing. If you parked at a meter on a Sunday then you should have been ok. Most likely it would have been a free meter as it was Sunday, too. I would like to know more about this.
thanks
bill
No, the local PD MUST within a certain period of time (45 days IIRC) either approve or deny you. The law specifies what the applicant must provide. The membership in a "Bona fide" gun club and range test are bogus BS but require someone with the money and endurance to hire a lawyer and fight it.
No, you are mistaken. While it is true the local police have 40 days to act on your FID or LTC application, there is no penalty provided if they don't make that deadline.
Many people on this forum have had to wait as long as 120 plus days before they got a (favorable) decision on their LTC renewals.
Be careful when you try to quote MA gun laws, as it isn't very helpful to newbies if you, even accidentally. misstate the law.
Darius Arbabi
www.massgunlaw.com
Sunday after 6PM, that area just down the street from the State House is posted "resident parking only". We got back to the car ~8PM to find a ticket. I'm not used to seeing parking metered areas revert to "resident parking only", so never thought to read all the signs. My bad!
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Fields Corner, Dorchester is a high crime area. BGRA is a business, as formerly mentioned and it is also the home of Alpha Security. There is someone on duty, watching the door 24/7. Its not as bad as you might think, but I would always have a loaded pistol ready. BTW the door is completely unmarked, there is no indication that there is a range on the other side. I think the locals are well aware of the fact, though.
And with the 90 day grace period, it gives the PD even more time to drag their feet on issuing licenses. A law that has no penalty for breaking it, is a farce..like most of Ma. gun laws.
![[rolleyes]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/042.gif "Roll Eyes [rolleyes]")
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Kar98 Sniper
Banned
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Braintree R&P Club has no work requirements, no conditional membership, no minimum meetings to attend except the first one to learn the range rules and pick up your badge/keycard. Pay your yearly dues and a small initiation and you are shooting that day with unlimited membership. They are open 24/7/365 with 2 indoor ranges. 1 33-50 foot, 1 33-75 foot. Outdoor rifle range 50-100 yard and outdoor pistol 7,15,25,50 yard are open daily from 10am-sunset.
mike
mike
I will of course defer to your deeper knowledge of the subject.
![[bow]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/027.gif "Bow [bow]")
I was simply reading the law as written and taking it at its face value. Always a dangerous proposition in this state.
![[frown]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/003.gif "Frown [frown]")
Very sorry if I misspoke and confused or inadvertently misled anyone.
Michael.
Do they have a website? The one that popped up with Google does not appear to the proper one.
I am a BGRA member and as much as I would like to stay with this club, it's just too much of a hassle with parking to stay with them. Also, it's a pain to take time off from work in order to go in to get a my picture taken for the clud ID (that is, provided I can find parking of course
. )
