Falmouth, ME Gun club shut down by 3 abutters

[Gaffer]

There are individuals that are worse then the anti–gun zealots that pervade our liberal media and stalk our Constitutional guaranteed freedom with their daily letters to the editor.

Those who are worse are those who outwardly maintain a pro-gun demeanor and words but act in the cover of darkness to thwart gun clubs and pro-gun groups actions to make our chosen avocation a dying sport. Many even belong to such clubs.

Take for instance a gun club member who is an abutter to the club property and even though he professes to support firearms and shooting sports; they then choose to file complaints with the local police in attempts to close the range down.

In fact these vindictive actions create just what he had hoped and it stops many gun loving sportsmen from practicing their sport and enjoying their hobbies. This type of person is in my opinion worse than those anti-gun people who at least are open and honest about their anti-gun opinions. Those who are traitors to our love of guns are the Benedict Arnold of our gun world.

Such actions are lower than low. They are treacherous and treasonous because they talk the talk but do not walk the walk. They either are liars or hypocrites at the least and traitors and betrayers at the most. They are not to be trusted and should be ostracized and not allowed to belong to any gun club or such organization.

I can understand an abutter who owns property he would like to subdivide and create a home subdivision on having animosity because his plans are jeopardized by the gun club and its inherent noise. That in his case is money lost or at least in jeopardy because many potential home owners would not want to live near such a perceived nuisance. That I can accept because their actions are clear and understandable.

However those who chose to be devious and try to hurt what they profess to support are in my estimation the scum of the earth. They should be avoided at all cost, never again acknowledged as being alive and not recognized at any event that has as its participants those sportspeople who they so tried to sabotage. That is my opinion and hopefully the opinion of all good and honest gun owners and gun sport participants.

As sportspeople we have been vilified, depicted as knuckle dragging Neanderthals and baby killers. It is time to stop this and stand up to one of our own who has chosen to betray us to gain some hidden advantage. May he burn in hell forever and ever!

Note: The club has closed all ranges until the police do a walk though and determine what needs to be done to meet their range safety standards. In the mean time we shooters have fewer places to enjoy our sport. Hopefully this will be soon resolved but don't hold your breath.

 

[davemata]

Let's definitely not look at it from the standpoint of an asset owner attempting to protect an investment, or otherwise sell for profit...

 

[Lamina]

Let's definitely not look at it from the standpoint of an asset owner attempting to protect an investment, or otherwise sell for profit...

what was there first... gun club or the homes around it.

that's all I need to know.

also, this would all be a non issue if we didn't have such a backasswards method of regulating suppressors.

 

[davemata]

what was there first... gun club or the homes around it.

that's all I need to know.

also, this would all be a non issue if we didn't have such a backasswards method of regulating suppressors.

Chicken and egg notwithstanding, I'm not going to let much get in my way of maximizing profit on an investment. So, I can understand the actions, IF the dude is selling. Otherwise it sounds like three things:
- He's a super dick, and should be physically beaten out of the club.
- He's a super dick, disagreed with a BoD decision, and decided to screw everyone's day.
- He's a moron, and felt some needed safety upgrades were being ignored, and didn't think letting the members vote on it was appropriate (super-dick)

Without knowing the other side, I don't know if he has a legit reason to do that, but it sounds suspect as all hell.

 

[Madball13]

Chicken and egg notwithstanding, I'm not going to let much get in my way of maximizing profit on an investment. So, I can understand the actions, IF the dude is selling. Otherwise it sounds like three things:
- He's a super dick, and should be physically beaten out of the club.
- He's a super dick, disagreed with a BoD decision, and decided to screw everyone's day.
- He's a moron, and felt some needed safety upgrades were being ignored, and didn't think letting the members vote on it was appropriate (super-dick)

Without knowing the other side, I don't know if he has a legit reason to do that, but it sounds suspect as all hell.

Irregardless if the dude was selling he should have done the proper due diligence prior to purchasing his property.

So your saying the rights of one property owner outweighs the rights of another because of intent?

 

[bullseye]

The police are experts because the sheeple run to them when the flock is scared. Didn't you know that because the police carry a gun, they know everything about firearms.
I belong to a range in CT where on the other side of the hill from its location, a development went in, the developer then advertised, in arrangement with the club, that a lifetime membership to the club was included with the sale of the home and when potential buyers came to look, he made sure they knew all about the club. He sold the 18 homes within 9 months and we gained a dozen new members.
My retirement location is going to be in South Carolina and on a piece of property that has a minimum of 20 acres in an area that abuts state land. I will contract a dozer to make berms and invite the neighbors over for a shoot and barbecue
As far as that traitor goes, doesn't the range need a new bulletcatcher for all that lead going downrange?!!.

 

[KMaurer]

Yeah, it would certainly help me to maximize my profits if I could get the government to restrict, tax and otherwise interfere with anybody who might have the never to try competing with me, or use (or continue using) their private property in some way that might limit my options (e.g., continue standing so that their face is where I wanted to swing my fist).

Ken

 

[Len-2A Training]

I can't find the link now that I'm looking for it to post here, but I did read another site that stated that their targets (clays?) were falling onto an abutter's property. If that is indeed the case, there is a legitimate concern.

However, a prior club of mine had that problem (shot falling on his driveway). He contacted the club and they investigated, found it to be true and moved the skeet field to make the problem go away. No police involvement and the club and neighbor were both satisfied with the cooperation and result.

 

[davemata]

Irregardless if the dude was selling he should have done the proper due diligence prior to purchasing his property.

So your saying the rights of one property owner outweighs the rights of another because of intent?

In case I wasn't clear - dude is a dick.

I'm saying his right to seek profit shouldn't be infringed as long as he works within the stricture of existing law.

AND... we only have a small portion of the story.

 

[BigMike]

If the range was there first, and not causing damage to another's property, there is little debate to me.

 

[Woodstock]

Same thing at our club about 25 years ago. A club member bought the property next door, was an active member and officer of the club for years, then got mad about something and tried to shut us down. We got stuck with a court order that restricts when and by whom our outdoor pistol range can be used.
The courts are useless and stupidly expensive. If the Maine range is going to be shut down so that the neighbor can build houses, they should build a giant billboard on his side of the property and decorate it with huge displays of the most obscene, offensive, pornographic poetry and art they can find in published literature. Then defend it as ART under the first amendment. See how the home sales go.

 

[davemata]

The courts are useless and stupidly expensive. If the Maine range is going to be shut down so that the neighbor can build houses, they should build a giant billboard on his side of the property and decorate it with huge displays of the most obscene, offensive, pornographic poetry and art they can find in published literature. Then defend it as ART under the first amendment. See how the home sales go.

This would be hilarious and awesome all at the same time.

 

[Gaffer]

Some more info for those interested. The abutter who has property to sell inherited it. Offered to sell to the club years ago at an exorbitant price. The club has been there long before most of the abutters. And yes, the trap range will not be able to open as some shot was falling on an abutters property. The club proposes to buy a buffer zone if the price is fair, if not then the trap range will be gone. The intent of my writing this article was not the abutter who wishes to sell but rather the abutter who is a club member and is trying to destroy it. That is much worse IMHO than a guy trying to make a buck. For years the neighbors have existed with the club w/o complaints, but now it is a different story.

 

[M1911]

If you can't purchase the buffer property for a reasonable price, consider a shot curtain. Standish has one: http://www.standishsportsmans.com/trap.html

 

[seanc]

Same thing at our club about 25 years ago. A club member bought the property next door, was an active member and officer of the club for years, then got mad about something and tried to shut us down. We got stuck with a court order that restricts when and by whom our outdoor pistol range can be used.
The courts are useless and stupidly expensive. If the Maine range is going to be shut down so that the neighbor can build houses, they should build a giant billboard on his side of the property and decorate it with huge displays of the most obscene, offensive, pornographic poetry and art they can find in published literature. Then defend it as ART under the first amendment. See how the home sales go.

Or how about a year round nudist camp/ retreat for recovering pedophiles?
And be sure to put a few directional signs on phone poles near the abutters, You'd hate for them to get lost on the way there.. "if your a pedophile and in front of this guy's house.. you just missed the retreat, please don't cut through his yard to get here."

 

[Gaffer]

M1911: Do you have any idea what the cost is for such a curtain system? The poles and cables would be several thousand and probably that much again to install. The curtains themselves, I am sure are not cheap but as I've told the club that is the price you pay to continue to shoot trap.

 

[M1911]

M1911: Do you have any idea what the cost is for such a curtain system? The poles and cables would be several thousand and probably that much again to install. The curtains themselves, I am sure are not cheap but as I've told the club that is the price you pay to continue to shoot trap.

No, I don't know how much. I would guess a fair bit. Unfortunately, many clubs are near wetlands, and if your shotfall area is in or near wetlands you have other, thornier issues as well. Also, you'll need to find out how long the fabric lasts. Why don't you contact the folks at Standish?

That said, I bet it is cheaper than real estate.

 

[Bill Nance]

How could we possibly form an opinion based on the information presented by the OP?

You haven't even really explained the situation. You've just basically ranted saying the owner of abutting property is a jerk.

He may be, and what he's doing may be really wrong. But there isn't enough info in the OP to make any kind of judgment other than a knee-jerk "Gun-clubs are never wrong" sort.

 

[Gaffer]

Bill Nance: I never said that gun clubs are never wrong. In fact they often are as we all know that not everyone is perfect and we all have flaws. That said I am positive that this club is trying to do the right thing by closing down until they are advised what to do to make it safe. The point I was trying to make and rather poorly I guess is that sometimes the enemy of 2nd Amendment is not the antis but one of our own. One of these abutters who is a club member has been a club officer, worked at silhouette matches and other club events but now seems to be going out of his way to destroy the club instead of working within the system. That is vindictive and hurts the club, its members and gun ownership in general. You only need to look at the state of gun ownership in Mass. to see what happens when we stop pulling together and instead all go in a different directions. The result not good for the sport or its members.