Goodbye, Mass Rifle Association

[Martlet]

Today was the straw that broke the camel's back. I don't get a ton of range time, particularly during hunting season.

I've been a member for quite some time, and I STILL can't use the rifle ranges. They only do qualifications on Sunday mornings, and that usually just doesn't work for me. The several times I HAVE shown up at the required time, they couldn't do qualifications.

Today I showed up to shoot at Loeb range. 10 minutes after setting up I got kicked off the range for a match. A match on the only indoor range most people can use? On a Sunday afternoon? Screw that. I even checked the website before I left and saw nothing visibly posted.

So, anyone have other range suggestions, I'm all ears.

 

[FalArAk]

HSC,I'll sponsor you.

You just have to qualify for the 200-300..No power tripping range officers to bother you.

 

[Martlet]

HSC,I'll sponsor you.

You just have to qualify for the 200-300..No power tripping range officers to bother you.

What is HSC? I'm looking for something on the North Shore. I may check out North Andover.

I don't mind qualifying, providing it's fairly convenient. I do it every year for my current employer.

It's too bad, really. MRA has a great set-up. I'm just unable to use it.

 

[FalArAk]

Harvard at the intersection of 495 and rt 2..it would be a little haul for you.

You basically shoot a group at 100 yds,bring the target to the 2-300 yd range.The guy in charge of the 2-300 checks your group and you do the same thing at 200 yds.If you are on target, you get a sticker on the back of your membership card.

After you are qualified you can go to the range anytime you want..i think they close it down for 2 days a year when the cowboy shooters ride horses and shoot at the targets on that range.

 

[JES Consulting]

Martlet.


I am with you 100%. MRA is rolling down the hill. I have been a member since beginning of 2003 and can see how much it changed since that. It was a GREAT club, not anymore.

We had about 900 members back than, now it is over 2000. I was told that by one of the Directors there.

They will take anyone off the street with $125 bucks. No sponsorship required, no NRA membership, no GOAL membership, not even FID or LTC at all.

As a result we have overcrowded ranges, dirt and garbage all over, broken everything.

Just for an example there is no heat in LOEB range for last two weeks.

Safety violation on all ranges, one member bringing six guests, and teaches them how to shoot. I can go on and on.

This is what happens when main goal for Board of Directors is to make as much money as possible and turn a private gun club into a money making machine.

I am not going to renew for next year, so I am looking for new home for my hobby as well.

The really sad think is that something bad is going to happen, and club will be shut down. It will put a big smile on a lot of anti-gun faces, and probably make a headline in Boston Globe. I can see it right on the top page "The oldest active gun club in America finally shut down".

Again,very sad.

 

[MikeD]

Today was the straw that broke the camel's back. I don't get a ton of range time, particularly during hunting season.

I've been a member for quite some time, and I STILL can't use the rifle ranges. They only do qualifications on Sunday mornings, and that usually just doesn't work for me. The several times I HAVE shown up at the required time, they couldn't do qualifications.

Today I showed up to shoot at Loeb range. 10 minutes after setting up I got kicked off the range for a match. A match on the only indoor range most people can use? On a Sunday afternoon? Screw that. I even checked the website before I left and saw nothing visibly posted.

So, anyone have other range suggestions, I'm all ears.

+1

When I joined 2 years ago I qualified on all the ranges except for the McLaughlin range which is only a 50yd outdoor range and was not operating at the time. I have asked and have yet to hear a reasonable explanation why this range is any different from the other outdoor ranges that I'm qualified to use. If it wasn't for the fact that one can use pistol and rifle at the indoor range,I would drop my membership at MRA

 

[asilva]

I'm glad I saw this post, I was thinking about joing MRA.

 

[z0mbi]

This is pretty disheartening. I was going to join the MRA as well, now I don't know if I want to join a club with a buttload of drama. It's right down the street from me, too.

 

[hminsky]

I stopped going to MRA as well. They are just located in the wrong place for a rifle range. One wrong shot and you are going to hit someone on Rt 128. With that kind of liability, they can't really afford to let many people use their rifle range.

 

[z0mbi]

I stopped going to MRA as well. They are just located in the wrong place for a rifle range. One wrong shot and you are going to hit someone on Rt 128. With that kind of liability, they can't really afford to let many people use their rifle range.

More like route 128 located itself in the wrong place, downrange of a rifle range.

 

[JES Consulting]

More like route 128 located itself in the wrong place, downrange of a rifle range.

z0mbi is right. MRA Club was there first.

 

[JackO]

I agree 100% with Arbella's observations and conclusions. MRA is going down the hill real fast: facilities badly maintained (wrong, not badly, REAL BADLY!), overcrowded, etc. But that's not the main problem. The main problem is the attitude of the Board of directors. Everything what's happening is IMHO the result of bad management. I see one of the best clubs around turning to be one of the worst in less than 2 years. And I do have something to compare to. I belong to 3 clubs myself and regularly shoot at at least a dozen other clubs on the North and South Shore.

I'm afraid if nothing changes at MRA, I'm not renewing my membership and so will do at least a half dozen of my friends I talked to.

 

[Martlet]

I agree 100% with Arbella's observations and conclusions. MRA is going down the hill real fast: facilities badly maintained (wrong, not badly, REAL BADLY!), overcrowded, etc. But that's not the main problem. The main problem is the attitude of the Board of directors. Everything what's happening is IMHO the result of bad management. I see one of the best clubs around turning to be one of the worst in less than 2 years. And I do have something to compare to. I belong to 3 clubs myself and regularly shoot at at least a dozen other clubs on the North and South Shore.

I'm afraid if nothing changes at MRA, I'm not renewing my membership and so will do at least a half dozen of my friends I talked to.

It's sad. They are great facilities, and when I first started going there it was primarily serious sportsmen and gun enthusiasts. Now I see people performing some acts that I don't feel comfortable around.

Today, after I got tossed off the range, I walked into the viewing room to put my things away. People weren't as careful with muzzle control as I'm accustomed to, and someone was sitting on my gun case (which was on a table) and leaning on my range bag. He seemed upset when I asked him to move.

I'd rather pay more for a club I can use, and associate with like-minded people, than what I have now. It's just not very user friendly anymore.

 

[Massman]

Today was the straw that broke the camel's back. I don't get a ton of range time, particularly during hunting season.

I've been a member for quite some time, and I STILL can't use the rifle ranges. They only do qualifications on Sunday mornings, and that usually just doesn't work for me. The several times I HAVE shown up at the required time, they couldn't do qualifications.

Today I showed up to shoot at Loeb range. 10 minutes after setting up I got kicked off the range for a match. A match on the only indoor range most people can use? On a Sunday afternoon? Screw that. I even checked the website before I left and saw nothing visibly posted.

So, anyone have other range suggestions, I'm all ears.

Actually, to set the record straight, Marlett was told before he entered the range that there was a match on the Loeb range, and that range personnel were going to set up the match. And yes, unfortunatley the schedule had not been posted. It will be posted in the next couple of days. MRA is an active club with many activities, all of which are done by Volunteers, including the total operations of the club.

 

[Massman]

I agree 100% with Arbella's observations and conclusions. MRA is going down the hill real fast: facilities badly maintained (wrong, not badly, REAL BADLY!), overcrowded, etc. But that's not the main problem. The main problem is the attitude of the Board of directors. Everything what's happening is IMHO the result of bad management. I see one of the best clubs around turning to be one of the worst in less than 2 years. And I do have something to compare to. I belong to 3 clubs myself and regularly shoot at at least a dozen other clubs on the North and South Shore.

I'm afraid if nothing changes at MRA, I'm not renewing my membership and so will do at least a half dozen of my friends I talked to.

Interesting. MRA has spent over 300K in capital improvements in the past 3 years. The list is too long to go into here. The Loeb range (indoor 25 yard range) continues to be improved with a new target retrieval system being installed in the next month. The heat issue is new and will be fixed this week. The board of directors at the MRA is all volunteer. People who have families, full time jobs, ect. It is not a for profit organization. The board of directors is elected every year at the annual dinner. The annual dinner is open to all 1500 members. The last annual dinner and elections was in October, less than 100 members showed up. See a trend.

 

[Martlet]

Actually, to set the record straight, Marlett was told before he entered the range that there was a match on the Loeb range, and that range personnel were going to set up the match. And yes, unfortunatley the schedule had not been posted. It will be posted in the next couple of days. MRA is an active club with many activities, all of which are done by Volunteers, including the total operations of the club.

How was the record not straight? 10 minutes after setting up, and quickly firing three shots, I was kicked off the range. The schedule was not posted. There was no way of knowing there was a match until you plan your shooting time, drive all the way to MRA, then walk into Loeb range.

I'm glad that the handful of people (all paying members of the club, I assume) had a blast. However, for the rest of us, having the most popular range tied up on a Sunday afternoon with zero notice was a pretty crappy thing to do.

 

[Martlet]

Interesting. MRA has spent over 300K in capital improvements in the past 3 years. The list is too long to go into here. The Loeb range (indoor 25 yard range) continues to be improved with a new target retrieval system being installed in the next month. The heat issue is new and will be fixed this week. The board of directors at the MRA is all volunteer. People who have families, full time jobs, ect. It is not a for profit organization. The board of directors is elected every year at the annual dinner. The annual dinner is open to all 1500 members. The last annual dinner and elections was in October, less than 100 members showed up. See a trend.

What's the trend? That people pay to shoot at a club, not run it? If the board is too busy with family, full time jobs, etc to run the club, then maybe they should step down?

 

[Massman]

Martlet.


I am with you 100%. MRA is rolling down the hill. I have been a member since beginning of 2003 and can see how much it changed since that. It was a GREAT club, not anymore.

We had about 900 members back than, now it is over 2000. I was told that by one of the Directors there.

They will take anyone off the street with $125 bucks. No sponsorship required, no NRA membership, no GOAL membership, not even FID or LTC at all.

As a result we have overcrowded ranges, dirt and garbage all over, broken everything.

Just for an example there is no hit in LOEB range for last two weeks.

Safety violation on all ranges, one member bringing six guests, and teaches them how to shoot. I can go on and on.

This is what happens when main goal for Board of Directors is to make as much money as possible and turn a private gun club into a money making machine.

I am not going to renew for next year, so I am looking for new home for my hobby as well.

The really sad think is that something bad is going to happen, and club will be shut down. It will put a big smile on a lot of anti-gun faces, and probably make a headline in Boston Globe. I can see it right on the top page "The oldest active gun club in America finally shut down".

Again,very sad.

To hit on some points:
1) MRA is now close to 1500 members strong
2) Every new member must show an FID, Class B, or Class C (LTC) license. Further more, we do live in Mass. were everyone must have a license to own a firearm.
3) Over crowded ranges?
4) Safety violations and range rule violations are taken very seriously. Members who get caught or are reported must come before the board. Action is taken.
5) All of the monies that come in to the MRA are put back into the club. Please remember that the board of directors and any member that helps keep the club maintained volunteer their time. No one is paid, or has any thing to gain.
6) Be part of the solution, not the problem. The board of directors meets the first Monday of every month. ALL members are welcome and encouraged to attend the meetings.

 

[Carguy]

I know nothing of the MRA but I am a member of Andover Sportsman's Club and enjoy it a great deal. Take a run by on a Sunday morning or Thursday evening (open to the public for Trap, but once you're in you can take a look around and anyone would be happy to show the facility and newly refurbished indoor range.

Lots of activities you can be involved in if you wish or just let yourself in and shoot. I'm at the outdoor range all the time and all by my self.

Check it out.

 

[Massman]

What's the trend? That people pay to shoot at a club, not run it? If the board is too busy with family, full time jobs, etc to run the club, then maybe they should step down?

The club dues amount to about $10 per month which goes to the operating expenses of the club. Not much for 24 hour access.
Are you volunteering to run for the board of directors? I would encourage you to do so. Every member is entitled to run for the board of directors. Every member is encouraged to volunteer some time to the club, what ever form that may come in.

 

[Martlet]

I know nothing of the MRA but I am a member of Andover Sportsman's Club and enjoy it a great deal. Take a run by on a Sunday morning or Thursday evening (open to the public for Trap, but once you're in you can take a look around and anyone would be happy to show the facility and newly refurbished indoor range.

Lots of activities you can be involved in if you wish or just let yourself in and shoot. I'm at the outdoor range all the time and all by my self.

Check it out.

I was thinking of stopping in there. While I was bowhunting in Harold Parker WMA earlier this year, a man stopped and gave me a flier. I go there quite a bit.

 

[Martlet]

The club dues amount to about $10 per month which goes to the operating expenses of the club. Not much for 24 hour access.
Are you volunteering to run for the board of directors? I would encourage you to do so. Every member is entitled to run for the board of directors. Every member is encouraged to volunteer some time to the club, what ever form that may come in.

Nope, I'm not volunteering to run. I haven't got the time. Uncle Sam can be pretty demanding.

I'd be more than happy to volunteer to meet with the Board of Directors to give them some great suggestions, though. I'd also be happy to conduct qualifications for you during off hours, so people can qualify to use the ranges at a time other than 9am on Sunday.

Were you the gentleman who informed me I only had 10 minutes? If so, while you were busy sitting on my rifle case, you failed to notice the boy in the viewing room pointing a pistol at the back of my head while I was on the range, and the man who came on the lane next to me and put two rounds into the human silhouette, which I thought wasn't allowed.

 

[Massman]

Nope, I'm not volunteering to run. I haven't got the time. Uncle Sam can be pretty demanding.

I'd be more than happy to volunteer to meet with the Board of Directors to give them some great suggestions, though. I'd also be happy to conduct qualifications for you during off hours, so people can qualify to use the ranges at a time other than 9am on Sunday.

Were you the gentleman who informed me I only had 10 minutes? If so, while you were busy sitting on my rifle case, you failed to notice the boy in the viewing room pointing a pistol at the back of my head while I was on the range, and the man who came on the lane next to me and put two rounds into the human silhouette, which I thought wasn't allowed.

You are more than welcome to attend the next board of directors meeting on Dec.5th. It usually starts about 6:30pm.

I was the person that informed you. I am also a board member. You are also right in the fact that I was busy trying to get ready for a match, check on the roof to see if the heating could be fixed, and a hundred small other things. By the way if I was sitting on an empty rifle case I do apologize, I wasn't aware that I was.

Did you report the safety violation you spoke about? Full size silhouettes are not allowed.

 

[Martlet]

You are more than welcome to attend the next board of directors meeting on Dec.5th. It usually starts about 6:30pm.

I was the person that informed you. I am also a board member. You are also right in the fact that I was busy trying to get ready for a match, check on the roof to see if the heating could be fixed, and a hundred small other things. By the way if I was sitting on an empty rifle case I do apologize, I wasn't aware that I was.

Did you report the safety violation you spoke about? Full size silhouettes are not allowed.

By then I was pissed and leaving. It's frustrating to drive all the way to the range during what little time I have off to be told I can't use it.

You were standing right there in the window when he was shooting the silhouette, and they were pointing pistols everywhere. The fact that nobody else seemed to care was odd to me. How many of those people were paid MRA members?

Apology accepted for sitting on my case. Apology also accepted for the look you gave me when I asked you to get off it.

Obviously, I'm not overly impressed with the direction the club has gone, or the attitudes of those running it.

 

[Massman]

By then I was pissed and leaving. It's frustrating to drive all the way to the range during what little time I have off to be told I can't use it.

You were standing right there in the window when he was shooting the silhouette, and they were pointing pistols everywhere. The fact that nobody else seemed to care was odd to me. How many of those people were paid MRA members?

Apology accepted for sitting on my case. Apology also accepted for the look you gave me when I asked you to get off it.

Obviously, I'm not overly impressed with the direction the club has gone, or the attitudes of those running it.

Marlett,
Maybe we have a case of mistaken identity. I did not sit on a case, nor was I asked to get off it. Could this be the case?

 

[Martlet]

Marlett,
Maybe we have a case of mistaken identity. I did not sit on a case, nor was I asked to get off it. Could this be the case?

It's possible. I didn't examine the person. When I walked back into the room from the range, two people were talking by the door into the hall. One was sitting on my hard case. I said excuse me, and got a dirty look in return. The person stood up, and moved one step, forcing me to squeeze between them to load my gear.

I'm pretty certain it was you. I've been wrong before, though.

Regardless, it's just icing on the cake of disappointments. Apparently, at least several other people in this thread agree with me.

 

[JES Consulting]

Massman, I do not think it’s very easy to get on the board. I remember how difficult it was for you to get in.

Also, I stand behind my statements.

Fact: I personally know an MRA member without LTC or FID card; he shoots weird looking air guns.

Fact: There is huge problem with 50 yard range security; you guys even have a special meeting next month.
Also check log book from last night 11/24/2007 about 9:00 p.m.
You will see 1 member and 4 guests signed in, in fact it was 7 people on the range, and they were together. I was so cold and uncomfortable, so I had to leave.

Fact: Overcrowded. I personally saw people almost had a fight over empty lane in LOEB,
Mostly because more than half of them were broken

As I said I can go on and on.
Nothing personal, but it is what it is.

 

[fubar]

DF&G : North Shore , Rt 114. same road as North Shore Vocational school. ( My club )

$125 a year.

1400 or 1500 members , but all the regulars know each other, and we don't have people pointing guns at each others heads.

Steel plate range , indoor pistol , outdoor pistol , outdoor rifle , trap & skeet , indoor archery , outdoor archery , animal target in the woods archery , black powder people , trout pond.

Hunters , precision shooters & EBR people all get along just swell.

Downside : Limited evening hours.


OR Hamilton Wenham club : I've a friend who "guest"s me there. ... And I have yet to even see more than 2 or 2 other people on the whole site while there. ... if it were closer i'd join them both.

 

[PistolPete]

I was also there today but was there for the rifle match. I was a member of Mass Rifle for many years but since moving over an hour away I'm no longer a member as of this year. I've always felt that Mass Rifle is a great club and they have a ton to offer. It's difficult to accommodate everyone with a fairly small size club and esp. being such an active club. I haven't been around MRA in quite some time (besides today) so I can't comment on things recently going on there. MRA offers a lot and they try to accommodate everyone as much as possible. As far as the action shooting events go, they've been having them for many years and Sundays from 1-4 typically occupy the Loeb range. For non-action shooters now it's not as bad as they only use the Loeb twice a month. Before it was every Monday night and Sunday afternoon.

Who was the boy pointing a gun at your head as I didn't witness anything like that.

 

[PistolPete]

Marlet,

If you're still looking for a new club you should check out Harvard Sportsmans Club. You'll never NOT have a place to shoot. There are so many shooting pits there you never have to wait. Only problem with HSC is the indoor range isn't as good as Mass Rifles.