Gun Club closure megathread

So the latest email from Leominster Sportsmen's Association is frankly shocking to me as it appears that the board has been convinced to allow the Leominster BOH and the Police Department to enter the grounds and make "spot-checks" on an active rifle and pistol ranges.

Rules I can understand, sure no problem, but bringing in a government entity and police to enforce them on private property?



Check out the tag on the end of the line about the police/BOH spot checks, "Or you risk being responsible for having the range closed again."
Wow, talk about some passive-aggressive blame shifting horseshit.

Everybody has their own tolerance as to what they are willing to accept to get out on the range, mine doesn't extend to showing my range badge to some bureaucrat from the BOH, or explaining the legality of my various "assault weapons" and "high capacity" magazines in plain view of the police when they come to check my mask fit.
If they approach me I will tell them to pound sand, and I will leave and never return, don't worry I won't be missed and there'll be bonus room for bootlickers.

🐯
I am honestly not surprised those guys have been Fudds since i was a kid there back in 18,,, no 1977, sarc. but really i joined North Leominster Rod and Gun instead and my whole family followed after shooting there with me as guests. Paul
 
True but they had how many weeks to have some sort of plan in place to reopen? Other ranges have already sent out confirmations of reopening with guidances.
They find out after 11a and you're expecting them to open immediately? Are you on the executive board? Have you contacted them directly? Not everyone is glued to their phones or internet believe it or not
 
They find out after 11a and you're expecting them to open immediately? Are you on the executive board? Have you contacted them directly? Not everyone is glued to their phones or internet believe it or not

The 18th reopening had been on the radar of everyone in this state for 3 weeks now. So yes i was hoping for some proactiveness; like a good chunk of ranges seem to have had.

Call them for what? If they had a decision, they would have posted it or sent out an email blast.
 
The 18th reopening had been on the radar of everyone in this state for 3 weeks now. So yes i was hoping for some proactiveness; like a good chunk of ranges seem to have had.

Call them for what? If they had a decision, they would have posted it or sent out an email blast.
Reopening on the 18th was never on the radar. They literally had to sue to even get shops open. What are you smoking and where can I get some?
 
WTF? Why is the LPD wandering around private property? Who invited them in?
Question is who invited who?
Some BOHs can be real petty tyrants, inviting themselves in where they've not been asked (ex. "We hear you're going to be opening. Just remember we can shut you down if we think you're not following the rules. We'll be checking up on you'all, with our friendly local police to shut you down immediately if you don't comply. Be sure to tell your members.")
On the other hand so BODs can get a real case of "Mother may I?"itis.
Ask the BOD members.
 
Reopening on the 18th was never on the radar. They literally had to sue to even get shops open. What are you smoking and where can I get some?

Gun shops =/= gun ranges. Even you yourself said that gun ranges should have never closed regardless of what infringement voodoo healey and baker concocted for gun stores.

And unless someone was living under a rock, regardless of what legal proceedings were going on, everyone knew for weeks the 18th could possibly be the reopening day and maybe, just maybe, the MRA could have gotten a prelim plan in place just to be ready?

The 10 or so other ranges that have reopened today/tomorrow seemed to have no problem having plans in place; considering, according to you, that "reopening on the 18th was never on the radar"
 
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Question is who invited who?
Some BOHs can be real petty tyrants, inviting themselves in where they've not been asked (ex. "We hear you're going to be opening. Just remember we can shut you down if we think you're not following the rules. We'll be checking up on you'all, with our friendly local police to shut you down immediately if you don't comply. Be sure to tell your members.")
On the other hand so BODs can get a real case of "Mother may I?"itis.
Ask the BOD members.
I don't care enough to. Not my club. I was expressing astonishment/outrage, not seeking specific answers.

My club has been open the entire time, with a supportive BoD and very view (if any) restrictions from normal ops.
 
Mansfield F&G is holding a special BOD meeting on Wednesday to decide if/when/under what conditions to open. My bet is that it will be members only and no use of the clubhouse. But we'll see what happens.
 
Reopening on the 18th was never on the radar. They literally had to sue to even get shops open. What are you smoking and where can I get some?

The non fudd ranges never closed.

You guys should get a room and leave this thread. Let people inform others of what ranges are opening.
 
The non fudd ranges never closed.

Well, some of them closed temporarily, but only by actual force, like kopsch coming down, etc. Several of these have reopened already, at least in some
capacity.

If I was going to hazard a guess there's a fair number on the list that are only closed because of pant shitting hysterics.

-Mike
 
Flununu announced today that outdoor ranges in NH can re-open.

They were never closed to begin with.

Maybe he got NH mixed up with Mass. He's been doing a lot of that lately.

I guess when you shut down everything, but then let certain sectors operate by royal decree, you forget who has or hasn't kissed the ring for a dispensation.
 
Minuteman Sportsman’s Club opens WEd, 20 MAR at 10AM. I’ll definitely try to be one of the first on a skeet field or the clays course!
 
Question is who invited who?
Some BOHs can be real petty tyrants, inviting themselves in where they've not been asked (ex. "We hear you're going to be opening. Just remember we can shut you down if we think you're not following the rules. We'll be checking up on you'all, with our friendly local police to shut you down immediately if you don't comply. Be sure to tell your members.")
On the other hand so BODs can get a real case of "Mother may I?"itis.
Ask the BOD members.

I would like to know this as well. If the board invited the town into things without coercion cuz mah rona, then they definitely deserve to be voted out. If it was the town strong arming the club then I'm less concerned about it.

I'll get worked up when the full facts are in evidence.
 
If I could look in a crystal ball I see a bunch of new blood being elected into a number of BODs due to this.

You wanna put money on that? These fudds are all pretty deeply entrenched, and I don't see enough people who want change actually showing up to cast their votes.
 
You wanna put money on that? These fudds are all pretty deeply entrenched, and I don't see enough people who want change actually showing up to cast their votes.
There’s never enough to vote on shit as it is half the time. At least at Georgetown, for better or worse, you only need ten people to move votes.
sadly it’s usually for the worse.
 
There’s never enough to vote on shit as it is half the time. At least at Georgetown, for better or worse, you only need ten people to move votes.
sadly it’s usually for the worse.

I suspect a lot of places will have more trouble overcoming those who will vote in favor of the same people over and over because that's just how it's always been done and they don't like change.

Inertia is a difficult thing to overcome.
 
So the latest email from Leominster Sportsmen's Association is frankly shocking to me as it appears that the board has been convinced to allow the Leominster BOH and the Police Department to enter the grounds and make "spot-checks" on an active rifle and pistol ranges.

Rules I can understand, sure no problem, but bringing in a government entity and police to enforce them on private property?



Check out the tag on the end of the line about the police/BOH spot checks, "Or you risk being responsible for having the range closed again."
Wow, talk about some passive-aggressive blame shifting horseshit.

Everybody has their own tolerance as to what they are willing to accept to get out on the range, mine doesn't extend to showing my range badge to some bureaucrat from the BOH, or explaining the legality of my various "assault weapons" and "high capacity" magazines in plain view of the police when they come to check my mask fit.
If they approach me I will tell them to pound sand, and I will leave and never return, don't worry I won't be missed and there'll be bonus room for bootlickers.

🐯
I'm assuming that Leominster town government has not shared the Governors "Guidelines for Covid-19 workplace enforcement" with them. The document clearly states (among other things):

- Local boards of health and DPH retain all authority they have under current public laws to regulate and inspect under chapters of the State Sanitary Code. Cities and towns should not adopt stricter rules or ordinances that are intended to address the risks of COVID-19.

- Neither DLS nor the local board of health has authority to close a business for violation of a COVID-19 workplace safety standard. They may revoke a permit or close a business pursuant to other regulations or local ordinances. Where continued non-compliance with a COVID-19 workplace safety standard warrants the closing of a business, the local board of health or DLS must first seek a court injunction.

Having said that people need to be patient for at least a couple of days if their range is not open yet. Anybody who watched that long and rambling press conference yesterday should be aware that concurrent with the press conference the state was activating internet pages (some more successfully than others) and sending emails to local governments that contained much documentation and links to supporting sites and MULTIPLE sets of guidelines spanning many departments within the state government that need to be looked at in order to make an informed decision. Very little if any of this information was shared with local governments prior to the press conference and most local governments are just a couple of people (e.g. selectmen etc.) that are handling much more than shooting ranges.
 
You wanna put money on that? These fudds are all pretty deeply entrenched, and I don't see enough people who want change actually showing up to cast their votes.

I'm a member of Taunton, in October my votes are going to any non-incumbent. The current E-boards lacks balls, communication and willingness to change.
 
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Harvard is now moving to limited capacity on the ranges based on size/spacing, rather than "one member per range". Still no guests other than immediate household members, and no large events.
 
If I could look in a crystal ball I see a bunch of new blood being elected into a number of BODs due to this.

Hopefully this "new blood" not only understands the requirements for maintaining and running a firing range under NSSF and NRA guidelines and managing a budget that support multiple activities and disciplines but also the many things that most club members never think about (and then wonder why they read bad things about ranges get closed).

If you do not have an understanding of eminent domain, wetlands protection zones and buffers, conservation land, National Heritage (NHESP), and are willing to work on at least a weekly basis with Conservation COmmissions, building inspectors, Chief of Police, lawyers (yours and theirs!!), noise complaints, encroachment, insurance agents, safety violations, clueless members, etc. donlt bother running.

Of course it's not all bad. You've got charities, training programs, running junior programs, community outreach programs, building relationships with local government and law enforcement (or you could ignore them and wonder why your legal fees keep increasing).

Plus you get to pay the same dues as everyone else and every now and then you have time to actually use the club.
 
If I could look in a crystal ball I see a bunch of new blood being elected into a number of BODs due to this.

Lol, no, most of the clubs with shitty rules and leadership have apathetic member bases, it ends up being a sort of self sustaining cycle. For example most loop clubs are
borderline unusable. Why? because the members are too lazy to opt out (because they're too lazy to drive another 10-20 minutes each way to travel to a more reasonable facility) so what makes anyone think they're going to initiate a paradigm shift in a club? One hand washes the other.

This is basically the voting at most of them:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdFLPn30dvQ

Also amm5061 has a point, there is institutional inertia at some of these places, that's very difficult to overcome. It's possible to do, but it can take years.

ETA in some cases, quite literally, the bulk of the participating member base "actually likes it that way" and if so, so be it. People should vote with their time/dollars/energy
when picking a club. Sometimes it might require sacrifice, too. Like driving another 10-20 minutes to get there.

-Mike
 
Harvard is now moving to limited capacity on the ranges based on size/spacing, rather than "one member per range". Still no guests other than immediate household members, and no large events.

Not really mlaboss, still only one member for the bays and now 15 Foot Social Distance
email that went out to the members below, bolding and text enlargement emphasis by me.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
*** HSC RANGE RE-OPENING GUIDELINES ***
MONDAY, MAY 18

Beginning immediately, the larger HSC ranges may be occupied by more than one Member (plus their immediately family living in the same household). There are limitations and restrictions that we must follow, so please read all details below.

THE ON-LINE RESERVATION SYSTEM IS NOW BEING PHASED OUT.

PLEASE DO NOT MAKE ANY FURTHER RESERVATIONS.

Out of consideration for fellow Members, we ask that everyone respect reservations that have been made through Thursday, May 21, for the Action Pits, Cowboy Pits, 65 Yard Range, and Back 40 Range. Reservations for other ranges (e.g. 7/25/50, 100, 200/300, etc.) will no longer be applicable as more than one Member may use these ranges.

No reservations will be valid beginning Friday, May 22.

PLEASE ADHERE TO THE FOLLOWING HEALTH GUIDELINES WHEN YOU ARE AT HSC.

NON-MEMBERS ARE NOT ALLOWED ON HSC PROPERTY (except immediate family living in the same household). No Guests are allowed at this

time.


MAINTAIN AT LEAST 15 FEET OF SPACING TO OTHERS. (

WEAR A MASK WHENEVER PRACTICAL.

THE INDOOR RANGE REMAINS CLOSED UNTIL POSTED OTHERWISE.

ALL GROUP ACTIVITIES REMAIN SUSPENDED.

OUTDOOR RANGES ARE RETURNING TO TRADITIONAL HOURS

Monday through Saturday, 8:00 am to Dusk.

Sunday, 9:00 am to Dusk.

RANGE USAGE GUIDELINES.

To help Members work with the 15 foot minimum spacing requirement, please observe the following guidelines for the maximum number of Members at each specific range. (Immediate family living in the same household will be allowed to join Members; please maintain the 15 foot minimum spacing between family groups.)


7 Yard Range - 2 Members

25 Yard Range - 4 Members

50 Yard Range - 4 Members

100 Yard Range - 4 Members

Shotgun Range - 5 Members

Flak Alley - 4 Members

Close Quarters - 2 Members

200 Yard Range - 4 Members

300 Yard Range - 4 Members

65 Yard Range - 1 Member

Back 40 Range - 2 Members

Plate Rack Pit - 2 Members

Action Pits - 1 Member each

Cowboy Pits - 1


Member each

PLEASE DO NOT MOVE BENCHES

We have removed some benches from the decks and spaced the remaining benches. Please do not re-arrange benches at this time.

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT DISTANCE GUIDELINES BE FOLLOWED CAREFULLY, FOR YOUR HEALTH, FOR THE HEALTH OF OTHERS, FOR THE GOOD OF YOUR CLUB.

Members may be asked to immediately leave the Club if distance guidelines are not followed.

===========

BE SAFE. BE HEALTHY.

STAY AS FAR AWAY FROM OTHERS AS POSSIBLE.

WASH YOUR HANDS OFTEN.

KEEP YOUR HANDS AWAY FROM YOUR FACE.

And please stay up-to-date with health news and guidelines. The Massachusetts website is a good place to start.

COVID-19 Updates and Information

THE CLUBHOUSE RESTROOMS AND PORT-A-JOHNS ARE NOT REPEATEDLY SANITIZED.

Please plan a visit to HSC accordingly. Bring sanitizing products. And avoid touching anything that you didn’t bring with you.

Take care,
Dan Hurley
 
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