Gun clubs

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Looking for a good club to join. Am looking for a club that has a good range for pistol and rifle and has a archery range and pond. I live in Athol. Want to join a good all around club.
 
Slot-
Do you go often? I'm a member but have only used the pistol range so far. I want to use the trap range but I've never done it before and don't have the first idea how things work over there. You wouldn't be interested in showing me the clay ranges would you?

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I saw them on a thread. Can I join even though I Don't have my ltc yet?
Oh yeah. They don't care. People join just for archery.
 
monadnock might be a bit of a drive, but that's a choice that fits your criteria well.

Winchendon has all of that except the archery.

Lunenburg has indoor archery.

Athol R&G has decent rifle/pistol range and an indoor pistol/22lr rifle range.

You might need to join multiple to get what you are after.
 
Take plenty of time before committing to a club, and really get to know what kind of members, board members, Range Safety Officers (some clubs don't have RSOs) and the general rules and operation of the club, not just the features the club has to offer.

Some of the nicest, best-looking clubs are run by Fudds (Fudds are busy-bodies who are like the Gestapo and will do everything in their power to write you up or throw you out). They are not all that way, but when you find one (or they find you) you will know exactly what I mean.

Once you have joined, it may take a while before you want to go through the whole process again. (Sponsorship/dues and the like) so,
after putting in all the leg work, and you feel like you and the club are a good fit, then consider joining it. Once you join, be active and a good, upstanding member. It's kind of like a relationship. You will get out of it what you put into it. Just remember, some guys go and want to be left alone. Others want to talk more than shoot. I'm somewhere in the middle. I have learned much from Senior members as well as from New guys, and I always like to help others with some of the things I have learned.

Sportsman's clubs are a dying part of our American Past. If we, as stewards take good care of them, we will have something to pass down to our sons and daughters.

I see you are based in Athol, and I can give you no advice on clubs in that area, so I will leave that up to the members here who can help you here with choosing one and maybe even sponsoring you (and maybe your family.)

I wish you luck on your journey into the Great American Pastime. It has done much, and taught much to me. I hope it will you as well.

~Matt
 
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Red,

I'm in the same boat. I have been going through a divorce for the past year and haven't been except for a club meeting. I bought a Remington 1100 to go shoot clays and then the divorce hit and I transferred my guns to my nephew until things calm down. I never tried trap or skeet at Leominster. When things clear out (the divorce is almost over) I definitely want to try clay shootings once I get back my 1100.

Tom


Slot-
Do you go often? I'm a member but have only used the pistol range so far. I want to use the trap range but I've never done it before and don't have the first idea how things work over there. You wouldn't be interested in showing me the clay ranges would you?

- - - Updated - - -


Oh yeah. They don't care. People join just for archery.
 
Red,

I'm in the same boat. I have been going through a divorce for the past year and haven't been except for a club meeting. I bought a Remington 1100 to go shoot clays and then the divorce hit and I transferred my guns to my nephew until things calm down. I never tried trap or skeet at Leominster. When things clear out (the divorce is almost over) I definitely want to try clay shootings once I get back my 1100.

Tom

Maybe we can find somebody to show us. You can use my shotgun
 
I can't recommend a a club but I do offer this
1. Go to as many of the "open to public" events
as any club offers. ex: trap , pistol league, Monday night archery, breakfast, dinner, CMP and matches in general before deciding.
Gun clubs are a political mess like everything else.
Generally run by the people who have the time to do it. Most clubs run on a 10-15% actual membership use and you will see the top 10% of those members doing a lot of the work at the club.

You can learn a lot about a club just by sitting in on a meeting which most are open to non members.

I see you mentioned pond. If your interested in fishing make sure you can actually fish the pond.
My friend is a member of a club where you can only fish the pond during the fishing tournaments they have a few times a year.
I have come to the conclusion most clubs now have pretty much snubbed their noses at the active members and rely and want the no show paying members.
My same friend received his copy of the annual club report.
They have maxed out the 1850 membership cap.
The key card entry report shows less than 10% of the members key in more than 10 times year.
Then the public events like 22lr steel , trap , clays and the Wed archery non member participants out numbers members 10-1.
So being a member is convenient but not 100% needed and if you look around for the types of shooting you like you may never need to join a,club at all
 
Lots of clubs have a waiting list due to the last eight years with gun sales through the roof. May be as easy to join as you think. Beware of clubs where the bar is the most important money maker.

And check out Steak & Clays. Usually a good take on a weeknight.
 
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Westminster's club is in a fight for their existence right now. Join them, and join their fight. They could use all the support they can get.
 
I've found some clubs don't prorate the dues. So you may pay for the full year and then in two or three months have to pay another yearly dues.
 
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