Questions re: Woburn Sportsmen's Association

Joined
Mar 18, 2005
Messages
99
Likes
1
Feedback: 0 / 0 / 0
Hi all. I'm thinking about joing a club in MA and the Woburn Sportsmen's Association is right down the street from where I work (and not too far from home). I was wondering if anyone here was either a member or has some experience with the place. This would be my first club, and I'm not 100% sure what I'd be getting myself into.

I'm new to the shooting sports and the majority of my range time has been at Bob's Tactical Indoor Shooting Range up in Salisbury. Nice guys there, but the air exchange/filtration is horrible and I'm blowing smoke and lead out of my nose for a few days after shooting. Mix in a couple of fully automatic shooters and you can barely see the targets.

I've read good things about the Braintree and Reading clubs, but I'm hoping to find something a little closer to my home in Wilmington (although Reading's not too bad).

Thanks for any advice.

Here's their site, btw: http://members.aol.com/wsa1933/
 
I don't know much about Woburn other than every comment I've heard over the years has been positive.

Did you look at their website? http://members.aol.com/wsa1933/home.htm

Also, I'm going to suggest that you ask Carl and his employees at Four Seasons Firearms in Woburn. I know that Carl is active in one of the gun clubs up there, just don't recall which one. They can give you a lot of good info, above that found on the Woburn Sportsmen's Assn website.

DO NOT SHOOT AT A RANGE WHERE YOU ARE CHOKING ON THE FUMES! It is very unsafe and can result in very serious (even fatal in rare cases) medical problems. I had this exact problem at Sharon F&G where I was a member for 24 years . . . I didn't shoot at all in the indoor range for almost 20 years due to this problem (which was summarily ignored by the leadership, I finally quit in 2000). One of the important things that sold me on Braintree was the HEPA filtration system on their new clubhouse range.
 
Good to know that most of the things you have heard have been positive. I had asked the folks at Four Seasons a while back, when I purchased my 686, and none of them were members there but had also heard good things about the club. Of course, they (I don't remember who, specifically) also recommended Bob's as a place to just go shooting, albeit with the caveat that "it gets smoky, especially if most of the stations are in use". He wasn't kidding! :)

I've cut back on my shooting primarily because of the drive time, my work schedule and the fact that I'm coughing up crap for days afterwards, so I really want to find a cleaner, more convenient place. Thanks much for the reply!
 
This is a delayed response. I'm a member of WSA and have been for 30 years. Nice people; nice place.

The outdoor range is pistol and .22 rifles. Recently they installed some of the world's ugliest wooden baffles, which sort of detracts from being outdoors; target frames at 25 and 50 yards. The only real downside is that, like most outdoor ranges, it is unheated.

The indoor range is 50 feet, 10 points, electric target carriers, for rimfires and centerfires with lead slugs and mid-range loads only. A pretty effective ventilation system.

The rifle range goes out to 200 yards, with points at 100 and 50. Bench rests are provided. There is a separate house with a wood stove and limited ability to shoot from inside.

A trap range, which I've never used.

A lovely clubhouse; sometimes nice just to go up and shoot the breeze (instead of ammo).
 
I went to the WSA open house this past Saturday - it seemed like a nice place with a lot of variety. I was wondering if anyone is a member from here and what the caliber and round limits were at each range as well as, my wife and daughter seemed interested in the archery ranges.

i just wanted to get some recent thought about the club since some of the threads seemed outdated.
 
Last edited:
There is another wsa thread around here some where but ill try to address your questions.

Indoor pistol is 25 or 50ft. All non magnum, non rifle cartridge pistols good to go. Plus 22 rifles ok. Hours are 6 to midnight.

Outdoor pistol is 30ft, 25 yrd and 50 yrd. All pistol calibers ok. Again no pistols that shoot 223 and those beasts but 500sw and all those guys are ok. 22 rifles ok. Hours are open at 9. 10 on sundays till sundown.

High power rifle range is good for all calibers, including 50bmg. Hours same as outdoor pistol.

All gun ranges limited to 10 rounds.

Unsure about archery hours. Id guess 6am till sundown outdoors and midnight indoors but not 100%.

Also the junior archery program is huge at wsa. Talk to Rich Bagni about sign up. The program is starting up soon so act quick! His info is on the website.

P.s To any wsa members reading this: VOTE FOR ME AS WSA TREASURER AT SEPT 12th MEETING! My bio is in the other wsa thread and in member only wsa forum.
 
Ohh and I just wrote that reply from my phone twice (goddamned technology) so thats some dedications! And sorry for any spelling/grammar errors.
 
Here is some info on the upcoming junior archery signups.


Registration will be held September 9th and 10th, 5:00-7:00 in the ISF Building. The 6-week session will begin Monday September 16th 4:00 p.m. and Tuesday September 17th 5:00 p.m. In order to participate in the program children must be between the ages 8-18 and be a junior member which has an annual fee of $10. The Jr. Archery program will be $10 per student. Additional family members will only pay $5. All equipment will be provided by WSA although we encourage students to bring their own if they have it. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me: [email protected]. I would also like to ask if anybody is interested in teaching this year, please email me as well. I could really use some additional help with the overwhelming interest in this program. We have had to increase our class sizes and times. I am looking for people who can commit to Monday nights for the 4:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m., and 6:00 p.m. classes as well as Tuesday nights 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. classes.
 
Back
Top Bottom