I was a guest at Riverside today. Nice place, range and grounds look to be well maintained. I think I will join next year. There were 4 or 5 other guys shooting there between 1:00 & 2:30 this afternoon, were any of you guys there?
Chuck
Chuck
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Riverside, Hudson Ma.
- Thread starter chuckster
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I wasn't there today but I'm a member, I usually shoot on weekend mornings and sometimes after work during the week. It's never crowded plus they have a 50' indoor pistol range that is nice too!
dwarven1
Lonely Mountain Arms
As long as you don't mind stinking like an ashtray from going through the bar to get TO the indoor range, that is.
We moved, bag and baggage, to the Harvard Sportsman's Club in Harvard, MA. To look us up on the web check our our web site, www.metrowesttactical.com for the latest match and practice schedules.
We are a very busy chapter, known for welcoming new shooters and training folks to become master competitors.
Darius Arbabi
I'm still a member, and have been since 1984, but don't go very often. I used to shoot skeet there twice a week, but stopped several years ago when they banned lead shot at the skeet and trap ranges. I reload my own shotshells, but not steel. I refuse to pay the price for steel shot loads and I won't shoot it from my O/U. More recently they banned use of plastic jugs for targets on the outdoor rifle and pistol ranges. Laundry detergent jugs were always my targets of choice because they come in bright, easy to see colors (yellow, orange, red, blue) and react when you hit them. Now it's either clay targets or paper. .........Yawn...........
I'd rather just aim for dark spots on the hillside.......
I'd rather just aim for dark spots on the hillside.......
I'm a member and I think it's a nice club. I take my kids there frequently and the club is very kid-friendly. They did a kid's trout tournament and they also do a disabled vet's fishing tournament. The ranges are never crowded and I've never met anyone that wasn't completely helpful. The majority of your membership also goes to pay for the liability insurance that the state requires. I also really enjoyed their gun safety class. Probably the best gun class I've ever attended and I've been regularly handling guns for over 15 years now.
Chris
NES Member
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If you are a shooter, go to Harvard.
I beat myself silly for years to build a successful pistol program and when I had to devote more attention to family than to the club, suddenly the rules changed and a shoot was literally canceled out from under the group.
I got onto the board hoping to bring some change and was outvoted or told one thing to have another done behind my back. Nothing ever changed because nobody would run for positions, or if they did, would lose. For the last several years, the officers ran completely unopposed. I guess the majority of those that actually show up (to drink, smoke, and gamble I guess, because the ranges are mostly deserted) like it the way it is.
I teach there because I like the people I teach with, but that's about all I can say about the club. The current board cares more about their illegal gambling than promoting a diversity of shooting sports.
Its sad.
I beat myself silly for years to build a successful pistol program and when I had to devote more attention to family than to the club, suddenly the rules changed and a shoot was literally canceled out from under the group.
I got onto the board hoping to bring some change and was outvoted or told one thing to have another done behind my back. Nothing ever changed because nobody would run for positions, or if they did, would lose. For the last several years, the officers ran completely unopposed. I guess the majority of those that actually show up (to drink, smoke, and gamble I guess, because the ranges are mostly deserted) like it the way it is.
I teach there because I like the people I teach with, but that's about all I can say about the club. The current board cares more about their illegal gambling than promoting a diversity of shooting sports.
Its sad.
dwarven1
Lonely Mountain Arms
Good grief. What was the "thinking" behind that master stroke?
There's a reason for that...
P-14
NES Member
Chris is right. He built a great IDPA program at Riverside from scratch, only to have it trashed 2 years ago. We tried to resurrect it last year, only to have it trashed again this year.
I am still a member, but only to sight in the guns and teach newbies to shoot. I practice and compete at Harvard. Go there.
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If anyone needs to take a class, I highly recommend Chris and USMA-82 as instructors. Their classes are a lot more in depth than others I've seen and heard about.
I belong to Riverside and Harvard, if one place is busy I go to the other. But with that being said, I always go to Harvard first. It's always empty at Riverside on all the ranges, except in the fall when people are sighting in their rifles and shotguns.
pdm
NES Member
Fooped
Resident HK Guru
I agree with the general sentiment here. I've been a member for the past three years, and I'm letting my membership lapse for the above reasons, along with a general sense of "intruding" on my own club. I've since joined HSC, and even though it's over double the drive for me, I have not been to Riverside since.
Join Harvard.
Join Harvard.
I let mine lapse too. Too many range nazis
riverside
I agree with Chris, Bob and Ken.
The club, under it's current short sighted board, is self-destructing.
But if you want to drink, smoke, gamble or play pool it's the club for you.
I teach there with Ken and Chris, and used to shoot IDPA with them and Bob.
Not shooting there anymore. I got Worcester and Harvard for iDPA
Just waiting for them to change the sign to "Riverside Bar and Pool Hall".
I agree with Chris, Bob and Ken.
The club, under it's current short sighted board, is self-destructing.
But if you want to drink, smoke, gamble or play pool it's the club for you.
I teach there with Ken and Chris, and used to shoot IDPA with them and Bob.
Not shooting there anymore. I got Worcester and Harvard for iDPA
Just waiting for them to change the sign to "Riverside Bar and Pool Hall".
dwarven1
Lonely Mountain Arms
Oh, cool... a Bar and Pool Hall with a skeet range out back. What a nifty idea.
![[thinking]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/010.gif "Thinking [thinking]")
Yeah, given the constant cash flow problems, I expect to see the Riverside Acres housing development opening up there any time. Why they drive members away when they're worried about money, I have no clue.
Riverside
I've been a member for 4 years... i have no complaints about it. Riverside
was clumsy for IDPA, had to wait to long to shoot since we had to take turns
shooting on each range because each range had 2 stages on it.
As for the bar, its simp;e.... if it bothers you, leave...... I've had 2 beers
in there since i joined... I don't smoke........
Other than thati find that the members are real good group of folks,,,,
need something just ask....
I agree that Harvard is better suited for IDPA, many ranges and everything
moves along quickly.
so its up to you, if you don't like what you see, move on.
JimB
I've been a member for 4 years... i have no complaints about it. Riverside
was clumsy for IDPA, had to wait to long to shoot since we had to take turns
shooting on each range because each range had 2 stages on it.
As for the bar, its simp;e.... if it bothers you, leave...... I've had 2 beers
in there since i joined... I don't smoke........
Other than thati find that the members are real good group of folks,,,,
need something just ask....
I agree that Harvard is better suited for IDPA, many ranges and everything
moves along quickly.
so its up to you, if you don't like what you see, move on.
JimB
I think each gun club offers something different. I wanted a place to take my kids fishing, a place where I could quickly shoot without hassle and lines. I don't even know what IDPA is as my shooting is based only on hunting and personal protection (not that I don't want to learn, I just haven't learned yet). My job is so busy that I'm not able to take up too many other hobbies. I live 4 mins from the club and that makes me very happy. Regardless, my money goes to support a local club standing up for the 2nd ammendment. I don't need a fancy club, just one that is close and doesn't hassle me.
And I've never met anyone at the club that didn't drop what they were doing to immediately answer my questions. Sure the club is not perfect, but it's perfect for me.
And the president? All I know of him is that he worked his butt off for that kid's fishing tournament which made each of my kids feel like a superstar. They've never caught fish that big. I didn't go to the disabled vets tournie but I'd be willing to bet the same thing.
And I've never met anyone at the club that didn't drop what they were doing to immediately answer my questions. Sure the club is not perfect, but it's perfect for me.
And the president? All I know of him is that he worked his butt off for that kid's fishing tournament which made each of my kids feel like a superstar. They've never caught fish that big. I didn't go to the disabled vets tournie but I'd be willing to bet the same thing.
IIRC, back when I joined, they had what was called an "associate" membership. It was less money than a "full" membership, but only gave you bar and clubhouse priveledges. You could not use the ranges. I'm guessing this was devised just to give the locals another place to drink.
I actually like the fact that the ranges are usually deserted, it makes it easy for me to get my favorite spot on the bench when I want to shoot. As far as "Range Nazi's" goes, I rarely ever see a range officer, and only once has anyone ever asked to see my membership card. I was there once on a Sunday, alone on the pistol range, when a guy came over from the trap range, pulled out his 1911 and popped off a full mag in about 2 seconds. He then went back to the trap range. About a minute later one of the RO's came blasting down the road, jumped out of his truck and gave me an earload of crap about rapid fire being against the rules. I told him it wasn't me, but since I was the only one there, he told me I was full of shit and demanded to see my gate card. I showed it to him, then he handed it back and continued to lecture me about the rules. I could see there was no point in arguing with him so I just let him vent. When he was done, he said to me "is your card number 23741?", I looked at my card and replied "yes". He then got back in his truck and left. I'm guessing he went to look up my card number so as to give me a black mark of some sort. That's OK, because that was NOT my card number, he got it wrong, but I relied "yes" anyway.
![[wink]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/002.gif "Wink [wink]")
I don't know who got the "spanking" but it wasn't me. I was innocent anyway so screw him.
Does Riverside have a bunch of ranges there? There have been multiple statements about the ranges always being empty. I'm not a member there, but I hear Riverside from my house, to me it sounds quite busy. Always something going on, tonite, last night, Sunday morning was crazy around 11:00 or so, I'm assuming they had some kind of event. I didn't join there or look into it that much as I've heard more than a few say it is more of a drinkin club.
They have skeet/trap Tuesday + Thurday evenings and Sunday Morning. Then they have 3 outdoor rifle/pistol ranges 100, 60, 25 yards.
/Mike
/Mike
Thanks all for the feedback. Despite the negatives, it's still better than the club I belong to now. It's a short drive, I can take the grandaughter fishing, and the grounds seemed to be in good shape the day I was there. I also might take up trap & skeet again, something I can't do at my present club.
Thanks again.
Chuck
Thanks again.
Chuck
You may want to look into Southborough Rod & Gun Club (srgclub.com). Depending on where you live in Marlborough it might not be such a bad ride. I live on the Sudbury side and it takes 10-15mins to SRG which can take a lot longer if I were trying to get to Hudson from this side of town depending on traffic and lights and what not.
Joe G
NES Member
I was there yesterday 5 - 7 pm or so. I was shooting rifle (.308) on the 100 yd range. There were a few guys shooting both pistol and .223 rifles on the 50 yd range, and as I was leaving I ran into a friend setting up on the 25 yd range to shoot his S&W .500. Man, does that sucker kick! I don't have a problem with .357 out of a snubbie, but I don't know how he, EC, & Chris can enjoy shooting that hand cannon. And BTW, my friend tossed his brass into the recycle bins -- just in case any of you reloaders want to score some .500 cases.
So yeah, you might have heard any one of us making some loud noises. The club has its plusses and minuses. Each group of us had a range to ourselves. I'm not thrilled with the paper and clays only rule, but I'll keep going there to shoot. And the winter Gallery team is top-notch.
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There was a NRA High Power / CMP rifle match last Sunday.
I will give this to Riverside over Harvard (even though I am only a member of Harvard): Riverside does have an NRA High Power team and they host matches there (though you don't have to be a member to shoot).
If I were to join a new club right now, that would be my choice. In fact, that's where I currently go to shoot skeet because lead shot is still allowed, and it's open to the public. They also have a nice Ham Radio Station on the grounds which I've never seen at any other club.
pdm
NES Member
Eh, not crazy about their outdoor range rules. It's why I let my membership lapse.
