What are must haves for a good club?? Considering starting a club.

[CWulf]

 

[dezignguy]

I’d like a special section where you can set up your old tv or whatever electronics/small appliances your done with and proceed to blast the shite out of them with your favorite 12 gauge shotgun. Now that’s fun !

 

[Broc]

The trouble with most clubs is that they rely too much on volunteers. And often times those volunteers become, understandably, territorial.
I think a fully staffed, service oriented, for profit gun club, would slay it.

Until you have to pay $20 the first hour and $10 every hour after.

Not sure why everyone here wants some sort of VIP experience when you are all looking at saving 0.01 per round or shoot .22 instead of 9mm because a box went from $10 to $12.

Clubs in MA and NH are fine, probably some of the best on East Coast as far as cost + convenience + availability.

OP starts charging per visit, he will get mostly noobs that have a huge hard on because they got their first black rifle but dont belong at a club, which means he will need to keep an RO to make sure some idiot doesn't blow his head off or worse, the person next to him. Everyone else either belongs at a club or is too much of a skinflint for that.

Instead ...

Have at least 8 action pits. Get someone that wants to schedule a steel challenge and USPSA match per month, reward that person with unlimited private range time.

8 pits = 8 stages = 80 shooters or 96 shooters if you want 12 per squad.

80 shooters paying $20, after steel challenge keeps $1 is a little over $1500. Do the same for USPSA. That is $3K per month.

For $1K you can get a nice group of guys to show up and spend a day every month cleaning everything.

Pocket the other $2K and improve the club.

Add IDPA to that (I don't know the costs) and you could be talking $5K per month. For just 3 days worth of shoots.

On top of that clean and sell all the brass you collect.

 

[RoterTeufel]

People at my club love to shoot the shit.

I want to shoot. And for the most part, not be bothered... especially when I have a guest. Take a f-ing hint, FRANK!

ASIDE from that, rifle, pistol, archery.
Nice to have steel and or action bays on such a small acerage mentioned.

Rifle takes up a lot of space.
Action Bay People can make a mess, and want to turn the club into a regular IDPA sanctuary for non-members.
Same with Trap, but you can get gov money (MA at least) if you open up the club to non-members for trap...Sundays usually.

Events, f-them. That's what my dues are for.

 

[DW357]

Until you have to pay $20 the first hour and $10 every hour after.

Not sure why everyone here wants some sort of VIP experience when you are all looking at saving 0.01 per round or shoot .22 instead of 9mm because a box went from $10 to $12.

Clubs in MA and NH are fine, probably some of the best on East Coast as far as cost + convenience + availability.

OP starts charging per visit, he will get mostly noobs that have a huge hard on because they got their first black rifle but dont belong at a club, which means he will need to keep an RO to make sure some idiot doesn't blow his head off or worse, the person next to him. Everyone else either belongs at a club or is too much of a skinflint for that.

Instead ...

Have at least 8 action pits. Get someone that wants to schedule a steel challenge and USPSA match per month, reward that person with unlimited private range time.

8 pits = 8 stages = 80 shooters or 96 shooters if you want 12 per squad.

80 shooters paying $20, after steel challenge keeps $1 is a little over $1500. Do the same for USPSA. That is $3K per month.

For $1K you can get a nice group of guys to show up and spend a day every month cleaning everything.

Pocket the other $2K and improve the club.

Add IDPA to that (I don't know the costs) and you could be talking $5K per month. For just 3 days worth of shoots.

On top of that clean and sell all the brass you collect.

Problem is you need a good group of dedicated people to keep USPSA/SC/IDPA matches going. That ain’t going to happen with one person. I give kudos to those who do as I just show up and shoot but do help tear down. Never design any stages or help set up so I can’t complain too much. If I lived closer to clubs that have matches I’d probably help more.

 

[246]

I say build up a bunch of outdoor dunes of various lengths, number them like lots, and rent them out (hourly or daily). Make the rules accordingly, but allowing individuals to do their own thing.

 

[Broc]

Problem is you need a good group of dedicated people to keep USPSA/SC/IDPA matches going. That ain’t going to happen with one person. I give kudos to those who do as I just show up and shoot but do help tear down. Never design any stages or help set up so I can’t complain too much. If I lived closer to clubs that have matches I’d probably help more.

Those people can be found.

 

[fencer]

Not sure why everyone here wants some sort of VIP experience when you are all looking at saving 0.01 per round or shoot .22 instead of 9mm because a box went from $10 to $12.

Yeah, I hear you, but I am not that guy.
I always shake my head at the guys who buy a cheaper gun to save 100 bucks, when a trip to the range can cost $200 in ammo.

Obviously my post was a joke to some degree, but I stand by my assertion that most clubs really need some way to generate revenue aside from just membership fees. Most clubs rent time to groups, or sell merch to help keep the lights on.
Taxes, insurance and maintanance add up fast. A decent air filtration system is very expensive if you have an indoor range, which is nice. Hell just maintaining bathroom facilities can add up.
Sure, it's great if you have volunteers that pitch in, but it's tough to count on. And while I'm not saying the proprietor should expect to become wealthy, it is certainly reasonable to expect if a person is going to devote a great deal of time and assume all of the risks, legally and financially, they earn enough to live.
There is a reason why the nicest facilities in the state are for profit. American Firearms School, Mass Firearms , and Cape Gun Works are essentially gun stores you can shoot at. I am not saying those are perfect, but I think you have to have a way to make some money, and while events do that, ain't no one making a living off $5k a month

 

[Asaltweapon]

My current club just added "2 full seconds between shots."

Pussies.

 

[Asaltweapon]

Yeah, I hear you, but I am not that guy.
I always shake my head at the guys who buy a cheaper gun to save 100 bucks, when a trip to the range can cost $200 in ammo.

Obviously my post was a joke to some degree, but I stand by my assertion that most clubs really need some way to generate revenue aside from just membership fees. Most clubs rent time to groups, or sell merch to help keep the lights on.
Taxes, insurance and maintanance add up fast. A decent air filtration system is very expensive if you have an indoor range, which is nice. Hell just maintaining bathroom facilities can add up.
Sure, it's great if you have volunteers that pitch in, but it's tough to count on. And while I'm not saying the proprietor should expect to become wealthy, it is certainly reasonable to expect if a person is going to devote a great deal of time and assume all of the risks, legally and financially, they earn enough to live.
There is a reason why the nicest facilities in the state are for profit. American Firearms School, Mass Firearms , and Cape Gun Works are essentially gun stores you can shoot at. I am not saying those are perfect, but I think you have to have a way to make some money, and while events do that, ain't no one making a living off $5k a month

I notice you forgot that other outfit The Gun Parlor.

Weston Shooters Club was a nice place I got a tour of one morning. Little too rich for my blood but the point is “for profit”.

 

[AJK129]

Now I want a 100 yard range where you can shoot off a boat. Thanks @andrew1220

 

[MaybeMe]

Now I want a 100 yard range where you can shoot off a boat. Thanks @andrew1220

Get a range with a pond, stock it for fishing, and have the occasional member stock it with themselves with a ND into their inflatable dinghy!

 

[fencer]

What happened here? Last I looked, archery was 3/9, now it is 8/9.

No one wants to play Robin Hood with you and your band of merry men?