What club to join?

[htepe911]

hey guys,
I just recantly got my MA license to carry from Waltham. I was wondering if its worth being a member in MA, because I went to the Manchester NH firing range and enjoyed shooting there. So I was wondering should I get a membership in Manchester (if possible) because you have all the guns you want rent right there or is there a place like that in MA?

 

[M1911]

1) Do you really want to drive all the way up to Manchester when you want to shoot?

2) Rental ranges are very expensive compared to gun clubs.

Wayland Rod & Gun Club doesn't have anywhere near as nice an indoor range as MFL, but is probably less than 20 minutes away, and also has an outdoor range. Harvard Sportsmen's Club has a bigger indoor range than Wayland, still not as nice as MFL, but it also has more than a dozen action pits, 7, 25, 50, 100, 200, and 300 yard outdoor ranges.

 

[twinbrook86]

I lived in Waltham and joined MRA. But once I moved to Maynard joined HSC and never looked back. The ride MRA can suck depending on when you leave. Traffic. But If u can hop on route 2 quickly you can head to HSC

 

[dnepro-mike]

no way man, i want club as close to my house as possible. the closer it is the more often you will go shooting, unless you objective is to shoot less, save some cash . driving to Manchester from Waltham is just crazy. some day you will get sick of all the driving.
it's like with any gym close by vs gym far away. i'm currently at Easton's Ames rifle and pistol (9mi), but considering switching to Mansfield fish and game(6mi), just because it's half the time and one light, one turn away - convenience. co mpare to Easton club 4 lights, plus tons of shop, stores, other consumer crap. people pull in an out in front of you, old folk drives slow, damn bicyclist and joggers stealing the road, it takes 20 minutes - too long for 9 mile drive

 

[mike01824]

If you don't own guns and just plan to rent Manchester Firing Line or Bob's in Salisbury are your best bet. If you're looking for a local gun club there are a few around Waltham depending on what you're interested in. No point in joining a local club if you don't own guns tho...

 

[dnepro-mike]

guns are like roaches, breed uncontrollably in the safe.

you just wait, some day you'll come across some nice piece on NES classifieds for a good price and behold you are suddenly proud owner of a gun (or yet another gun).
once you have your own - you want to shoot it often, then you will understand beauty of the range close to your home.
i wish i could shoot on my property like some folks in Western MA, but not in this part of the state, unfortunately.

 

[mike01824]

Why do you have roaches in your gun safe?

 

[Nicole]

guns are like roaches, breed uncontrollably in the safe.

If only! Do you know how happy I would be if guns just *appeared* in the safe?! You'd be able to hear the squeeee in the next county.

 

[dnepro-mike]

If only! Do you know how happy I would be if guns just *appeared* in the safe?! You'd be able to hear the squeeee in the next county.

i know what you mean sister
but i needed to look for a new safe 3 guns ago.
every time i want to get something out i need to first get 4-5 other thing out of safe first.
i've been eyeing those nice large safes at tractor supply for well over a year, but still didn't pull the trigger. raised ranch and half-ton safes don't mix very well, and i have no idea how i can get it down into the basement short of taking apart one of the exterior walls
probably willl have to settle for another smaller one that can be taken down the stars by couple of people.

 

[MisterHappy]

To the OP:

First, define what you want to do - if it's just occasional shooting, then a pay-as-you-go place might be the best.

If you want to shoot a lot, then a local club will likely be a better bet.

At most clubs you lose "frills" - like the fancy, state-of-the art target carriers. But the annual dues of a club proabaly equal fewer than 8-10 hours at a rental range.

When you have a better idea as to what type of shooting interests you, post here, and you'll likley get a bunch of "MY club does that! Come on out and see!"

 

[Nicole]

i know what you mean sister
but i needed to look for a new safe 3 guns ago.
every time i want to get something out i need to first get 4-5 other thing out of safe first.
i've been eyeing those nice large safes at tractor supply for well over a year, but still didn't pull the trigger. raised ranch and half-ton safes don't mix very well, and i have no idea how i can get it down into the basement short of taking apart one of the exterior walls
probably willl have to settle for another smaller one that can be taken down the stars by couple of people.

I have no idea what your budget is, but you might want to talk to Eastern Security Safe...they have the equipment to move the largest safes up and down the stairs. Never hurts to price it out and we and our backs have been very happy with them . Last time we had them out was when I moved in...excellent excuse to add a safe!

 

[dnepro-mike]

I have no idea what your budget is, but you might want to talk to Eastern Security Safe...they have the equipment to move the largest safes up and down the stairs. Never hurts to price it out and we and our backs have been very happy with them . Last time we had them out was when I moved in...excellent excuse to add a safe!

I was thinking this one here http://www.tractorsupply.com/cannon-ts6040-wide-body-safe-48-gun-capacity-3910204
it's what my safe budget allows.

i did briefly looked over company you suggested and their products appear to be way out of my budget.

 

[artvandelay]

I was wondering if anyone knows of any clubs in NH that are not affiliated with the NRA. I'm not a member, and dont plan to become one. I shoot a lot at a friends house further north, but Manchester is overpriced and the employees are usually a-holes.

 

[htepe911]

Thanks for all the tips guys. I've been looking at all the clubs and there such a proccess into joning one. Going to meetings and all the jazz, I might just shoot around and MFL for awhile and figure out if I wanna join a club or not.