Who can recommend a good shooting club for my first club?

[MassachussettsMosinNagant]

Hello Folks


With the unwavering prices of indoor range fees for non members, I can't justify not being a member of some sort of rod and gun club any longer. And it's something I put off for too long.


Many here have suggested I join a club to have wonderful access to outdoor ranges. Which I want. Something about being out in nature that makes it funner. And more zenful and tactile.


My musts for the range aren't too much, but the range must

1. Have an outdoor range open to members all year.
2. Allow Rifles
3. Allow Archery


That's about it.


I really just want a place with an outdoor range. Set up your own targets. Shoot them with whatever you bring. Clean up. Pack up. Go home.


Preferably free after a membership.


Has to be in the Fall River, Taunton, Somerset, Swansea area.


I was looking into Fall River rod and gun. But sadly they don't allow rifles and they have a dating system in place that only lets you do certain things on certain days. With my unpredictable work schedule. I'm not sure I could be available to do archery on the days they devote to archery days. I'd rather more just show up on anyday and be able to do the type of shooting I need to do.


I have been now looking into Taunton Rifle and Pistol. Not sure if they allow archery at all but I don't see why not. Considering archers aren't much of any bother to a shooter so long as they practice the fundemental safeties and keep it down range.

Their outdoor range seems to be lovely. And exactly what i'm looking for. Open field, wooded area. Free of b.s. A place you can unwind and just shoot.



Any outdoor ranges that allow what I need? I was going to just bow hunt in freetown forrest. Which I might still do. But it'd be nice having a good place to practice as well.


The range doesn't have to be 24 hours. Sunrise to sunset is perfect. But I would prefer it be open year round. I'm a new england boy and I don't mind the cold.


Hope everyone has a great weekend.

 

[Knob Creek]

Rod & Gun of New Bedford has 50 and 100 yard Rifle Ranges, five Pistol Pockets, and an Archery Range. Unless an event is scheduled for the ranges they are all available 9:00 AM to dusk. Membership is closed for 2019 but will open up in February.

Rod & Gun Club of New Bedford

 

[Feral]

Tiverton Rod and Gun Club

 

[Broc]

I'm a member at Pembroke (Old Colony), Reading and Granby.

All 3 have outdoor ranges open all year.
Reading and Old Colony also have indoor.
Reading and Old Colony have archery (I never looked for archery at Granby, they might have it, but I haven't gone there in a few months).

 

[Thinking]

Based on recent discussions, it sounds like Danvers Fish and Game might be perfect for you, if it wasn’t too far.

 

[EMTDAD]

Look at the clubs of the Tri-County 3D archery league. Obviously all have some sort of archery component.. find which is closest that meets your needs. https://www.oldbow.com/tri-county-3-d-archery-league-2019-schedule.pdf

 

[rcwhat]

New Bedford rifle range. Steel plates from 200yds out to 500yds. $60/yr can’t be beat.

 

[MassachussettsMosinNagant]

Tiverton Rod and Gun Club

Tiverton Rod and Gun looks awesome Are you a member?

 

[wahsben]

I'm a member at Pembroke (Old Colony), Reading and Granby.

All 3 have outdoor ranges open all year.
Reading and Old Colony also have indoor.
Reading and Old Colony have archery (I never looked for archery at Granby, they might have it, but I haven't gone there in a few months).

Granby is the Granby Bow & Gun Club so yes it has archery and they have an indoor range for archery too.

 

[Feral]

Tiverton Rod and Gun looks awesome Are you a member?

Yes..

 

[DPR]

I'm a member at Pembroke (Old Colony), Reading and Granby.

All 3 have outdoor ranges open all year.
Reading and Old Colony also have indoor.
Reading and Old Colony have archery (I never looked for archery at Granby, they might have it, but I haven't gone there in a few months).

Old Colony reopened their indoor range? And I don’t see much about archery on their website. What do they offer?

 

[Eugenio.FV]

Id recommend Holbrook Sportsmen club.

• 3d Archery
• Archery stations in the wooded area
• Very active clays
• outdoor pistol range
• outdoor 100 yard rifle range
• outdoor 100yard 200yard rifle range
• Everyone is a safety office, so people wont generally bother you.

My experience is everyone has been very respectful, safety oriented, and friendly.

Holbrook Sportsmens Club - Home

 

[FancyGunz]

Join the NES club - go green!

 

[Wildcard]

Is there a range that doesnt require volunteer hours?

 

[Deleted member 67409]

Is there a range that doesnt require volunteer hours?

Yeah, quite a few actually. Are you in northern Worcester County or towards RI? Wallum Lake doesn't require volunteer hours, but any hours done will reduce the dues bill.

Generally speaking, the more expensive clubs don't tend to require volunteer hours. The smaller clubs that have cheap dues usually require volunteer hours. There's also indoor ranges that have membership programs - as they're businesses, they don't need you to volunteer. The only "big" two that I know of that have more than a 25-yard indoor range are Elite in South Kingstown (they also have sporting clays) and the Sporting Shoppe in Hope Valley (100-yard indoor range).

I think clubs in NH tend to be less strict on requiring volunteer hours too.

 

[Wildcard]

Yeah, quite a few actually. Are you in northern Worcester County or towards RI? Wallum Lake doesn't require volunteer hours, but any hours done will reduce the dues bill.

Generally speaking, the more expensive clubs don't tend to require volunteer hours. The smaller clubs that have cheap dues usually require volunteer hours. There's also indoor ranges that have membership programs - as they're businesses, they don't need you to volunteer. The only "big" two that I know of that have more than a 25-yard indoor range are Elite in South Kingstown (they also have sporting clays) and the Sporting Shoppe in Hope Valley (100-yard indoor range).

I think clubs in NH tend to be less strict on requiring volunteer hours too.

I live on the Mass side of the rhode island border. Do I need a RI permit to shoot there?

 

[Deleted member 67409]

I live on the Mass side of the rhode island border. Do I need a RI permit to shoot there?

No, but you will need to pass a CORI:

https://www.wallumlakerodgun.com/images/documents/MembershipApplicationMay2017.pdf

As a new member, you have to do 30 hours within the first year. After that, you don't have to log any hours. Any that you complete will be put towards reducing your dues.

 

[jimnasium]

Im a member at Taunton rifle and pistol. indoor range 24/7 . any handgun caliber except maybe .50 not sure.Outdoor range is different location. less than 10 min away. actually in Raynham. out door range 9 a.m to sunset everyday except sunday where you cant shoot till 10 a.m outdoor has 2-50s . 2-100s , and a 300 which you have to qualify for. there is an archery range but I don't think its open all the time. never seen anyone use it. also shotgun for clays on sunday not sure of rules . ive never used it. $125/yr. No rifles at indoor except .22lr. Hope this helps.

 

[powerman02914]

New Bedford rifle range. Steel plates from 200yds out to 500yds. $60/yr can’t be beat.

Hi,

I know this is an older thread, but can you provide more details on New Bedford Municipal Rifle Range? This is the one on Woodcock Rd in North Dartmouth MA right?

A website, range hours, some specifics on how/where to join? What is required to join?
I would not want to show up to find it's closed, or I didn't bring something specific, since it's like 40 minutes from my house.
Do they allow guests etc.?
Any qualification required for the longer ranges?

Any info would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

 

[rcwhat]

Hi,

I know this is an older thread, but can you provide more details on New Bedford Municipal Rifle Range? This is the one on Woodcock Rd in North Dartmouth MA right?

A website, range hours, some specifics on how/where to join? What is required to join?
I would not want to show up to find it's closed, or I didn't bring something specific, since it's like 40 minutes from my house.
Do they allow guests etc.?
Any qualification required for the longer ranges?

Any info would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

Yes woodcock.
No guests allowed.
No qualification for any distance.
Don’t think they have a website.
The hours suck, especially in the summer 9am-3or4pm 7 days a week or something like that
I believe non-residents of newbedford and Dartmouth have gone up to $120/yr

 

[mac1911]

T

Old Colony reopened their indoor range? And I don’t see much about archery on their website. What do they offer?

they have a walk and shoot range. It looks either closed or not used much. Its near the entrance and goes behind the shed?
If your looking over near taunton pembroke is probably a suck drive
Holbrook used to have a really nice archery set up with elevated stands and such , just have not been there in years

 

[powerman02914]

Yes woodcock.
No guests allowed.
No qualification for any distance.
Don’t think they have a website.
The hours suck, especially in the summer 9am-3or4pm 7 days a week or something like that
I believe non-residents of newbedford and Dartmouth have gone up to $120/yr

Sounds like a non-starter... Maybe weekends only for me at best, since I work days and they have banker's hours. Plus not being from NB or Dartmouth, $120 is a rip-off for basically no hours, no option of training my wife or getting my kids involved...

They likely keep it open for the local cops and have a few local memberships for their buddies, to pay for staff lunches or small incidentals... I don't think they are interested in civilian memberships if you ask me.

No wonder it seems to be listed nowhere.

Thanks for the info.

 

[rcwhat]

Sounds like a non-starter... Maybe weekends only for me at best, since I work days and they have banker's hours. Plus not being from NB or Dartmouth, $120 is a rip-off for basically no hours, no option of training my wife or getting my kids involved...

They likely keep it open for the local cops and have a few local memberships for their buddies, to pay for staff lunches or small incidentals... I don't think they are interested in civilian memberships if you ask me.

No wonder it seems to be listed nowhere.

Thanks for the info.

You’re pretty much spot on. It’s shared with a bunch of different local pd’s for training. It used to be $60 but they raised it effectively Jan1,2020 I believe to $120. I just like it because they have steel setup at 200,300, and 500yds. So it’s fun to go there on weekend mornings, not have to set up any targets, and just ring steel with rifles. They also have a nice pistol range but I always find myself spending much more time just ringing steel. I find it more enjoyable than punching holes in paper.