Range Dues

[rtracy2001]

After moving into our new house, I bought a membership to the local shooting club/range. It cost $165 to become a member ($50 annual dues + $115 initiation fee) with an NRA discount. The club offers two 25 yard pistol range, a 75 yard multi-purpose range, 100 yard rimfire range (with reactive targets), 200 yard rifle range, and a 500/1000 yard range. For shotgun it has a combined trap/skeet range and they are trying to finish a 5 stand and a sporting clays course. Sounds awesome. . .

Some of the shotgun guys are working hard to turn it into a premier shotgun club. Prety much 100% of the dues have gone to expanding the shotgun venues at the expense of the rifle and pistol areas. The board (all shotgunners) have solicited donations (read sold advertising space) to help offset the costs of the expansion, but the club has still gone from having a surplus of funds to (usually) staying out of the red. At the last club meeting, The shotgun folks proposed doubling or trippling annual dues, scheduling more events, capping membership at 600, and closing the pistol ranges when the shotgun areas are in use.

If not for me speaking up, the board would have put it to a vote at the next board meeting. I said NO! Changes like this need to go before the larger membership. (We had 20 of 560 members). I want a place to shoot, not just a shotgun club/competition arena.

How much do you folks pay for range dues?

Am I out of line?

[xs11jack]

It sounds like to me they are using the same tactics that the liberals are using on the election. Their take over of the board and the sneaky vote play is just what the clintons would do. You should get hold of as many other members as you can and Take Your Club Back!!!
Ole Jack

[KYCaster]

Sounds to me like you need to get elected to the BOD. The only way to change the situation is to get pistol shooters on the board so the shotgunners don't have all the power.

Jerry

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I'm over in Oregon and belong to the Albany Rifle and Pistol Club. You can find out all about it at: www.arpc.info (http://www.arpc.info) That having been said, for a new member there is an initiation fee of $100, plus annual dues of $145. They have a work program where any member that wants to participate can work off $75 of the annual dues for 12 hours of work. The work consists of range maintenance or working at the club's twice-a-year gun show put on at the local fairgrounds, one of the largest in the state. I've belonged to it for 10 years and it has been a work in progress the entire time, continuous improvements in the facilities and programs. There is an indoor small bore range, main rifle range, 12 pistol bays, trap range. The pistol and rifle ranges are enclosed on three sides. There is a nice classroom, and a Pro-Shop that is well stocked with reloading supplies, targets, etc. Membership is somewhere around or above 1,500 last time I checked.

Your post is interesting as concerns the shotgunners. I have seen that before in other clubs where they tend to have a disproportionate influence. I think that they are a more closely knit group than pistol and rifle shooters, because they often form leagues and are down at the range banging away every Tuesday and Thursday evening after work, whereas the rifle shooters just show up on the weekends once a month--a generalization, of course. Some of these fights become very protracted and result in life long bad feelings. I do not think that you're "out of line" by wanting an equal share of the facilities, but don't really have any advice to give you except to find others who feel like you do and band together to resist a takeover. Many clubs have split over such issues and new clubs formed as a result. I saw one split over archery once, where the shooters allowed the archers to come in, then the archers began to complain about the noise and how they needed more range time. Eventually the range became exclusively archery and the shooters moved on. Best wishes in solving your problem.

[lefty o]

my club is $50 , we have 2 trap ranges and one trap/5-stand combo, a 100yd rifle range and 25yd pistol range, and a walk thru 3-d archery course. the bow guys pretty much cover their own expenses, and are almost a seperate gorup. the bulk of the income at our club comes from the shotgunners, probably 95%, however many of us use the rifle and pistol ranges too. if one was to eliminate the rifle/pistol ranges, they would definatley hurt membership, even though some of the shotgun only guys never stfu about the rifle/pistol range.

[Hamish]

rtracy,

My dues are close to yours. I would very strongly suggest that the club bylaws need to be revised to prevent exactly the situation you described!

[Paper Puncher]

No your are definitely NOT out of line.


Our range dues are $100 a year. Last year we had an additional $25 special building fund/range improvement assessment. So $125. I have seen several clubs have "issues" when a board is dominated by one group. The funds and emphasis can shift to the point that some parts of the club may cease to exist.

I hear some guys at our club talking about the cost to shoot at commercial ranges and saying we should raise our dues to match. In my opinion this type of thinking is counter productive. Those usually in favor have above average incomes and can afford it. Some would be happy to turn the ranges into an exclusive club. I heard a couple guys at another club comparing their Golf club membership (with a locker room, shower and towels etc) to the shooting range saying they would be willing to pay $1000 to $1500 a year and not have to deal with work hours or any of the "petty BS".

As the cost of shooting increases it gets harder to bring young shooters into our sport. These younger people are our future. "Women on Target" that introduces women to the shooting sports and exposes them to various firearms help to garner pro gun votes.

Our club has a board member (chairman) for each area. Rifle, Pistol, Trap, Skeet, and Building and Grounds. This helps to ensures that each discipline has representation. It is not a guarantee that it won't happen but at least there is some representation.

Clubs are a group of people and as such are subject to all the "politics" of any group.

[Half Dog]

I have to pay $13.xx each trip to the range. They also have metal targets that you can pay $20 for 20 minutes to shoot at. I'm not sure about the shotgun areas.

[DerekP Houston]

I wish I could find a range for that price. The ranges I visit are 700 to join for the year, though they are indoor. I wouldn't feel bad sticking up for your practice, someone has to represent the pistol range!

[jmorris]

Shotgun only folks are on a different page it seems. I know of another range that went the same direction. They wanted your money not your suggestions, rifle and pistol folks could shoot when they were ready to go home.

[runfiverun]

it's 20.00 here and that is umm voluntary.
the members pitch in and take care of the range and target backers.
I have my own target stand on the pistol range and supply the wood backer for it.
but we also have a 300 yd rifle range, a 100yd 22 range, and a 200 meter silhouette range [that doesn't see much use] plus the pistol bay's.

the shotgun club is down in Pocatello and costs 30.00 a year.
if the Blackfoot range allows non members to come shoot trap or skeet [for a fee per round, ours is .50 per round higher] or holds ATA/clay's type shoots and draws shooters in it should actually make the club money.
a weekend shot gun shoot would draw in shooters from elsewhere and many of them will want to rent a trailer spot.

just going down to shoot trap on Sunday's usually burns up 8-16 $4.00 tickets [plus about $20.00 in gas] depending on who goes [it can be more]
many shooters just show up and buy shells and pay for a round or two of trap and call it a day.

[too many things]

I joined a club in KY was nice place had shotgun aabout 3 100yd and one 1000yd . was 35 the first yr 45 the next and 50 the next.
I went down the last time and was shooting pistol . got done and was going to change target . the range dude was there and I put pistol in holster and walked out to change the target. got back and he said he was going to wright a report that I carried the gun down range . he showed me a copy that I had never seen.
I said don't waste your time I will never be back. got my target with my gun and have never been back
made my own range and yes I do carry to target

[Murphy]

A gun range should be just that, a gun range with no specific one category being more valued than any of the others. Regardless of how much money any one specific category generates for the club.

I can see where there may be a slight issue if the range is limited in size, but it should be up to the club membership (not a board) to decide that all shooting disciplines be given equal time. I was a founding member of our local club 30+ years ago and watched it fall apart after 20 years.

Trust me, the last thing you want is no place to enjoy your firearms. I live in what many would call a rural area, but I live in town (the county seat). Once upon a time someone shooting out in the country away from town wasn't all the odd. Now, if it isn't your land you can bet on a visit from the sheriff's office. Not that folks just randomly went about and shot where they wished, but due to how society has changed (as in not getting permission from the land owner first).

I have reached the point that if I can purchase a few acres of land within 4-5 miles of town, I'm ready to invest in my own range. Long gone are the days I once grabbed as much ammunition as I wished and shot all day, any day of the week. Gone, are the days I can play with my long guns out to 275 yards. Gone are the days I can sit at a bench and work up loads, and test for accuracy or chronograph my hand loads.

If you are a member of a range, get involved and stay involved! Even if you only use it 2-3 times a year.

Murphy

[kmw1954]

Here in the quadrangle, Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison, Rockford, open land is becoming scarce as are outdoor ranges. The Shotgun clubs out number the rifle/pistol clubs 4 to 1. In this area I have only found 4 clubs/ranges that have outdoor rifle/pistol ranges. They all allow non-members access but it's not cheap in most cases either. One charges by the hr., same as an indoor range. One has 10yd and 25yd lanes but is pretty primitive and cramped. Another is more of a private club with limited memberships and from the email correspondence I've had with them they don't seem very friendly.

As the area becomes more urbanized I fear it's only going to get worse for outdoor ranges. I'm surprised that with the number of open pit gravel mines in the area that have played out someone hasn't taken advantage and turned one into an outdoor range.

[rtracy2001]

it's 20.00 here and that is umm voluntary.
the members pitch in and take care of the range and target backers.
I have my own target stand on the pistol range and supply the wood backer for it.
but we also have a 300 yd rifle range, a 100yd 22 range, and a 200 meter silhouette range [that doesn't see much use] plus the pistol bay's.

the shotgun club is down in Pocatello and costs 30.00 a year.
if the Blackfoot range allows non members to come shoot trap or skeet [for a fee per round, ours is .50 per round higher] or holds ATA/clay's type shoots and draws shooters in it should actually make the club money.
a weekend shot gun shoot would draw in shooters from elsewhere and many of them will want to rent a trailer spot.

just going down to shoot trap on Sunday's usually burns up 8-16 $4.00 tickets [plus about $20.00 in gas] depending on who goes [it can be more]
many shooters just show up and buy shells and pay for a round or two of trap and call it a day.

It is the Cedar Hills club in Blackfoot. We also volunteer time and materials to maintain the range.

From the meeting last night, the treasurer is incompetent and stubborn. He spent 15 minutes explaining the difference between "gross" and "net" and wasn't even close. When asked to see previous years bank statements his default reply is "We don't have those." After much prompting he finally got copies back to about 1985. He still can't seem to produce a decent balance sheet, doesn't know how to account for utilities in an expense report, and won't even consider using any type of computer program to assist in balancing the books. His idea of solvent is a positive balance in the club checking account.

The Shotgunners use the argument that they are the only ones who bring in any money other than dues because they sell targets in the form of rounds of trap or skeet. Unfortunately they also have disproportionately higher expenses. Those trap machines are very expensive to purchase and maintain. A round of 25 targets is $2 (8 cents/target), but I did the math last night from the expense report and the club pays 7.8 cents per target when we buy a full pallet, not counting taxes ($42.06) or shipping (not disclosed). Even if shipping is free we are operating at a loss!!!!! ($701/pallet + 42.06 =$743.06/3910 targets per pallet (assuming zero breakage) = 8.3 cents target) That is for the standard birds, rabbit targets cost more, but a round doesn't.

I am not eligible to serve on the board for another 11 months. I have a friend who is eligible and could probably get elected, but he also serves on the Blackfoot city council, so he has little free time. We plan on reaching out to some other folks to make a louder noise.

My friend and I are going to crash the board meeting in a couple of weeks. We will show up early with a load of firewood and get a nice fire going in the wood stove. We can't vote, but they can't throw us out either as board meetings must be open to all members. We will make ourselves heard.

[rtracy2001]

A gun range should be just that, a gun range with no specific one category being more valued than any of the others. Regardless of how much money any one specific category generates for the club.

I can see where there may be a slight issue if the range is limited in size, but it should be up to the club membership (not a board) to decide that all shooting disciplines be given equal time.

The board is made up of members nominated by the membership and elections are held once a year. One board member is elected club president. The president is the one point of contact for the admin stuff, but the board itself has the "power". Just like a city council and mayor. It should work if we get the right mix of people on the board. lots of folks don't show up for club meetings. The last meeting has about 15-20 people out or a membership over 500.

We are running out of usable space. The shotgunners did get dealt a piece of humble pie this fall when the neighboring landowner pointed out that the shotfall from their sporting clays course was over his property, not club property. He doesn't intend to press charges, but the sporting clays course is now a few stations short until some modifications are made.

[shoot-n-lead]

My dues are the same as yours and my club has spent more on shotgun lately. However, there are plenty of places for me to shoot what I want to shoot...so, they can spend the money on what they want to as long as they don't TAKE AWAY any of the already established pistol and rifle stations.

[Mk42gunner]

Sounds like someone that knows some basic math needs to be on the board to at the very least break even on clay pigeons. I haven't shot trap for a long time, but when I came home on leave I'd go with my buddy and it seems like the average cost was about nine cents a rock, more than twenty years ago.

One other little addition, I have never seen a whole box of clay pigeons launched with zero breaks.

Robert

[rtracy2001]

My dues are the same as yours and my club has spent more on shotgun lately. However, there are plenty of places for me to shoot what I want to shoot...so, they can spend the money on what they want to as long as they don't TAKE AWAY any of the already established pistol and rifle stations.

Before I joined, but there used to be four 25 yard pistol ranges. Two were taken over for the skeet tower.

[MaryB]

$35 a year, all outdoor with a nice pistol range, trap range that is all new, 50, 100,200, and 300 yard rifle ranges, and am archery range that is brand new.

[dpoe001]

Wow i like the small range i belong to! we are a small fish and game $50 to join that is your first year dues$20 and initiation fee$30.We only have 25 yard ,50 yard ,100 yard maintained by a few members.One of our rules is clean up after your self. Being in a rural area everybody has a place to shoot out to more distances.With less than 200 members we raise several thousand trout every year and stock local creeks ,we have mentored hunts, kids fish days.Weather you hunt, fish,shoot paper,shoot skeet, we try to respect the next guy or even the guy before you.

[tclubber]

I'm lucky I guess, I use a free national forest service range, it pretty nice and covered, but it's only 100yds, but it would be rare to get a shot at a deer here much farther away than that.

[runfiverun]

2$ is waay too cheap.
they are running something past the membership that is just wrong.
I was paying close to 4$ a round back in the 90's and was surprised it was still that low now.

they are gonna run the place into the ground and Blackfoot doesn't have too many places to build another club.
we had a steel shoot here about a month back and it drew in like 35 guy's for 3 day's.
they either had to drive each day or rent a room in town so there is money to be made on that end too.
you just gotta round up the targets and have a place to store them.
same thing for the silhouette shoots a welder and the appropriate cut-out's will draw people if it's fun and advertised.

[garym1a2]

My club fees where $150 to join and $150 per year.
An IDPA and a USPSA club both hold one match a month. Plus a steel match and a cowboy match. Also, they have a few other clubs. Most dislipines pay for their on supplies and puts money back to club.

[peachhead]

I was thinking of joining a club here - it's 200 first year with initiation fee, then 80/yr after that. They have 100/200 yd rifle and pistol ranges and apparently have at least one match a month. That doesn't sound too bad. They also have a 15 hour per year work-at-the-range requirement or you can buy out of that for $50.

Prior to this I have never paid for a place to shoot, growing up we had a 25 and 50 yard range at home but now I don't really have a place for that, unfortunately.

[Rufus Krile]

The thing to keep in mind about shotgun shooters... If Hillary comes in and says "no more guns", the skeet and trap shooters will take up golf while the rest of us take up arms.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

I have written before about this problem with shot gunners before. I tell you they breed like rabbits and they care nothing about rifles or pistols. They are like bowlers in the non shooting world. I have lost three great ranges to this virus. The last range was a jewel within twenty minutes driving time and the #%*&##+ shot gunners got it closed. It had great indoor rest rooms and went to two hundred yards for rifle and a pistol range to fifty and the entire range was covered. Just like your range the pellet people made up the board. If anyone tried to run against them they tore down his posters and come time to count the votes, guess who won. The rifle and pistol ranges brought in the money and the pellet people spent it. They built themselves a beautiful club house where they like to have picnics and bar-b-ques. Few of them paid dues because they handed out paid life time memberships to each other. As pointed out earlier, most pistol & rifle shooters are casual and rarely shoot once a week while the pellet people shoot two or three times every week. We lost the range because some idiot thought it would be a great idea to build some town houses in a flood plain next to the range. He was told that he would have to build a very tall stone wall to prevent the pellets from hitting the houses and to help keep down the noise. He decided to sue the range instead. Of course we fought the suit but there were some history we didn't know about. I better not say more on that subject. The suit dragged on for at least a year and we presented a great case but the judge ignored it and said we owed the plaintiff over a million dollars. We didn't have that kind of money so the range was closed and the buildings leveled with a bulldozer . We could have closed the trap range and kept the rifle and pistol range with some modifications but the pellet people turned that down, naturally. The great tragedy is that a beautiful range was lost forever. This was a place where generations of young people learned to shoot and we had just signed a twenty year lease renewal with the BLM. What makes the story even more ironic is the fact that there was a huge trap and skeet range about a quarter of a mile down the road. It is still there. The would be builder went broke by the way.

[Postalpaul]

Terrell Rifle and Pistol club is 135$ a year dues with a imitation fee of 400$
we offer 4-25 yard ranges. 3-50 yard ranges 1-100 yard. 1-200 yard range
3 combination trap and skeet fields
5 stand field and will be putting in a sporting clays course in soon .

We see the same "problem " BUT in my mind it's cyclical like all shooting sports . If you notice one discipline will become hotter than the others and the other two feel left out . Much like the middle kid syndrome at times also .
IMO unless it's a safety factor I wouldn't allow any ranges to be closed during shotgun events

[imashooter2]

Shotgunners are the majority of money and run the show in most private clubs. That said, you paid your dues, speak your mind about your club in any meeting you go to. Be polite and respectful, but get your viewpoint out.

I belong to 2 clubs. The first is close to home and over 100 years old. Suburbia has built up around it and we are constantly fighting nuisance lawsuits. So far so good, but eventually someone is going to get the right judge... Facilities are covered rifle, pistol, black powder, rim fire and air gun ranges. Table trap, trap skeet, 5 stand, archery and a walk through archery range. Dues are $125 with a $50 initiation fee. I've been a member there my whole life. Grampa drove the bulldozer digging the ranges out of the hill.

The second is far more rural. It is 75 miles up a toll road from me and so I don't get there a lot. Dues were $8 when I joined 18 years ago, but have risen to $30 this year. It has covered 25, 50, 100, 200 and 300 yard ranges. It also has pits where qualified members can do holster and shoot and move work. The club runs an IDPA, USPSA, ICORE or rifle match every weekend March through November and has run Sectionals for ICORE and IDPA, and that revenue still pales compared to the money that comes in from the International Trap, trap and skeet fields.

[samari46]

Normally we'd pay $225 for the first year with 125 for every year thereafter. But because I'm a vet and turn 70 this year they give us a break think only $100. Froze membership at 850 members, new prospects get put on a list so if anyone gets kicked out (has happened due to range safety) or someone passes away they have to get fingerprinted and a background check done. They are just about paying off the mortgage and have been discussing a 1000 yd range separate from the regular one. Installed safety cameras at the gate with key cards, full time RO, both audible and visual alarms for firing and ceasefires. And done a ton of work on the grounds and berms. Definitely worth the $$$. Frank

[fast ronnie]

We have ( I think) twelve mor thirteen different ranges from 5 to 25 yard pistol, 22 silhouette, 100 yd rifle, (paper) 300yd (paper) idpa, cowboy, 200 yd bench rest, 600 yd silhouette, 1000 yd, 5 stand, trap, and a couple of others.

Dues are $150 a year, 75 for seniors, $25 off per year for seniors for 5 hours volunteer, (I think 25 or 50 off for younger for 10 hours). These are all for voting members, and numbers are limited. (1800, I think).

Non- voting members are half that.

Full members get 15% off stuff in the store and paper 100 yard is $3 per day to shoot. (other ranges vary in price).

Associate members get 7 1/2 off and the range fees are a little higher.

Non-members are $14 for the 100 yard paper and are restricted to the ranges they can shoot without a member with them.

No initiation fee, but there is a waiting list, and you must be an associate for a certain period of time before applying for voting membership.

By the way, it is a GREAT place to shoot.

[dragon813gt]

One range I belong to is $100. I don't know what the initiation fee because there wasn't one when I joined. The dues doubled this year. But they offer a $50 discount if you volunteer on one of the work weekends. The board had major legal issues that cost the club thousands. They are scheduling more and more events on weekends. I love this club because the rules are very basic. But the grounds aren't in great shape and the board members are turning it into what they want instead if listening to the members. Oh yeah, bunch of by law changes that aren't great. /rant :laugh:

Another one I belong to is $20. Range is out to 300 yards. But there aren't set up for pistols. And it's paper targets only. They do have an archery range w/ an elevated, 25', platform to shoot off of.

Another one I belong to is $35. I'm a member because it gives me discounted costs for sporting clays. They have skeet towers, lighted range, that's open one night a week. It's really a range that's open on the weekend for sporting clays.

I think I belong to four more? I'd have to check Quicken. There are a lot in my area and I like to support them. Dues are usually $20-$50. I can tell you which ranges I don't belong to anymore. They are shotgun only. Usually set up for trap. Dues are to high. Honestly I wouldn't mind paying them. But if you show up w/ a shotgun that costs less than $20k you are talked down to. These ranges are dying a slow death because young people aren't joining. I usually don't have nice things to say about shotgunners.

[RugerFan]

I pay $199 per year, but that's Alaska for you. When I lived GA I paid $100.

[Riverpigusmc]

250 a year. 25 yard steel range with plate racks, Texas Star, dueling trees ect. 50 yard range for rifle/pistol. 100 yard range for rifle, and a Rogers style shoot house. We do not let shotgunners in. You can shoot the steel with the shotgun if you like, but no trap, no skeet, no nonsense

[dale2242]

Boy, do I feel lucky.
I belong to the Josephine County Sportsman's Association in Grants Pass, Oregon.
One of the best Ranges in Oregon or on the Left Coast for that matter.
Too many venues and matches to mention here.
I pay $60 a year for single membership.
If interested, check out their website and come shoot with us....dale

http://www.jcsa-gunrange.com/

[KAF]

Why do non shotgunners pay for their fun? 2 bucks a round of clays is nuts, they are feeding off others fees. There needs to be a big increase in shot gun fees to shoot. The fees should cover ALL costs for the traps, birds, upkeep etc, or no shotgun range.

[GhostHawk]

Range I belong to does not have shotgun facilities. Pistol range is indoor 50 feet 20 some stations.
Rifle range is underground, 100y, 6 stations 3 electronic and 3 paper can choose between 25y, 50y, 75y or 100y.

I pay 200$ for a premium membership and pay no other fees at all, just my targets and ammo. All ammo is allowed but anything with a steel penetrator is not allowed at the rifle range.

Or I can can pay 20$ per visit

That 200$ for a year breaks down to 4$ a week if I shoot every week. Pretty dang cheap entertainment IMO. I also get 2 cards where I can bring a guest.

Compared to the open air, no personal on duty anything goes range provided by a local sportsmans club some 20 miles away the Red River Regional Marksmanship Center is positively peaceful. Place is run mostly by volunteers who go through a RSO course first.

[B. Lumpkin]

I pay $250.00 per year. Several pistol pits where covering the spectrum of Bullseye pistol, to 7 yard targets for the mall ninjas.

Rifle out to 400.
a 22 RF range.
One shotgun range but it's definitely not decked out.

[B. Lumpkin]

Why do non shotgunners pay for their fun? 2 bucks a round of clays is nuts, they are feeding off others fees. There needs to be a big increase in shot gun fees to shoot. The fees should cover ALL costs for the traps, birds, upkeep etc, or no shotgun range.


EXACTLY!! The shotgunners are stealing from the rest of the club in order to shoot cheap.

[WILCO]

How much do you folks pay for range dues?

Am I out of line?

My dues are under $150.00 and you're not out of line.
Now may be the time to actively become a larger presence amongst the membership.
Failing that, enjoy the facilities for as long as you can.
It's not uncommon for non business types to run an organization into the ground.
Best wishes as you move forward.

[Kraschenbirn]

$100 a year dues and we've got 25 and 50-yard pistol (and pistol-caliber rifles) with covered firing line; 100, 200, and-300 yard high-power rifle (also covered firing line); and no shotgun (other than 'tactical':roll:). Club owns the land outright and is far enough out in the sticks that there's no plausible threat of any urban encroachment.' There is an initiation fee but having been a member for over 30 years, I haven't a clue what the current amount might be.

Our club's internal 'politics' are about the same as everyone else's. When I first joined, metallic silhouette was the hot ticket and the IHMSA shooters ran the show. As that died down, it became PPC, steel plate, and bowling pins with the 'speed' guys ruling the roost. Now, it's all 'tactical', like 'steel challenge' and three-gun matches. Over the last year and a half, the steel-clangers have packed the Executive Board, spending most of the club's liquid assets (over $50K) rearranging the range layout so that they can run multiple courses of fire at the same time...but they've never had more than 20 shooters show up for a scheduled match (last week-end's 3-gun drew 16 shooters...and 5 of those weren't club members).

Bill

[sundog]

Any time money is exchange for goods and services there must be an accounting system. It matters not whether it be stubby pencil or computerized, but it must be accurate.

A member owned rod and gun club is a BUSINESS, like it or not.

Venues must support themselves. For example (I'll use this because I have personal knowledge), if shotgun targets (just the cost of the target, item cost, tax, and delivery) cost ten cents apiece and the shooter is only paying five cents, that is a problem. A BIG problem.

In addition, like has been mentioned before, there is also machine cost and maintenance, utilities, grounds and buildings (club house and target storage), and other miscellaneous costs.

I can tell you right now that at a 'normal' trap and/or skeet range, two dollars ain't even close to the right price. If those who insist this is 'right', they are basically STEALING goods and services from the rest of the membership.

An open an honest set of books is tantamount to the operation of a good club. Honest operation also keeps members from developing hard feelings for one another (sometimes).

Bylaws, standing operating procedures, and range rules must be well documented and understood by the membership.

I cannot overemphasize the importance of having a treasurer and budget and audit committees who understand generally accepted accounting principles.

Go have your fun, socialize, and be safe. Don't forget that your club is a business and has to be operated as such to be successful.

[jcwit]

I belong to 3 clubs, 2 are outdoor ranges and 1 is an indoor range.

One of the outdoor and the indoor range I am grandfathered into, no dues.

The other outdoor range I am an Honorary member, no dues.

The indoor range has only a 50 foot range, dues for members is $125 per year and it is available to members 24/7 unless the is a schduled match of some kind.

The outdoor range I am grandfathered into has a shotgun area, 150 yd high power range, covered with a "shooters shack", and a 70 yd. covered pistol range. IIRC dues are $75 a year, might be wrong.

The range I am an Honorary member of has a covered range for 100 shooters out to 100 yds. Cowboy matches are held there also. It also is the range that the NRA holds their National Small Bore Matches at. Membership is $75. a year for general membership with a small amout for an electronic key to get in whenever one wishes to.

[LakeviewBulldog]

Fees where I live are ridiculous for shooting club memberships. Most run in the $500 a year range with one of the elite clubs in the area at $1000 a year. I'm lucky that I have a public range within an hours drive of me, although you have to watch your back at the public range because there is no safety officer and people do some really dumb and dangerous stuff there. I just try to get there early and leave before the yahoos get there.

[PerpetualStudent]

*whistle*

If my dues were as high as most in this thread about the only range time I'd get would be with an airgun.

We have Trap, Skeet, and 5 stand clays as well as events with true sporting clays. Archery stands, indoor archery, and 2 outdoor rifle,pistol ranges. One 50yds one 100 yds.

Dues are 30 bucks a year plus a 3 Dollar range fee per day you use it. Trap is 3 or 4 bucks a round.

Even with those reasonable prices I don't get there as often as I'd like, hazards of being a young father. But high prices like that...it's golf like prices and that'd be too rich for this young father.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

I think some of you are missing the point rtracy was making and it wasn't about range dues, it was about what shot gunners do with the money. At the range I wrote about earlier the president / pellet person would come over to the rifle & pistol range and simply raise the shooting fees. It wasn't put up to a vote. What really irritated the people on our side was the fact that we brought in the money but we didn't get the bennys. On the weekend the rifle pistol side was filled with casual shooters. Nobody just decided for the first time they are going down to the range and shoot a few rounds of trap. One range I belonged to for over thirty years was closed by shot gunners. It was located on a Union Oil lease and it was there since 1949. We had card keys and if we wanted to go shooting at midnight, we could. The range had powerful lights and protected lights at every hundred yard target. You just had to screw in a bulb. The shot gunners took over that range as well. The range had 400 members and it was not easy to join. Each year they would allow a limited number of new members in each shooting group. I joined with the muzzle loaders. At some point a new property manager was brought in by Union Oil. He had no idea there was a range on the property. Shortly after he was given the job the range board of directors decided to raise the membership to 500 members. The pellet people wanted more of their kind. Well the range president goes into the property managers office, introduced himself and said the club would like another 100 key cars. The man came unglued. He asked, are you telling me we have 400 people coming on the property who are not employees? Well the place went on lockdown until members of Union's board of directors who happened to be members of the club got the shooting range opened under much more stringent rules of access and no 100 new members. It remained open for about a year and then closed for good. The oil had been pumped out and Union wanted to develop the land. At least that was the story we got. I don't know if any development took place. I didn't as long as I live in the area.

[shooterg]

Time to quit being irritated,study the by-laws, organize and take over the Board. Lotsa good folks shoot pellets, but most of their loyalty is to the shotgun shooting fraternity - they'd much rather roll out a red carpet for out of town shotgun guys than work to better your whole Range facility. Vote 'em out, and your by-laws really should demand at minimum a financial review by an outside entity every couple years. Get a Treasurer who will at least use Quikbook !
Start collecting emails from everybody you see on the R&P Ranges/twist some arms to run for Board/call 'em before elections.
Been there done that. Same problem everywhere.

[Tackleberry41]

Pellet people, thats funny. Shotgunners are a bit different crowd. Guess they really dont mix with the other shooters, you spend money shooting skeet or you spend money shooting rifles, not both. And many 'pellet people' dont think of dropping serious money on a shotgun. Guy I worked with paid something stupid like $20grand on a double barrel. I think $500 for a shotgun is outrageous. And they shoot alot, the only way to get good at it. So yea pellet people tend to look down on other gun people.

Guy I knew worked at a range, mixed shotgun and rifle pistol. But was not one with membership where members decided. His boss owned the place. I remember hanging out a bit waiting for him to get off work or use the range. The shotgun stuff was constant maintenance and problems. The controller for the throwers was always having problems, and the stupid thing was nearly $1000. The throwers were always having problems, so a constant drain on money. The rifle pistol ranges, didnt take a whole lot, replace the target boards here or there.

Those shotgun people would show up, and pretty much expected everything else to stop for them. They would shoot way past closing time, sometimes till it simply got to dark to shoot. They did not care if it was Friday and the guy I knew couldn't leave until they got done. The rifle/pistol people cleared out on their own, and would shoot the breeze. Shotgun people didnt seem to want anything to do with you if you were not a fellow shotgunner. I didnt even see the shotgun people buying ammo, guess people like that have a specific load they use. Rifle/pistol people bought ammo and targets, so could see where a place would make more off them than shot gunners.

[ghh3rd]

My friend and I are going to crash the board meeting in a couple of weeks. We will show up early with a load of firewood and get a nice fire going in the wood stove.

Isn't it sort of hot to make a fire? Oh, wait, you're in ID and I'm in FL ... sorry :-)

Your post has made me feel glad that we have a nice outdoor range 30 mi. from South of me ... $70 to join, $130 per year. And a lot of indoor ranges spread about.

Good luck with your meeting, and stay warm.

Randy

[MaryB]

Guess I am lucky, while the trap shooters are the majority of our range they do know the pistol and rifle lanes draw members. Plus half the board is into cowboy pistol shooting so the pistol range has been upgraded recently. The rifle lanes don't take much of the land we have so there is no issue keeping them. Plus local schools are starting rifle teams to go with the trap teams! So the 50 and 100 yard lanes are getting pretty heavy use from the kids 3 days a week after school. If memory serves me we have around 400 acres of land for pheasant and deer hunting too!

[Reverend Al]

I belong to 3 local clubs and have for many years. One is $160 for our family membership (no initiation fee) and is a full service club with Trap, Skeet, Sporting Clays, Archery, rimfire and centrefire rifle out to 250 yards, plus a separate Multi Purpose handgun range (handgun, shotgun and light calibre rifles with 3 gun matches in mind). We also have a very nice camping area which is free to the members and stocked trout pond mainly for the kids to enjoy. My 2nd club is $125 per year ($100 initiation fee for first year) and has Trap, Skeet, 100 yard rifle range and a 25 yard pistol range. My 3rd club is $65 for our family membership (no initiation fees) and is a bit rural with a 200 yard rifle range and a 25 yard pistol range. There are no shotgun facilities at all. All have their merits and they give me 3 different shooting options in case one or two of the ranges are tied up due to competitive events. I used to also belong to a 4th local club which had a $150 first year initiation fee and $175 per year in dues, but since I hadn't fired a round there in about 5 years my wife talked me into dropping that membership. (Having been a 30 year + member of that club I was basically just continuing to support that club with my dues, but shooting at my other closer clubs.)

[GOPHER SLAYER]

Once again, the Pellet People are never voted out because they shoot two are three time a week while the good people who shoot rifles and pistols may only shoot once or twice a month or even a year. These shooters probably don't even know there is a board of directors or even care. In this part of the country they may not even speak English so forget about organizing the rifle & pistol.

[Storydude]

My range dues cost me about 34 cents for gas in my ATV.

sorry I cannot help, but your rates quoted seem inexpensive compared to my time back East. There 200 bucks a year got you a falling down 100yd range and 2 pistol lanes.

[kmw1954]

My biggest disappointment is that in my area the number of clubs/ranges is very limited. Fees/dues range from $30.00 a year to $150.00 a year. So there is a cheap viable choice but again they are limited and none offer rifle or pistol lanes with anything other than stationary paper targets. Doesn't take long for that to get boring! Then it's repeatedly shooting in one position to the same distance.

[quilbilly]

My club charges $85 for the first year and $50 thereafter or $75 for the family. It has an excellent shotgun range but the most intensive work the last couple years has been a covered three bay pistol competition range that is in use almost every weekend. I approve even if I don't use it (I have two pistol ranges on my property for me and my great neighbors). The rifle range is 100 yards plus an additional 50 yard range but sadly there is not much room for a longer rifle range. After flooding last winter, dirt was brought this summer in to make an elevated walk to the 100 yard targets and an elevated area around the targets (I needed waders most of last winter to post targets). All smiles about that.

[rtracy2001]

Talked to a few folks this morning who are sighting in. They had no idea what was going on, but got hot at the mention of the dues doubling. We should have a few more rifle shooters at the next meeting.

[DCM]

$60 at one club with 500 & 600yd rifle range, 100 & 25yd pistol, 40yd archery, trap and skeet ranges. USG owned land.
$150 at another much closer to home with 100yd rifle, Multiple multiple pistol ranges, 3 trap houses, multi station archery. The pistol shooters are in control and looking to get rid of the rifle folks :( even though another local range was shut down by a guy launching a 45 out of the range in to a local restaurant patron that was pregnant none the less. Rules for rifles are very strict but pistols are not and things keep going that way. Why can't people get along? We are all in the same boat! PS I shoot all of the disciplines and hunt with them too.

[imashooter2]

Gotta tell you, I would not be comfortable at all with my club on public land in the current political climate.

[gidgaf]

It's .. all the above. I shoot rifle and pistol- maybe six to ten times a year at the range, maybe the same hunting. Shotgunners go once or twice a week, plus a couple Saturdays- and never hunt. "Our" organized activities are a bunch of doofus dudes trying to reasonably compete as individuals. "They" have company subsidized Rod-N-Gun clubs competing against each other. "We" may (or may not) have similar guns (a mauser day, wheelgun weekends, etc); "they" have team jackets, hats and t-shirts. Oh, and don't bring a shotgun on a Saturday- you are probably interfering with an "event". It's kinda like a game venue- see all those empty company paid boxes and seats? All that money bought a little influence. And like that guy willing to pay $1000 to $1500 a year to keep his place in and the riff raff (us) out. Get a half dozen other management guys together and get it company sponsored- or it's a business expense. Yeah, I work IT, and you'd be amazed.

[Fishman]

I'll echo the refrain that $2 rounds of trap or skeet is stupid cheap. That is NOT self supporting. Doubling that charge probably makes it about right for a non-profit.

[44man]

I belonged to many clubs over the years and most were dead cheap. But I have my own in my woods just out of town. Nobody cares about the noise and I even hear shots from town. Even shot the .50 BMG here.
True, shotgun guys want it all. $10,000 for a shotgun to break clays makes you an inferior person.
Anything over $30 a year means you support the elite.

[imashooter2]

I belonged to many clubs over the years and most were dead cheap. But I have my own in my woods just out of town. Nobody cares about the noise and I even hear shots from town. Even shot the .50 BMG here.
True, shotgun guys want it all. $10,000 for a shotgun to break clays makes you an inferior person.
Anything over $30 a year means you support the elite.

Around here, you support the elite or you don't shoot.

[TXGunNut]

$150/yr, $3 rifle/pistol, $3 trap or skeet, $5 five-stand. Five stand just went up, they had a high target shrinkage rate (determined by careful accounting) anf they're still hollering. We have very good, well-maintained equipment and some very good shooters are members. Latest benchrest record was set in a match a year or so ago and several of our members just got back from the Grand whatever that is. We do have our political squabbles but if anyone wants to address the board they will be heard. Important issues are discussed at semi-annual meetings.
A treasurer that can't or won't give an accounting needs to be audited and replaced.

[robg]

200 meter tunnel range 25/50/100/150/200 firing points £250 per year no other fees open weds sat Sunday .I like being able to shoot what ever the weather .if you lived here you'd know how important that is as we get a heck of a lot of rain and gales here .

[44man]

I feel sorry for those that pay. I moved here and had a paper to sign, association junk, no shooting or hunting, and close to town. Made my range anyway. Neighbor lady stopped at the house when I was shooting, wife told her it was me. Got to know her and even had her shoot. I can hunt her land but she is a liberal and it has to have a "D" on the ballot. She drove me nuts with repairs all the time. I helped her every time. But I am on the board and she has not paid maintenance fees for years. The rest of us have had fees raised to cover those that don't pay and we pay to get liens on them.
All of us hunt and shoot anyway and I can hunt all my neighbors lands without asking. They can hunt mine too. I hear shots from town too. My new neighbor is an air marshal. Also a hunter.
I can step out my door and shoot a .500. You make your way. I have never had it so good.
Politicians and your vote is where it is. Freedom is not given. What happened to the Aussies was the worst ever. Toss those creeps out. My dear friends down under were abused. Crime went up.
Why don't the Aussies vote to become a 51'st state. Dump the Queen. Canada is under control of liberals because you get free. Why do a great people allow that?

[375supermag]

Hi...

I joined a couple of gun/shooting clubs years ago...paid the initiation fees and yearly dues for a long time. Politics, favoritism and such took over a couple of clubs, so I dropped out. No sense belonging to a club when I can only shoot on specific days or at some self-appointed self-righteous fools' time of choosing..

Maintained membership at one club for nearly 40 years now, more or less. $100 initiation fee and $20 annual dues...when I retire my yearly dues are waived, but I will continue to pay them anyway. My son transitioned from a junior member to a senior (adult) member a couple of years ago.

We have a clay bird shooting station that is rarely used, although my son and I shoot several thousands of clay birds there every year. We have our own electric clay bird thrower so we don't use the club's equipment.
We have a covered three position handgun shooting pit with target frames at 7,15 and 25 yards. Probably shoot 12,000 rounds there each year between the two of us...my guests basically shoot free but, I require they put their name on the awaiting membership list if they want to shoot regularly. it can take years to reach the top of the new member list as turn over is very small annually.

The rifle range has 5 covered tables and 2 open-air tables with target frames at 50, 100, 150 and 200 yards.


Nice clubhouse...not much interference from nearby homeowners(range is "grandfathered" in). Not a bad deal...could hope for a longer rifle range but most clubs with such ranges nearby are not accepting new members or have exorbitant initiation fees/annual dues.

My son and I are happy with the club. It will serve my needs for the rest of my life...I am nearly 62 years old and hopefully his for many years thereafter(he is just 22 years old).

[44man]

I have a hard time with England. Is it because most are out of work and depend on the gov't?
What can you hunt? Can you have a gun in your home. Shoot a creep and YOU go to jail.
Sad to say but you brought it on yourselves.
They come to my home, they meet MR. 500. From my cold dead hands! I am freedom and the NRA. Our men have freed the world with blood. We made Japan great and Germany. No hate after.
You need to understand a true American. England would speak German without us but you toss freedom for FREE.
Our country tosses to China and Mexico now. My Samsung fridge was made in Mexico. and LG was from South Korea. Good stuff but they avoid our taxes and regulations.
Get gutters replaced or a fence, roof, whatever. Who does it? Mexicans. Damned hard workers but money under the table, no tax and sent to Mexico. Trillions lost.
I am guilty with SS and buy from harbor freight. I can't afford US products with regulations and taxes. Ford is moving to Mexico. The suckers in Detroit will vote for Hillary. Give fence jumpers my payments all my life to anyone that never paid.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

I'm happy with my little range $50. bux a year no R/O 35 yard and 100 yard pistol / rifle range

[marvelshooter]

$75 a year for an outdoor only range about a mile from home. It has an 80 yard range with covered firing positions and a trap range. $75 a year for an 8 position indoor range about 5 miles from home.

[DerekP Houston]

yall are making me jealous, I pay $16 a visit for the indoor range....

[dragon813gt]

yall are making me jealous, I pay $16 a visit for the indoor range....

Yep, that sucks.

[bbs70]

After moving into our new house, I bought a membership to the local shooting club/range. It cost $165 to become a member ($50 annual dues + $115 initiation fee) with an NRA discount. The club offers two 25 yard pistol range, a 75 yard multi-purpose range, 100 yard rimfire range (with reactive targets), 200 yard rifle range, and a 500/1000 yard range. For shotgun it has a combined trap/skeet range and they are trying to finish a 5 stand and a sporting clays course. Sounds awesome. . .

Some of the shotgun guys are working hard to turn it into a premier shotgun club. Prety much 100% of the dues have gone to expanding the shotgun venues at the expense of the rifle and pistol areas. The board (all shotgunners) have solicited donations (read sold advertising space) to help offset the costs of the expansion, but the club has still gone from having a surplus of funds to (usually) staying out of the red. At the last club meeting, The shotgun folks proposed doubling or trippling annual dues, scheduling more events, capping membership at 600, and closing the pistol ranges when the shotgun areas are in use.

If not for me speaking up, the board would have put it to a vote at the next board meeting. I said NO! Changes like this need to go before the larger membership. (We had 20 of 560 members). I want a place to shoot, not just a shotgun club/competition arena.

How much do you folks pay for range dues?

Am I out of line?

If I didn't know any better I'd say you were talking about the range I use to belong to.
4k to redo the walkway for skeet, 0 for the rifle and handgun areas.
Then the cowboy shooters from 50 miles away joined and took over everything, and the pres of the club is kissing their backsides
New area just for them, their setup time was on the Friday before the Saturday shoot, after 2.
But at ten in the morning me and others have been told we had to leave so the cowboys could set up early.

Dues went up to 125 from 100 so the cowboy shooters could rearrange the club to their liking.
I and others decided to give our opinion by not renewing our memberships

[kingstrider]

I usually go to a public range that has a 25 yard pistol and 100 yard rifle range. It is free though it is a bit of a drive. I can always shoot on base for a small cost but never have since I refuse to register my weapons there. Once I get all my NFA stuff approved I can find plenty of places to shoot suppressed on the island I live on.

[kmw1954]

yall are making me jealous, I pay $16 a visit for the indoor range....

This general area is $20.00 or better. Only one that has a $16.00hr. fee.

[44man]

Public ranges drove me nuts. Had to drive a long distance over bad pot holed roads from the nut cases with 4 wheel drives that tore it to shreds when muddy or snow covered.
Then the range was all trash. There was a big container for trash but all was left on the ground where shot. Then so many shot over the berms the range had to close. It was great, covered benches and 200 yards but yuckers destroyed it.
Most shooters have no ethics at all.
Hunters are no joy either. Parking lot in PA was so bad we took all our garbage bags to clean it up. Game warden stopped and asked what we were doing. I told him "cleaning this place up." He seen my Ohio plates and we had a friend for a long time.
I grew up better then that.
Same happened in Ohio on a farm we could shoot on. Game warden heard the shooting and drove back while we were walking out with trash bags. He asked what was in the bags? I said all our targets. We do NOT leave trash. He could not believe it. I think it spread across the state because no matter where we hunted, game wardens where great to us. Many never asked to see a license.
We have a reputation to uphold so the public and farmers accept us.
I would never expect to see anyone here at this site feel any different and are proud of their actions. I had horses, goats and a donkey long ago and would find fences cut. I know what it is like. I have a neighbor that everyone hates, race track guy that let race track workers on his place. His brother would sneak onto the neighbors to hunt. He actually stole a buck a another neighbor shot and I helped track to the horse barn where it hung. No tag and the jerk said he shot it in another county. I found his board nailed in a tree with over 100 beer cans on the ground. I tore the board down and recycled the cans. He actually threatened me at one point.
Take care fellas and keep a close eye on yourself too. But we are a good bunch.

[jcwit]

I believe in what the Boy Scouts taught me, Leave nothing but foot prints!

[rockrat]

We pay $85/yr, $95 if you are not an NRA member. $100 fee to join. We have trap, skeet(for now!!), cowboy, tactical range, pistol range, and covered firing line for rifles, with 8 tables and you can shoot at our gongs @565yds if you want, but only go to 500 with paper targets if you want to do a bit of work. Otherwise, gongs (round and animal type) at 100,165,219,300,337,350,385,428,500 and 565. Our buffalo is at 500yds.
We also have an indoor range seperate from the outdoor range, that is in town near the airport

[Plate plinker]

$0 I just walk out the back door.

[shooterg]

We pay $85/yr, $95 if you are not an NRA member. $100 fee to join. We have trap, skeet(for now!!), cowboy, tactical range, pistol range, and covered firing line for rifles, with 8 tables and you can shoot at our gongs @565yds if you want, but only go to 500 with paper targets if you want to do a bit of work. Otherwise, gongs (round and animal type) at 100,165,219,300,337,350,385,428,500 and 565. Our buffalo is at 500yds.
We also have an indoor range seperate from the outdoor range, that is in town near the airport

We are 100% NRA on the Rifle and Pistol Ranges. About 450 members with access. About 50 members are hardcore shotgun, belong to ATA/etc. and stay on the shotgun facility. Long as we show up at Board elections, hard for 'em to take over.

[rtracy2001]

Well, the board meeting was a bust. Despite assurances from the board at the general meeting that no increase in dues would be voted on this Month (discussion only) the board voted 4 to 2 with 2 abstaining to increase dues to $85/year. they also eliminated the NRA discount through an amendment to the motion AFTER the vote! At least two board members were upset that they only went to $85.

The club is already a not for profit corporation, but now they want to con the IRS into believing that it is a charity so donations are tax deductible.

I am now working to get the rifle and pistol shooters organized enough to vote out the board. Won't be easy.

[Mk42gunner]

It is never good when the board members lie to the paying members.

Robert

[standles]

I paid 150 initial fee and 40.00/month for unlimited access. however it does provide access to this. www.coreshooting.com

[SteelHorseCowboy]

Gonna kind of brag a bit here.
I use the public range.
For the regular joe, it's $10 per visit. That gets you a 200 yard rifle range (maybe 300, not sure I rarely use it), 100 yard rimfire range, 100 yard pistol/rimfire range with large plates at the very back, 100 yard pistol/rimfire range with standing plates and falling plates set at various distances, with a couple large gongs at the very back. That $10 gets you use of all of this. You can shoot on all sections of the range for one $10 fee for the day.

You can also set up a board on the pistol/rimfire range to check your shotgun pattern before walking across the parking lot to the quite nice 5 stand range. The 5 stand range is $7 per round. Why $7 and not an even $5 or $10? Hell if I know. Maybe because a case of shells is ten rounds per box, and if you shoot a whole case that's a nice, round $70. Some folks are weird and think like that. Like me.

They also have an archery range. Regular targets and lanes for marksmanship at varying distances, and a course similar to a sporting clays course. Not sure how these are referred to in archery terms.

It's managed by the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office. Range master and RSOs are all deputies who're also instructors and give advice freely but only when asked. They're not going to come stand over your shoulder and attempt to train you like your qualifying as a LEO. They won't hesitate to call another RSO to your area to free them up so they can teach brand new shooters the basics and safety rules.

It's maintained by the inmate trustees. The short timer jailbirds who've earned their trust by good behavior and conduct while incarcerated, but haven't been released yet. They build the target stands, clean up the brass, sort and bag brass for sale to reloaders among all the other tasks requiring general labor. They're treated like real men by the LEO staff and patrons. Only time I've seen someone kicked off the range was for treating one of the trustees poorly. They won't hesitate to correct dangerous behavior and I've heard they've suspended people for such, I just haven't seen it myself.

They have a nice clubhouse, horse arena for training mounted LEOs, LEO qualifying range, and store all their cool S.W.A.T. vehicles there.

My favorite part? I'm a vet. Vets, kids under 16, seniors (not sure what age they consider senior), and of course LEOs get to use the range for free. The range master will sometimes also waive the fee for new shooters.

Buy brass from the range? The R.M. NEVER, that I've seen, charges the price on the bag. "4 bags of brass at $15 each? Let's see... gimme $40 and we'll call it even." I think that's cool as hell. They're only sorted by caliber, not inspected for damage and not sorted by brand. All the brass those inmates go through, I wouldn't ask for more than that.

So... sorry. I've got it good and don't have to worry about exorbitant fees, maintaining the range, or board politics. My only complaint is that they sometimes close the range for competitions. That in itself is no big deal at all, the problem is that they do a poor job of keeping their online calendar updated. That's why I have them on speed dial.

I do my part to help out where I can though. I've dropped donations, bought pizza for the staff, buy brass occasionally, and hit the 5 stand as often as I can. Basically, I try to spend a little money on the place to help out.

I think they may offer a yearly membership fee. But as a free patron, I've never bothered checking.

[SteelHorseCowboy]

Second home.
http://www.opso.net/public-range/
The atmosphere is much more relaxed than the site makes it seem.