changes on the range

[OeldeWolf]

My son, his fiance, and I went to the range this last weekend. They were shooting .22's (and she is catching in fast, although from Japan), I needed to site in the SO's rifle, and I wanted to shoot a few rounds thropugh a K-31, which I had not yet shot.

Things have changed at the range I usually go to.

A bit over a year ago, an LEO dept rented the 200 yard range for their training classes. They brought in some gravel, and occupied the range 5 days a week even over most holidays. A couple of signs, such as basic things like ear porotection. No big deal, and I was glad to see the range get such a contract, as it hopefully meant they could do more renovating and such.

I was unablke to get to the range for several months, and was surprised.

Signs about prohibited things are everywhere. Scrounging brass can get you barred from the range permanently (but no way am I going to leave my personal brass behind, it is in odd calibers, and I load). Collecting spent lead likewise, and I even asked the owner - "we don't do that anymore." Unregistered vehicles are "prohibited," as are lots of other things. The sign in now also includes the vehicle license plates, which is new, as well as driver's license number.

The sun shades that used to be up are all gone as well, and with the sun around here, the sun is a killer.

I am not sure if it is the LEO dept setting the new standards, new local or state regulations, too many morons starting to use the range, or if they are just collecting brass and lead to sell themselves. But all of a sudden it is like getting signed to death. Next closest range with 200 yds available is an hour from here, this is a half hour or a tad more. And there have been no further renovations made since the LEOs first arrived. In fact, the portions not used for the training, have deteriorated somewhat.

Well, with the scarcity of components right now, it is probably better to reduce my trips to the range, anyway. Maybe get the membership at the larger range farther away, and make a day trip out of it. But it looks like I may have to save up to buy lead. Oh well.

Is this happening to other ranges, or just those here in the People's Socialist Republik of Kalifornia?

[Echo]

The county range where I volunteer does not allow brass pick-up, except for your own brass. And perish the thought of mining the berms! Our county (along with many others, I'm sure) is in financial trouble and the brass is sold to recyclers. I'm sure that really helps the county coffers - right. And haz-mat uniform w/respirator would be required for berm mining.

In any case, it's not as bad here in AZ as you are saying about Kal. No license plate numbers (what's that all about?) on signing in, no onerous rules, but they are very safety conscious and can get snippy when minor infractions occur.

[HeavyMetal]

Which range are we talking about?

The other idea is perhaps more than one person needs to speak up. The owner runs the range to make money. While a contract with local LEO is cool it is not going to support the range if the civilian shooters go some where else AS A GROUP!

Perhaps, as a group, this should be, politely, pointed out to the range owner.

Ranges have dropped of the face of the earth in the last yr or so. San Gabrial vally gun club closed, because of noise, last yr. The range owner my feel he has a captive audience.

[Bret4207]

Sounds like lawyers to me.

[sheepdog]

My son, his fiance, and I went to the range this last weekend. They were shooting .22's (and she is catching in fast, although from Japan), I needed to site in the SO's rifle, and I wanted to shoot a few rounds thropugh a K-31, which I had not yet shot.

Things have changed at the range I usually go to.

A bit over a year ago, an LEO dept rented the 200 yard range for their training classes. They brought in some gravel, and occupied the range 5 days a week even over most holidays. A couple of signs, such as basic things like ear porotection. No big deal, and I was glad to see the range get such a contract, as it hopefully meant they could do more renovating and such.

I was unablke to get to the range for several months, and was surprised.

Signs about prohibited things are everywhere. Scrounging brass can get you barred from the range permanently (but no way am I going to leave my personal brass behind, it is in odd calibers, and I load). Collecting spent lead likewise, and I even asked the owner - "we don't do that anymore." Unregistered vehicles are "prohibited," as are lots of other things. The sign in now also includes the vehicle license plates, which is new, as well as driver's license number.

The sun shades that used to be up are all gone as well, and with the sun around here, the sun is a killer.

I am not sure if it is the LEO dept setting the new standards, new local or state regulations, too many morons starting to use the range, or if they are just collecting brass and lead to sell themselves. But all of a sudden it is like getting signed to death. Next closest range with 200 yds available is an hour from here, this is a half hour or a tad more. And there have been no further renovations made since the LEOs first arrived. In fact, the portions not used for the training, have deteriorated somewhat.

Well, with the scarcity of components right now, it is probably better to reduce my trips to the range, anyway. Maybe get the membership at the larger range farther away, and make a day trip out of it. But it looks like I may have to save up to buy lead. Oh well.

Is this happening to other ranges, or just those here in the People's Socialist Republik of Kalifornia?

Time to change ranges. They sold out, no two ways about it. Thats why I love my range. Its a membership, there's a board you vote on and all the changes are for the improvement of the range, not the income of some owner. Its not uncommon at my range to see strangers giving each other brass they don't shoot or a few rounds of ammo to see how their gun likes it. Of course this is Texas, and people here tend to be that way.

[Cherokee]

My local ranges are membership run and the rules are fairly straightforward. No BS.

[captaint]

Here in SE PA the ranges that have over 100 yds are fewer and fewer. At my club there's a board of directors and they only collect/raise enough money to run the place. Very big trapshooting group too. None of the other bull though. Nice friendly place to shoot & talk to the other folks

[briang]

Here in SE PA the ranges that have over 100 yds are fewer and fewer. At my club there's a board of directors and they only collect/raise enough money to run the place. Very big trapshooting group too. None of the other bull though. Nice friendly place to shoot & talk to the other folks

Out of curiousity, what range is that? I'm a member of the Boyertown rod and gun club, reminds me of there.

As of the OP's problem, I think HeavyMetal has the right idea.

[targetshootr]

Our range is getting like that. Every few months one of the old timers will have a tantrum and the next month a new rule is in place. We had three pits where centerfire pistols could be used and in one of them you could get a rifle on paper. Now it's down to two pistol pits and no place to get a rifle on paper. The former pistol pit, which goes out to 75 yds, is only for 22s now so you've got people lining up to shoot pistols while the other pit sits empty.

[Nora]

The conservation club that I shot at for years was a membership club, with well groomed lanes out to 300 yards. The Posted rule about the brass was, pick it ALL up. nothing is to be left laying around. If you don't want it put it into 1 of 2 buckets provided. One was for rim fire brass, and the other was for center fire. Once it hit the bucket it was fair game. If you want it take it. When and if they ever (I never saw it happen) became full it would be recycled and the money put into the range slush fund for improvements. A trip to the range just wouldn't be the same without scrounging threw the brass bucket. IMHO if you can afford the gas, make it a day and head to the other range.

[vincewarde]

I am not sure if it is the LEO dept setting the new standards, new local or state regulations, too many morons starting to use the range, or if they are just collecting brass and lead to sell themselves. But all of a sudden it is like getting signed to death. Next closest range with 200 yds available is an hour from here, this is a half hour or a tad more. And there have been no further renovations made since the LEOs first arrived. In fact, the portions not used for the training, have deteriorated somewhat.

Well, with the scarcity of components right now, it is probably better to reduce my trips to the range, anyway. Maybe get the membership at the larger range farther away, and make a day trip out of it. But it looks like I may have to save up to buy lead. Oh well.

Is this happening to other ranges, or just those here in the People's Socialist Republik of Kalifornia?

I too am in the PRK - near Sacramento. In our area and at our club, the situation is reversed. Law Enforcement uses our ranges all the time, but we set the rules. I don't recall law enforcement ever using a range on a weekend. Tons of agencies use the ranges - in fact I saw a police department from over 100 miles away on this month's schedule.

In fact, a couple of years ago, when the California DOJ was pushing ammo serialization, we told them that they could no longer use our range. They were quoted by the Sac Bee demanding that they be allowed to use our range. Guess what - it's our range, NRA affiliated, owned and run by us. They stayed out.

I don't know about lead, but brass is either picked up by the shooter, by someone nearby who can use it, or recovered from the buckets by the Scouts who then sell it.

It's a great range. Our membership is drawn from a huge area - some drive over 100 miles - it's that good. If you area anywhere near Sacramento, PM me and I'll give you the info.

[OeldeWolf]

Vinceward, yours is the one that is about an hour away. I have been there for Garand Matches (shooting a Swedish mauser, usually). I liked what I saw, and what I have heard about it. I remember when that happened, and read the letter that was sent by your club.

They also have a military silhouette group that sounds interesting. I have not had an opportunity to shoot over 200 yards, so it sounds like a challenge.

The only other local (actually almost but no quite as far away as your range) are an indoor range with business hours, and a sportsman's club with ranges limited to 100 yds.

So in part, it is that this range has a largely captive audience. Hard to say why this has happened, but it feels less friendly now.

I am going to seriously consider the club you belong to, vinceward.

[OeldeWolf]

I am considering getting one of those expanding gazebo/shade things to tqake to the range with me. Get some shade. Anyone use one, and with what results?