What Makes A Good Range ?

[Rabid 1,936]

Now I know a lot of you shoot at ranges, and it's never been my thing, but, what makes the difference between a good, bad or average range.

 

Reason for asking, I've been thinking about one at my place, I get a lot of folk asking me why I don't do it, and a good few saying they wish there was one local, although it's not my scene, I do agree we need one around here.

 

Personally, I can't see how they make enough money to stay open, hence seems to be a shortage in my neck of the woods

[Fellman Mark 605]

The one I am with cost £60 a year and I can go when ever you want barring 3 half days a week there just codes for the gates and you set everything up and pack it away yourself it's brilliant

[villaman 9,979]

I don't know how they make money either .

The one i go to is £60 year + £3 every time you shoot and it is only open sunday morning plus outside only . very rarely go there .

I am lucky to have a indoor range which is a old block built chicken shed , about 100 yards long and about 20 yards wide with a 1300 acres to shoot on as well .

The amount of airgun shooters i have said to ,they are more than welcome to come down with me but they don't ,strange

[Durham John 693]

couple near me

 

ones a bit run down but great crack,

the other full of clicky peeps you feel like an outsider.

 

rather have the first than the second

[tomburras 2,721]

There is a range near me. I joined a few years ago and went a couple of times.It was very uncomfortable and clicky every time. I don't know why. I was very respectful and polite to everyone and was looking for someone I could take to my perms. They even took the piss as I was using a rusty 97. It was home fettled and doing the business in the field and was shooting great groups while I was there. I was called "kiddy" "scuffy" and all sorts they obviously diddnt know I'd just milked 220 cows. I bet I was the most seriously into shooting person in the shed with perms they where talking about they where wishing for. I was all up for meeting a like minded guys to take with me. Very fcuking odd place. Never again will I go to an airgun club. It was clearly a group who looked down there nose and I will never visit another airgun club again.

[Rabid 1,936]

The difference been, IF I decided to do it, it would be on my premises, a farm, and although I couldn't guarantee everyone who came, it would be around shooting people, run by shooting people, not toffs or show offs, sure we have some very nice guns between us, but I couldn't care what folk turned up with provided legal and safe, I've seen some good shooting from old tatty guns, it's the bloke behind that makes the difference.

 

I cannot stand the snobbery I've heard about from clubs.

 

I was thinking more about what would folk want from a range, I have the land to do one, i can provide a sheltered shooting platform, a mix of targets, I have a compressor to fill bottles, and possibly have a couple of dive bottles if folk want a fill, it wouldn't be about making money, but I would have to cover any costs.

 

I've never been to a range so no idea what people want or expect from it.

 

What I would like to gain from it would be meeting decent like minded folk who enjoy a shoot and a crack.

[bigmac 97kt 13,732]

There is a range near me. I joined a few years ago and went a couple of times.It was very uncomfortable and clicky every time. I don't know why. I was very respectful and polite to everyone and was looking for someone I could take to my perms. They even took the piss as I was using a rusty 97. It was home fettled and doing the business in the field and was shooting great groups while I was there. I was called "kiddy" "scuffy" and all sorts they obviously diddnt know I'd just milked 220 cows. I bet I was the most seriously into shooting person in the shed with perms they where talking about they where wishing for. I was all up for meeting a like minded guys to take with me. Very fcuking odd place. Never again will I go to an airgun club. It was clearly a group who looked down there nose and I will never visit another airgun club again.

Had this happen with Ethan one day at the range

 

These teen age lads were there and when Ethan sat down with his struoger 177 open sites they started to take the mick out of him and there was an old guy sitting in the corner and his son in law was going to say some thing to them and i was going to ,,,,well ill not say on an open forum lol

 

any way the old guy just gets hold of the sons arm and say,s sit down iv seen this young lad shoot this rifle

 

target 60mtrs bull first shot

 

then he started to hit spinners out to the same range and pin heads

 

the range just fell silent

 

then he asked for his ultra

 

so i got all the rifles out of the tank

 

hw100

 

ds merlyn

 

tx200 hc

 

by this time he was surrounded by the lads asking him how do you do that

 

he spent the rest of the day with them they even bought his dinner for him and cans of pop lol

 

the old guy just sat and smiled at me and his son inlaw was amazed at what Ethan could do with a rifle lol

 

and another day at the run down range DJ talks about there are a lot of ,,,all the gear but no idear ,,,lads there

 

sitting with spotters and top of the range DS rifle,s to shoot targets that are only 35yrds in front of them

 

same as Tom wishing they had land to shoot on ,,then we walk in me and viz and Ethan they all look down on you as if there better than you well me and viz love this and the best way to shut them up is in the shooting

 

they pin there targets up and we shoot the pins out lol lol lol

 

O and the cry go,s out hear are the hunters we will not get to shoot out now there hear

 

from a dear old friend of ours that sits in the corner AND HAS ALL THE GEAR AND ALL OF THE IDEAR THIS OLD LAD KNOWS HIS STUFF

 

We just put them in there place

 

atvbjimmy :thumbs:

[Rabid 1,936]

 

There is a range near me. I joined a few years ago and went a couple of times.It was very uncomfortable and clicky every time. I don't know why. I was very respectful and polite to everyone and was looking for someone I could take to my perms. They even took the piss as I was using a rusty 97. It was home fettled and doing the business in the field and was shooting great groups while I was there. I was called "kiddy" "scuffy" and all sorts they obviously diddnt know I'd just milked 220 cows. I bet I was the most seriously into shooting person in the shed with perms they where talking about they where wishing for. I was all up for meeting a like minded guys to take with me. Very fcuking odd place. Never again will I go to an airgun club. It was clearly a group who looked down there nose and I will never visit another airgun club again.

 

Had this happen with Ethan one day at the range

 

These teen age lads were there and when Ethan sat down with his struoger 177 open sites they started to take the mick out of him and there was an old guy sitting in the corner and his son in law was going to say some thing to them and i was going to ,,,,well ill not say on an open forum lol

 

any way the old guy just gets hold of the sons arm and say,s sit down iv seen this young lad shoot this rifle

 

target 60mtrs bull first shot

 

then he started to hit spinners out to the same range and pin heads

 

the range just fell silent

 

then he asked for his ultra

 

so i got all the rifles out of the tank

 

hw100

 

ds merlyn

 

tx200 hc

 

by this time he was surrounded by the lads asking him how do you do that

 

he spent the rest of the day with them they even bought his dinner for him and cans of pop lol

 

the old guy just sat and smiled at me and his son inlaw was amazed at what Ethan could do with a rifle lol

 

and another day at the run down range DJ talks about there are a lot of ,,,all the gear but no idear ,,,lads there

 

sitting with spotters and top of the range DS rifle,s to shoot targets that are only 35yrds in front of them

 

same as Tom wishing they had land to shoot on ,,then we walk in me and viz and Ethan they all look down on you as if there better than you well me and viz love this and the best way to shut them up is in the shooting

 

they pin there targets up and we shoot the pins out lol lol lol

 

O and the cry go,s out hear are the hunters we will not get to shoot out now there hear

 

from a dear old friend of ours that sits in the corner AND HAS ALL THE GEAR AND ALL OF THE IDEAR THIS OLD LAD KNOWS HIS STUFF

 

We just put them in there place

 

atvbjimmy :thumbs:

Funny that jimmy, I sold a gun today to a bloke, he drove 140 miles to collect it, was a good gun, very good gun, paid good money for it as well, turns out he was buying it for his lad at the range, they were taking the piss out of him for using an old SMK, well the lad sat down at my table and was belting targets at 40 mts straight away, I pushed him out a bit further and he was still hitting, lad could shoot alright, shame he felt he needed the 'label' gun if you like, told his old man to tell them piss takers where to go

[tomburras 2,721]

Ace. Heart warming. There's some judgemental people out there. Great story. Just shows you should never judge any one as I never do.

[bigmac 97kt 13,732]

 

 

There is a range near me. I joined a few years ago and went a couple of times.It was very uncomfortable and clicky every time. I don't know why. I was very respectful and polite to everyone and was looking for someone I could take to my perms. They even took the piss as I was using a rusty 97. It was home fettled and doing the business in the field and was shooting great groups while I was there. I was called "kiddy" "scuffy" and all sorts they obviously diddnt know I'd just milked 220 cows. I bet I was the most seriously into shooting person in the shed with perms they where talking about they where wishing for. I was all up for meeting a like minded guys to take with me. Very fcuking odd place. Never again will I go to an airgun club. It was clearly a group who looked down there nose and I will never visit another airgun club again.

Had this happen with Ethan one day at the range

 

These teen age lads were there and when Ethan sat down with his struoger 177 open sites they started to take the mick out of him and there was an old guy sitting in the corner and his son in law was going to say some thing to them and i was going to ,,,,well ill not say on an open forum lol

 

any way the old guy just gets hold of the sons arm and say,s sit down iv seen this young lad shoot this rifle

 

target 60mtrs bull first shot

 

then he started to hit spinners out to the same range and pin heads

 

the range just fell silent

 

then he asked for his ultra

 

so i got all the rifles out of the tank

 

hw100

 

ds merlyn

 

tx200 hc

 

by this time he was surrounded by the lads asking him how do you do that

 

he spent the rest of the day with them they even bought his dinner for him and cans of pop lol

 

the old guy just sat and smiled at me and his son inlaw was amazed at what Ethan could do with a rifle lol

 

and another day at the run down range DJ talks about there are a lot of ,,,all the gear but no idear ,,,lads there

 

sitting with spotters and top of the range DS rifle,s to shoot targets that are only 35yrds in front of them

 

same as Tom wishing they had land to shoot on ,,then we walk in me and viz and Ethan they all look down on you as if there better than you well me and viz love this and the best way to shut them up is in the shooting

 

they pin there targets up and we shoot the pins out lol lol lol

 

O and the cry go,s out hear are the hunters we will not get to shoot out now there hear

 

from a dear old friend of ours that sits in the corner AND HAS ALL THE GEAR AND ALL OF THE IDEAR THIS OLD LAD KNOWS HIS STUFF

 

We just put them in there place

 

atvbjimmy :thumbs:

Funny that jimmy, I sold a gun today to a bloke, he drove 140 miles to collect it, was a good gun, very good gun, paid good money for it as well, turns out he was buying it for his lad at the range, they were taking the piss out of him for using an old SMK, well the lad sat down at my table and was belting targets at 40 mts straight away, I pushed him out a bit further and he was still hitting, lad could shoot alright, shame he felt he needed the 'label' gun if you like, told his old man to tell them piss takers where to go

 

It happens at all the ranges Rabid

 

and the worst ones are grown men who should know better

 

just because you have a £2000+ rifle dose not make you a good shooter

 

and iv seen some good shooting with smk rifles and what they need to learn is not every one can afford to pull out lots of ££££££notes for a top of the range rifle .

 

Its a shame really as a lot of kids and lads are put off by these w*nkers that dont know the butt or the end of a barrel in the first place .

 

A good range imop is

 

keep the grass cut down

 

re,paint the targets every morning and after,noon

 

keep the place nice and tidy all ways

 

and no glass bottles as some will try and bring them on

 

atvbjimmy :thumbs:

[bigmac 97kt 13,732]

O,,,AND BAN THE W*NKERS

 

:laugh:

 

ATVBJIMMY :thumbs:

[tomburras 2,721]

Wow I didn't know this happened at other places. Shooters should stick together and help each other no matter what age or what gun you have!

[pianoman 3,584]

There's no-one on this forum that I don't like the sound of. And the lads here I've actually met or spoken to are really lovely lads, all of you. There's a big difference between good natured, humourous banter and taking the piss for its own sake. That isn't funny, it's insulting.

 

And there's something peculiar about the British. We love to set up and create "Societies" out of pastimes in order to further them and promote fellowship of a shared interest, then, we love to ban people from them! (Golf clubs, ughh!)

 

I hate piss artists with a passion. I cannot abide rudeness in people. I'm really old fashioned but I value courtesy and politeness, especially to strangers. It's how I was brought up. Me mum's a lively 86 year old who loves parties and getting out and the shitty looks and sneers she gets from stuck-up nobodies just for enjoying herself, I just don't understand.

 

There's something about people who have to take the piss no matter what. You find these arses in all walks of life not just shooting clubs. Golf clubs are possibly the worse. I call it a show of trying to hide weaknesses and insecurities and character defects behind a facade of imagined wit.. . Nothing funny or witty about insulting someone.

 

Sorry for rambling a bit. But seeing lads here I know are natural gentlemen who'd help anyone out if they could, and reading how some bloody nobody thinks he can look down his shitty nose at them, gets me fuming!

[Jonjon79 13,340]

I'll come for a visit if you set one up Rob

 

The range at Black Cat is well set up and well run.

 

There's a 60yrd plinking range with a covered shooting bench that can take 8 - 10 people.

 

The bench is nice and solid so, no one elses activities make it move.

Being covered means that we can continue shooting if it rains or, leg it into the club house for a cuppa

 

There are yard markers down both sides and, all sorts of targets up and down the range.

 

The safety protocols are good - there's always a briefing for new members and, we have a simple whistle system for if we need to go out onto the range.

 

There's also a full 30 lane HFT course in the woods to the side.

 

I guess the whole compound probably covers a couple of acres.

 

There's always good banter down there and, we try to drag new people into that to help them feel welcome.

 

I've been going for over a year now and, I've never once seen any snobbery, nasty piss taking or cliques - I'm fairly sure that I can guess how Davy, Nigel or Charlie would deal with that if it did happen.

 

I pay £90 a year membership and, I can go down there any Wednesday, Saturday or Sunday.

[Blackbriar 8,568]

Now I know a lot of you shoot at ranges, and it's never been my thing, but, what makes the difference between a good, bad or average range.

Reason for asking, I've been thinking about one at my place, I get a lot of folk asking me why I don't do it, and a good few saying they wish there was one local, although it's not my scene, I do agree we need one around here.

Personally, I can't see how they make enough money to stay open, hence seems to be a shortage in my neck of the woods

I don't know where in Bedfordshire you are, mate, but have you (or anyone else nearby) considered coming to Milton Keynes ?

 

We have a well established club totalling around 90 members, shooting an outdoor range, on a farm just north of the main town. Toilet facilities, small clubhouse and covered shooting point - rifles, pistols, all ages and abilities welcome.

 

We have qualified instructors (not that I don't think you'd need them !), and various competitions through the year. The club is target only, but we have many shotgun holders and a few active hunters among our number.

 

Membership is 50 quid a year all in !

 

And definitely no snobbery ! The atmosphere is relaxed and informal. The club is run for the sole benefit and enjoyment of the members. None of us treat it like our little empire - and I should know.....I'm the chairman !

 

Were open to visitors on Sunday mornings, and to members on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. You, and anyone else reading this, would be very welcome......

 

http://www.mkarc.net