Decline in range use

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floydster

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Central, Mn.
I belong to a great range with over 2000 members and talking to the range manager today he said the activity on the rifle and pistol ranges has fallen off by 50% in the last three months. There are also many hand loading members.
Just wondering if anyone else has seen this situation.
Thanks for responding
 
I sure have down here, we have a pretty nice range thats well kept,and has about
2500 members. The main "core" of that group only numbers in the 5-600 range though
We seem to see the "usuals' all the time, butthe rest of the crowd kinda signs up for a year then lets their dues expire,only to maybe see them again in a couple years.
I would imagine the ammo-shortage has affected most of the attendance.
Even though I load my own,Im still inclined to shoot a little less,given the prices of reloading components ,,
When I do go shooting I now go to some private property that I managed to secure for my own personal use,mostly because the 200-yard mark at my current range was getting a little boring,and my new spot I can stretch it out to 900-yards if I want to,
but frequently use targets set at 250-375 yards
 
Most of the ones in my area are operated as exclusionary clubs, requiring sponsorship and probation. On top of that, their yearly and per-session fees border on the ridiculous.

There's a state range an hour away, but their rangemaster insists on inspecting each of your firearms, and you won't be allowed if he decides it's not "sporting" enough. Most of my firearms aren't welcome there.

I've seen a lot of ranges go away, and a few start up and then fo away. With their attitudes and business practices, I can't find a lot of sympathy, even though I'm personally inconvenienced.
 
Actually, not seeing that as much as before the last election. I'm seeing more interest in shooting at my club (if not actual shooting) by desperate newbies with nothing much to shoot.
Previously, it was mostly casual competitive shooters here: Trap, silhouette, black powder, IPSIC, CMP.
 
time and ammo have been against me to even take out the new toys I've gotten.
(mostly the former. I have a decent stash of the latter, but I wish I had more.)
 
Mostly, the cost has gone up so much since January that it has driven the casual shooters away, other more dedicated shooters have had to adjust. I have friends who can't afford the ammo, plus range time, plus gas and everything else, even if they'd still like to go shoot. I have other friends who have made the conscious choice that the cost isn't worth the reward. I know a few people who still shoot, but they've stopped competing due to the cost and are now mere plinkers. And speaking of plinkers, I know folks who shot almost exclusively .22s now moving to more available centerfires....

This panic has had weird results and certainly has mixed things up. I can't wait for a return to normalcy..
 
There's a state range an hour away, but their rangemaster insists on inspecting each of your firearms, and you won't be allowed if he decides it's not "sporting" enough. Most of my firearms aren't welcome there.


Wow, not sure of your current State politics in Arkansas, but it seems some letters and calls might set some fires on the local Fud that's appointed himself weapons Czar for a Tax Payers range???
 
I haven't been shooting in awhile myself, my 2 favorite calibers got hit pretty hard in the shortage and I am only now seeing them on shelves consistently.
 
We've had a completely unprecidented increase in membership applications January - April of this year at my club.

But I'm not seeing the numbers I'm used to seeing at the club this time of year on the weekends. Ammo is just too tough to find, and people aren't willing to shoot what they can't easily replace right now.


Handloaders are in much better shape because in general we've learned to plan ahead, buy in bulk, and maintain inventories. We don't make a trip to Wal-Mart or where ever on the way to the range. We'll buy larger quantities and can withstand these shortages a bit better.

But it's even affecting some of my handloading friends who shoot often at this point.
 
For what it's worth, I was on a waiting list for a "local" range club that is about 45" away.

I submitted my application two years ago and they finally sent me a welcome letter. They require $300.00 for my first year of dues, and $200.00 as a deposit for labor I will work off. They expect at least eight hours of general labor on the grounds and buildings and then they will return the $200.00. Right.

I might not mind the yearly dues, but if they have so much demand for membership the till must be full and they can very well afford to pay somebody a fair wage and keep them busy. Needless to say, I used the back of that letter for a honeydo list.

My favorite range is about 1 1/2 hrs away and I will make that special trip every couple of months. Outdoors, variety of distances, nice clubhouse with a weapon cleaning area.
 
lex luthier said:
I submitted my application two years ago and they finally sent me a welcome letter. They require $300.00 for my first year of dues, and $200.00 as a deposit for labor I will work off. They expect at least eight hours of general labor on the grounds and buildings and then they will return the $200.00. Right.

I might not mind the yearly dues, but if they have so much demand for membership the till must be full and they can very well afford to pay somebody a fair wage and keep them busy. Needless to say, I used the back of that letter for a honeydo list.

So you believe that the range could spend $200 out of every $300 annual membership fee on general labor, then the $100 left over will cover the rest of the expenses for a year?

That's $8.50 per month per member. How much are taxes, insurance, material cost for the maintenance, etc?

Enjoy your 1.5 hour drive, sounds like you deserve it!
 
Our range is way down. I've been the lone ranger many times the last few months. Sorta tells you the ammo demand is still there.......

Many ranges have a fee schedule based on working the hours off. We are credited back $25/hr. I must tell you lately I have been so busy in life I just pay it.....when I retire I will work it. :D
 
We have seen a big increase in memberships and a decrease in shooting. It is expensive to shoot right now if you are buying ammo or components, and people are concerned about replacing inventory.
 
I'd average about 200 rounds per week, now down to about 150 rounds
every 2 weeks.
Other shooters I know have cut way back also.
Ammo prices and lack of it are main reason.
Dave
 
I'm shooting less because I don't want to grossly deplete ammo stocks until I can find components to replenish.

My primary range seems to be doing about the same volume of business it did before SH, but less than right after, when it seemed like every breathing person was there waiting to shoot.
 
I've shot less this year than I have in a very long time. I moved for one thing and I can't shoot in my yard any more. Plus it's just too hard to find ammo. I got tired of my old club to finish their 600 yard range (been waiting for years already). They got most of the work done then quit. I don't think they really want people shooting that far. The club is ran by a group that competes over resources for their own little realm of influence. The rimfire shooters compete for money against the pistol shooters and the centerfire shooters and the shotgunners. It's way too politicial for me. And if you want to shoot on more than one range they look at you like you're the enemy when you go to a range where you haven't shot a lot if they know you shoot at one of the other ranges. So when I want to shoot pistols they wonder why I'm not shooting rimfire right next door and they say the shotgun people will essentially try to drive you out of their range. It's gotten completely out of hand. Just the "vote for me" guys are enough to drive me up the wall.

So I'm about to join a new club close to where I live now. They already have a 600 yard range. I'll see how that works out though. It could be even worse for all I know. I can't afford to shoot nearly as much as I have anyway between moving and trying to fix my house up to sell.
 
I haven't been to the range in a while because of the ammo situation.

Recently a good friend of mine got a turret press and told me as long as I buy th ecomponents I cna use it as much as I want. I already bought some primers, powder, and projectiles. On fathers day I will break into the ammo stash to take my wife out shooting with me and start sweeping up shell casings.
 
Our range is fairly small and for pistols only and then there is a power factor. Membership has increased to where some are wanting to cap it at 250 people. I have been out there probably 5 times in the last few months working on some loads and have only seen one person there besides me. So while it seems lots of people want to join there aren't that many who are taking advantage of it. I have heard it is because of the ammo shortage. BTW, our dues are $75 a year.
 
For an assortment of personal reasons (mostly positive) ive kinda sat out shooting over the course of the bigger part of the panic.

I've just made it back to the range on a limited basis purely for fun and one thing I've noticed right away was how much grass was growing on the 100yd berm. In the past 12 years I've been a member I've never seen it so growed up, normally it stays fairly churned up from bullet impacts.
 
I feel for those that have to go to a "range" to shoot if I had to do that I would sell all my guns & just keep a home defence weapon...I shoot something on thousands of ac. of farmland on a daily basis 5min. from my home....BTW .22's are back in stock in local WM picked up [3] 525 Rem. bulk packs Fri. & [3] more yesterday ...$22.75 ea. ..I think that supply is sloooowly catching up ...take care
 
Our public range has more new shooters and fewer visits by our "regulars". Combination of summer and ammo shortage. The ammo supply is definitely getting better though.
 
@45 Auto: Take a breather pal.

Perhaps my inference wasn't clear enough. If demand was such that their roster was full for two whole years (ahem... the waiting list) they just might have enough $300.00 yearly dues to pay some kid to mow the grass, mend fences and paint the bathrooms.

They also expect eight hours of service work per year from every member. The rub is they demand the deposit on that labor for first year members. That's a hell of a way to say howdy. If indeed new members have historically skipped out on their work duty, causing such a policy, they can simply be booted out of the club, without treating every new member like a potential schmuck.

If their expenses are not met by their revenue and they expect free labor to offset additional maintenance costs IN ADDITION to that hefty yearly membership fee, then they should consider reassessing their business plan. There are a number of other ranges in the Twin Cities that know how to let people in the door, let them go bang for a while and simply take their money and say thank you. Good enough for me. Membership should not be a requirement for fair commerce.

Also, the 1 1/2 hour drive up to that haven in the Minnesota woods is rather beautiful, and just happens to pass wonderful country butcher with about fifty kinds of fresh jerky. Awesome.
 
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