Empty gun club...

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I haven't been to the range in about a month or so. The Bureau of Land management range is closed due to weather conditions and fire danger and the indoor range just isn't where I like to go. I have several workups I need to test in several different calibers as well as a new set of grips on my 357 and several different scoped rifles that need to be sighted in.

I'm hoping for rain this Saturday so I can possibly have a chance to go Sunday morning. I have so much to get straightened out it's feeling like more of a chore than the fact I actually enjoy it right now.
 
I've only recently started going to a small range. Only 6 lanes indoors, 21 yards max. Id say when they were finally allowed to use the range it looked packed. I go now on a Sunday afternoon there might be one or two with me randomly and usually only for 30 minutes. I go for for almost 2 hours and been quite a few times I was alone for awhile.
 
The only time ours is really busy is Thursday afternoons & evenings for Trap. It is moderately busy on the rifle and pistol ranges on the weekend, but I usually go either Mondays or Thursdays, I'll see one or two guys. The 'Pew-Pew Boyz' tend to show up on Saturdays, and I won't even talk about Public Sight-in. :what:
 
entropy said:
The 'Pew-Pew Boyz' tend to show up on Saturdays
Click to expand...

And here I thought those guys just attended my ranges.
I gotta remember that name! Thanks.

My ranges are running at normal capacity, but most members do not stay as long. Ammo related I'll bet.

JT
 
I do not know since it has been about a year since I shot at WAC.
What I don't get is social distancing on an outdoor range with multiple fans going full blast. Chasing the 'skeeters away, one would assume that the viruses would blow away too.
 
Definitely. Matches are even being cancelled. The only ones going out any more with any consistency are the military/LE units and those who handload and shoot long range. With hunting season coming up, I expect to see more hunters sighting in, but those guys don't typically have high round counts, and there doesn't seem to be major shortages in the ammo most of them use anyway. The deer hunters that use shotguns (slug or buck) hopefully have rounds left over from last year. Hunting deer with dogs using buckshot is pretty popular here.
 
Went to the range yesterday.
Completely full.
I know almost everyone there so they snuck me in on the 50 cal lane.
I just had to move if a 50 showed up, or if a regular lane opened up.

The weekends are a hoot. A hour-ish waiting line.
 
I work at an indoor range that does not sell ammo. We are down at least 50% and the shooters that do come in are shooting half as much as previously.
I just left an indoor where I am a member and they do sell ammo. Their 9mm is currently $28/box and the manager told me they are not really making any money at that price but they are afraid to increase for fear of angering the members who are willing to pay that price.
My local LGS did have some .22LR on their shelf for a couple of days. 250rds limit.for $30 and this is a very reputable LGS that always prices their items fairly.
I am sooo glad I listened to the voices in my head in 2012. I don't know what to put in the safe as my ammo stash may be worth more than my guns.
 
No. Mainly because my gun club has changed over the years. It's now basically an event venue. So it's very crowded every single weekend; just not with actual members.
 
We have way more shooters than normal for this time of the year at our range. We have recently opened 4 more pistol bays & they were normally empty but if you go in at any time there is at least one shooter at each bay. I pick up unclaimed brass at the range & have noticed that people are starting to shoot smaller calibers. I'm getting many more .25, .32 & .380s now. Are shooters running out of the .223/5.56 & 9mm that I normally pick up the most of? I have noticed a lot of family outings at the range too. Maybe people are going to the range instead of to the movies or other outing place?? This could be another reason for the ammo shortage.
 
375supermag said:
Have others been noticing the same lack of shooters at their local gun clubs?
Click to expand...

Yes. And nearly all of my friends are gun owners and shooters. All of them are staying home and conserving ammo.

I've been reloading ammo for my centerfire guns for training purposes and using my rimfire pistol more so I can keep shooting as much as, if not more than before.

One exception, I attended a trap shoot with some friends and there was no lack of shooters on the line, and cases of cartridges on the tables. I think shotgunners have been sitting on their supplies and are out there ripping it up now.
 
I joke that if this ammo shortage keeps up I will be staying at home shooting my air pistol.
 
spraay said:
Yes. And nearly all of my friends are gun owners and shooters. All of them are staying home and conserving ammo.

I've been reloading ammo for my centerfire guns for training purposes and using my rimfire pistol more so I can keep shooting as much as, if not more than before.

One exception, I attended a trap shoot with some friends and there was no lack of shooters on the line, and cases of cartridges on the tables. I think shotgunners have been sitting on their supplies and are out there ripping it up now.
Click to expand...
We were at it all summer long; In my case all year long. I shoot winter jackpots. In Minnesota.
 
Went to the range today. 12 lanes and no shooters. I was there by myself for over an hour and a half. One guy showed up as I was leaving. No brass in the buckets either. There's usually lots of 5.56 but nothing the last few trips. If I didn't reload I wouldn't be shooting either. My club has over 500 members. It's weird.
 
My range is in my backyard, so attendance is about the norm......Shot yesterday, will shoot again today and I have a friend coming out for deer rifle practice tomorrow.

Buuuut, last weekend I shot a 3gun match on SAT and IDPA match on Tuesday evening and attendance was down at both. The week before was our scheduled PCC match and that almost folded because we couldn't come up with enough shooters. I guess the folks buying up all the ammo are sitting on it.
 
I was at the range today. About a 3rd of the lanes were full. Part of the down turn is hunting season. Guys are out right now chasing game. Almost all the rifles on benches were bolt actions. Only two young guys shooting AR’s.

I went through about 100 .32 H&R Mag, about 200 .357 Mag and maybe 50 .45 Colt. Normal day for me.
 
My 'adequate' 9mm ammo reserve hasn't been touched in many weeks.
.22 LR has been the only handgun substitute, and the M&P or Ruger Mark IV alternate in almost every session with the AKMs or Czechpoint VZ-58 (stored 7.62x39 ammo for years: because history repeats itself).

When you are a short drive from a club -retired or not- you should have a very consistent strategy.

Both the > pre-panic and present< widespread availability of .32 Auto ammo (for my WW2 Sauer 38H) was Already offset by the pre-panic prices. Rather high for frequent plinking.

Our private club always seem to have a pre-panic level of participation.
* Most of these members did Not "just fall off the turnip wagon".
 
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I spent an hour today shooting about 500rds of .22LR. They only have 6 lanes and when I got there I had a 20 minute wait. Feels like most people only go for a half hour. Half way thru my hour it emptied out and had the range to myself til I walked out
 
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