Good gun ranges/clubs in MD

Enowacki said:

However I think that maybe by becoming a member I can use my time to try and change that culture.

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i would kind of think they don't necessarily want things to change. honestly, if i were in a private gun club, i would like that just no one can walk in and try to join/shoot there. otherwise it's just a public range. or am i thinking incorrectly?

ebxgsxr said:

... honestly, if i were in a private gun club, i would like that just no one can walk in and try to join/shoot there. otherwise it's just a public range. or am i thinking incorrectly?

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Yes, ebxgsxr, you've got it right. As a private club, it's important that there are shared values, esp when it comes to safety and range rules/hours, and it takes time for someone to establish that credibility. One yahoo who comes in and completely ignores the range rules could get the club shut down...or worse, hurts someone. The vetting process is designed to weed out those who just "wanna show up, pay some money and go blastin'." There are public ranges that cater to that market.

Another issue is that for my club (AAF&G) the new member process is specifically designed to have newbies try multiple disciplines, so they have to paticipate in a rifle, pistol, and shotgun event, along with attending gun school. This helps to expose the provisional member to other forms of shooting sports, as well as introducing them to members of the club. Both are net positives.

Enowacki, you mentioned the locked gate at AAF&G. That's there for a reason. Our club is located in a very suburban area and operates under stringent hours restrictions. Becoming a member gives you a key card to enter the range grounds. Having the key card to open the gate implies a huge level of trust in the individual. Without a locked gate, it's easy to imagine that someone might swing by "try out the range" outside of the specifically permitted hours. Besides being potentially a danger to themselves or others, they could break the shooting hours rules. If you want to learn about the club, the best way to do so is to look at the upcoming events which are open to the public, like IDPA or Appleseed...and then sign up to participate. I guarantee that someone will be willing to talk about, if not, actually give you a tour of the grounds. I known because I've done that for total strangers who come by when the gate is up. It's all about paying it forward ... spreading the word and safely experiencing shooting events.

JoeR

K31 said:

If you go post in the intro section you'll get a whole shiiteload of information on ranges.

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This.