The sad reality

[Captainkirk]

Val, what the clubs don't seem to see as the bigger picture is...THERE IS SAFETY IN NUMBERS!
The easier (read; more affordable) you make it for memberships...especially FAMILY memberships...the more community voice you have instead of being viewed as a 'leper colony'.
Get the locals involved! Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, church and school groups...high school rifle club was where I really learned about shooting. Nowadays, guns + school = verboten. And if some of these snowflake soccer moms ever tried shooting a nice .22 rifle (instead of Bubba handing her the Desert Eagle and laughing when she hurts herself) they might actually enjoy it. But we've 'villainized' guns right along with gun ownership by the action of a few REALLY stupid individuals. The gun ranges do have to bear some responsibility for not grooming the 'next gen'.

[G Dog]

I do 75% of my shooting in the woods, alone.  I also belong to a nearby gun club / range that has everything - long range, short range, gongs, paper, clays, comp events and instructional seminars.  Youth training, too; they put an emphasis on bringing up the next gen.  The shooting line is covered so you can shoot in the shade or in the rain, whatever. It also has good vibes.  It’s private and they vet and background check each applicant so that spergy clowns are pleasantly conspicuous for their absence.  Open seven days a week until sundown. 

Fifty bucks a year!  It’s the best money I could spend without leaving California. 

[Captainkirk]

Glad to hear it, G!
At least they are all not blind, deaf and dumb.

[BOOMSTICK BRUCE]

Hey Kirk,

Here in the People's Democratic Republic of Maryland; $20-$30 per range session is the norm unless you're a member of a club; but that is an investment of several hundred dollars and a years worth interviews. Honestly I just pay it while I have to; plan is to leave eventually and never look back but until then it's the cost of having fun.

Our larger ranges here are always at risk from lawsuits, either noise pollution or people saying they found bullets on their property.

What part of murderland do you live in? I used to go to the Hap Baker range. They only charger$7 for all day. Probably gone up since, if it's even still there, but it was a nice range ran by the country.

[drobs]

Getting late here otherwise, I'd go fire off some rounds out back for you guys.
I could do some night fire though.

I grew up in the North suburbs of Chicago. Worked and rented all over the suburban area. In 2009 I went to Iraq as a contractor. Making 6 figures plus - we jumped at the opportunity to escape Illinois. A year later, we found a nice house on 10 acres and moved to Southern Missouri - in the sticks. Love it.

I'm finally home for good after 10 years of working overseas.

[valforgettaboutit]

Hey Kirk,

Here in the People's Democratic Republic of Maryland; $20-$30 per range session is the norm unless you're a member of a club; but that is an investment of several hundred dollars and a years worth interviews. Honestly I just pay it while I have to; plan is to leave eventually and never look back but until then it's the cost of having fun.

Our larger ranges here are always at risk from lawsuits, either noise pollution or people saying they found bullets on their property.

What part of murderland do you live in? I used to go to the Hap Baker range. They only charger$7 for all day. Probably gone up since, if it's even still there, but it was a nice range ran by the country.

Oh Hap Baker is still real nice just a tad out of the way. I'm over in AACO so our clubs nearby are crazy expensive, but MSAR and Schraeder's over on the Eastern Shore are nearby; $20 a session is doable for the peace and quiet at Schraeder's.

Cap, I agree. I think the super high prices to keep out the riffraff don't help when trying to build membership / awareness. Unfortunately we have a strong contingent of Bloomberg's Angels here who are hell bent on disarming the kulaks to bring about their utopia.