Non-NRA rifle ranges?

Question

I belong to a range that was not requiring NRA membership until the Annual Meeting that was held earlier this month. By a narrow margin (26 yes, 23 no and 9 not voting), all new members MUST join the NRA first. 26 out of 58 is NOT a majority! I am upset by those who declined to vote and let the right wing paranoids and "gun nuts" gain control of the range. My membership runs out the end of this month. I will not be renewing, because I can not support the NRA.More than a few other "no voters" I know will also be leaving the end of this month.

If they lose 1/3 of their dues and volunteers, they will not be able to function, which is fine by me.

The question is where can I go shoot in the Albany, NY area that doesn't require NRA membership? I have no problem with sporting rifles and shooting sports or hunting. I can't understand why a civilian would need a weapon designed for military purposes, if they were not in the military. I further believe this inflexibility of certain gun advocates harms all of us, because the liberal gun grabber only sees the other extreme, even though they don't represent me and many other gun owners. Those in the middle suffer the most.

Answer 1

"The question is where can I go shoot in the Albany, NY area that doesn't require NRA membership?"

Try the local yellow pages.  If you can't find a range that meets your criteria there, then maybe the range that you're leaving has the right idea after all.

Answer 2

"I can't understand why a civilian would need a weapon designed for military purposes'

this is the reason.-- "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

it's stupid of your range to require nra membership, but to assume that nra members are "right wing paranoids and gun nuts" is stupid as well.

i'd bet they change policy shortly, when membership costs skyrocket and membership enrollment plummets.

go to public hunting land to shoot, or find a friend with land. army corps of engineers land is fun to use too, just learn the area and KNOW YOUR BACKSTOP.

Answer 3

"I have no problem with sporting rifles and shooting sports or hunting. I can't understand why a civilian would need a weapon designed for military purposes, if they were not in the military."

ALL firearms were designed for "military" purposes.

"I further believe this inflexibility of certain gun advocates harms all of us, because the liberal gun grabber only sees the other extreme, even though they don't represent me and many other gun owners."

Study some history. You'll find that the gun grabbers never stop. They take a little at a time until nothing is left. If they don't like guns then they should move to a police state instead of trying to turn the U.S.A. into one.

Regardless of the recent s***w up by the U.S. Supreme Court, ALL gun laws are unConstitutional.

Anyone who can read English knows this.

Answer 4

As a moderate liberal, I agree 100% with what you said. There are more hunters that want no part of defensive or military firearms than the NRA or right wing gun nuts would like to believe.

I can understand 9 not voting - some thought it was bad business but likely a few felt the same way as you but were afraid to say so.

You would have a few options

1. Double check the charter and make sure of the voting procedures. Do they need 30 votes or do they need the majority of those who voted? There's the possibility the election results could be thrown out.

2. Find another private range. It may not be as close though

3. Find a public range. Check with your conservation deptartment's website. Look at brochures of the different locations around you.

4. Check national forest, state forest, and army corp regulations. Likely they don't want you to target shoot on them...but perhaps you might get lucky.

I have a hard time believing that you can not find another spot to shoot within an hours drive. Keep looking and good luck.

Answer 5

" I can't understand why a civilian would need a weapon designed for military purposes, if they were not in the military. "

WHAT PART OF   "SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED"    DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND?

ALL guns can be traced back to military purposes.

I suggest you look for a gun club at the corner of Traitor and Hypocrite

I suppose you don't want g**s or Blacks to own military type weapons because it is easier to keep people down when they are disarmed.

"This gun is too big. This gun is too small. This gun is to inexpensive. This gun is the wrong color.  This gun was used my the military, so it is innapproprate.  This gun is most often used by home owners, so it too is innappropriate. (That was D.C.s argument against handguns) This gun is too powerful.  This gun is too weak, only criminals would want it.  This gun holds too many bullets!"

In the end, you finally decide on 'no gun' is the only choice.

Again I must ask  WHAT PART OF  "SHALL NOT  BE INFRINGED" DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND?

"I further believe this inflexibility of certain gun advocates harms all of us, because the liberal gun grabber only sees the other extreme, even though they don't represent me and many other gun owners. Those in the middle suffer the most."

Ha, the NRA comprimises more than many gun owners like.  Try checking out the GOA for some some hardliners.

And I hope you get your just deserts for pissing on the Constitution of the United States of America like that.

Answer 6

One suggestion is to consider the NRA membership dues as part of the annual range dues and throw away the magazine each month. Then you can continue to enjoy the shooting sports and a safe place to shoot.

Hopefully, you can find another place to shoot without having to travel too far.....

Answer 7

Your range was wrong, at least from a business perspective. They will lose members.

Since I don't live in New York, I can't help you with finding the range you need. What I would like to do is offer an explanation to some problems you posed. Even though no answer is likely to change the way a person feels about things like this, it can't hurt to offer a reasonable explanation that may at least put some things in context.

There are a number of good reasons for a person to own a military rifle. In fact, that is what the founding fathers intended. Their hope was that every able-bodied American man would be proficient at fighting, so that no matter how repressive the government ever got, the people could resist them.

Now, at the time, this was of course perfectly understandable. We'd just come out of a long bloody war with our previous government, and the founders already saw a growing number of people wanting to set up equally strong government here in America. Their way of protecting us was to make sure that the people would always be armed.

In modern time, most people are pretty confident that we will NEVER have another civil war. I'm not so convinced, but it doesn't really matter. The fact that it is possible for large groups of people to come together and physically fight the government is a sufficient threat to keep them from trying anything too radical, like erasing the First Amendment.

And you can't fight the Army with a bolt action rifle. You need similar equipment as what they have.

Besides, look at the crime stats for military-style firearms. Despite the fact that they are obviously superior in ability to fight, most criminals don't use them. They are too big, and unnecessary for mugging, robbing, etc. A few will choose them, yes, but the majority prefer handguns.

Basically, this is not an extremist vs. moderate argument, it's a fundamental reasoning for having the 2nd Amendment. Thomas Jefferson did not care about your right to target shoot or kill deer. He cared about your ability to protect your neighbors from oppression, foreign or domestic.

That said, I quit the NRA 'cause they ticked me off majorly. I'm still a member of the TSRA though.

Answer 8

have no problem with sporting rifles and shooting sports or hunting. I can't understand why a civilian would need a weapon designed for military purposes, if they were not in the military. I further believe this inflexibility of certain gun advocates harms all of us, because the liberal gun grabber only sees the other extreme, even though they don't represent me and many other gun owners. Those in the middle suffer the most.

Heres the thing, the second amendment has nothing to do with hunting or sport shooting. I personally dont own any rifles that would be considered tactical, but I dont have a problem with others who do. When you get right down to it, ALL guns at some point had a military application. I own a 1911 45 acp. That gun had its roots as a US military design and was used by them for years. Have you looked at the new 'assault weapon" legislation they have sitting in the wings? If passed it would pretty much ban everything. Im not an extreme gun nut, and I dont always agree with the NRA, but I do enjoy having the right and freedom to own my guns. The NRA is the 800 lb gorilla whether you agree with all their stances or not, they do alot to protect your rights as a gun owner. You could try joining another orginization. Check out the Second Amendment foundation or Gun Owners of America. They arent quite as radical as the NRA, but whatever you do, if you cherish your right to keep and bear arms you should support someone that fights to protect that right. The NRA is just the best funded group and able to do more.

Esteves the question was about a range, the following rant however has spurred most of us to try and help this guy understand the second amendment as it was intended. We mean him no disrespect in fact we are really trying to help him.

Answer 9

To find a range that meets your requirements, try www.wheretoshoot.org. They show public ranges, gun clubs, and other shooting-related locations. Good luck!

Answer 10

What Otis said

I have an AR 15 and I don't see anything wrong with it.

It's accurate and fun to shoot. I'm not a right wing exteremist but I don't support banning things for no good reason.

Believe me the Antis are going after all the guns not just the ugly ones. Gun owners should stick together not be divided by this type of thing.

Good luck in finding a range.

Shoot safe

Kurdis