Another Year Paid For

Just got back from the annual paying of dues and policy brief the local gun club. $85 per year for a range with up to 300 yards of distance available, covered shooting areas, electricity, and potable water. NRA membership is required. Not a bad price, compared to what I've seen for dues at many ranges that have webpages.

It also seems that new members are showing up in greater numbers than I've seen in the last fifteen years. It's great seeing new people spending more time shooting. Unfortunately, it makes going to the range interesting in ways I'd rather avoid. Like young people who can't understand why I'm bitchy about fingers out of the trigger guard when they're not actively shooting (and especially when combined with pointing that pistol laterally down the firing line while squinting at that target downrange). Or wandering around behind the firing line with weapon in hand doing 360 degree sweeps while chatting with friends. Or my personal favorite, the experienced shooter/hunter who sits at the bench fiddling with his unloaded (just ask him!) rifle pointed downrange while others service their targets. All of which are specifically forbidden in the range rule handbook.

Aside from maybe five members I've known for years, I'm starting to feel safer behind the firing line when I go to the range. Hell, I'm actually to the point where I like how the Army runs firing ranges.