Hagues Indoor Range West Deptford NJ.. Dissapointed

[CAM 5]

I have been going to Hague's for about a year now with my best friend who has a membership. Each member is allowed to bring a guest each time he comes to shoot, so I have been coming under his membership with him while he comes with me to my outdoor range I am a member at. Hagues is a relatively new range so everything there is new and pretty nice. Their selection of guns varies throughout the year. Sometimes its diverse and sometimes not so much.

 

The staff at Hagues is not personable like I have experienced at other gun ranges throughout Southern New Jersey. I have felt more comfortable and welcome, walking into a shoe store more than at Hagues. My most recent trip has caused me to never want to go back to the range ever again. My girlfriend came with myself and my friend and watched us shoot while we were there. Before we finished I let her fire 5 rounds, 2 from my rifle and 3 from my pistol. At the end of the day after we left, they charged my friend a $25 guest fee for my girlfriend who just sat there quietly for the last hour. The range was not crowded at all and only had 2 other members there while we shot.

 

I was shocked so went back in to ask why we were charged and they said that for my girlfriend to be even inside the range they would have to charge us the $25 fee. I am not sure if that is in the rule policy for members or not, but I chalked it up as I should have known better or possibly asked ahead of time and civilly paid the fee. What I cant be OK with is that $25 is quite a heft fee to have someone just watch us shoot on a day it's not busy at all. We have spent a decent amount of money here on a handgun and ammunition in 1000 bulk purchases on several occasions, I just dont agree with the need to nickle and dime someone when your charging .72 per round of 5.56 to members with their member discount when 5.56 goes for .30-40 easily anywhere else. Anyways this wasnt the only thing that I was displeased with.

 

As my girlfriend was leaving she was struggling to hold some targets we brought and had trouble pushing open the door. And my friend was on the inside as he heard the staff making fun of her struggling with the door and laughing at her. I wasn't told of this until we left, which really confirmed my decision to never come back to this range.

 

I just wanted to share this experience and see if anyone else has had a similar experience. I pride Hagues on their clean facility but their customer service and expensive prices are not something I can recommend them for. I hope this helps anyone else out in the future.

[Kaiser7 33]

Lol, you shouldn't be disappointed, your experience sounds like par for the course with respect to Hagues. I've never heard good things about them.

[brocglock23 4]

I've never been impressed with them. My friend paid $275 for a six month membership. Not even allowed to bring his own ammo. He never renewed. I just think they are way overpriced and sometimes rude. I say sometimes b/c it depends on who you deal with in there.

[Kaiser7 33]

I've never been impressed with them. My friend paid $275 for a six month membership. Not even allowed to bring his own ammo. He never renewed. I just think they are way overpriced and sometimes rude. I say sometimes b/c it depends on who you deal with in there.

 

Shit, and I thought SJSC was expensive at $260 a year...

 

Go with SJSC, it's wonderful.

[NorthernYankee 94]

Par for the course there.

[pjd832 146]

agreed...have only had negative experiences in any dealings there...some of their "policies" are just ridiculous...one in particular that to me seems almost not legal...i "put a pistol on layaway " which entailed paying in full ...while waiting for the bs nj permit process......they after putting my cash in the drawyer produce an additional form i "needed to sign" which said that if i was unable to obtain the permit regardless of the reason there would be no refund....which i refused to sign ...and they got an attitude and said "doesnt matter if you sign or not..thats our policy and we have your money"...i immediately requested my money back but they refused...and said theyd see me when my permit came in and walked into the back....i could see a 'restocking fee" but keeping the whole price of the pistol would be criminal...my permit came back in 3 weeks i picked up the gun and havent /wont go back

[CAM 5]

Yea I have heard bad stories from my uncles but since my friend got his membership for christmas and the range was close we gave it a shot and been going for a while and each time i just was more displeased. You would think in a state like NJ with a small firearm community that the conversation in the shop amongst staff and customer would be great. Just fellow gun people talking BS about guns in this liberal state of NJ you know. It's like 3 months ago, the second i recommended one time that my friend get his ammo from online because the deals are great lately they just been beyond rude. All of their ammo prices are 50% above online which is just ridiculous. I wouldn't mind paying 15% above online because of the convenience of buying in the store but If your customers are avoiding your ammo then maybe that should tell you something. But the courtesy factor and just being nice to your customers is something that every business no matter what industry should employ as basic policy.

 

@PJD832, I see exactly what you mean, a restocking fee or non-refundable $100 deductible would have been more reasonable.

 

I can not speak highly enough about Bob's Sport Shop who are pretty close to Hagues. Their customer service is unparallelled in my experiences. And when I go in there I feel like im talking to people who have a love for firearms and who are up to date with everything in the community. Some of the staff at Hagues I feel is disconnected with whats going on with firearms and only concerned with pushing what they have in stock. Ive brought my 14 year old nephew and my girlfriend both in Bob's and they simplified down all the pro-talk and helped point both of them in the right direction on the guns that they were interested in and both what would work best for them. My uncle bought my nephew a rifle that night and my girlfriend has her first handgun set and ready for when her permits come in.

 

And I honestly like anything I critique to be as constructive as possible and I hope I am not straying from my own beliefs or being completely unbiased or out of hand by posting so negatively but I have consider this for a while and they took it to another level insulting my girlfriend. Even if you ignore my personal issues, ammo and handgun prices, and more so the range membership fee are all very high for the area, and the attitude of the staff should keep most away.

[mcbethr 42]

Maybe it's just me?

 

I've bought two guns there and I've always had a great experience. As an added bonus, they gave my PX4 Compact a tune up - even though I didn't buy it at their store. My PX4 hasn't had jamming trouble since.they cleaned it.

 

Dan and Nick are a wealth of knowledge.

 

Are they more expensive? Yes. But I think they cater more toward the LEO market than sport shooters.

[Ron 0]

Hagues is ok for what it is, an indoor range. They let you shoot centerfire there, but on a 25 yard range why are you shooting center fire rifles there? It's too loud for the range, and if you get two or three guys rolling off rounds it gets pretty close to unbearable. I won't be renewing my membership there after April. Too expensive. I'm joining SJSC. Bobs is fine but the fact that they close for dinner is nuts. I can't shoot after work unless I'm willing to hang out in Glassboro till 630 pm. It's not 1960 Bob, try staying open a little while longer to keep up with customer demand. Another issue with Hagues is their pricing. Paul at A&A beat their price on a standard Beretta 92fs by almost 100 bucks. They are charging MSRP for most of their handguns and probably feel they can get away with it because its nj and we don't have many other options.

[Piranha21 0]

I second bobs in glassboro.... I got a membership 9 months ago when I first got a pistol. I go a few times a month an have NEVER had a bad experience. The staff has always been personable and polite

[MikeK77 8]

I agree with Bob's. People there are nice. But I hate having to wait outside with 5-10 other people while they are eating dinner. If you don't get there and wait, you may not get a lane until 8:30pm, and then they close at 9pm. They just don't have the space or time for the demand.

 

I have thought about SJSC, but I like the ability to be inside and shoot in any weather. That is the only thing that has stopped me from joining an outdoor range.

[brocglock23 4]

Bob's has a very nice and polite staff, their prices are okay, them closing from 5 to 6:30 is kinda stupid in my eyes but it's his shop and the range is a little rough looking. I wish I could find a 100yd indoor range but i doubt that will be found locally. Unless PK90 opens one behind his store (WINK, WINK)

[CAM 5]

Haha I said the same! PK99 had the land I wish regulations, permits and insurance situations were easier to get a range going but if so that would make a nice spot. Paul had excellent prices I agree on that and being an FFL if he can't beat it just get it sent to him from online.

 

Catering to an LEO market mostly would boggle my mind since LEO have plenty of state ranges and department ammo they can go through rather than go to their range lol. And I'm a Marine added to that not just a occasional sport shooter. Regardless what your market is, a customer is who pays your bills. And firearms isn't socks or pants, it's deeper than that, it's a community and the weight of that is powerful. I guess as most are saying here, simple courtesy goes a long way in this business. There are many way to increase your bottom line and being the highest priced in town isn't always the best.

 

I was previously a firearms instructor for traditional weapons and a length of foreign weapons as well. A tune-up on a pistol isn't much more than a proper cleaning in my opinion... Not much going on in a pistol, the barrel, slide assembly, and a trigger mechanism. . I could be wrong by they most likely cleaned your gun for you and called it a "tune up". Idunno about a Tune up like on a car engine replacing spark plugs and fluids and broken parts... It's just not the same for a pistol, I couldn't see them doing any trigger work or replacing any springs which in my eyes would entail a real "tune up".

 

I am however glad you had a positive

experience. And I agree with the others on bobs range physical quality being outdated. It is an old shop and they do close for dinner lol, but they run that place like a family more than a

Business and a family has to eat! And despite my disappointment I will commend hagues on the quality of their indoor range. The place is clean and big and nice we can't deny that. But I don't think the cost justifies it. SJSC and Quinton and some other ranges not much further away offer more and for only $250 a year opposed to hagues at $400+ a year

[MikeK77 8]

I think the benefits of the indoor range is the ability to change out targets at your own pace.

 

The outdoor range, everyone has to do everything at the same time.

 

Who here goes to SJSC and can sell me on joining?

[11b1p 14]

I recently joined Hague's. It is what it is. If you are knowledgeable about prices you won't buy a gun there, I know I never will.

 

As of right now I bring all my own ammo there without any problems, I only purchase their targets for the convenience of it.

 

The staff is younger than most places and I know that might put some people off for whatever reason.

 

I loved Bob's while I shot there and I was living in Glassboro. However I now live 2 minutes drive away from Hague's so I see no reason not to shoot there.

[pjd832 146]

Oh I forgot to mention the day I went to pick up my purchase.... One of the other employees approached me handed me a flyer and gave me the hard sale on an "advanced carbine/gun fighting" or something of the sort...that he said was going to be hosted by the shop....I glanced the paper over and my eyes zeroed in on the price.... It's been a couple years ago now but it was in the $7-900 range... I was like .."wow!... So who is the instructor?" figuring for that type of money for a one day/6-8 hr class it must be some big name ... To my surprise he said "me... I was in the marines".... Umm ok so were a lot of us... I just didn't know that would pay so well...lol

[MUGENFRED 0]

Bobs

[plode 0]

When a couple of my friends visited Hauges they weren't very personable at all, which seems to be on par with what others have said. When we went into the range, my friend brought his Saiga rifle and one of the safety officers came over while my friend was attaching his target to the cardboard(his back to the rifle) and picked his rifle right up and started messing with the stock. My friend asked him what he was doing, and the guy said he wanted to make sure it was pinned(which it is).

I can see the concern as he has an adjustable stock on it, but at least ask the owner of the firearm if its okay to touch it before you walk up and pick it up and start messing with it.

 

He then did the same thing with my 15-22. I won't ever go back there, the ammo prices are outrageous and the range is too loud as they have people shooting everything from large centerfire rifles to shotguns in there.

[RubberBullets 65]

and the range is too loud as they have people shooting everything from large centerfire rifles to shotguns in there.

 

Gun Range too loud?

[brocglock23 4]

When a couple of my friends visited Hauges they weren't very personable at all, which seems to be on par with what others have said. When we went into the range, my friend brought his Saiga rifle and one of the safety officers came over while my friend was attaching his target to the cardboard(his back to the rifle) and picked his rifle right up and started messing with the stock. My friend asked him what he was doing, and the guy said he wanted to make sure it was pinned(which it is).

I can see the concern as he has an adjustable stock on it, but at least ask the owner of the firearm if its okay to touch it before you walk up and pick it up and start messing with it.

 

He then did the same thing with my 15-22. I won't ever go back there, the ammo prices are outrageous and the range is too loud as they have people shooting everything from large centerfire rifles to shotguns in there.

Not that i'm sticking up for that place or the range officers actions but regarding the noise, to me this is the pot calling the kettle black.

[plode 0]

Gun Range too loud?

 

Well, when you leave and your ears are ringing(yes, I had hearing protection on)....you'll understand.

[johnott 5]

I was a Hagues' member for over a year. I bought a pistol there when I first became a member and it turned out to be very expensive compared to other places. Yes the range can be very loud at times... I wear earplugs and earmuffs together and still come away with my ears ringing. But in spite of those things I was seriously considering renewing my membership since I only live a few miles away, but $400 was just too much. My membership expired earlier this year and I haven't been to a range since.

 

It's outrageous what we're paying in NJ for range time. My brother lives in York Pa. and the range closest to him is nothing more than a piece of land where you can put up your targets and shoot... cost $20 (twenty dollars) a year.

 

My other brother lives in Manheim Pa. the range there has a lifetime membership for $400. A family membership is $65 a year and they have an indoor pistol range and an outdoor range for rifle, bow, shotgun and trap shooting just to name a few.

[plode 0]

I was a Hagues' member for over a year. I bought a pistol there when I first became a member and it turned out to be very expensive compared to other places. Yes the range can be very loud at times... I wear earplugs and earmuffs together and still come away with my ears ringing. But in spite of those things I was seriously considering renewing my membership since I only live a few miles away, but $400 was just too much. My membership expired earlier this year and I haven't been to a range since.

 

It's outrageous what we're paying in NJ for range time. My brother lives in York Pa. and the range closest to him is nothing more than a piece of land where you can put up your targets and shoot... cost $20 (twenty dollars) a year.

 

My other brother lives in Manheim Pa. the range there has a lifetime membership for $400. A family membership is $65 a year and they have an indoor pistol range and an outdoor range for rifle, bow, shotgun and trap shooting just to name a few.

 

South Jersey Shooting Club isn't terribly far, and is $250 a year, pretty reasonable for NJ.

[johnott 5]

South Jersey Shooting Club isn't terribly far, and is $250 a year, pretty reasonable for NJ.

 

The thing is... both my wife and I shoot. So it's usually the family membership for us unless a regular membership allows a free guest (as did Hagues). And then consider an NRA membership on top of that and we're right back where we started. Telco would cost a total of $235 before tax for a single membership, the one time initiation fee and a spousal membership. But Telco is even further away. Thanks for the suggestion though.

[Josh S 0]

South Jersey shooting club is well worth the money. Always really clean and well kept. People are usually very nice. A family membership isn't too much more money then a single. My only complaint is they run classes or matches on weekends and take a certain range up. So you can't shoot at that particular area and it's usually the 100 & 300 the only 2 I like to shoot at.

[smoe_picka 0]

I had an overall satisfactory but expensive experience there 1 week ago. I brought my 10 y/o son there for an introduction to firearms. For the most part service was friendly. They offered me a blue gun to go over safety basics with my kid which I thought was great since it showed me they were paying attention when I said it was my sons first time shooting. I rented an M-4 with a red dot and the M-92. They each came with 5 mags if I recall correctly. The guy on the range was helpful grabbing an adjustable chair for my little guy when we were using the M-4 because the shooting lanes are high and he couldnt aim without assistance from me. He might have been worried that we were going to kill the target rail but in either case it was appreciated. The rental 9mm was a total POS. Roughly every 3 rds it jammed and when emptied it was so worn that the slide wouldnt stay back. I just burned up the ammo since it was a hassle with jr trying to shoot and having to clear it over and over. That was disappointing and I understand its a rental however, thats not a way to impress potential new members. The store is clean and the range was nice. For 2 gun rentals, 2 set of earmuffs I bought, some gatorade and a few targets it came out to around $350ish. That is rougly what it would have cost me for a years membership . On the way out I noticed they had HMR 17 there so I pick up a box of 50. $20 bucks HMFSWTFO! That about twice the cost of online. Thats my first indoor range experience in NJ. Im going to try Bobs next and might check out Philly too. Im hoping Delran would come back up soon.

 

I PCSd here from Oklahoma where it was cool to bring a water cooled machine gun to the range for plinking a few thousand rds. I could get bulk 7.62 from Wal-Mart and 2 stamped AK's with 4 40 rd mags for $500 Ea. Not sure if NJ is in the same United States I just moved from.