Hey guys,

 

After searching high and low, I decided that the Old Bridge Club is the most convenient for me to commute (I live in Millburn NJ.) After reading many reviews and threads on the club, it seems like a great place to shoot. However, I am a bit puzzled by the membership requirements. I understand that all clubs have initiation fees, then yearly dues. However, other things I do not get.

 

1)The probation period. Can they reject your membership for whatever reason and just keep your initiation money? What reasons are valid for rejection? I can understand negligent behavior, bad behavior, etc, but what else? Can they reject you for being a bad shot? I only recently got into owning my own firearms, and while I am ok, I am not a "marksman."

 

2)The 12 hours of working...this I don't understand at all. They require you to "work" 12 hours a year for the club? Doing what?

 

3)Participating in two events....again, what if I don't feel like I am good enough to enter into a shooting competition? This struck me as odd.

 

Thank you for taking the time to help me out.

 

P.S. Do they sell ammo there, or is it BYOA only?

Hey guys,

 

After searching high and low, I decided that the Old Bridge Club is the most convenient for me to commute (I live in Millburn NJ.) After reading many reviews and threads on the club, it seems like a great place to shoot. However, I am a bit puzzled by the membership requirements. I understand that all clubs have initiation fees, then yearly dues. However, other things I do not get.

 

Yes there is an initiation fee and a yearly fee, you can join on the 1 day a month that they have at the indoor range, they do the orientation and check everyone out for safe gun handling

1)The probation period. Can they reject your membership for whatever reason and just keep your initiation money? What reasons are valid for rejection? I can understand negligent behavior, bad behavior, etc, but what else? Can they reject you for being a bad shot? I only recently got into owning my own firearms, and while I am ok, I am not a "marksman."

 

As far as being a marksman, no that is not a requirement, you can be a new shooter, however you do need to always handle all firearms in a safe manner according to club policy. As far as rejections when completing your probationary period, I don't really know, I will be coming off mine in September.

2)The 12 hours of working...this I don't understand at all. They require you to "work" 12 hours a year for the club? Doing what?

 

Well the club is self run, it's not a range with staff, we are the staff so to speak, there are many things that need to be done from cleaning, building targets and other misc stuff, like I said I am not a full member so I don't know all the details but will be putting in my time very soon I hope.

3)Participating in two events....again, what if I don't feel like I am good enough to enter into a shooting competition? This struck me as odd.

 

This is not really a bad thing at all, it's more to promote the shotting sport and get people into things they may not have done just going to a rage and shooting paper. Let me tell you, you only need to participate in 2 and observe 3 total I think, but after shooting my first one, I have never observed, I have participated in probably a dozen or more activities. All are a lot of fun and you also get to meet a lot of fine members or the club.

Thank you for taking the time to help me out.

 

P.S. Do they sell ammo there, or is it BYOA only?

 

Yes, you do have to bring your own ammo, there is no store there, actually most of the times I have been to the indoor range I have been the only person there, same for the outdoor range being I show up on odd days and hours. There is also 1 member that does is a FFL and does sell ammo and for not to bad a price either but that I only done at his home once so I don't know if he makes any other arraignments to meet outside his home.

 

I will say, I don't plan on leaving the club until I do move out of the state, it's close about 10 minutes from my pad to either range, and lots of great activities, only problem, you will need to increase your ammo supply, never thought I would go through as much ammo as I have been, but it's a blast. Hey had to have 1 pun in there.

 

Well that's about all I can think of at this time of the morning, let me know if I missed anything or prompted another question and I'll get back to you after I go get a coffee.

 

Harry

Thank you very much for that information. Sounds great.

Make sure you look into the extra yearly fees if you do NOT do your required work hours. If you wholeheartedly plan on doing them, it's a non-issue.

Nice job Harry! Couldn't have done better myself!

 

And to the OP: Have fun & be SAFE. Our next Sign-Up & Safety Check is on Sunday 9-11-11. Starts PROMPTLY at 9:00 am, so get there a little EARLY. You'll need your NJ FID Card, proof of NRA membership and your checkbook. Also bring a hand gun and some ammo for it (unloaded).

 

You're free to visit the Outdoor Range during posted League events (see calendar on the web). Bring Eyes & Ears so you can watch how much fun we have. Or jump-in like Harry did, it's your choice! Just pay the Non-Member rate to shoot the event. Event details are available on the web.

 

Welcome to the club (a little early).

 

Dave

I too had questioned the need to participate and observe events. IMO, PARTICIPATE! Look at the calender, decide what may interest you, call the person(s) listed as the coordinator. Smokin .50 (Dave R) above does a cool indoor event on certain Friday nights indoors, check it out. Call him (or check with him here) on exactly what you need to do and bring. I did his event quite some time ago, it was fun. Didn't have a holster so I started from the low-ready position. Don't know what that is? That is one of the points of observing and participating in these events. You get to learn new things, including safe gun handling, and most importantly the members get to observe you! Well, you also get to have some fun. No one wants un-safe people shooting around them, would you?

 

There are a lot of different disciplines to participate in, I am sure you will find some you like. I try to make the shotgun event twice a month when possible. They also do knock-down steels at the same time which is another event that I like to do. Both are at the outdoor facility. There are a LOT of different events to see and try, have fun!

Make sure you look into the extra yearly fees if you do NOT do your required work hours. If you wholeheartedly plan on doing them, it's a non-issue.

 

I appreciate a well kept range, and I sure appreciate a private range. I have no problems with chipping in with my time.

Two more things....

 

1)Can I bring my wife to shoot while on probation?

 

 

2)When I sign up, can I being any gun or does it have to be a specific kind? I was planning on bringing my .22LR Sig Mosquito.

Two more things....

 

1)Can I bring my wife to shoot while on probation?

 

 

2)When I sign up, can I being any gun or does it have to be a specific kind? I was planning on bringing my .22LR Sig Mosquito.

 

 

Yes, members can bring there spouse and kids there..

 

For sign up you can bring any gun you would normally shoot at the range with, That would be handguns or rim-fire rifles, just no magnum loads. As I said the day you sign up they are looking to see not how you shoot in regards to accuracy on the target, but how you handle the gun and if your observing the safety rules that are in place for you and the other members.

Got it. So waving a gun around is a no no. Understood. Look forward to meeting some of you guys out there!

Cool Beans! See you soon! This weekend looks like a wash-out. Next weekend lots of stuff to shoot or watch--check the club calendar like Harry & Mike said!

Due to work and Miss Irene, I think the earliest I would be able to make it out would be the 11th . However, after that, I would love to come WAAAY more often. My in-laws live in Old Bridge, so hopefully the wife won't notice that suddenly I want to go to her "in laws" a lot more often.