How about a Central Pennsylvania Machine Gun and Rifle Club?

[Quarterbore]

I have been looking at NFA friendly ranges and I am discovering there are not many around. I am starting to think that as PA residents plus residents in states near PA that we should start considering the purchase of some land that would allow us to shoot most anything including the big boomers, NFA Machineguns, and our semi rifles.

What I am curious of is just how expensive would it be to buy up some old coal strip mine in some valley where we could ensure that enough land was owned to prevent future issues as so many clubs face these days. Obviously, things are only going to get worse and there are huge pieces of land that are undesirable for most but they would work great for a large rifle range...

Any idea on how such a project could be started? I wonder if a LLC could be established and sell shares in the Corp to purchase the land. From there, I wonder about permits and other details. I also am thinking that such a club may also purchase and store club owned NFA weapons which I would assume would be of interest to people in states line New Yourk and New Jersey where such weapons can not be owned.

I think it would be great to have something in the center of the state so that guys like me in the Philli area could meet those from the other end of the state and we could all have a place to call home. I also pick north-central PA as there are huge areas of old Coal mine area where I would hope land would be cheap.

Anybody else think this is a worthy idea? Anybody have an idea how a really large club could get started as with the weapons we are talking about we would want a huge area... An area next to a state forest would also be great...

I don't think this is a project that could be done in weeks, or months, and may take a couple years. This is just something that I have been looking at and I am looking for some oppinions as to if it's a project we should try...

Any oppinions?

[Anonymous]

QB - I think its a great idea and have already been kicking the same idea around with some people I know. The biggest problem I can see is finding a suitable piece of land and paying for it. I do know some people who might be interested in investing in something like this, but there would have to be a solid business plan laid out first.

Part of the problem in PA (at least as I see it) is the urban sprawl on the eastern side from cities like Philly, Harrisburg, and even NYC. As people move out to the "suburbs" it drives up land prices and brings the risk of getting any outdoor range shut down as neighbors and soccer moms move in and file nuisance suits. At some point, it just becomes too far to go for a range. I live in NYC and in Chester County, PA; I don't want to have to drive 3 hours to get to my place in PA (from NYC) and another 4-6 hours to get to a range. I will (and I do) but at that point, its hardly worth sinking $5k, $10K, or $20K into a piece of land that I'll only be able to get to shoot on 4 times a year. And for better or worse, I don't think I'm alone in that sentiment. The central and western areas of the state are far better, but how far is too far to go? I'm actually starting to think the West Virginia panhandle may be a better bet (which brings its own set of problems, namely filing 5320.20's)

[Anonymous]

I'd love a Club where I can shoot my M16 or my Mac outdoors. :D

Right now if I want to shoot my M16 on Rock & Roll I have to reserve time at the only Club where it is permitted. But I can only shoot for an hour. Needless to say there is a huge time difference between when I reserve the time and when I can shoot. This is normally two months. Go to a monthly meeting and arrange a time that’s available. This will be at least two months from then. Example: Club meeting is, say, January 3. The most reasonable and earliest date for the reservation would be February 5.

My Mac is somewhat luckier. There’s an indoor range at a sporting goods store with an indoor range. It costs about $15 per hour, but I don’t have to do anything but drive out there and pay for the time.

Just for the record, on February 12 I shot my Mac outdoors at my Club. And I really forget whether I reserved the date in January or December. :roll:

So what are the possible locations offered so far? I keep thinking of Schuylkill County. There are so many former strip mines out there.

[Quarterbore]

I don't think I got this copied from the last time I brought this up buy one risk that was proposed with an old strip mine is the prospect of coal mine fires... I guess we could prohibit DDs and tracers but these are things that really should be planned for if such a club was to be started...

[John@JCDLESales]

Leasing the proposed site might be another option.