u250680

Just renewed my annual mbrship to the local gun club and found out we now have a mandatory range orientation that will be requried every year before we receive our mbrship card and key to the gate. Orientation coverd the basics on safe handling of firearms, do's and don'ts, where to put brass, cleanup days, appropriate firearms to be used on appropriate ranges, etc.,. Heard alot of our older mbrs grumble about it but with the increased mbrship and alot of new ccw applicants who've never been around firearms before, I think its a good prudent idea. Does your range and gun club mbrship require orientation and if so what is covered?

41RED

Our club only requires an orientation when you join. All the subjects are covered as you indicated in your post. We're restricted to 1100 members and I don't think there are any openings right now. Our 60 position long gun range has about a dozen points out to 600 yards. The rest are divided into incriments of 100 yards. You don't have to qualify out to 200 yards but after that you have to make arrangements to be tested before you can go for the longer shots. I only shoot handgun and can only shoot on the handgun range or the overflow handgun range. I no longer have an interest in shooting rifles so don't have to worry about the qualifying. Only rifles I shoot are for handgun cartridges in which case I can only shot on the handgun range.

kingpins9

I think it's a good idea. That way there is no excuse when they have to revoke someone's membership for doing something stupid.

James6591

At our club, new members have to do a safety course.
Covers all the basics.

JohnD13

Our club does an orientation when you join. An annual refresher isn't a bad idea though.

ikar

I can't afford to join the clubs around here.

bwinters

Our club in NJ requires orientation every year for insurance purposes.

bobkk

Ours requires it for new members. Think it would be better if all members had it once a year. People have a bad habit of forgetting a lot of rules. Me included.

VietVet68

Unfortunately our club has no such provision but I sure wish we did. I'm in a very rural area, a farming community actually, & so a lot of assumptions are made & rules are not enforced, we're on an honor system. There's no RO present, the cost would be prohibitive & no one can/would volunteer.

At some point in the future it will have to change but, not tomorrow.

Larry the Liberal

I think it's a great idea. Just going through the SOP on an annual basis should cover all the bases. Amazing how many members never read it.

gasbag

Before membership is granted in our club a police background check is run on each individual.
After the background check is passed an orientation of new members is held at the range.
Nothing is done annually.

tglazie

yes, my club requires range/safety orientation to all new members. Sadly, old members are never required to renew their orientation, if they ever had one. Several members who have been on the roster for many years have some "questionable" range practices, but, being a newer member I just bite my tongue and leave for an hour or so and come back when they are gone. I live close by, no big deal.

BlkHawk73

Ours always has. Once dues are paid and the member is accepted into the membership they are required to attend the orientation before they are given their membership lanyard with the combination. They go range by range and are told about proper uses/procedures, what is and isn't allowed on each range and any special circumstances. All very basic stuff. Last year the club completely refurbished the ranges so everyone was required to attend an orientation again which covered some changes. Most were well accepted a few, well...let's just say they gave in to some political correctness and and a bit of a cover up IMO. (when the issues were with shotgunners and they disallow full-auto which had NEVER had problems you see the bad taste some had)
For the most part it's a good bunch and very self policing as the core as been there for a looong time. New troublesome members are not around long. the club also sustains a good relationship with the area police and sheriff departments so ya just never know when a badge will be on the range. They're more than happy to respond to any issues at the facility as many are members and use the facility as well.

VietVet68

That's a bit too much for me & just because you pass a background check doesn't mean you know squat about gun safety.

Chinto

Sounds like a good business practice. Keeps everyone on the same page and sets the grounds for dismissal.