[owkaye]

Hello all,

I recently moved to the MS Gulf Coast. While seeking a gun club near Biloxi I discovered this one, the Coast Rifle and Pistol Club. Unfortunately I also discovered that in addition to their $200 annual membership fee I must also pay a new $200 "initiation fee" if I want to become a member. That's an upfront cost of $400 now!

It looks like they have nice facilities, so even though the annual $200 membership fee is substantially higher than any other gun club around these parts, I thought that maybe it would be worth the higher price. But now I'm not so sure. Seems like they are trying to discourage membership or turn it into a "rich folks club" ... ?

I would love to join but I simply cannot afford these outrageuos prices. Where can I shoot for less? Is Pascagoula any good? It's 1/4 the price the first year, and the savings will pay for lots of ammo and even a new gun! Where else can I shoot without taking out a new mortgage?

 

[Lt.Dan]

It is a nice place but not worth $400. That's nuts. I paid the $200 and it was worth it, $400 is crazy.

 

[dhollis51]

WOW, I couldn't justify that first year and I shoot a lot.

 

[BigDaddyQ]

keep me in the loop. I trained a girl who lives on the coast and she wants to join a range down there. I don't know anything about the coast so any info would be great. She did send me a text asking about that club and said they had instructors. she went and bought a sig p938 because it felt good and she liked it so now she wants additional training with the single action.

 

[Jarrado]

$200+200 is crazy. If they have moving targets, yes. Simulators, yes. Standard targets? Time to go find a public range and bring friends in mass to take ove.... I mean, help setup.

 

[beltfed]

I was a member there back when it was $50 a year and I didn't like shooting there then. Ive been lately with friends who are members and I don't care for it now any more.

 

[chbrow10]

What are the other options in the area? Pascagoula is like one huge bay, I think you have to call the entire range cold to change your target. Unless you have private land in the country, I don't where where else you can shoot.

 

[bigpaul]

There is a state public range on East McHenry road in Stone county. I just happened to come by one day back in October and the gate was open so I went in to check it out. I talked to some one working there and at the time he said they were hoping to have it open by December. I haven't been back to check on it since. It from what I saw will be a great facility. Now that deer season is over I may ride up and check it out in the next couple of days.

 

[chbrow10]

That might work for folks in Stone County or Northern Harrison county.

 

[beltfed]

That'd be great for my. I live in Harrison County on the coast....It's 20 miles form my house.....I'd drive that every weekend.

 

[chbrow10]

I looked on Google Earth. I couldn't find anything that looked like a range on that road. Does anyone have GPS coordinates?

 

[bigpaul]

I just spoke with someone at the southern office of MDWFP they are running behind hope to be open in the spring.

 

[JohnHeiter]

Has anyone actually asked a representative of the CRPC what the new member fee covers and why there was an increase? It does seem like a lot but I'd be curious what their reason is. No point in me speculating when someone could just ask.

 

[mosher]

Has anyone actually asked a representative of the CRPC what the new member fee covers and why there was an increase?  It does seem like a lot but I'd be curious what their reason is.  No point in me speculating when someone could just ask.

I asked.

The initiation fee is a good thing in my opinion, given the alternative.

For background, it takes about 600 members to pay the bills. As of last month, they had over 1500 and it continues to grow.

There was talk of shutting down new membership to prevent overcrowding and setting a membership cap.

Given all that, I prefer them going with a new member fee for those that really want to join as opposed to just not allowing new membership at all. Raise the price of admission and let the market decide. Every month there is still 20-30 folks coming up and gladly paying the fee for a place to shoot.

Sure, it might be expensive for some to pay an initial $200 fee just to join, but it beats moving into a new area with a range that won't let you join no matter what. People that actually need a place to shoot often can probably afford the $15 a month.

For comparision, I asked about joining Pearlington's range. They cap membership and don't allow new members until someone else leaves or dies. It could take several years on the waiting list.

As for value, me and my wife are members at CRPC. It works out to about 15 bucks a month. We shoot trap and skeet for $2 a round and of course unlimited access to rifle and pistol bays. I visit the range at least 60 times a year. The least expensive thing for me in shooting sports is the $15 a month I pay to belong to the range.

And yeah, I was a member back when it was $50 a year. It's a much nicer place now. Better range facilities and fewer knuckleheads.

Pricing out the knuckleheads cannot be stressed enough. There is a pretty big crossover between guys who can't afford $15 a month and guys who like to shoot up porta pottys and put holes in the roof overhangs or shoot steel with non-approved ammo and tracers into grass berms to start wildfires.

The price went up, the membership went up, and the problems went down.

 

[2ASupporter]

I am the Range Chaplain at CRPC and I can understand that the initiation fee can seem like a burden. But go and look at the place on Sat or Sun when the gate is open in the afternoon. It is really nice and the upkeep is extensive as are the recent improveents. Safety is an absolute top priority and so families can come and shoot and feel comfortable. It is open every day all year, there is an automated gate activated by your membership card so you can shoot as much as you want. I have been a member for about 7 years. I have to drive 40 miles to get there but it is worth it for what I get out of it.

 

[suberjc]

OK So this is an old thread but I got a question so someone please jump in there and answer it.
How long and how many points on their longest rifle range?

 

[2ASupporter]

The longest rifle range is currently 300yd.  I have tried a couple of times to see if we could get a longer one but I think the answer is we are pretty land-limited to 300.

 

[Shrek]

Range 3 that goes out to around 300yds is closed during the week. From their web page:



ATTENTION: RANGE 3 WILL BE OPEN STARTING AT 8AM SUNDAY MORNING APRIL 27TH.

THE RANGE WEEKLY SCHEDULE IS AS FOLLOWS: MONDAY THRU FRIDAY CLOSED

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY OPEN FROM 8AM UNTIL 6PM THE RANGE WILL BE SUPERVISED BY AN RSO AT ALL TIMES



Only time I can go to the range is during the week so looks like I'm not renewing.

 

[2ASupporter]

The range 3 closure is temporary until they can add baffles to the range to prevent bullets from going over the tops of the berms.  The Range has received complaints from the company behind us about bullets reaching their work area.  This happened two years ago also.  It is serious.  A failure to address this could get the whole range shut down.

Pistols can shoot anytime.  It is rifles that are impacted.  I also can only go during the week so it has shut down my rifle shooting also!

 

[1985 4runner]

Has anyone actually asked a representative of the CRPC what the new member fee covers and why there was an increase?  It does seem like a lot but I'd be curious what their reason is.  No point in me speculating when someone could just ask.

I asked.

The initiation fee is a good thing in my opinion, given the alternative.  

For background, it takes about 600 members to pay the bills.  As of last month, they had over 1500 and it continues to grow.

 
And yeah, I was a member back when it was $50 a year.  It's a much nicer place now.  Better range facilities and fewer knuckleheads.  

Pricing out the knuckleheads cannot be stressed enough.  There is a pretty big crossover between guys who can't afford $15 a month and guys who like to shoot up porta pottys and put holes in the roof overhangs or shoot steel with non-approved ammo and tracers into grass berms to start wildfires.

The price went up, the membership went up, and the problems went down.

Apparently a $200 increase isn't quite enough to keep the knuckleheads that are shooting over the berm out. (It does keep us lowly working types out though)
Y'all should ask for an additional $400 and mandatory tipping of the RSOs. $800 a year should do it.


What a shame. Cause I know four or five members that are good as gold. But no way would I ever join this range.