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A while back, I wrote about getting to the range. But what do you do when your “range” is compromised? In my case, my “range” was shut down due to people’s idiocy, namely blowing up propane tanks, TVs and leaving a mess. It was a Tragedy of the Commons, and to this day, it remains closed. I was heartbroken as there’s nothing like shooting some paper, enjoying your well-maintained firearms while blowing off steam from the weeks of office drudgery.
Honestly, it hurts to lose a favorite place. Maybe it’s a hiking trail, a favorite bar, golf course or in my case, gun range. After lamenting to my coworkers about the lack of places to shoot, my new boss let me in on something. You see, not too far away, there’s a wonderful gun club situated in a forgotten town in the rust belt of Western Pennsylvania, on top of a scenic mountain with 60 acres of hunting ground. It turns out that the president is also a coworker. Even better, my boss invited me out to this place to check it out and have dinner. The best part is it’s $20 a year to join. Sign me up.
What’s weird about life is that when a door closes, oftentimes, another door opens. In my case, sure I had some great times at the range, but so many times would I go only to wait and have every Fudd, shithead college kid or range chode show up and ruin the good times. I was ready to give somewhere else a chance, and I’m so glad I did.
So, me and the Mrs. drove up through the hills and hollows of Western PA. The range is a sight to behold. Atop an old mountain, it features a shotgun range for clays, a pistol range and a rifle range with distances at 25, 50, 100 and 200 yards. The sunsets are beautiful, as you can see for miles, and the forgotten hills of old coal mines are dotted with sleepy railroad towns. Winding creeks feed into lazy rivers and the picture could not be any more perfect.
My boss greeted me and pulled out a key to the front door. Members have keys, and you can’t get in unless you can unlock the door. The place is adorned with large deer heads and a random taxidermied raccoon peeking out of a tree stump hung on the wall. People still smoke inside and the place even has a pool table and a jukebox. We sat down around an old, well-worn bar and I took it all in. You can tell there have been many a Steelers game watched here.
My boss was drinking some Maker’s on the rocks, which I was told is $3 along with $1 domestic drafts. “My kind of place,” I thought to myself. The bar was crowded. As I looked at the menu I saw all my favorites: fried bar food. A dozen wings for $6 and $3 burgers. I could feel myself getting fatter just looking at it.
We drank and he introduced me to the regulars. Everyone was friendly and welcoming, like a country version of Cheers. As it neared 7 p.m., Jeopardy came on. One of the other members is a Jeopardy savant and plays the entire bar (which he shits on everyone). I came to find out the club hosts many events, from shotgun shoots for which the winners receive their prize in the form of slabs of meat, veteran benefit dinners, different themed parties and Sunday poker games. There is even a bookie. Sporting a Cheshire cat grin, I threw in a three-team parlay (I hit 2-3, thanks to Baylor). I’m in love.
The gun club is a magical place. I’ve only been a member for a few months, but it already feels like a second home. I’ve never actually seen people use the range, but hey, any place with $1 beers (Yuengling if you’re wondering) is a great place to be. I see many visits to shoot, have dinner, and throw a few cold ones back in my future..
Image via Shutterstock
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Madoff
I specialize in damage control, being the drunkest at any and all functions and social assassination. Always appreciate a strong gif game. Follow me on Twitter. Sometimes I put up cool stuff about golfing at the local dirt tracks.
@BLMInvestment
Lil Jon’s favorite thing to shoot?
Skeet.
I’ll transfer jobs to Pennsylvania if it gets me access to this magical place. You’re living the dream, Madoff.
Be thankful. I live in Texas, where even our guns have guns, and I’ve never heard of anything as glorious as this.
Athena Gun Club in Houston Texas. If you’re ever in the 281, check it out.
Completely agree. There is no better way to blow off steam after a 34-10 Browns loss than running through the sporting clays course our Club has on Sunday afternoon.
This sounds like heaven. Anyone know of a place like this in DFW?
Frisco Gun Club. Thank me later.
I did my LTC there. Really nice place but you’re gonna spend a little more than what Madoff is shelling out.
I’ll give you that but you’re in downtown Dallas at a high end gun club. Its par for the course.
so what do you shoot?
I have 8 at the moment. I love curio and relics as I enjoy history and not chopping up said history, would be 9 but Cabela’s cancelled my order on a savage mk 2 .22 (don’t shop at Cabela’s).
Sig Sauer P6 in 9mm (Second favorite)
Remington 870
Finnish Mosin M39 (My favorite)
Hungarian Mosin m44
91/30 Mosin
Chinese “ghost” or “sneak” whatever you call them SKS
Ar-15
1912 dated Imperial Nagant Revolver
Next on the list is k98, M1, some form of 1911
Awesome that you have a P6. I have a P225 A1 myself, loving it.
They are out there. I got mine with 1 mag, a soft carrying case and the gun for ~$450. Not a bad deal as most gunbrokers are $500 before mailing and a background check (at least another $40-50 or so). I like the p225’s trigger a bit more but because they were West German state police guns, their trigger is a bit heavier.
HIGHLY recommend getting the Remington R1 1911. I’ve had mine for 2 years and never had a jam or stovepipe. Just a solid gun.
Also can’t go wrong with the Ruger AR556 for the price
Eh, the R1 is OK, but if one can spend a bit more on a Springfield TRP or the higher end STI single stacks that’s the way to go. From there it gets expensive.
But I think Madoff would be more interested in a Citizen Marksmanship Program 1911 *IF* they become available… certain people (cough, John McCain, that fucker) want to melt them down rather than transfer them to the CMP.
From an ignorant non-gun owner, what’s wrong with the 1911 that they would want to melt them down?
Nothing is wrong with them physically. The Civilian Marksmanship Program was established a long time ago to improve Civilian Marksmanship, so if they were needed to fight, they wouldn’t totally suck with military weapons. It’s shifted to firearm safety/youth program and the CMP receives US military surplus weapons and sells them in conjunction with their above purpose. John McCain and other have decided that surplus weapons like the 1911 are somehow not part of that goal, and thus, they would rather melt them down.
That’s fucking stupid.
I’ve been following this for a long time. South Korea has a bunch of our M1’s and 1911s in storage from the Korean War. They cost a few bucks a year to store but it adds up to several million. The argument is that that the US paid for and gifted them to South Korea and they are selling them back to us as the M1 stock is drying up and “affordable” US Gov 1911’s have been unattainable for less than $1000. From reports I’ve seen, we have them here in the US and they are being graded. Rack grade 1911’s will be, for the lowest grade $800 and probably more so really, it won’t be that financially easy (for me at least) to get one.
Could look into a High Standard .22 or Browning Hi-Power, both are pretty cool and can be had for a bit cheaper (usually), but you have to be careful with the years.
Springfield 1903 is where its at
also my 1911 is a great stress reliever.
Whose ready to fight WW I
*Who’s *WWIII and yes — 5 days, probably.
As someone who sleeps with a pillows under his gun and is currently sitting in a deer stand watching the sunset, this place sounds too good to be true. You lucky bastard.
Immediately looking for a gun club now, this sounds dope AF.
After looking for a respectable gun club near the burgh for a long time, this is welcome news
I almost want to start something like this since it doesn’t exist in my area