OGC Questions

[Jack's My dog]

I had a chance to get out to OGC yesterday, and run a few rounds through my deer gun. This range has always impressed me everytime I have shot there. Additionally, the people working in the office, and on the Ranges have always been friendly and helpful. I am seriously considering putting in my name on the application list, but I need some answers to a couple questions, before the boss allows me to do so.

I have spent some time on the OGC website and have not been able to locate a place where there is an explanation of how the range operates when not open to the public. Or any mention if you can use the trap range, while it is not open to the public.

If any one could point me to a FAQ on the site that I am missing or fill me in I would appreciate it.

I am aware that the NRA membership and service hours are required as well.

[bstrawse]

I had a chance to get out to OGC yesterday, and run a few rounds through my deer gun. This range has always impressed me everytime I have shot there. Additionally, the people working in the office, and on the Ranges have always been friendly and helpful. I am seriously considering putting in my name on the application list, but I need some answers to a couple questions, before the boss allows me to do so.

I have spent some time on the OGC website and have not been able to locate a place where there is an explanation of how the range operates when not open to the public. Or any mention if you can use the trap range, while it is not open to the public.

If any one could point me to a FAQ on the site that I am missing or fill me in I would appreciate it.

I am aware that the NRA membership and service hours are required as well.

Hi -

When the ranges are closed to the public, members can shoot / utilize any of the ranges when they are not being rented or utilized for a competition - all of which should be on the event calendar on the OGC website.

The Trap Range is available at any time during shooting hours for a member that has been certified through our in-house trap training to use the equipment. Birds must be purchased through the club. There are voice activated controllers, so you can even use the trap range by yourself if needed.

Hope this helps, I'm happy to answer any other questions that you may have -

Bryan Strawser
OGC Board Member / Director of Safety & Security

[Jack's My dog]

That is awesome. Thanks for the reply.

[markhawkeyeordnance]

Since the boss already answered your questions I thought I might just plug the club:

I became a member just this season and have had an amazing summer shooting at the range. As a member there is a great sense of community and ownership at the club. There are many afternoons that I have been over at the range, either alone or with my kids, and had a whole bay to myself to work on my shooting. Get your name on the list - you won't regret it!

[Jack's My dog]

I am definitely leaning in that direction.

[EllisW]

I've been looking to join, too, but I'm not super keen on the required NRA membership. Especially since there's a waiting list of ??? months/years and I have to sign up with an active NRA membership. If only I could get on the list, then get a membership when/if approved for the club. I'm no anti, but I have serious issue with the NRA's leadership and effective role as an extension of the religious right.

[Mn01r6]

You do not need an NRA membership to be on the waiting list. I wasn't when I got on the list. Just be sure to join before your orientation/initiation day.

Also - the NRA does a lot of good work to ensure you can still legally own a gun when you do get to join...so it isn't a bad idea to join now anyway. I am no member of the religious right myself, but the enemy of my enemy is my friend, and I am willing to look past peripheral issues to be a member of an organization that, at its core, is all about gun safety and 2a rights.

You can always offset your donation to the NRA with a donation to an organization that will counter their support of peripheral issues.

[Belgiboy]

I was doing some load testing on the 100 yd range today and I'm mightily impressed with the work that was done. 4-5 range officers for about 3 shooters was a bit much but hey, I'm sure it got busier in the afternoon.

[bstrawse]

I've been looking to join, too, but I'm not super keen on the required NRA membership. Especially since there's a waiting list of ??? months/years and I have to sign up with an active NRA membership. If only I could get on the list, then get a membership when/if approved for the club. I'm no anti, but I have serious issue with the NRA's leadership and effective role as an extension of the religious right.

You can apply to the waiting list without being a NRA member. You will just need to show proof of NRA membership at the time you join.

There is some debate on whether we'll remain a NRA affiliated club as others share your viewpoint for several different reasons. Definitely will be a topic of discussion at upcoming board meetings.

Hope this helps answer your questions -
Thanks!
Bryan

[EllisW]

I've been looking to join, too, but I'm not super keen on the required NRA membership. Especially since there's a waiting list of ??? months/years and I have to sign up with an active NRA membership. If only I could get on the list, then get a membership when/if approved for the club. I'm no anti, but I have serious issue with the NRA's leadership and effective role as an extension of the religious right.

You can apply to the waiting list without being a NRA member. You will just need to show proof of NRA membership at the time you join.

There is some debate on whether we'll remain a NRA affiliated club as others share your viewpoint for several different reasons. Definitely will be a topic of discussion at upcoming board meetings.

Hope this helps answer your questions -
Thanks!
Bryan

This does help. Thanks for the response. However, the waiting list application on the website requires an NRA number to submit the form. I should probably head on down to the range and sign up there, put a face to a name.

The NRA provides a certain amount of insurance for affiliated ranges with NRA members, right? I can understand how range organizations would want that, but some prospective members, like me, still have conflicted feelings. On the other hand, it's not like my $35 will actually provide any meaningful benefit to the NRA, and any moral opposition I may have is only being betrayed in a purely theoretical sense. It doesn't help that The Second Amendment Foundation is dead to me after they pushed us under the bus during the panic legislation. Absolute convictions are impossible to realistically and logically maintain, anyway.

What the hell.. I can cancel the mailbox exploding spam, right? I'll give it one year.

[jgalt]

This does help. Thanks for the response. However, the waiting list application on the website requires an NRA number to submit the form. I should probably head on down to the range and sign up there, put a face to a name.

The NRA provides a certain amount of insurance for affiliated ranges with NRA members, right? I can understand how range organizations would want that, but some prospective members, like me, still have conflicted feelings. On the other hand, it's not like my $35 will actually provide any meaningful benefit to the NRA, and any moral opposition I may have is only being betrayed in a purely theoretical sense. It doesn't help that The Second Amendment Foundation is dead to me after they pushed us under the bus during the panic legislation. Absolute convictions are impossible to realistically and logically maintain, anyway.

What the hell.. I can cancel the mailbox exploding spam, right? I'll give it one year.

Like you I am not a fan of the NRA - at least not the political arm of it. I've found the educational arm of the organization to be very worthwhile and prefer to rationalize my annual membership by focusing on that portion rather than the political...

Also, you shouldn't ever have to pay more than $25 for an annual membership. You can actually sign up using the link at OGC's site (http://membership.nrahq.org/default.asp ... d=XC015745) and get a $10 discount (hence, $25...). I know it is still $25 more than you'd prefer to spend, but hey - $10 is $10...

I suspect based on bstrawse's reply that he did not make the "NRA number" field required to register for the waiting list, so it must have been his predecessor. Hopefully bstrawse will fix this problem as soon as he gets a chance...

Finally, and off topic, I am very curious re: what the SAF did to "push us under the bus"? I'm not saying they didn't, I just have no idea to what you are referring and I'd love to be enlightened.

[bstrawse]

I suspect based on bstrawse's reply that he did not make the "NRA number" field required to register for the waiting list, so it must have been his predecessor. Hopefully bstrawse will fix this problem as soon as he gets a chance...

I don't have anything to do with the website except suggesting and providing input on comments - but let me ping the person who does
B

[jgalt]

Sorry 'bout that - I just remembered you're Safety & Security, not IT...

I know it says so right in your sig line, but since I already "knew" your position, there was obviously no need to check there to confirm...

Man I feel dumb...

[EllisW]

Finally, and off topic, I am very curious re: what the SAF did to "push us under the bus"? I'm not saying they didn't, I just have no idea to what you are referring and I'd love to be enlightened.

Alan Gottlieb, the founder of the Second Amendment Foundation, is the one who worked with the antis to devise the Manchin-Toomey amendment. He's always been a really dirty businessman, but that really caught me off guard.

[whiteox]

Finally, and off topic, I am very curious re: what the SAF did to "push us under the bus"? I'm not saying they didn't, I just have no idea to what you are referring and I'd love to be enlightened.

Alan Gottlieb, the founder of the Second Amendment Foundation, is the one who worked with the antis to devise the Manchin-Toomey amendment. He's always been a really dirty businessman, but that really caught me off guard.

And without SAF, Heller and McDonald would likely never have happened. I don't know what the story was on why Gottlieb got on board with Manchin-Toomey but it failed. On balance, for me, having the Supreme Court say, UNANIMOUSLY, that we have an individual right to keep and bear arms outweighs his crackpot Manchin-Toomey background checks bill.

I'm not a fanboy, I'm not even a member, I just think these purity tests are killing us. There are things the NRA does that drive me crazy; see LaPierre's performance on Meet the Press after Newtown. I also know that without them, we'd be looking at a bill that not only passed but would have been much worse than Manchin-Toomey.


Apologies for the thread drift, I'll see myself out.