Beaver Brook or Elk River gun club?

[dbtshot]

I went shooting at Beaver Brook on Sat. 3-30-13 and was greeted by a flooded rifle range. Water from the flooded muddy parking lot was flowing into the rifle range. I am looking to join a rifle club this spring and have not made it out to Elk River gun club yet. Looking for some information on both ranges as far as general up keep and advantages and disadvantages for each.

[benny]

BB is working on some new plans right now to improve every aspect of the rifle and pistol bays. All I can say right now is that the rifle and pistol bay drainage problems will be fixed this spring when it dries up some.

The membership is cheapest around if you work your 10 hours per year, there is a 160 acres of land to roam around on and more to the North East if you include the wildlife santuary.

They are trying to figure out a way to open a trap house to the members like Oakdale has but there is no quick solution right now. The trap equipment is dangerous for un trained people to use and very expensive if broken so they need a way to train and people to maintain them.

Benny

[dbtshot]

Benny,

What is the current new member status at BB. (waiting list for new members?)

[RAGGED]

Elk River is hands down a bit nicer, longer ranges as well, but I'm not sure if they are still open for new members this time of year.

[benny]

No waiting list at BB at all, first year membership is $170 and $75 per year after that if you work your credit time.

BB will soon have 300 yard ranges, they have 10 covered benches at 100 range and will soon have 6 new 30 or 50 yard by 30 yd wide pistol bays, There is a heated range building with ample windows to cool it down in the summer.

You can train dogs there, shoot your own hand traps, archery range with large comertial bails to stop even my high end PSE bow.

There is a pattern testing board as well.

It is heads and shoulders above Elk river any day of the week.

The muddy conditions are only a problem for a few days each year due to the frost coming out. If you look around at any range around the metro your going to see mud and water to some degree on all of them.

You have to ask your self what you want, a lot of amentities and a cheap membership or a couple 300 yard ranges and high membership?

Plus as a BB member you can go out there any time of day or night you wish to go, just can't shoot out there before 9am or after dusk.

You also get 160 acres to roam and the bird sancuary to the NE is public.

The IDPA weekends will be solved when we get the new bays built.

Benny

[DoxaPar]

I'm a new BB member is year (a month or two ago). I've liked it but have only been up there 3 times. Folks were friendly, especially Dave who patiently answered my numerous questions.

I took my daughter there to shoot archery and my son to shoot his BB gun.

I def got the impression they are pretty strong on the trap/skeet shooting. Since that's not my thing I felt like it would mean fewer people contending for the rifle and pistol bays.

A few friends and I did hand throw clay pigeons up there once and had a great time embarrassing ourselves while the pros watched from inside. I'm sure it was hilarious to watch.

[RAGGED]

It is heads and shoulders above Elk river any day of the week.

I haven't been there in awhile, care to explain what's better? I always thought it the other way around, felt like ERSC had much more land and more ranges, at least on the rifle side of things.

[benny]

It is better because I go there! Why is Elk river any beter?? Why is Oakdale or Gogher or Metro???
It is all about where you want to go or have your membership at.

Does Elk river have 160 acres? Do they have 10 covered shooting benches? Do they have a brand new 20 x 26 rifle/pistol range building with a heater plus a huge main club house with a kitchen, do they have 6 working trap rangeres and at least one working skeet range? Do they have 3 or more large pistol bays seperated with tall burms so you don't have to wait till every one is done shooting, is there an archery range with 4 to 6 large comercial bails up to 60 yards long?

I don't mean to bash on Elk River, I am sure it is a nice range, but I will defend BB till some one can show me why it is so much worst than any other range around!

I don't doubt you feel the same about ER.

Benny

[Erud]

I guess it'd depend on what you are into. I've never been to Beaver Brook, but as a rifle shooter, 300 yards does not sound very interesting. Elk River's 600 yard KD range with pits would be a lot more useful for me if I were looking for a new club to join.

I'm not a member there, but have shot lots of HP matches there when they used to host them. If you are interested in F-Class it is definitely the place to be as the F-Class program draws insane numbers of shooters.

Also if I'm not mistaken, I believe ERSC DOES have pretty much all of the stuff you listed, but on just over 300 acres of property.

To be fair, BB sounds like it is definitely better than Oakdale and Metro. The 1000-yard line at Gopher puts it in a class of its own.

[yuppiejr]

It's and apples to oranges comparison - you are going to get members of each likely representing the virtues of each club because they've already made the decision to join. What's right for me might not have any bearing on what fits your shooting goals.

What kind(s) of shooting are you into? Does having more than a 100 yard rifle range make a difference? Where are you located in the metro and does drive time to-from the club make a difference?

[eldo]

ERSC has all that and more on 300+ acres of rolling oak covered sand hills.
22 shooting points and two concrete shooting benches on 600yd KD range with pits and intermediate shooting at 2,3 & 400 yards. Informal High Power shooting league and a Very active F-Class program on the KD range.
12 covered concrete shooting benches, 2 enclosed benches and 4 uncovered benches 100yd range.
10 covered concrete shooting benches 25yd/50yd range.
12 covered and 8 uncovered shooting benches at combat pistol/rifle range where you can shoot from 0 to 25 yards.
100 yard small bore range with 3 concrete benches and 15 shooting points.
2 trap and one combo skeet/trap range all automated and can be run for personal use anytime after training on the equipment; shotgun patterning board.
Archery trails and archery range.
Indoor archery and air rifle.
Crazy quail range.
Heated club house with kitchen and WIFI and soon to be indoor heated bathrooms.
Modern and primitive camping.

I belong to ERSC and OGC.
If you've been to OGC, Elk River is a lot like Oakdale except ERSC has more land, rifle out to 3,4 and 600 yards, and another trap range plus a skeet range and more archery options.

It is better because I go there! Why is Elk river any beter?? Why is Oakdale or Gogher or Metro???
It is all about where you want to go or have your membership at.

Does Elk river have 160 acres? Do they have 10 covered shooting benches? Do they have a brand new 20 x 26 rifle/pistol range building with a heater plus a huge main club house with a kitchen, do they have 6 working trap rangeres and at least one working skeet range? Do they have 3 or more large pistol bays seperated with tall burms so you don't have to wait till every one is done shooting, is there an archery range with 4 to 6 large comercial bails up to 60 yards long?

I don't mean to bash on Elk River, I am sure it is a nice range, but I will defend BB till some one can show me why it is so much worst than any other range around!

I don't doubt you feel the same about ER.

Benny

[yuppiejr]

More discussion comparing Oakdale to Elk River:

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=27933&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

The 2 x 8 hour work shifts was interesting (required to maintain membership and not counted toward your 10 hour work credit for reduced dues) - also not sure about only being allowed 3 guests per year (as often as they want to go though, immediate family doesn't count). Elk River is a beautiful club, great facilities - a few more rules than Beaverbrook but significantly more range options (for now) if you are a rifle shooter. You may also want to check out the Minnetonka Fish and Game club which is located somewhat in between the two you are looking at in St. Francis:

http://www.mgfc.org/

•Minneapolis Rifle Club activities include:

◦10 meter air rifle
◦50 yard, 50 meter and 100 yard smallbore rifle
◦50 meter free pistol
◦200 and 300 yard hi-power
◦300 meter hi-power with electronic targets.

[Snakeman721]

No waiting list at BB at all, first year membership is $170 and $75 per year after that if you work your credit time.

BB will soon have 300 yard ranges, they have 10 covered benches at 100 range and will soon have 6 new 30 or 50 yard by 30 yd wide pistol bays, There is a heated range building with ample windows to cool it down in the summer.

You can train dogs there, shoot your own hand traps, archery range with large comertial bails to stop even my high end PSE bow.

There is a pattern testing board as well.

It is heads and shoulders above Elk river any day of the week.

The muddy conditions are only a problem for a few days each year due to the frost coming out. If you look around at any range around the metro your going to see mud and water to some degree on all of them.

You have to ask your self what you want, a lot of amentities and a cheap membership or a couple 300 yard ranges and high membership?

Plus as a BB member you can go out there any time of day or night you wish to go, just can't shoot out there before 9am or after dusk.

You also get 160 acres to roam and the bird sancuary to the NE is public.

The IDPA weekends will be solved when we get the new bays built.

Benny

Two important things you left out at BB. Only members can use the rifle/pistol ranges unless it's part of a sanctioned match or it's deer rifle sighting season...AND....there are the dollar tubes at each range bay. In addition to your membership fee, you're supposed to deposit a dollar in the little tubes stationed at each range bay every time you use it. So...if you go out shooting once a week, that's an additional $52 you pay over your membership fee.

[yuppiejr]

Two important things you left out at BB. Only members can use the rifle/pistol ranges unless it's part of a sanctioned match or it's deer rifle sighting season...AND....there are the dollar tubes at each range bay. In addition to your membership fee, you're supposed to deposit a dollar in the little tubes stationed at each range bay every time you use it. So...if you go out shooting once a week, that's an additional $52 you pay over your membership fee.

Members are allowed up to 2 guests on pistol/rifle ranges per trip, guests are required to pay $5 each - no limits on who can attend as a guest or how often.

http://www.beaverbrook.us/Club_Info.html

[benny]

Snakeman, do you know where that buck goes? Do you enjoy using the target frames out there?? I know they get shot up often due to some people not putting their targets in the middle of the cardboard but those frames cost over $10 each to make.

They get members to build them but the wood and screws have to be bought.

They could make members bring their own frames just like the rest of the clubs, some members do this already but they don't complain about the buck extra.


It is like some one above said, it is all in what your looking for, if you want 400 to 600 yard ranges then BB will never have that.

A member at BB can bring two guests on each visit with no limit per year and they only pay $5 each, the membership is limited but there is room yet for more on the cap.

It is a small membership so your not falling over each other to shoot, some days get filled but if there isn't a sanctioned event (which 95% are hunter safety for kids) there is plenty of room to shoot.

But if you want 300 acres with 600 yard ranges then I suggest you go to ERSC or Gogher.

Benny