Florida Shooters Network

Well I had a letter from my rifle club chairman yesterday sighting the following 'problems' and enclosed in the letter was a citation and request to return my club keys , which will be returned to me upon completion of another RO safety course.

As part of the requirements for the club each member is required to 'RO' two shoots a year, at this point I'm still convinced I haddone two shoots early last year. The fine for not attending a shoot is £50, thats $78 in your money, so now I find $273.00 memebership but inaddition $156.00 fines, to add insult to injury I also have to pay $78 to get my keys back after I have completed the RO course, a course I know back to front anyway. Now heres the kicker what I want to do is tell the club to go blow themselves as I have been working as many hours as God sends and shooting is not a priority right now, however as part of my firearms license I 'have' to be a member of a local gun club to warrent certain firearms.

Apart from the legal stuff are any of your gun clubs this strict and none shooting matters ?

My $.02? If it really is about safety they wouldn't be charging so many fees.

Seems like they're digging for more money. I'd boycott that range.

speed_racer wrote:My $.02? If it really is about safety they wouldn't be charging so many fees.

Seems like they're digging for more money. I'd boycott that range.

The problem is if he boycott's the range he looses his license. They sort of have him by the balls.

What happens if you loose your license ? Do you have to turn your guns in ?

I guess I don't understand their f*cked up rules...

speed_racer wrote:I guess I don't understand their f*cked up rules...

Consider yourself lucky !

Yeah, I've been in clubs that required a certain amount of participation, at work parties, range officer duties, current NRA membership, 'etc. or lose membership.
Of course we're in no danger of losing our gun rights if we're not part of an organized club.
Reason number 1,400,370 why we threw the Brits out of here.
Nicolas, get your butt over here, awready.

Doesn't anyone keep records of who the RO's are at your matches?

The point is I'm pretty sure I did two RO's early last year but only attended the club twice more , that year !!. I'll have to go in and check the register then hand in my keys, if it turns out I did do the RO's I save the $180 but still have to rejoin to keep my target rifles.

The rules are pretty clear and I'm not saying they are in anyway wrong its just sad that a cash rich club feels it necessary to come down on members who happen to put work first before play during this current climate. As a point I would like to mention the club is run by 5 or 6 50 something year old civil servants who frankly havent seen a true hard days work ever !!

As for getting my butt over there 'I'm working on it !!'

Can you join a different club? Or look into starting your own non-profit club?

Nic,
I'd say F****** them , sell the guns, you'll have to anyways for the trip over....

Nicolas, I've been a member of a hunt club where you were "expected" to give 2 days a year to the club, fixing up the club house or doing other maintenance work on dog pens, brush clearing, firewood cutting, etc. It was not only to help keep the place in shape, but to maintain some comradery during the off season (only emergency type work was performed during the hunting season).

In a way I can understand it, but when they know that membership is the governmental key to being able to keep your firearms, that takes on a whole new meaning. I suppose they don't want members using the club strictly for the ownership benefit. Then again, we are not subject to such ridiculous laws here (as you know), so the mentality of the club's board is not so easily understood.

I'd argue the point, restate your RO activity during the past year and hope for a mutual understanding and maybe some additional participation during 2012.

On another note, hope to meet you one day on this side of the big pond.

Bottom line is I have been so busy the past twelve months I can not honestly say wether I did the RO's or not !!

If it turns out I did the RO's all I will ask for is the fine to be removed and for me to keep my keys, no point in making a fuss.

I honestly dislike the club members, as a whole, but love the club facilities .The blokes at the club are mostly ex-civil servants and the clickyness makes me want to puke, I've seen so many guys grassed up on for minor offences its sickening.

You could say I have an American point of view when it comes to shooting, I just like to turn up when I can get a few rounds down the range and leave, I'm not interested in club politics but will help out at any time if asked.

When it comes to keeping the range in good keeping etc I totally agree, however when it comnes to RO duties the club has 130 members we only shoot two public sessions a week , 50 weeks of the year, and only two RO's are required per club shoot. If you do the maths we have more folks than days available ..... to me if it was just a 'fine' I would be okay with that but being made to do the RO course again , even though I'm a former NRA quilfied RO, kinda shows a want to 'control/punish' the members.

So your pro gun clubs are bilking you as much as they can because they have you by the balls? Thats as bad as the CCW instructors here campaigning for anti-gun laws for the sake of their wallets

Well the meeting didn't go that bad .... sadly the board member who checked the files is firm that I didn't do the two RO's required ... however I cannot double check this fact as both the club diary and RO diary are now with our local PD who check attendances of each member. The law states a member who has all his firearms on a single club must attend the club at least twice a year. This rule doesn't apply to me as I'm a member of another club and also hunt on private land, and I have shot at the club about five times last year.

Well after discussing the matter I had the fine halved and the need for the RO course removed , my argument was I was as qualified as the guy giving the training.

So I have a $78 fine to pay and I have already put my name down for two RO days in April, which actually was a dumb idea as I'll be over there around that time shit

Settled on the travel dates in April yet?

flcracker wrote:Settled on the travel dates in April yet?

No not yet as I'm getting the house ready to sell and thats taking priority right now. It would be perfect if we could have the house sold and be over in April/May to sort out for the final push.