Douglas Ridge Rifle Club

Bait O' Eggs · 01-21-2003, 10:22 AM

Anybody else belong?

I just joined. Went thru orientation on Saturday morning, kind of interesting. I hope to spend a lot of time poking holes in paper with my family. Would love to bust a few clay pigeons also.

I hope to get my son interested in the monday night youth shooting.

Wife is looking at the Wednesday night ladies shooting. That would be a miracle if she started shooting. :shocked: The range guy told us, when the husband is not providing instructions over the shoulder, the women get to be a lot better shot.

Maybe that is the problem.

Lured In · 01-21-2003, 12:10 PM

Who, what, where, when..how much?

How about some details?

Bait O' Eggs · 01-21-2003, 12:42 PM

They are located on the left before you get to Estacada, not long after you come out of the curves along the river. Pretty much along side the major power lines. You cant miss the big numbers on the hill. 130 acres of lawn is what it looks like.

They have a 1000 yard range that is only open on Thursdays because they have to shut down most of the rest of the range to shoot that distance.

They have 30 some shooting benches under cover (more that are not covered) that are either 100 or 200 meter. They have another range that is pistol or black powder only and it has berms in ranges of 25 yard increments up to a couple hundred yards. This range is probably 20 some covered shooting stations without actually counting them. During my orientation they were having a competition going on shooting the little steel animals figures (pigs, chickens etc.. )

They have an indoor pistol and rimfire range that I think is 50 feet. probably 15 lanes +/- to shoot from. Heated and lighted. I was happy to see the ventilation system, I have read about the lead contamination in indoor ranges.

I am probably going to screw up the shotgun terms here as I am not a trap or skeet shooter. (maybe soon

) But they have 3 mechanical throwers that you can load a couple hundred birds in and shoot away at. They have what they referred to as a 5 station set up??? Some sort of shotgun shooting competetion it looked like to me. I really need to go out and watch these shotgunners so I dont sound so stupid when I start asking some questions about what they are doing. :blush:

I was looking to shoot with my kid, but didnt want to have to drive forever, and most of the rock pits are shut down to shooting, and then you find lots of busted glass in areas you can shoot at.

It is 10 miles from my house and I hope to get into the indoor range after work at least once a week to let my son shoot. Indoor range is open until 10pm, the rest closes down at legal sunset. The youth program provides the kids with rifles and ammo for free. :smile: An instructor is onsite during the youth shooting to teach what I believe is Olympic competetion style shooting from 4 or 5 stances. I stopped by a couple weeks ago on monday night and watched a few kits shoot the centers out of circles from a laying position with a block to rest the gun on. These kids were pretty good for open sites, they have been shooting for a few years on a regular basis. When they can score a perfect 100 they get to move on to other stances with the coach helping them. The one 8 year old kid shot a 92 while I was standing there.

All in all, I was happy to finally pull the trigger so to speak, and join. I have been wanting to join for a while, but now I got the boy his first gun, we need a place to go make blue smoke. :smile: This is one of those decesions I am not regretting spending the money, at least not yet.

Bait O' Eggs · 01-21-2003, 12:51 PM

Sorry didnt see that how much question

It cost $100 initiation
$65 a year :smile:
$25 per year for the first 3 years for building fee :whazzup:
You have to be a NRA member so figure another $30 a year for that

and you have to either donate 7 hour labors a year or pay $70. The hunter sight in day is a good day to volunteer the labor, or you can mow grass, or paint or repair or ?????

They also have a defunct bow range out thru the trees on the side of the range. I did not get to see it, but they were saying a few bow hunters are looking to restore it. I will probably get my labor in by working on the bow range, as I like the idea of a place to shoot the bow also.

Firedog - If you want to go see it before joining, I can get you on as a guest and show you around. I had a heck of a time getting to look at it. The gate is locked, the place is non profit, there is little opportunity to drive out and look around as they dont want anybody shot in the wrong area. I had a hard time paying the coin to join without seeing the facility, finally I met a guy at the gate who showed me around so I didnt get where I shouldnt be.

[ 01-21-2003, 02:01 PM: Message edited by: Bait O' Eggs ]

chummer · 01-21-2003, 03:49 PM

BOE, I noted the little grimace after the NRA requirement. Are you opposed the NRA? I don't think you would enjoy the gun rights you now possess without them. I don't 100% back every position they argue, however, without them, where would we be right now? It surprises me how many people in this country own firearms and refuse to belong to the NRA. Ask the Brits, who no longer can own most firearms, if they now wish they could? or if they wish they had something like the NRA to stand up for those rights?

JCJ · 01-21-2003, 05:10 PM

Have been a member for about 2 years now.I use it mostly for the black powder resources.With my work schedule I have a hard time making it to meetings or work days on Tue. between 8 and 12 but I spoke to Ron and he let me come out and do some odd jobs around the range when I could and that's how I get my work time in.Everybody I have met there has been a real good bunch of people and I recommend the club to anyone that likes to shoot.Seems like they have something for everybody.And BOE if you get the feeling to try your luck at muzzleloading shot gun shooting let me know and I will let you try one out.I know you could not miss anymore than I do.LOL

MarlinMark · 01-21-2003, 11:37 PM

Well give us the skinny. Do they have a website to look at? Where are they located? Etc.....I'm waiting on a new shotgun and would like other places to shoot. Not to mention working on rifle loads etc.

Mark

Firedog · 01-21-2003, 11:59 PM

Roy, I meant to ask you about Douglas Ridge teh other day. Sounds like you like it. I still need to get my stuff together and go join myself. So from what you have seen so far is it going to be worth the it?

Firedog · 01-23-2003, 05:27 PM

Roy, I will take you up on going out and seeing the shooting range when we both have a bit more free time and remodel projects are mostly done. Will give me a chance to see those Idaho Hunting pics also. I will probably join anyway but I would like to see it first at least.

STGRule · 01-23-2003, 08:13 PM

Chummer: Be careful please with how you say things. Some of us do support the basic idea of the NRA and despise the politics involved. The thought process was thorough and complete.
BOE: let us know how you feel in a couple months. I would like to hear how your wife likes it. My daughter and I are looking for that type of venue.

SafetyChain · 01-24-2003, 06:35 AM

Chummer,

I WAS an NRA member for years. I still support their ideals and causes, if only intellectually. Frankly, I got tired of my mailbox being flooded with requests for money. And they seemed to be usingthe same type of scare tactics the anti-gun people were using. I did send them some extra once in awhile, but it seemed like a daily thing. So to stop the junkmail, I stopped membership.

Sturgeon Tom · 01-24-2003, 07:20 AM

SafetyChain I like you send in money but not buy membership. I just don't like the constant bombardment of mail for more money. I don't like it. I support the NRA becouse I like my guns and rights.

JCJ · 01-24-2003, 07:44 AM

I,like a few others get tired of all the begging mail from the NRA,but it fits real nicely in the circular file I keep for just such mail.I have been a member of the National Muzzleloading Rifle Association for about 25 years now ,which support the NRA but still had to fork up the dues to get in Douglas Ridge.But if you look at the areas around to shoot in they are non existent any more.All the places have been posted or shut down.Or just too many people to shoot safely.Also if you look at the prices for the other clubs like Tri County,Douglas Ridge is a pretty good bargain,including the NRA membership.Tri County dues are 175 for initiation and 120 a year + 35 more for your spouse.Pretty spendy for me.And as far as the NRA membership,go on Auction Arms web page or Gun Broker and they have auctions to get new or renew memberships for 25 a year.Save you 10 bucks right there.

Bait O' Eggs · 01-24-2003, 07:52 AM

Looks like it might be time for a seperate NRA thread. [img]graemlins/icon_argue.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/icon_argue.gif[/img]

I put the grimace face as you described it for a couple reasons. I was not happy to be forced to join an organization that I support only partially. I believe they do a good job of keeping our gun rights, but I do not agree with their tactics or methods or completely what the organization fights for. I suppose if you want to end the fight with keeping peoples hunting guns and you are fighting people who think you should have no guns, your arguing postion starts with hunters needing stinger missles so when you settle in the middle you get the hunting rifle you wanted in the first place.

It is kind of like joining Baileys gym and being told you have to subscribe to Fitness magazine, or joining Oregon Fishing Club and being told you have to join Oregon Trout. I just dont like being told because I want to join one organization I have to join another. That, and it was another $30 I didnt want to have to spend.

I am still waiting for my badge to be mailed to me so I can get in. They have no paid employees and as the guy said, "you get what you pay for". I hope they get it laminated soon and sent to me.

STGrule, we are remodeling the house and most everything is on hold right now. I gotta get a sink and range installed this weekend so we can get back to cooking food :shocked: Once we use the facility a few times and the wife (hopefully) goes to the womens night, I will post what we think of the facility.

chummer · 01-24-2003, 10:30 AM

I also do not appreciate the constant mailings and phone calls to join NRA, I have to tell them I'm already a member! so why are they asking me to join? I also was not intending to ruffle anyone's feathers. As I stated previously, I don't agree with everything the NRA supports, but they are about the best defense that gun owners have in this country. I can understand your resistance to being forced to do something only because they said you have to. Now, back to the gun club. Is there someone there at all times? Can you shoot at any time or only when there is a rangemaster present?

Bait O' Eggs · 01-24-2003, 10:54 AM

Chummer - Nice response, I didnt want to get in an arguement with anybody about NRA :smile:

Since I just joined and have not got my pass mailed to me yet, I may be talking out my hiny

I was told you can shoot after 7am on weekdays and I think it is 8am on weekends. He said something about letting the neighbors sleep in on weekends

Plenty of noise coming off this place, I would not want to be a neighbor.

Their is a code you punch in at the gate which opens the gate. You can shoot away at will until legal sunset, not dark. There is a guy who lives on site and he keeps a pretty close eye on things. But there does not have to be a rangemaster at the different shooting ranges to allow you to shoot. You do have to sign in at the gate, and sign out. Kind of a come and go as you please. They have a calendar of events going on. You can not shoot on several of the ranges when the 1000 yard guys are banging away with their 50 BMG's, it will be on the calendar.

You have to have your ID badge clipped on you, or somebody will be asking who you are.

The first person to the different ranges kind of runs the show it sounded like unless he wants to hand it off to somebody. Who ever is running the range calls a cold line when it is time to change targets etc.... and then changes to a hot line when everything is clear and people can resume shooting. Plenty of rules about standing behind a yellow line and not messing with any guns on the line when people are downrange changing targets. When line is hot you cannot cross a red line painted on the concrete. It looked like some good safety procedures with my intro.

K16 · 01-25-2003, 08:50 AM

So, I was wondering would it be bad form to put the clubs address on your nra membership?

sinker · 01-25-2003, 10:38 PM

K16,
I like the way you think, LOL, thats pretty good!!

brshooter · 01-25-2003, 10:46 PM

BOE,
Do they still have an active IHMSA program out there. I used to shoot big bore and rimfire handgun silhouette out there in the 80's. Probably haven't shot out there since 90 or 91. No IHMSA program at Tri-County and I was thinking I might dig out my unlimited gun and give it a go sometime. It's like riding a bike isn't it?