St Joe county restoration club reviews?

[daddymikey1975]

Has anyone shot over there in elkhart? Anyone have a membership? I see the hours are a bit restricted in winter time during the week (not a big deal for me) due to getting dark early. I was just wondering if anyone has a membership there and how they like it ?

Thanks

 

[chuddly]

I have 2 friends that used to be members there and i have shot there with them 4 or 5 times. Its a very nice place with good shooting lanes and seems to be well maintained. The few times i was there there was only 1 other time that someone was even there and they were friendly and we chatted with them for a bit between shooting. My friends now belong to the Edwardsburg,MI gun club and i have shot there also. I liked the st. joe county one better but the MI one has a longer rifle range (up to 150yrd where the st. joe only has to 100 if i remember right). If i lived in the area of it i would not hesitate to join it.

 

[daddymikey1975]

I have 2 friends that used to be members there and i have shot there with them 4 or 5 times. Its a very nice place with good shooting lanes and seems to be well maintained. The few times i was there there was only 1 other time that someone was even there and they were friendly and we chatted with them for a bit between shooting. My friends now belong to the Edwardsburg,MI gun club and i have shot there also. I liked the st. joe county one better but the MI one has a longer rifle range (up to 150yrd where the st. joe only has to 100 if i remember right). If i lived in the area of it i would not hesitate to join it.

The St. Joe club is closer to me than the edwardsburg club. I have a couple friends that speak highly of the one in edwardsburg as well, but that's a ways away for me to get up there frequently enough to justify the membership.

Thanks for the review of the one in Elkhart.

 

[LockStocksAndBarrel]

I belong to it. Well worth the price. I never have a problem getting a lane. Most times I'm all by myself. Sometimes there are others but it's rare. Even on the weekends.

It's well maintained. Memberships are on the calendar year so be aware of that. I've been a member for a couple of years now and I will renew again in January.

 

[mdemetz]

Both the rifle and pistol bench areas are covered and paved now.
No RO and only basic safety rules. 25/50/100yd rifle range(targets must be on backstops) plus you can shoot pistol on the rifle range. Targets can be placed at any distance on the 25yd pistol only range(limited stands available).
They will have an open house on 12/2 with member only swap tables.

 

[seeker1321]

Thanks for the info I have been curious about them as well, I have been looking for an outdoor place to shoot now that I have my AR-15 and a Vepr12.

 

[daddymikey1975]

Memberships are on the calendar year so be aware of that.

So I should wait till January to sign up? Seems to make the mose sense.

I'm also able to use a stand (if available?) to move my targets closer on the pistol range as well?

What is their guest policy? Sometimes my father in law and I like to go shooting together as well.

 

[Farmritch]

Been a member more than 10 years nice place and even nicer people.
No one has yet mentioned the fun shoots we have, check the web page for descriptions.
It's a lot of fun and a great way to meet some of the members.
The first weekend in December the club has a little gun show open to public and an opportunity to join the club. There is a safety walk through and you would be good to go

 

[seeker1321]

Thanks, for the info, I will have to check out the open house. Once you're a member are you allowed to bring guests or do they have to become members too?

 

[BCCS]

Are you allowed to shoot steel there?

 

[mlang2000]

Hmm, so can a guy pony up $75/yr for range use and not need to do anything else like meetings, etc.? And I'll ask too...what are the policies for bringing a guest or my 2 kids?

 

[daddymikey1975]

Hmm, so can a guy pony up $75/yr for range use and not need to do anything else like meetings, etc.? And I'll ask too...what are the policies for bringing a guest or my 2 kids?

That's kinda what I'm wondering as well. If we don't get a concrete answer this evening from someone in the know, I might shoot the head honcho an email and ask, or call tomorrow.

 

[mdemetz]

Hmm, so can a guy pony up $75/yr for range use and not need to do anything else like meetings, etc.? And I'll ask too...what are the policies for bringing a guest or my 2 kids?

Meetings not required. For every workday(not required) you do, you get $10 off next year's dues.
On guests, the policy it is keep it reasonable. i.e. no big groups or regularly bringing guests. I have never seen anyone checking membership.
Matches and trap meets are open to everyone(members pay fee too).

 

[N8RV]

... The first weekend in December the club has a little gun show open to public and an opportunity to join the club. There is a safety walk through and you would be good to go

Just curious about the December membership drive (for lack of a better term): If membership dues are billed on Jan 1 of each year, do those joining the club at the December meet not pay until January and are good for the year?

 

[9mmfan]

I'm also a member and have been for the last couple years. I really enjoy it their. As Locks said, when I go there are not usually many people shooting. If using the pistol range, I would recommend you bring your own stand. Also, supplies of sheets of wood for backing for the rifle range are appreciated.


Edit: N8RV: Not sure what you mean. If your joining for the first time, the dues you pay during the December meeting get you a gate key that is good Jan 1. If you join any time after Jan 1, your membership is good through the end of the year. There is no pro rated prices.

 

[straight-shooter]

I've shot there for 6 years now. You are allowed to bring "direct" family members as a guest throughout the year. Friends as guests are limited to a few times a year.

If you pay as a new member in December then you still have to wait till January 1st to use the range. The key they give you for the gate will not work until then. Even for past members, if you renew your membership in December they have you turn in your old key and get a new one. Again, it won't work till January. So basically you lose rights to the range for the whole month of December.... strange i know.

Overall very nice people with only a few problems i've witnessed through this past year but i'll stay off that subject.

 

[BluePig]

Shot there a number of years ago, like over 10 years.
Had a number of friends who were members and would go over and shoot.
I think one is still a member there.
It was ok at that time, nice small range, but all the issues they were having with the neighbors really made me reconsider the whole place.
Hopefully, they got all that fixed, cause I sure don't want to have to deal with the hostile neighbors coming over the berm of a hot range to yell at us cause he thought we were shooting a "full auto shotgun".
I don't blame the club cause I think they were doing the best they could, but when you have something like that happen, it really can influence you for a long time.

 

[Farmritch]

Shot there a number of years ago, like over 10 years.
Had a number of friends who were members and would go over and shoot.
I think one is still a member there.
It was ok at that time, nice small range, but all the issues they were having with the neighbors really made me reconsider the whole place.
Hopefully, they got all that fixed, cause I sure don't want to have to deal with the hostile neighbors coming over the berm of a hot range to yell at us cause he thought we were shooting a "full auto shotgun".
I don't blame the club cause I think they were doing the best they could, but when you have something like that happen, it really can influence you for a long time.

This is all old news
The 1 bad thing that happened is that a member who was president agreed to hours of shooting.
It's a nice club and a lot of improvements have been made in the last couple years and the momentum has not let up.

 

[Farmritch]

Also forgot to mention we are a CMP recognized club too.

 

[N8RV]

... If you pay as a new member in December then you still have to wait till January 1st to use the range. The key they give you for the gate will not work until then ...

That's what I wanted to know. I understood from the website that there was no pro rata dues structure for partial year membership. However, if people are joining in December ... well, you get my gist. Thanks for the clarification.

I've heard the noise from the range when getting ready to fly from the Mishawaka Pilots' Club just a couple miles to the east of the range. I've been tempted to fly over and see where it is and what it looks like from the air, but I can just imagine some clown thinking that it might be fun to take a few potshots.

I've been torn between SJRC and the Edwardsburg club, and think I'll check out SJ. It's more convenient, even if the range is shorter.