Holmesburg Fish and Game...a good place to shoot ??

[JMGaynor]

You can shoot closer than 25yrds on the pistol range, however you need to see the range officer on duty for the target hanger. We are somewhat hamstrung on the pistol range design due to the fact that the city agencies that use the property during the week basically call the shots on design. Many area ranges won't permit carry on the premises, or draw. No these are not permitted, and I don't think they ever will. I'm sure there are many experienced shooters who feel as though their expertise is being called into question, but you must remember this club is open to public membership, and the majority of new members may not have the same experience.

[philadelphia patriot]

Respectfully saying so, I really don't think I could join or support a club that suppresses my right to carry. It's your club's right to impose any rules they want to, but it's also my right to go somewhere else. I just don't understand how something associated with the 2nd Amendment doesn't permit carry. I know a lot of ranges do not allow drawing, but with the exception of Holmesburg Fish and Game, I never heard of a range that doesn't allow carry.

[Mango]

You can shoot closer than 25yrds on the pistol range, however you need to see the range officer on duty for the target hanger. We are somewhat hamstrung on the pistol range design due to the fact that the city agencies that use the property during the week basically call the shots on design. Many area ranges won't permit carry on the premises, or draw. No these are not permitted, and I don't think they ever will. I'm sure there are many experienced shooters who feel as though their expertise is being called into question, but you must remember this club is open to public membership, and the majority of new members may not have the same experience.

Not really the answer I was hoping for. Holmesburg is the only are club in the area that does not allow CCW. No real reason ever given other than issues with a old member carrying a snubby in his shirt pocket...remove the offender but don't punish everyone else.

I get drawing from holster so will not argue that but to say you can have a 5 or 10 yard option because other organizations using the pistol range is a false statement. Where there is a will there is way...also I have never been able to use the 15 yard target cause it is always locked.

[PhilaShooter]

I am actually at Holmesberg right now taking the Hunter Safety Course. We have had a few breaks so I've taken the liberty of walking around the place to check things out.... seems the improvements are staying to show imo. There are people shooting at every spot on the range. Families worth kids shooting as well. Not just s bunch of old crabby guys anymore. Place seems to have livened up a LOT.

Now I did walk in the club house to try and get a membership application and there was a group of older guys sitting around a table smoking cigars and playing cards lol. First thing I thought was here we go, but I asked about where to get an application from and they said tomorrow morning from 10am- 1pm someone will be here. Way friendlier then in the past. Definitely consisting a membership now. Recommend you guys check it out too.


-Chris

[ccphilly1984]

I agree that holmesburg has improved a lot. I have a thread from 2011 expressing a bad time and a member pm'd me apologizing and told me to let him know a name if it ever happens again. I appreciate that they have gotten a lot friendlier and now allow 5 shots in rifles during regular range hours. I will be there tomorrow shooting trap and/or skeet. The only way to improve the club would be allowing carry for leos and ltcf holders. Every other range in the area allowes holstered firearms and has rules that you can not unholster except at the firing line. I'm sure you could tweak the wording to weed out morons who want to play dirty harry.

I will be considering joining when either I am itching to shoot my black powder... or 22 ammo gets cheap so I can do a plinking day course... or my wife gets me an ar-15 over a few christmases (too expensive for us to buy in one piece so I will treat an ar-15 build like my wife does with her pandora bracelet).

Until then... I will enjoy the trap/skeet. Great place for trap and the only place close for skeet. Hope to see you tomorrow. I'm the guy with a black mossberg 500 and my name is eric in case you wanted to ask a guy with a mossberg 500 if it's me. (Noticed not too many black shotguns and I heard they don't get too many erics)

[ccphilly1984]

I was there again on saturday. Remembered my first name there (horrible with names) a shorter older guy named john is a really great guy when he has newer shooters with him on the skeet field. He gives really good tips and helped me understand the game a lot better (the option rule as well as station 8 etiquette). He is there eatly on weekends and has a blue vest. Very friendly and answers any questions you might have. He even mentioned how when I'm a lifetime nra member how they offer a discount upgrade to endowment if I want to help the 2a cause even more (it was a response to me looking for nra lifetime discounts and I found one on the nra's fb page 500 for lifetime until the convention is over).

[frankski]

I was also there for the Hunter Safety Course and talked with some folks who gave me an application. Very friendly and helpful people all around.

The range is a shorter drive than where I shoot most frequently, and for $100 a year you can't beat the price. I'd join just to have a 2nd option.

However the deal killer for me is the default 25 yd pistol range - unless you can get someone to get the shorter range target out of the storage shed and set it up. My current range has 9-yard and 25-yard pistol ranges side by side. I mostly shoot at 9 yards with the snub and G19s and most revolver shooting. Occasionally I shoot at 25 yards to refine hold and trigger discipline.

I don't see why they can't leave one or two lanes open with the shorter range target and just take those down when necessary - instead of the other way around.

The Holmesburg setup seems okay for bullseye shooters but impractical for typical self-defense practice.

[ccphilly1984]

I was also there for the Hunter Safety Course and talked with some folks who gave me an application. Very friendly and helpful people all around.

The range is a shorter drive than where I shoot most frequently, and for $100 a year you can't beat the price. I'd join just to have a 2nd option.

However the deal killer for me is the default 25 yd pistol range - unless you can get someone to get the shorter range target out of the storage shed and set it up. My current range has 9-yard and 25-yard pistol ranges side by side. I mostly shoot at 9 yards with the snub and G19s and most revolver shooting. Occasionally I shoot at 25 yards to refine hold and trigger discipline.

I don't see why they can't leave one or two lanes open with the shorter range target and just take those down when necessary - instead of the other way around.

The Holmesburg setup seems okay for bullseye shooters but impractical for typical self-defense practice.

that is something I would love to ask. Specifically for weekends. I know that during the week philadelphia prisons takes over the pistol range. Thats why clubs open trap and skeet to non-members so we get to know some of the people before deciding to join. There are a couple people I would specifically look for to do shooting with and they make me feel welcome. I will be sure to ask that next time I go. Do you do skeet or trap? Would you be willing to meet me there for a couple rounds sunday the 4th before I have to go help someone move?

[frankski]

that is something I would love to ask. Specifically for weekends. I know that during the week philadelphia prisons takes over the pistol range. Thats why clubs open trap and skeet to non-members so we get to know some of the people before deciding to join. There are a couple people I would specifically look for to do shooting with and they make me feel welcome. I will be sure to ask that next time I go. Do you do skeet or trap? Would you be willing to meet me there for a couple rounds sunday the 4th before I have to go help someone move?

I don't do skeet or trap, just rifle & pistol. Since retired, I only shoot weekdays. It seems just about everyone that comes out during the week has been shooting since the Pleistocene era, and it is a knowledgeable and safe bunch. The weekend crowds keep me off the ranges on weekends.

But I'd meet you there if they were willing to change the pistol range rules. Other wise, not any real reason for me to go there.

[phillysteve]

You can shoot closer than 25yrds on the pistol range, however you need to see the range officer on duty for the target hanger. We are somewhat hamstrung on the pistol range design due to the fact that the city agencies that use the property during the week basically call the shots on design. Many area ranges won't permit carry on the premises, or draw. No these are not permitted, and I don't think they ever will. I'm sure there are many experienced shooters who feel as though their expertise is being called into question, but you must remember this club is open to public membership, and the majority of new members may not have the same experience.

Limiting the number of rounds you can have in a magazine is pretty ridiculous. Saying a person with 5 rounds is less likely to miss than a person with 15 rounds? It is your right to do what you please with your range, but you have to understand you will not be a range that is liked by any serious enthusiast with such silly mentalities of what we can handle. There is a difference between safety and micromanaging. If you think we need a 3 hour orientation to be safe, yet still you must limit the number of rounds we can have in a firearm at once, your orientation clearly isn't working and could probably be summed up in 20 minutes. How can you say you don't want any stray shooters or spray and pray, then have 25 yard pistol targets.............

My girlfriend actually emailed me today to let me know that her co-worker said we should come join this range. I went on a nice rant about exactly why I would never waste my time at the range.

I can ignore 1 bad rule, I can ignore a few annoyances, but when you range is half the price of the competition and still people don't want to go, you know things need to change.


1. Drop the limit on number of rounds; replace it with a number of shots per second if you'd like to.
2. Set up shorter pistol ranges, 25 yards is a good starting point for new shooters with rifles, not shooters with pistols. You talk about "new shooters" yet have 25 yard pistol targets, completely contradicting.
3. Follow the rest of PA and allow LTCF to carry their firearms. They do it in public safely every day... you're like a gun shop that doesn't allow guns, guess what, we don't give them our business either. Say no draw firing, that is fine, it's understandable to have this rule, but to say they cannot walk in with a holstered firearm, kiss enthusiasts good bye.


Trust me, we WANT to like you, we WANT a good out-door range in the city. You just don't seem to want us to want you.