info on DCFS

[stimrob]

Yeah the membership is really reasonable for the family membership, and it's close... I'm thinking I want to join.

I'd love to check the facilities out (did a little aerial recon with google maps, looks pretty nice) and I have to wait for the next paycheck or two to have the dues ready.


As far as securing sponsorship signatures, is that something that people are generally friendly with? Or should I make some friends on here and visit a few times first?

[bigandy1966]

Sure, go up on Sundays at 1 pm they have orientation. Its a nice tour of the facilities

[jbrower]

As far as securing sponsorship signatures, is that something that people are generally friendly with? Or should I make some friends on here and visit a few times first?

Your best bet is to show up on Saturday or Sunday AM, grab an application, fill it out and ask some of the guys in the clubhouse to sign for you. If you're an NRA member, make sure to bring your card with you. Membership in the NRA is not a requirement but some guys will ask if you're a member before they'll sign your application as a sponsor.

There are also matches being held this Sunday AM down on the High Power and Muzzleloader ranges. The matches are open to non-members. The highpower range is having an IBS benchrest match and the fee is $8. We have sporter (CF & RF), heavy barrel (CF & RF), iron sight, benchrest rifle and junior classes. I'll be there all morning so if you need a sponsor, come down and ask for Jay.

[DaveIam]

The club has some strict and some asinine rules, but it is a nice facility and you won't find a better place to shoot closer to you. I don't care for all the rules there, so I join 2 clubs. I do enjoy how close to home it is for me. If it wasn't for the archery range I doubt I'd ever shoot there though.

[c45man]

The club has some strict and some asinine rules, but it is a nice facility and you won't find a better place to shoot closer to you. I don't care for all the rules there, so I join 2 clubs. I do enjoy how close to home it is for me. If it wasn't for the archery range I doubt I'd ever shoot there though.

Yes Dave they have many rules. The leadership of the range is different now than many years ago, and they have been liberalizing their regulations. For instance, at one time a shooter was forced to load only one round in their rifles at a time. As I recall, there was no metal targets permitted. The range officers had more attitude than a dominant mother and as such would make up policies for the sole reasoning of showing authority. I was a member of that club in 1970 as a much younger adult. Quite frankly, there were times that I believed that using live ammunition was a violation.

[DaveIam]

Things have gotten better, but very slowly. That is why it has taken me 18 years to join since the last time I shot there. Maybe in the next decade or two you could fully load a gun, or (GASP!) shoot a silhouette target.

[c45man]

Things have gotten better, but very slowly. That is why it has taken me 18 years to join since the last time I shot there. Maybe in the next decade or two you could fully load a gun, or (GASP!) shoot a silhouette target.

Yes, and your viewpoint is justified. That being said, for the most part, the membership of DELCO do not consider self defense as the major factor in the reasoning for owning a firearm. These men and women are traditional target shooters with narrow parimeter precision as their goal. They are about sight alignment and a slower pace of fire....Put simply, bullseye shooting.

Combat shooting, as you know, is closer range shooting, and quicker pace shooting with center mass as the target. Most combat shooters aim off their front sight. Others may disagree with my assesment, but if it were not somewhat accurate, the club leaders would foster more combat shooting with center mass targets, i.e. humanoid silhouette targets.

[VeritasAequitas]

Yes, and your viewpoint is justified. That being said, for the most part, the membership of DELCO do not consider self defense as the major factor in the reasoning for owning a firearm. These men and women are traditional target shooters with narrow parimeter precision as their goal. They are about sight alignment and a slower pace of fire....Put simply, bullseye shooting.

Bold emphasis mine---is this truly how the members of DCFS feel? Do they truly feel that self-defense is not the primary reason for owning a firearm? Is is just that the emphasis of the club is target shooting instead of useful practical application shooting, or do the members and staff truly feel that the major reason to own a firearm is to target shoot? I am on the fence about potentially trying to join...I hear good things and I hear bad things about the club, but this would be the determining factor as to whether or not I attempt to join.

[DaveIam]

I'm going to say its more of the staff and board who are more target shooters than the other members. It is almost impossible to get any RO or board member to listen and consider any type of changes suggested. The only people any of them think know anything about firearms are their buddies, everyone else is an idiot in their eyes.

[soberbyker]

Yeah the membership is really reasonable for the family membership, and it's close... I'm thinking I want to join.

I'd love to check the facilities out (did a little aerial recon with google maps, looks pretty nice) and I have to wait for the next paycheck or two to have the dues ready.


As far as securing sponsorship signatures, is that something that people are generally friendly with? Or should I make some friends on here and visit a few times first?

Come early on orientation day (Sundays noon), start the paper work, give it to the office girl (Stacy) while you take the walk through, after there will be plenty of folks who'll sign for ya, members and officers, just be sure to have a valid ID with you.

I'm going to say its more of the staff and board who are more target shooters than the other members. It is almost impossible to get any RO or board member to listen and consider any type of changes suggested. The only people any of them think know anything about firearms are their buddies, everyone else is an idiot in their eyes.

DELCO F&S is not set up for combat/self defense shooting, that's a fact, more for "sport shooting" if all you're interested in is combat/self defense shooting then you'll be disappointed.

I've only been a member for a year and a half but I have yet to not have a friendly good time on any range I've visited. In fact I've found the opposite to be true, more than helpful. Sometimes a little too helpful, but in a friendly way.

I'm an RO at the table trap range (No high brass or shot larger than #8) and we have a lot of fun, I haven't seen the every one is an idiot attitude at this range. We have 7 competitive type shoots at table trap, this past Sunday was our last one for the year, the redneck shoot. Pictures and videos of the shoot I took can be seen here:

http://s184.photobucket.com/albums/x...FS%2011-13-11/

We are also very involved with getting youth into shooting, scouts come and camp over night here several times during the year, we also help the scouts get their shooting merit badge. Two weeks ago we sponsored a pheasant hunt at the Meadowview Preserve in Salem, NJ, every kid came away with at least one bird.

So while DCFS may not be for some types of shooting and may have a few too many rules, it's not the draconian Nazi range some folks like to think it is, at least not in my short experience with the club in general. Sure there are a few cliques here and there just like you'll find at any club with a large membership, but they certainly don't run or ruin the place.

As to why things are the way they are and can they be changed, come to the monthly membership meetings and ask. Maybe there are reasons things are done the way they are we don't know or understand. Oh, and most of the ranges have some sort of competitive shooting weekly/monthly that some of the the normal rules may be changed for during the shoot that just may suit the style of shooting you're looking for.

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