Tell me about USSA, good or bad.

[dennishoddy]

It's sad a great facility like that has gone into decline.
I will say I shot competitions there in the days when it was at it's peak. Steel challenge targets were stationary on the bays for the most part and in poor shape back then compared to other ranges round the state where they were put out for matches. Mid 2000's
In reference to the comments about people shooting them with HP rifles, I can totally believe that.
At our range in Ponca, we keep all the steel out all the time. There is a big sign on every pistol bay to not shoot the steel with anything but common pistol caliber shot through pistols.
Every month when setting up for steel challenge or USPSA matches using steel, we would find steel targets shot with high power rifle rounds. I was VP of the club for three years and President for 4 years, aka also welder/target fixer until an unknown member also started repairing them.
The people that use ranges do not realize the amount of work involved in maintaining one, expecting perfection every time they go. I realize they pay money and expect every thing to be perfect.
It's not possible. The public idiots screw the range to the point they can't keep up.
As President or VP I paid the same money to be a member as anyone. No special privilege's, just extra work so that the members that came out to shoot didn't have to do any work to shoot other than staple a target on the range provided backer.
Put a target on the club provided stands and your good to go. Even provide a target shed with targets to leave a donation for some targets so one didn't have to worry about buying a target before coming to the range..
I wasn't the solitary member to do work either. We had a great core of volunteers that would come out to help complete a project.
It takes a great crew of volunteers to maintain any gun range no matter if its a paid membership or not.
If there were not volunteers and the club had to hire everything done, I can assure you that membership prices would be double if not triple.
Everyone needs to see what they can do to help their range. Adopt a bay or something and be responsible to maintain it.
Nobody is getting rich by providing a gun range. With insurance, etc, its probably a love of the sport and not a way to get rich by the owners.

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[cdragen]

During my last trip I was talking with one of the managers/owners(?) and they said that they were in the process of purchasing some adjacent land they had been trying to acquire for several years, and now that it's passed to the next generation they're willing to sell. I guess the previous owner was holding out for a big development deal but could never get it through because it was almost entirely in the floodplain. If they get the land, USSA is planning to expand their range and try for at least a 1000 yard range in addition to their current 300 yard range (in other words there would be two ranges, not just an extension of the current one). The additional land would also allow them to do some extra work on the drainage issue that's historically been upstream from them, and engineer it so that the ranges wouldn't be so heavily affected.

All hearsay, I didn't see any deeds or plans, but it was volunteered freely when I mentioned the work they had been doing on the 300 yard. Who knows, but that would be a nice thing to have in town. I'm sure they're taking aim at a lot of people on the Red Castle waiting list.

On the steel, I've only ever seen steel targets in the pistol bays, and last I saw they were still up, but frequently the boards holding them are in pretty sorry shape, or even broken off. Then again, I haven't used a pistol bay in a while, I mostly work in the 50 yard bays and occasionally hop over to the 300. From what I understood USSA was originally planned as a privately owned alphabet agency training site, but before it was finished any contracts they were working on fell through, so they converted to the high class shooting club model. Seems strange to me though that they would go that direction but not have any skeet or sporting clays for the country club model. Meh, I'm just happy to have a place to shoot without people looking over my shoulder, and with the buddy membership if I go once a month I'm beating the non-member rate.

 

[emapples]

Anyone here frequent USSA? What are your opinions of the range facilities and the general atmosphere of the place?
I shot several IDPA matches there a dozen or so years ago not long after they opened.
I'm retired and would likely only go out on weekdays.
I did a forum search on USSA and there wasn't too much recent but the idea of being hassled for picking up my own brass wouldn't set well with me.
I'll likely go for a visit one day this coming week weather permitting to see how if I like the place.

I can shoot safely on my own property but I'm pretty well limited to 50 yards and would like to be able to reach out a bit further once in a while.
I have neighbors up range (behind me) so I don't usually go for long sessions or have people over and sometimes I feel like burning some ammo/

In a short sentence, its a little run down when compared to what i used to be.

 

[Roadking Larry]

Man, I got occupied with finishing my boat and still haven't made it out to USSA since I posted this. I've been so danged busy since I retired that I can't figure how I was able to get anything done while I was still working full time.

 

[GroupGuy]

I'll have to look into that, it would be a pure gamble for me though because I don't shoot indoor ranges except when I absolutely have to. Are there any other 1,000yd ranges in Oklahoma? I heard a rumor that USSA was supposed to be opening a 500 yd (or was it 700?) "soon" but that is furthest I know of within two hours of Tulsa outside of the Red Castle

I was told by a Red Castle board member that membership renewals were on the decline and that they'd definitely be opening up to accept new members in the next month or so.

 

[dennishoddy]

I was told by a Red Castle board member that membership renewals were on the decline and that they'd definitely be opening up to accept new members in the next month or so.

Can't find ammo, so nobody is shooting/renewing memberships.

 

[HiredHand]

Can't find ammo, so nobody is shooting/renewing memberships.

Maybe, but I’m inclined to believe that it’s older members who are getting past the point of needing a membership.

Also, most people that I’ve talked to are familiar with the ammunition rollercoaster enough that they have plenty to get through the rough patches.

 

[mr ed]

Half of Red Castle's membership is over 65. Plus new leadership is making a bunch of new rules people don't like.

 

[dennishoddy]

Half of Red Castle's membership is over 65. Plus new leadership is making a bunch of new rules people don't like.

HMMMM......Fudds in charge now?

 

[chazroh]

Half of Red Castle's membership is over 65. Plus new leadership is making a bunch of new rules people don't like.

I’m a member there, in my 30’s, I think it’s a great place to shoot. Not sure what rules your referring to?