Cherokee Rod and Gun Club

[Guest Hyaloid]

Not sure if this is in an appropriate forum, so Mods feel free to move it.

I joined this club this year, and I was very pleased with it so far.

My last range session a couple of weks ago, however, has left me a bit perturbed.

It appears that during the last club meeting, the powers that be decided to pass a new rule that would limit semi-automatic weapons to a "One round per second" rule...they felt anything more than that was "simulated auto-fire" which is against club rules (I assume the original rule was to stop "bump firing").

So, here I was firing away at about 12 yards... firing relatively quickly, double taps, etc etc...

I have gentle tap on my shoulder, and I turn to face the older gentleman who wanted my attention.

He says, "I ain't no rule enforcer or nothin'..."

My "oh crap" meter starts to move...

"... but at last night's meetin', they's gonna enforce a rule that you cain't fire more 'n one round per second." he goes on to explain the "simulated auto-fire" BS to me, at which point my "oh crap" meter is pegging, because I probably just lost another good place to shoot.

So, if this rule goes into effect, I'll not be renewing my mebership there. I thought I'd vent a little, and post my experience here, just in case anyone was thinking of joining.

Oh, to cap it all off, he starts with me by saying that "Maybe if I ATTENDED a meeting, I could have voiced my opinion." To which I replied, "Yeah, sorry I missed that meeting, I was busy attending to the birth of my newborn son." GRRRRRRRR

[shaftbass]

Well that's a load of crap

What it sounds like is that someone who is in the place of "power" in his little gun club wanted to create some kind of rule to enforce so he would feel important.

Next up, no Winchester shotguns at your range, only Remington shotguns because his brother's dad's friend swears by them!

[molonlabetn]

Perhaps they should only allow single-shot and muzzle-loading firearms on the range, just so there's no question about whether one is rapid-firing...

Hopefully the club's budget allows for several RSOs with stop-watches to time and grant permission for each shooter to take their next shots.

Good freaking grief...

All that any range really needs is a few level-headed guys/gals watching for reckless, negligent, or otherwise unsafe gun-handling. It's always a judgment call. No need for uber-strict rules and range-nazis with their panties in a wad out to ruin everyone's shooting experience.

[Donnie]

Hell with simulated auto fire, I want the real thing. Maybe I could come up and bring a couple friends and really stir the pot, not knowing the rules officially of course. A couple full auto ARs side by side might just get us thrown out.

[molonlabetn]

If the rule literally states "one shot per second", one could simply bring 300rd, and stay on the firing line for at least 300 seconds... They couldn't prove that you expended ammuntition at a rate any greater than 1 per second, unless they timed each shot.

"whoa there, you had a .93 second split that time, slow it down!"

It's just a bs reason to come down on people.

[Guest Hyaloid]

I'm going to keep shooting the way I always have, and raise cain (cane?) if I get any push-back. To date, AFAIK they have not posted any rule changes, or sent out any notices to the membership.

I think I'll be joining TAC2 in greeneville, about the same distance from Jonesborough, and they seem to be more like-minded.

[Donnie]

I totally agree with alot of range safety rules, but the one shot per second is rediculous. I can see maybe talking to someone that is totally wild trying to shoot as fast as they can, but the average person doing double taps or strings isn't doing any harm.

I agree with you about finding another place to shoot Hyaloid, you need to be able to shoot however you want to.

[Guest BigJ45]

I am sure Doc at TAC2 won't care how fast you shoot as long as you shoot safe.

[Guest Phantom6]

I'm not a member there but I know a few who are and it's my understanding that the reason for the new rule however rediculous it may be is that they are afraid of disturbing the neighbors. It's kind of like their rule of no shooting prior to 1200 on Sundays.They are afraid of the 8 or 9 local curches and their congregations in the area.

Rather than quiting the club, find out who the instigators of this BS rule is and get together with a bunch of folks that are as ticked off as you are and take back your club.

Heck, at my club (ORSA) in Oak Ridge, they've banned .50 cals. even on the 1000 yd high power range.They say it's a noise problem (we are inside the city limits with neighborhoods bordering on two sides and another one across the street on a third). I'm in the process of researching noise levels for the .50 cals. and other high powered rifles and handguns. I believe it's simply a misguided case of the club wanting to keep a low profile due to worries about imminent domain fears. If I can prove that I'm going to be at the meetings raising more hell than a jack ass in a tin barn.

[Guest Len]

Begin Rant Here:

My concern with the "one-per-second rule" is that this rules out practicing several legitimate SD shooting techniques. As several folks here have already mentioned, double-taps are one such example. Many instructors teach the use of double-taps (or more!) in SD scenarios, and of course many shooting sports require (for the best scores at least) the ability to fire the handgun quickly.

For those of us without ranges in our yards, the local range/shooting club is the ONLY place we have to practice our skills. For many of us, the reason for owning and carrying weapons is not because they look cool, but because we might someday (God forbid) have to use them in defense of our lives or the lives of loved ones. A scenario in which we would have to fire more than one round/second might just occur. I doubt the BG breaking into your house in the dark of the night has a shot timer on him, so why should we when we are practicing? Oooh, this ticks me off!!!

I fully acknowledge and realize that slow-fire exercises have their place, and that one should work up to rapid fire safely as one becomes more comfortable at skill at arms. However, once a shooter becomes proficient enough to safely handle rapid-fire, leave him/her alone and let them practice! A club does not need more rules than a Soviet gulag to have a safe, friendly environment and good relations with the local community.

End rant here.

[Marswolf]

I talked to Mike at Top Notch Guns about this. He plans to raise hell at the next meeting about this . Please go out and help. Give him a call at the shop Monday - Friday at 323-6638.

It's my understanding that the rule change comes up for a vote or something at the next meeting (June 7, 7 PM).

I think they will allow double and triple taps.

As I understand it, someone has his panties in a wad and wants a "family club". To hell with you if your idea of shooting doesn't match their idea.

My father was a charter member of Cherokee R&G. My wife and I joined several years ago, but didn't re-up after it became clear a few people ran things and had less fiscal sense than a rabbit. That's not to say the club is in bad financial shape, just that the decisions made at one meeting were pretty "stoopid". My wife left swearing never to go back. BTW among the things my wife has done is 17 years in banking, most in the trust department where they invest other folks money who have trusts. Kinda like what a club should do with their money. We're too old and cranky to socialize with fools.

Phantom6 said it. You need to show up with a bunch of ticked off people and take back the club. Maybe I'd rejoin too.

[shaftbass]

I'm not a member there but I know a few who are and it's my understanding that the reason for the new rule however rediculous it may be is that they are afraid of disturbing the neighbors. It's kind of like their rule of no shooting prior to 1200 on Sundays.They are afraid of the 8 or 9 local curches and their congregations in the area.

Rather than quiting the club, find out who the instigators of this BS rule is and get together with a bunch of folks that are as ticked off as you are and take back your club.

Heck, at my club (ORSA) in Oak Ridge, they've banned .50 cals. even on the 1000 yd high power range.They say it's a noise problem (we are inside the city limits with neighborhoods bordering on two sides and another one across the street on a third). I'm in the process of researching noise levels for the .50 cals. and other high powered rifles and handguns. I believe it's simply a misguided case of the club wanting to keep a low profile due to worries about imminent domain fears. If I can prove that I'm going to be at the meetings raising more hell than a jack ass in a tin barn.

You might have thought of this already, but I bet if you give Barrett a call, they would help you with some of that information. Plus, when you bring it up a meeting, you will say you got your info from the horse's mouth.

[Marswolf]

I believe it's simply a misguided case of the club wanting to keep a low profile due to worries about imminent domain fears.

Attempting to maintain a low profile is seldom the best way to eliminate potential imminent domain problems. Maintaining a high profile and working the politicians seems to do better.

[towerclimber37]

I just returned from the safety brief/walk through for cherokee.

as I understood it, they didn't want class 3 or simulated stuff..like the coffee grinder handles, etc.

I doubt very seriously that they would say something if you were shooting on the upper range, but then again, this is only my estimation..and I intend to put it to the test. If someone says anything I'll use alot of you guys arguments at the next meeting.

I got this membership so that julie would have a place to shoot with other people, and its a cmp range, so I can buy a couple of m1 carbines from the odcmp.

[Guest Hyaloid]

Yeah, I think they backed off a bit from their original intent. The "signs" they posted (now nearly unreadable because they printed them on regular paper and left them to the weather) state something about "unless you are practicing double taps or for competition" (paraphrase there).

SO, just tell them you are practicing for "competition". If they saw me, no doubt THEIR reply would be, "Holy, $&*%, you really need the practice too!"

[Marswolf]

From what Mike at Top Notch tells me, they dropped the one shot per second rule.

Cherokee suffers from the typical gun club anal retentive leadership. Whatever they don't shoot, they aren't interested in. I hear they drove off some valuable people with their actions. Still, I think it's the best club in our area.

[Guest Old Chief]

Ignorance can be cured with a liberal dose of education, OTOH stupidity is a terminal condition.