SayUncle tells about a local angry gun guy (there are a lot of them) and a new local range that’s being opened. A lot of the dumb rules you see at ranges and clubs are stipulated by insurance policies. Insurance companies are in the business of insuring against risk, but because they are also in the business of making money, they prefer that they never have to pay out on the risk they are insuring against, so you get dumb rules. You can, of course, pay for better insurance, which some ranges do, but it costs more, which gets passed onto the consumer.
My club doesn’t allow you to bring a firearm onto club property to shoot unless it’s unloaded and cased. For concealed carry, I was told if they don’t see it, it’s not a problem, but you can’t shoot or show your carry piece, unless the shit has hit the fan. The local indoor range allows shooting carry pieces, even from the holster, but it’s $20 an hour to shoot there, and yearly memberships are $200.
I really do have to wonder what actuarial evidence insurance companies have that certain types of gun related activities are risky while others aren’t. Firearms accidents at clubs and ranges aren’t exactly common. I’ve heard of suicides happening at ranges that rent guns, but are accidents really so common you can determine which types of activities are more dangerous than others? I’m skeptical that insurance companies can really prove an articulable danger with some activities they try to limit at ranges. I suspect it’s probably more along the lines of “That sounds dangerous, so we think we can get away with charging more if you want your policy to cover that.”
Nonetheless, we shouldn’t blame ranges for the failing of their insurers. Maybe once Gunny gets his range stable and profitable, he’ll be able to afford a policy that lets his patrons shoot their carry guns.
My local range is $250 a year and $12 an hour. As much as I went last year, it was entirely worth it (I shot at least once a week, many times twice) when compared to the standard rate.
Haven’t renewed yet this year because I’m broke from the AR-15 project.
Ex: the local indoor range Popguns has a “no loaded carry” rule as well, and from what I’ve seen it’s a relatively good thing. While most of the folks that frequent the range practice safe gunhandling, I’ve also been muzzle-swept more times than I care to remember there, so for my safety I’m glad that the rules are what they are.
On the flip side, Eagle Creek park (my favorite range) has the same rule, but for whatever reason the gunhandling is a lot better at Eagle Creek.
I’d also venture to guess that a lot of shops have that rule not because they don’t trust you not to rob them, but because gun handling is so prevalent and generally the guns you do manhandle are unloaded that they don’t want confusion.
Man, an hourly rate to shoot???
Never heard of such a thing. My range is $125 a year and no hourly rate whatsoever.
Ya’ll are gettin’ ripped.
Are you talking about a range or a private club? Ranges are usually more expensive.
These insurers are idiots. I’m as low-risk as you can get for life insurance, but I got lumped in with the smokers and obese people because I drag race at sanctioned race tracks. My chances of dying on the way to or from the track are more than 50,000 times my chances of dying at the track from a crash. It doubled my rate, so I’m thinking of dropping my current provider and lying to the next guy. I mean, sheesh, I go out with the car maybe twice a year – I didn’t get out last year at all.
Mike, you also have to realize it’s a pooled risk and that naturally they’re going to lump you in with the idjits. Otherwise, everyone would claim to be non-driving, non-smoking, health instructors who meditate all day.
The liars are accounted for, I’m sure.
Yow! For all its flaws, I’m glad I live a mile and a half from the range on the state game lands.