Ft Meade Range

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  • Ponch

    Member
    Feb 7, 2018
    80
    Odenton
    so is the meade rod and gun running an avg of twice a month? How often do you show up and get turned away?
     

    INMY01TA

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 29, 2008
    5,815
    so is the meade rod and gun running an avg of twice a month? How often do you show up and get turned away?
    The range schedule is posted on MRPC's website. And the only time I've ever heard of anyone being turned away was when they weren't on the list to get in.
     

    INMY01TA

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 29, 2008
    5,815
    Ok I will have to look into it. I live right here, but I was told they canceled (or got bumped) a lot
    If there's an RSO on the schedule then he's usually there. If there's a question mark then they may not have an RSO come range day. I think MRGC has more of an issue with this than MRPC.
     

    ROBAR35

    Living the farm life
    May 20, 2010
    1,838
    Howard Co.
    I shot there with MR&PC in John Peppers program for a few years. Man I miss those days, good times and a good group.
     

    wreckdiver

    Ultimate Member
    Nov 13, 2008
    2,925
    I shot there with MR&PC in John Peppers program for a few years. Man I miss those days, good times and a good group.

    SAme here. John is an interesting character. I learned a lot from him. I miss his hand painted targets.
     

    trickg

    Guns 'n Drums
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 22, 2008
    14,584
    Glen Burnie
    I'm going to resurrect this thread to ask if anyone has any recent experiences with it. Based on this thread it seems like it's a bit of a PITA to try to shoot there.

    On one hand, for $25/year it would grant me access to a rifle range on the cheap, but if it's going to be a serious pain to try to go shoot, would the juice be worth the squeeze? Unfortunately here in over-populated central Maryland, options for shooting are limited. I go to Cindy's and On Target.

    I miss rural Nebraska...although not right now. It was -26 degrees in my hometown last week.
     

    Michigander08

    ridiculous and psychotic
    MDS Supporter
    May 29, 2017
    7,685
    I'm going to resurrect this thread to ask if anyone has any recent experiences with it. Based on this thread it seems like it's a bit of a PITA to try to shoot there.

    On one hand, for $25/year it would grant me access to a rifle range on the cheap, but if it's going to be a serious pain to try to go shoot, would the juice be worth the squeeze? Unfortunately here in over-populated central Maryland, options for shooting are limited. I go to Cindy's and On Target.

    I miss rural Nebraska...although not right now. It was -26 degrees in my hometown last week.

    Well if you were born in another era you can shoot the roaming buffalo in the plain of Nebraska.

    Maybe you should look for a time travel machine for sale in the classified ads. :lol2:
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,721
    Socialist State of Maryland
    I'm going to resurrect this thread to ask if anyone has any recent experiences with it. Based on this thread it seems like it's a bit of a PITA to try to shoot there.

    On one hand, for $25/year it would grant me access to a rifle range on the cheap, but if it's going to be a serious pain to try to go shoot, would the juice be worth the squeeze? Unfortunately here in over-populated central Maryland, options for shooting are limited. I go to Cindy's and On Target.

    I miss rural Nebraska...although not right now. It was -26 degrees in my hometown last week.

    There are several clubs involved with the Fort Meade Range and they all have different requirements and waiting lists. The ranges are managed by NSA and shooting days are apportioned to the different clubs.

    I believe it is the Dept of Interior that sets the opening and closing times for the gates. Things may have changed as I haven't been a member in over 10 years but that is how I remember it to be when I left.
     

    trickg

    Guns 'n Drums
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 22, 2008
    14,584
    Glen Burnie
    Well if you were born in another era you can shoot the roaming buffalo in the plain of Nebraska.

    Maybe you should look for a time travel machine for sale in the classified ads. :lol2:
    I've talked about before on here, but my hometown in Nebraska is about 2,000 population, and once you're out of town, you're really out of town - fields and pastures for miles. We had a private range a mile or so outside of town on a relatives land just north of town. Before that though, we had the "sewer ponds" to the south and east, just outside of the town limits, and to the south and west we had the local landfill where we could go. Another place Dad and I would go was to an old gravel/magnesia pit about 5-7 miles south and west of town. Or, continuing down that same road another few miles, my Dad had a friend with a big plot of pasture ground that had lots and lots of prairie dogs.

    Suffice it to say, getting out to go shoot was pretty simple, and most days it was rare to see anyone else unless we were at the landfill.

    Things change though - the town, who used to own the land the gravel pit was on, sold it, and now that's fenced off and it can't even be accessed anymore, the guy who owned the land with the prairie dogs died, and the private range we had has been gone since my Dad died. Still, if I were to move back, I'm sure I could quickly make arrangements with someone who had land not far out of town where I could set up a place to shoot privately.

    There are several clubs involved with the Fort Meade Range and they all have different requirements and waiting lists. The ranges are managed by NSA and shooting days are apportioned to the different clubs.

    I believe it is the Dept of Interior that sets the opening and closing times for the gates. Things may have changed as I haven't been a member in over 10 years but that is how I remember it to be when I left.
    That seems to be a common theme, "...but I haven't been a member there for years." I'm guessing that it's enough of a pain that people take their toys and go elsewhere, which is making me rethink trying to join. It's only $25 though - I spend more than that going out to dinner.
     

    INMY01TA

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 29, 2008
    5,815
    I shot there in November. Last I checked the 2021 range schedule has not been posted yet tho.
     

    Michigander08

    ridiculous and psychotic
    MDS Supporter
    May 29, 2017
    7,685
    The problem with the range at Ft. Meade is that you work around their schedule; not yours! Shooting public (which belongs to approved clubs) has the last priority. That is a privilege at the pleasure of the base commander. The range is also used by other groups that have the right to it.
     

    trickg

    Guns 'n Drums
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 22, 2008
    14,584
    Glen Burnie
    I shot there in November. Last I checked the 2021 range schedule has not been posted yet tho.
    The schedule is up - looked at it just today.

    The problem with the range at Ft. Meade is that you work around their schedule; not yours! Shooting public (which belongs to approved clubs) has the last priority. That is a privilege at the pleasure of the base commander. The range is also used by other groups that have the right to it.
    So basically more of a PITA than it's worth. That stinks, but it is what it is - I'll have to try to find something else.
     

    trickg

    Guns 'n Drums
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 22, 2008
    14,584
    Glen Burnie
    I still only see the 2020 scedule at rifle and pistol club. Okay I see rod and gun has it up. Still no range 1 for us peasants.
    Wow - ok. I suppose I could be ok with a 300 yard range, but 9 firing positions isn't a lot.

    When it says "club rifle," does that mean that in order to get on the range I need to be a member of another rifle club?
     

    Michigander08

    ridiculous and psychotic
    MDS Supporter
    May 29, 2017
    7,685
    Wow - ok. I suppose I could be ok with a 300 yard range, but 9 firing positions isn't a lot.

    When it says "club rifle," does that mean that in order to get on the range I need to be a member of another rifle club?

    Yep. You have to join a club that has access to the range on base. It is useless though because you can only go per schedule of the month. If you miss the dates, you have to wait until next month.
     

    INMY01TA

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 29, 2008
    5,815
    Wow - ok. I suppose I could be ok with a 300 yard range, but 9 firing positions isn't a lot.

    When it says "club rifle," does that mean that in order to get on the range I need to be a member of another rifle club?
    No. If you’re in MRPC or MRGC then you can shoot club rifle.
     

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