Hap baker closed, why

[Vile Shadow]

Crap. I need to sight in a rifle before heading to Peacemaker next weekend.

Whats Peacemaker?

 

[Fox123]

Whats Peacemaker?

Home – Peacemaker National Training Center

Our mission is to provide high-quality security services. We utilize a Project Management approach to deliver customizable services to our clients.

www.peacemakernational.com

 

[Phoenix_1295]

Easy to get, just join MSI and then get your range badge.

And that’s the kicker. Range badge is $225. Target holders/frames are not included and no target retrieval system on pistol range. Without retrieval system, you have to call range cold each time you want to change target distance. For the price of the badge, I would expect, at least, a manual pulley system.

 

[Sam Salvati]

Christ, no sign on the gates or anything. Just closed again. Would be nice if the current crop of anyone who manages the place older than 90 can pass to the sweet hereafter and join the modern day age and post up online somewhere about when this place is closed for some ignorance like mud or a dusting of non sticking snow or apparently today, where it is a nice brisk clear sunny day.

 

[AlBeight]

Christ, no sign on the gates or anything. Just closed again. Would be nice if the current crop of anyone who manages the place older than 90 can pass to the sweet hereafter and join the modern day age and post up online somewhere about when this place is closed for some ignorance like mud or a dusting of non sticking snow or apparently today, where it is a nice brisk clear sunny day.

This is the time of year they close mysteriously every year for “renovations” that nobody ever knew about.

JFC, I just noticed on the website the fees jumped bigly. Last year it was $15 per day for in-county, now its $35, and the $65 season pass is now $135 for either with no in-county discount (going up to $185 as of 1/1/25).

Sounds like they’re trying to go out of business.

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

This is the time of year they close mysteriously every year for “renovations” that nobody ever knew about.

JFC, I just noticed on the website the fees jumped bigly. Last year it was $15 per day for in-county, now its $35, and the $65 season pass is now $135 for either with no in-county discount (going up to $185 as of 1/1/25).

Sounds like they’re trying to go out of business.

Haven't been to Hap Baker in years. When I used to go once in awhile, I never thought the fees for us in Carroll were too high. but $135 and $185 per year would be over the top for me here in 2024/25.

My next range was when I joined the club at Jefferson Sportsmen in Jefferson Pa. It was reasonably priced at first until I missed a deadline to re-up back in the 2010's. Money was super tight for me, and to pay over $100 to shoot maybe once or twice a year was not feasible either.

Once I finally get my permit, and get all my reloading bench supplies set up, I hope to get more time to devote to shooting.
The problem still lies in how much the cost of shooting has gone sky high. When ammo, components, gas, etc all cost 3x what they used to, I just have a hard time blowing $100 bills when I am living on $5 income levels.

 

[offthepaper]

This is the time of year they close mysteriously every year for “renovations” that nobody ever knew about.

JFC, I just noticed on the website the fees jumped bigly. Last year it was $15 per day for in-county, now its $35, and the $65 season pass is now $135 for either with no in-county discount (going up to $185 as of 1/1/25).

Sounds like they’re trying to go out of business.

Look at the bright side. with them more than doubling the current fee's, that will not sit well with many current customers. I expect the waiting list will be a lot shorter after folks see the new pricing.
with raising the current fee's as high as they did, it would start to make sense for a $225 range badge that would actually allow you to shoot.
they need to go back to reasonable memberships and drop the daily fee shooters, as well as abide by the posted open/close times.

 

[AlBeight]

Look at the bright side. with them more than doubling the current fee's, that will not sit well with many current customers. I expect the waiting list will be a lot shorter after folks see the new pricing.
with raising the current fee's as high as they did, it would start to make sense for a $225 range badge that would actually allow you to shoot.
they need to go back to reasonable memberships and drop the daily fee shooters, as well as abide by the posted open/close times.

That and stay open past 4:30pm in the summer time. When it gets dark after 9pm, it sucks I gotta pack up to go home at 3:15. I just evicerated that practice in my Carroll County Parks and Rec Survey they’ve been pestering me to complete. Hoping that leads to a few more hours of operable range time.

 

[Sam Salvati]

That and stay open past 4:30pm in the summer time. When it gets dark after 9pm, it sucks I gotta pack up to go home at 3:15. I just evicerated that practice in my Carroll County Parks and Rec Survey they’ve been pestering me to complete. Hoping that leads to a few more hours of operable range time.

It is complete BS closing at 430.

 

[Russ D]

Hap is so far away from what it used to be it’s almost not worth even having around anymore. I’m glad I have a god private range to shoot at, but for the money and effort put into it it’s extremely disappointing.

 

[rbird7282]

And that’s the kicker. Range badge is $225. Target holders/frames are not included and no target retrieval system on pistol range. Without retrieval system, you have to call range cold each time you want to change target distance. For the price of the badge, I would expect, at least, a manual pulley system.

Target frames are very easy to make and they do sell them there. $225 is still a pretty good bargain when compared to most other ranges. There is a pulley system but it is only used by a cow training outfit as far as I know. Not sure if you're allowed to rig one up or not.
On the pistol range, there are target frame holders at 25 and 50 yards.
On the 100 yard Barnes range, there are target frame holders at 25, 50, & 100 yards. (there might be ones at 75 yards as well.)
Find another range with 4 trap fields, a 100 lane 100 yard range, a 50 lane 50 yard pistol range, a 200 yard range, and 6 competition shooting bays all for $225/year. You won't.
I've also never had to wait for a lane on either the 50 or 100 yard ranges in over 8 years of being a member.

 

[Boondock Saint]

I did not particularly enjoy my last experience at Hap a few months back. With the fee increase, there's a solid chance I won't return there.

 

[dist1646]

The range badge at AGC is currently $250 and will continue to increase every year. Add club membership and the requirement of many clubs to be a member of the NRA or other pro-2A organization and the cost quickly exceeds $325 yr. Then add in match fees that they also charge paid members and it will add an additional $100 or more and that is if you only compete in one match per month for 10 months. By the time all the dues and fees are added up, you can figure on about $500+ per year. Want to bring a guest to introduce to shooting, $$. If you are a senior living on fixed income, they don't care, they don't do senior discounts. All this and more are reasons why I left after being a member since 1979. You definitely don't want to know what goes on behind the scenes or how the board of trustees is so easily manipulated or how those "trustees" will lie to their clubs. Might sound like a rant but, it is all true.

 

[Biggfoot44]

In today's world , the pricing structure doesn't pay , to do a medium volume of shooting .

To amoritize $$ annual fees , you need to be retired , or live next door and have lots of free time . It's pricing out occasional shooters from annual memberships .

 

[Sam Salvati]

In today's world , the pricing structure doesn't pay , to do a medium volume of shooting .

To amoritize $$ annual fees , you need to be retired , or live next door and have lots of free time . It's pricing out occasional shooters from annual memberships .

Lib anti gun snake tactics

 

[jc1240]

I did not particularly enjoy my last experience at Hap a few months back. With the fee increase, there's a solid chance I won't return there.

Since my first time at Guntry, I could not see myself back at Hap Baker except on a very nice day. With the new pricing, not even then.

Guntry has:
* Indoor, climate controlled ranges
* ammo and targets and anything else if you forgot something. I used to print my own targets, but theirs are cheap enough I just by some when I arrive
* Fancy touchscreen-controlled target trollies
* non-grumpy RSOs

Granted pricing is just for an hour (saves me from sending too much money down range):
$25 for the 25 yard lanes
$50 for the 100 yard lanes. I think someone there told me they are working on a 200 yard range.

Not sure why they are different: rifles can be used on the 25 yard lanes, but pistols are not allowed on the 100 yard lanes. I have yet to set foot in the 100 yard lanes.

Membership not required for the above, but no more than 24 hours advanced lane reservation. Club members can reserve up to 7 days in advance and (might be different levels of membership) a few other perks like member's only lounges and discounts. I can only dream of such luxuries.

 

[rbird7282]

The range badge at AGC is currently $250 and will continue to increase every year. Add club membership and the requirement of many clubs to be a member of the NRA or other pro-2A organization and the cost quickly exceeds $325 yr. Then add in match fees that they also charge paid members and it will add an additional $100 or more and that is if you only compete in one match per month for 10 months. By the time all the dues and fees are added up, you can figure on about $500+ per year. Want to bring a guest to introduce to shooting, $$. If you are a senior living on fixed income, they don't care, they don't do senior discounts. All this and more are reasons why I left after being a member since 1979. You definitely don't want to know what goes on behind the scenes or how the board of trustees is so easily manipulated or how those "trustees" will lie to their clubs. Might sound like a rant but, it is all true.

$325 a year? BS. Join MSI (which I’m already a member) for $25/year. That’s $275/year. Find another range that offers all that for that amount per year, you won’t.

Don’t want to pay match fees? Become an RSO and match fees are either comped or deducted from your range badge cost. When I renewed my range badge for this year it was $125.

You don’t like AGC, we get it. You post about it repeatedly.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Uncle Duke]

In today's world , the pricing structure doesn't pay , to do a medium volume of shooting .

To amoritize $$ annual fees , you need to be retired , or live next door and have lots of free time . It's pricing out occasional shooters from annual memberships .

Potential new participants as well.

Financially and otherwise, access to places to shoot is generally tighter today than it's ever been. The end result going forward may prove to be that one never misses, what one never had.

 

[Ammo Jon]

Haps Baker is a dump.

 

[Biggfoot44]

Lib anti gun snake tactics

Maybe ? In instance of Hap Baker specifically , since it is directly government owned and operated .

They'll spin it as increasing revenue to fully cover operating expenses, but it is obvious it will decrease patronage 11 months of the year ( the month before hunting season will still be at capacity for sighting in ) .

Commercial operations and private clubs ? Trying to increase assured revenue . But it will partially backfire on them .

Their membership will now be more skewed to frequent shooters , so for a given number of members , there will be more rounds going downrange , for more wear & tear on facilities .