Golden Gun Club

[Ripper]

Does anyone have any info about the Golden Gun Club in watkins?

[usa]

[pickenup]

http://www.goldengunclub.com/

[Ripper]

Thanks for the link. I guess what I should have said is there anyone with any experience with the range? What kind of folks are they, what is the "feel" of the range. How is their safety program?

I went out there on a sight-in day and looked around. Seems OK but it's a lot of $ to spend to be disappointed. I’d hate to join up and find out that
it was a mistake.

[usa]

[Driftwood]

Months ago I was considering them and emailed them with some questions. I'm not sure if this helps you but one question I asked them (the only one I can remember at the moment) was if one was allowed to draw from a holster at their range. Big NO on that one. But I think most ranges have that as a standard rule. However, it seems that I recall reading somewhere that either The Shootist or the Firing Line allow drawing from a holster??? Hmmm. Did I read that on this forum? Anyone???

[PsychoI3oy]

It ain't TFL that allows holster draw. Hell, they barely allow doubletaps.

[pickenup]

I’ll admit right off, that I don’t have any “recent” experience with the Golden Gun Club, SINCE they moved out to Watkins. But I’ll throw some of my thoughts out anyway.

I was a member of GGC when they were in Golden. It took me a few years to become a member, because you needed a CURRENT member to “recommend” you, for becoming a member. (Do you start to get the feeling already, that it was a “good ole boys club”?)

I went to every meeting they had. At first I tried talking to different people. After a while, I gave up. “For the most part” they made it painfully obvious that I was NOT one of the “good ole boys” and was NEVER going to be.

While on the trap league one year, there were a few friendly folks that would give you pointers, or answer questions. But I’ve found this to be the case wherever you shoot trap/skeet. So I don’t put much account into that.

When Coors told us that they were kicking us out, we had to look for a new place. MANY members didn’t like the distance required to get to the Watkins range, as well as the expense that was going to be involved. (They said the dues would go up 10 X what they were, and NO guarantee that it would stop there) So I quit.

Being close to Golden, Watkins just wasn’t viable for me. Not when Clear Creek Sportsman’s Club (just above Idaho Springs) still had open enrollment at the time. Then Boulder was a lot closer, but still has a 7-10 year waiting list. (I’m on it, should be getting close) Shoot matches there all the time.

My next point, is about the members that man the GGC, “gun show” booth. I’ve stopped by on occasion to generally BS with them. It may be just MY impression, but they STILL make it very clear that I will NEVER be one of the “good ole boys.” NOT that I want to be. Just letting you know my impressions.

My last point, is........why don’t they have IPSC, IDPA, 3-gun, etc. type matches out there? Too good for us???

There you go Ripper, this is my 2 cents worth.
And it’s worth just what you paid for it. :twisted:

[Ripper]

Thanks for the info, this is just the kind of information I was looking for.

The plus side for me is I drive past it every day on the way to work and there is no waiting period.

Down side - cost and the kind of things I "heard" from your experences.

thanks again :P

[usa]

[pickenup]

Meant to add this, but forgot.

MOST all clubs are “good ole boy” clubs. Some seem friendlier than others, but there always seems to be a core group that have been running things for a while. The president that just stepped down at Clear Creek, had been doing that job for something like 25 years. Not sure where the club is headed right now.

From what I have heard, everyone in the Boulder club is “more or less” afraid to run against the pres. He has been there a BUNCH of years too.

If GGC is an open club, where you can go anytime you want, don’t have rules that are too restrictive, and you don’t mind paying their fee, join up. At least it’s a place to shoot.

You might look into the Aurora Gun Club. Just off I-70 at Gun Club road. Last I heard, their waiting list was only one year. If you put in an application this time of year, you might be a member early in 2007. At least that is what happened to me. I put in an application, I would have been able to get in the first of the year . I declined because I’m already in CCCSC, and the drive. I don’t care for city driving, even if it’s on I-70.

Of course Aurora had some turmoil in the upper ranks a few years ago. Don’t know how it turned out, but then, I was only there to shoot matches. :twisted:

Good luck.

[GearHead]

Ripper, forget about joining a club just go out to the club shoots. (you wuss). Hey, where are the pics of your new m4a3?

[JasonFRC]

Jeez.

As a member of the Golden Gun Club (two years now) I've never felt like I didn't belong. It was a bit overwhelming the first meeting I went to, but I got over that in about fifteen minutes after I introduced myself.

I'm younger than most people I see out there, (34) and I don't fit the demographic either.

I started shooting an AR in the Service Rifle match once a month when I joined and now I consider most of the guys my friends. Oh, by the way the President and his son shoot Service Rifle too, and is a great guy too.

Grab a rifle, come out for a match sometime. You WILL feel welcome, because I think we go out of of way to make it so. You don't need to be a member. If you do attend a Service Rifle match (third Saturday of the month, $12) ask for Jason. I'll introduce you to everyone I know.

The club itself has a few rules of course, but they're usually self-evident. Make nice, clean up your mess, don't speed on the roads...

I've worked from the leather there, the range was pretty quiet (as most weekdays) so it'd probably be a bad idea on crowded days I'd gather. It CAN get very busy on match days.

GCC moved from Golden in 1996. The dues are $160 per year with a work party slip (volunteer a day of work, sight in-like I do, etc..) Or $260 without, and you must be an NRA member.

As far as too "good" for you to hold IDPA, 3-gun.. Lack of suitable facilities? Why don't you ask them? Someone would have to run it, you'd make a great candidate!

No good old boy network here. Sorry, maybe it used to be, but I think the club has realized our hobby is under attack from all sides, and we should be inclusive rather than the latter.

[Ripper]

Thanks Jason for the info. I kinda quit wqatching this post. :oops: It's good to hear from someone else with experence with the GGC. I'm still pulling the $ together, so who knows.... Might see you out there sometime.

Ripper
[usa]

[GearHead]

Hey Ripper,
Here the info that I told you about today.
New range in your neck of the woods(plains)

Lead Valley Range
303-808-2566
Glenn Rotkovich
www.leadvalleyrange.com

12 Private Berms
50 yrd w/11 stations
100 yrd w/20 stations
500 yard w/5 station

7 trap ranges
2 five stands
1 24 station sporting clay

[MuzzleFlash]

I'm on my 3rd year as a member of the GGC. OW, the president is a fine man and I find him very well suited to run a club with over 750 members. I have not run into any good ol' boy clubbyness.

The trap and skeet ranges are open to the public and members get a discount. Rifle and pistol ranges are for members only. They are big on black powder and service rifle. Their pistol area isn't particularly laid out well for IPSC, IDPA, 3-gun, etc. Rules? No exploding targets, no .50 BMG and no FA high power rifle calibers due to the proximity of neighbors and I-70. I can shoot FA in pistol caliber, but they ask that I not do so on weekends when there are lots of non-member guests and matches going on. If I was shooting a black powder match, I'd be annoyed at the rat-a-tat-tat too.

Like most clubs with shotgun and rifle, there is some minor tension between certain members. I once got some crap from the Fudds at the shotgun range for being on the rifle range after dark. A group of us put our guns away long before sunset, but sat down there and chewed the fat apparently too long for someone's tastes over at the skeet range (which is lighted for night use, BTW).

There are a couple of "range nazi" members in the club. Most big clubs have their share. I had one give some shit to one of my guests once over some insignificant infraction that wasn't really a violation of the rules. But the nazi was the defacto R.O. and instantly shifted into Marine drill seargent mode. Then he threatened to kick my friend off the range for having a "attitude" because he rolled his eyes when he complied. Understand that my friend, a licensed Class 2 manufacturer and notable firearms author, has forgotten more about guns than this chest thumper will ever know.

Hell, when I was a member of the shotgun-only TSSC at Buckley, the trap guys and the skeet guys tended to segregate into different camps. I think all clubs have some degree of that.

[androck14]

I joined the Golden Gun Club in 2003 for one reason, I needed the shooting qualification for the CMP as I really wanted an M1. So I joined up and took my M1A to the service rifle match. I was going to show up, shoot, embarrass my self, endure the laughter of the real shooters, and never go back.
As it happened, I lined up next to O.W. (the Prez) and he was very helpful and not at all patronising or superior. I have not willingly missed a match since. The men and women that shoot there are nearly all classy, friendly people.
Mark

[funkymonkey1111]

have been a member since 2005 and have never, ever had anything approaching a negative experience there. No good ole' boy crap, either. Instead, they have a nice facility for $165 per year with a work party slip, $275 without it. I work the sight in day and that saves me $110.

If you want a place to shoot long range, short range, tournaments, etc., --all without hassle or anyone bothering you, then this is the place for you. If you want to "BS" with folks working at gun show, maybe it isn't.

[BigBear]

No exploding targets!!! Blasphemy!!!!


That's half the fun I have right there... boo! lol


To each their own... I'm just bored.

[scratchy]

I'm a member there too and I don't have anything but positive things to say.

[n8tive97]

I joined a couple months ago and love it. My Dad was in town a couple weeks ago and we went out there to skeet, rifle and pistol shoot and we were the only ones out there. I have never had to wait; I have never had someone in my grill like Cherry Creek.

Great Club and I can’t be happier that I joined!

[sandman76]

I've been a member every since the move to Watkins. I've been treated real good for the most part.

There is a lot of old guys that have been members forever that can seem kind of clanish. Once you get to know 'em they're just a bunch of real nice folks.

Overall, good rifle range, not bad for pistol shooting. Good trap and skeet ranges that are open to the public.

[iego]

Going out next Saturday for an introduction and if all goes well will be a new member.

Happy to see it has been around since 2006 in Watkins, and I guess even earlier when it was in "Golden"

It's only about 20 minutes from me as I live in Aurora. A bit pricey, but I am pretty sure I will shoot enough to make it up.

I'm honestly quite excited to find an outdoor range this close to me, and look forward to exploring it.

-John

[babarsac]

I just let my membership lapse.

Don't get me wrong it's a GREAT range. No waiting for a lane, bring your cheap steel cased ammo you can't shoot elsewhere, bring your steel gong. Guest's can come for $5 a pop.

If you can make it to the work party the annual fee is very affordable.

Unfortunately I now have to travel a a lot for work so I couldn't make it to work party, or the matches on the weekend, or shooting in general on weekends. :(

[iego]

I'm now a member. Had an introduction with (must have been) about 25 folks. They say they are 1100 people strong, and lots of active shooting competitions etc. Pretty impressive row of skeet and trap lanes, and then the pistol/rifle lanes (3 sets of 12). The skeet and trap lanes are open to the public, show up and shoot. The Pistol and Rifle range is members only.

I remember trap shooting as a teen with my grandfather over East Bay in Pensacola. Haven't even thought about it for a while, lol, but have a (Montgomery Ward) Mossberg 500 12 gauge I could dust off for that.

Looks like I need to bring my own targets to the range, but they will supply the backer. So I bought...

Targets
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XPF9HSZ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Staple Gun
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001IX6WA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and Staples
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004Z2HI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Question for ya'll, if I may,

I noticed there were PVC pipes set in the ground to accept the backer board targets on the pistol range. Is it that same setup at 200, 300, 400, 600 yards? Or do I need to be buying gongs or something once I pass 100 yards? This may be range specific (and I guess I will find out next time), but just wondering if the PVC pipe holes are way out there at 200+ yards too?

Member Introduction, Range Safety Officer, was a retired cop, retired jarhead, but apparently he still flies helicopters in Afghanistan (holy moly), but super nice, and patient, and complimented me on my Ruger LC9s etc. Mark, the new Member Coordinator was also super nice.

Overall, I think I am going to really like it.

-John

[cstone]

By target backer, do you mean the wooden frame, normally made of 1x2 that has some type of hardboard/cardboard in the top center where your targets are stapled? Looks sort of like this: 73920

The 1x2 legs go into the PVC in the ground. You then staple or otherwise attach your paper target to the hardboard/cardboard. If the target is sized correctly it can be used at any distance you choose as long as there are PVC pipes in the ground at that distance to place the target stand.

[iego]

Yes, great. They indicated they go through 1000 target backers per year, (and likely my work party) will be fixing/reconstructing these items.

At our shoot school/introduction, I witnessed one get destroyed, but I guess that is as designed.

I just don't want to hump one out to 500 meters and have no where to put it :)

-John

[bellavite1]

The number of sleeves decrease the farther you go down the line.
You most definitely want to get yourself some gongs.
And, BTW, you are supposed to drive only beyond the 100 yds line...[Coffee]