Never really understood why anybody would put a fake can on a gun....
It is irksome that some indoor ranges will not let you use your own ammunition. Which means I may not bring my older firearms of odd calibers. Let alone I'm at the mercy of whatever they wish to charge. It also eliminates hand load try outs.
Many will not even allow clip tipped and hollow pointed military surplus. Which makes each round fired now cost $1 or more a commercial round. Unless you hand load. Some calibers right now have no commercial SP nor HP to be had. Thanks Obama. I do see why the non magnetic rule though. Must not punch trough those berms.
Then there's the thing about bench rest only firing of rifles. While police and military are allowed to use another area where non bench rest is allowed? Since when will most situations allow me to sit and essentially bipod my rifle? A deer nor hog will not wait and neither will a trespasser.
I remember when the first Tamiami indoor range opened in Florida, over 30 years ago. They were in a high-dollar location and part of their lease agreement required no lead ammunition. Back then, there were just a few sintered metal bullets that were commercially loaded and the ammo was expensive. However, they were going after a high-end clientele and, at first, were extremely successful. IIRC, there was a nominal charge to shoot but you had to use their ammo...which was five times more expensive than the best "normal" ammo available. The owners spoke to NRA Range Workshops on several occasions about how great their setup was and predicted that it was the wave of the future.I have to agree with you. Ranges that only allow you to fire their ammunition are looking to increase sales, cool for them. Not cool for me. I go elsewhere.
A HUGE +1 on hating the 'per gun' charges. It makes no sense other than another way to grasp for more $$. I can only shoot one at a time anyway since going all "Rooster Cogburn" will get you tossed anyway.
The prohibitions on 'rapid fire' sometimes get silly. One local range the RSO will come out screaming at you if you fire more than 1 round per 5 seconds. You can't practice 'double taps'. Also agree about wanting to keep my firearms cased or in a range bag until I reach the line. If I show up with more than one gun, plus a range bag, etc. it's a PITA to carry all that to the line.
But I guess the biggest thing is RSO's. They can make or break a range. Those that go total "Range Nazi" as well as those that just sit and play with their iPhones all day. Either can make a range day a bad experience. We've all likely experienced the first. But the oblivious RSO worries me more. They're off in their own little world, all the while some Yahoo is doing all kinds of stupid things that make me just pack up and leave. Having a good group of RSO's can make or break you. That will be the hard part. But good RSO's can lead to a lot of pleasant range experiences.
Quail Creek was like that a few years ago and we haven't been back.
I was fishing a creek behind the local range when somebody cut loose on full auto (years ago), rounds hitting the trees above me. Probably some LEO with a tommy he didn't know how to handle.
....Cedar Creek Range because the old woman out there is mentally unstable. One of their rules is that you can't have anything in your hand during a cease fire. Not even if you want to drink some water on a 100+ degree day as you're standing in the sun (have to be off the concrete and out of the shade during a cease fire, too) waiting for someone to fiddle with their target. But that lady is a piece of work... she wanted to ban me from the range, accusing me of hitting one of their target sticks.
All of their target sticks are shot up, and I was never given a chance to inspect the one she says I put a hole in. I know I didn't throw any shots that wide that day. I also find their rule against any NFA firearms really goofy...
Range staff that go off for no good reason. I'll never go back to Cedar Creek Range because the old woman out there is mentally unstable. One of their rules is that you can't have anything in your hand during a cease fire. Not even if you want to drink some water on a 100+ degree day as you're standing in the sun (have to be off the concrete and out of the shade during a cease fire, too) waiting for someone to fiddle with their target. But that lady is a piece of work... she wanted to ban me from the range, accusing me of hitting one of their target sticks.
All of their target sticks are shot up, and I was never given a chance to inspect the one she says I put a hole in. I know I didn't throw any shots that wide that day. I also find their rule against any NFA firearms really goofy...
I hate places with bad customer service in general, which is why I won't go back to Bracken. Walk in with four shooters and a bunch of guns (charging by the gun is stupid IMO, but that's a different argument). No bills bigger than a $20? Even when we're about to pay $40, you won't take a $50? Seriously, you're not going to bend the rule to make money? Fine, I'll drive past your range and spend my money down the road.