Halifax NS area which club to join

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Burrahobbit

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Which range should I join; The AMA (Atlantic Marksman Association) or the NSRA (Nova Scotia Rifle Association)? I don't know much about either, was wondering if there are any members here of either that can lend some advice?
I am interested mainly for pistols, but also want to get more into all types...

Thanks,

BH
 
AMA has an indoor range in Dartmouth,..and an outdoor range near the halifax airport. It is a very active club for IPSC. I probably attend as many matches in NS every year as I do NB matches. Great bunch of guys. I should be down that way this sat/sunday,...with an indoor match on sunday.
 
The AMA range is a gravel pit. The NSRA 50m range is flat, well kept. It has a place for covered fire, a few picnic benches with nice covers over them. A couple of new BBQs in the shed where targets and patches are kept.

The biggest selling point for NSRA for me was you can go out by yourself and they are rarely busy. At AMA you need someone there with you all of the time. Doesn't always work for me with shift work and kids etc.

I found the NSRA range better kept and it is very peaceful there. You are definately in the woods. So you can stop and have a quiet lunch.

I believe NSRA is more expensive for the first 4 years as you are paying into an infrastructure fund. After 4 years it's a lot cheaper than AMA. Plus if you want to have the option of shooting rifles NSRA is the best choice. You never know when you may want to buy a rifle. They have an 800 metre range as well + 100 m range.
 
Clubs

We have good number of members from halifax here at the annapolis valley shooting sports club in new minas. $100 per year, no initiation fees or share bs, open access, 2 outdoor rifle/pistol ranges of 25m and 100m (covered) plus a heated clubhouse with indoor 20m range with 6 bays. All open 24/7.

Plus skeet and trap ranges. A bargain and nice place to shoot as far as I am concerned.

Steve
 
BlackWatch said:
The AMA range is a gravel pit. The NSRA 50m range is flat, well kept. It has a place for covered fire, a few picnic benches with nice covers over them. A couple of new BBQs in the shed where targets and patches are kept.

The biggest selling point for NSRA for me was you can go out by yourself and they are rarely busy. At AMA you need someone there with you all of the time. Doesn't always work for me with shift work and kids etc.

I found the NSRA range better kept and it is very peaceful there. You are definately in the woods. So you can stop and have a quiet lunch.

I believe NSRA is more expensive for the first 4 years as you are paying into an infrastructure fund. After 4 years it's a lot cheaper than AMA. Plus if you want to have the option of shooting rifles NSRA is the best choice. You never know when you may want to buy a rifle. They have an 800 metre range as well + 100 m range.
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That's a very incorrect post with regards to AMA...:rolleyes:

AMA's outdoor ranges are hardly gravel pits. Range 1 is 60 yards, certified for everything and has a covered firing point. Ranges 2-6 are smaller pistol pits designed for action shooting. Range 5 has a permanent cowboy town. The Rifle Range is 260 yards.

Member's usual beef with AMA is they can't go out and shoot at any time, alone. We've looked into it and determined that the level of stupid stunts that occur at the range, even with tight restrictions about who can and can't go - dictate that restrictions must remain. Members who are ROs and volunteer to open the general shoots once every couple of months can get keys to the facilities and go when they like, so long as thye bring someone who can call for help if something happens.

As for privacy, with 7 ranges to shoot on, it doesn't matter if someone else is there when you get there. You can pretty much have a range by yourself when you please

Blackwatch forgot to mention that AMA owns and operates the only heated indoor range in the city; with 2 ranges and 8 positions per. You're paying for the indoor range and the outdoor range, so that $150 per year actually gets you 2 ranges to shoot at.

If you're really into rifle, choose NSRA - they strive on it and have excellent facilities for it, plus the best rifle shooters in the country to shoot beside and learn from. AMA's rifle range is more of an afterthought with summer access only.

If you're into pistol, choose AMA. You can shoot indoors when it's cold and long ranges outdoors when it's warm. You can participate in house leagues for ISU, Shoot with some of the country's best IPSC shooters, and dress up with the Cowboy guys (in warmer months)

Any other questions re: AMA, feel free to contact me.

Sean Hansen
President, AMA.
 
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BlackWatch said:
The AMA range is a gravel pit. The NSRA 50m range is flat, well kept. It has a place for covered fire, a few picnic benches with nice covers over them. A couple of new BBQs in the shed where targets and patches are kept.

The biggest selling point for NSRA for me was you can go out by yourself and they are rarely busy. At AMA you need someone there with you all of the time. Doesn't always work for me with shift work and kids etc.

I found the NSRA range better kept and it is very peaceful there. You are definately in the woods. So you can stop and have a quiet lunch.

I believe NSRA is more expensive for the first 4 years as you are paying into an infrastructure fund. After 4 years it's a lot cheaper than AMA. Plus if you want to have the option of shooting rifles NSRA is the best choice. You never know when you may want to buy a rifle. They have an 800 metre range as well + 100 m range.
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Blackwatch,

I believe that you're incorrect with respect to sole use (ie alone) at the NSRA's Bull Meadow Facility.

Here is a link to the NSRA's info on BM:

http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/nsrifle/ranges.htm

All ranges at Bull Meadow are available for scheduled section or program activities. NSRA members can book these ranges for shooting outside the scope of scheduled programs or activities so long as the services of a qualified Range Safety Officer has been arranged.
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I'm a member at both clubs, and one of the folks that helped pay for building Bull Meadow. I've been invovled with work on that property since 1993 when I got to Halifax.

Next time you're out there, please take a few moments to read through the Range Standing Orders to see that you're following them.

For the rest, see the post above by Freedom Ventures.

NavyShooter
 
Now I am torn! Right now I just want to shoot handgun (just getting into it), and shoot my Rem 870 the odd time, however, I would eventually like to get into shooting precision rifles at some point.

plus these naked cowboy chaps opens up a whole new hobby for me :eek:
 
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Burrahobbit,

As a member at both clubs, I get the benefit of an overwhelmed schedule of shooting through the year. There is ALWAYS something coming up to attend.

That said, if you're serious about starting with handgun, go AMA, and build your way up to some precision rifle work when you get there. NSRA is THE place to learn that here in NS, and probably in the entire nation.

NS
 
Sorry, NS, I'll have to disagree with you a bit on a couple of points. There is an active handgun section at NSRA with a number of practices and competitions held during the year, and I'm also pretty sure that you can indeed book the outdoor range for individual use (there are 50m, 100m and 800m ranges) if you've taken the range familiarization course.
 
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Master-G,

True, NSRA has a good handgun program, I went to the PPC match and there were 30+ competitors. Excellent turn-out.

As for solo use of the range, I'm pretty sure the Standing Orders state that there must be at least 2 personnel present.

NS
 
The handgun chairman gave me my familiarization course and told me solo shoots are fine. He shoots there by himself quite often. That was the main deciding factor for me.
I have been to both the indoor and outdoor AMA ranges and found the outdoor range a little on the rough side, but that's just me.
My post was accurate for my opinion.

I heard a few months ago there were some issues with the roof for the indoor range and the members were reduced to shooting 22's??? Don't take this as the gospel or hit me with the rolling eyes again, this came from a member.

The best thing to do is go out and shoot at all 3 locations and decide for yourself. That's what I did, hence my previously stated opinion.
Good luck
 
I've heard nothing about .22 only shooting at AMA.

The roof issue I don't know enough to comment on but rest assured whatever needs doing is being done.

I don't intend to prolong the pissing match about which club is better as I haven't shot at NSRA but I can speak on AMA's facilities.

Things that stand out about AMA for me:

-Excellent indoor range with enough space, washrooms, kitchen, vending machines and R.Os to accommodate even the packed house annual Turkey shoots

-Some of the best IPSC shooters in Canada call it home, many of which donate a great deal of time and effort to putting on Black Badge courses aimed at increasing the number of qualified SAFE new shooters to the sport

-An outdoor range with infinite possibility, Covered shooting bays for pistols, and short range rifle / shotgun work, a clay shack for the skeet / trap guys, cowboy town for the sixshooter's, a new longer rifle range this summer (with RUMOR that it maybe extended in the future) and PORTA POTTIES for the squatters

-A well attended board responsible for getting things done (albeit not always in a hurry) but the meetings and AGM's that are always fun to watch!

-COUNTLESS events and competitions: IPSC. 3-Gun, National and Regional settings, cowboy action shooting, shotgunning, pistol house leagues, bullseye and so on (my email is bombarded daily with events and previous match scores)

-Decent newsletter that is actually involved in rallying support for pro-gun politicians during election season.

The only things that bother me are:

1)The website was created before the dawn of time and is optimized for Netscape 1.0

2)They don't serve beer

3)Some asshats like to use the outdoor range as a landfill and only a few brave / busy souls take it upon themselves to clean up the left behind mess.


AMA is great, and in MY opinion your best bet for shooting sports in HRM.

Look forward to seeing you there, with or without assless chaps.

Seth
 
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PPC matches at NSRA? How often are these going on? Is it every other weekend or at least once a month? that would be interesting to attend. I have shot with some local PPC shooters in PPC type matches. Great for building accuracy!
 
BlackWatch said:
I heard a few months ago there were some issues with the roof for the indoor range and the members were reduced to shooting 22's??? Don't take this as the gospel or hit me with the rolling eyes again, this came from a member.
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Why repeat a rumor if you only think it is just that? Your instinct is correct, though. The rumor is bull####.
 
Master-G said:
For the last few years our annual handgun championship has been the PPC 1500 match. It's been run as an "open" match so that members of other clubs can also shoot if they wish.
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Unfortuantely, this year - it was the same date as the IPSC NS qualifier in Kentville :( so alot of us couldn't.
NSRA's Handgun Chair and I are working together to ensure there's no conflict next year so I can help get some more bodies to it from the IPSC ranks.
 
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