Looking for advice on Ottawa area ranges and first handgun purchase

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techwiz3100

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Hi,

I am in the Ottawa area and looking into shooting handguns. I have a vaild RPAL which I had for years and own rifles and shotguns ,but never a handgun. My interest in handguns started when a couple of buddies and I looked into going to Las Vegas to attend a Front Sight handgun course. That idea fell through (lots of $$ and issues with being away for a week). I figure maybe I could do something that was closer to home and actually own my own handguns.

For joining a club I have narrowed it down to the EOHC or the RA centre.
I have contacted EOHC and on the mailing list(not sure how long I will have to wait before they run a new members course). I have not had a chance to check out the RA centre yet.

I am not sure I want to be a serious competition shooter. However, I like the idea of training and learning to shoot better and IPSC sounds fun.

I was wondering if a 1911 is a good idea for a first gun. From the online shopping and research I am leaning towards a S&W 1911 in .45. I also like the S&W MP 40 (range kit) as a possible purchase. I know those two are very different (one steel and one plastic) and likely will end up buying something different depending on advice and input I get once I meet up with some experienced owners and actually try some out at the range.

I would greatly like to get some advice from the members here. This is a great site for information.

Thanks,
 
Last I looked (2 years ago), RA center is centrally located and nice because it's indoors, so in the winter it's more comfortable. However, you will have to qualify with the club .22 handguns (often ill maintained and not sighted properly) before they will let you bring in your own hand guns, and they will limit you in what you can shoot (basically, nothing more then 9mm. .40 cal, +P+, etc were all not allowed 2 years ago. 9mm carbines, like Beretta CX4 Storm, were not allowed either, with only exceptions being .22SR/LR rifles) due to backstop being weak. Also, you will have a limited number of evenings a week to shoot, since pretty much 4 our 6 evenings a week are booked for one activity or other. On the evenings you can shoot, chances are, you will have to take turns with someone else, since there will be more people, that want to shoot then available spots. Now, keep in mind, that this is 2 years old information, so verify it, but I doubt it changed much since.

So you show up, make arrangement to attempt to qualify with club guns, get something like 7 out of 10 into the target because you are not used to the club handgun, and the handgun is not sighted properly, and, since there are others, that want to shoot, you won't be able to attempt to qualify again.

RA Centre used to allow people without PAL to join (not sure if that practice still exists), and use club guns, and for a while the kind of folks that would join were really creepy.

EOHC, on the other hand, is a fair distance from "Ottawa" (45 minute drive for me), outdoors (so you get bugs in the summer, and waist deep snow in the winter, plus in the winter it's a good idea to drive a truck there, due to unpaved and poorly cleaned roads), but once you get over the fact that the secretary occasionally drops the ball, and forgets to send you your ATT, you get the freedom to come and shoot when you want, and what you want (Rules are simple and easy to follow, and new member course is nothing unreasonable if you passed your RPAL. Club guns, that you get to use during the new member course, work, but in reality they look at how safely you handle a gun, as opposed to being able to hit bullseye 10 out of 10 times).

The reason there are no new member courses at EOHC till September is due to a quirk in the pricing schedule, that EOHC has, where folks signing up for membership in the fall get the rest of the year and all of next year membership for their fee, while people signing up in August will pay basically for the whole year, while only get their membership till the end of the calendar year. So, since they don't want to screw you over, they don't take on new members till then.

So, both clubs have their good and bad sides, but IMHO, the freedom and no bulls**t of EOHC outweighs the convenience and indoorness of RA Centre. Or, at least, it did for me.

But wait for someone from RA Centre to chip in with their side of the story, of course.
 
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Welcome! Eohc is a great club. I think they run a new members course about once a month. Contact them through the website and be patient, they will contact you when the next course is scheduled, but you probably won't hear much from them until then.

As for a first handgun.........follow your heart. That said, remember that 40s&w and 45 acp are not cheap calibers. Reloading will be in your future if you plan to shoot a lot but that is a whole separate addiction. .22lr you can shoot all day for peanuts while you hone your skills and 9mm gives an affordable louder bang.

Don't worry if you don't pick exactly the right gun the first time. It'll give you an excuse to keep shopping and trading....

Most of all be safe and have fun!
 
techwiz3100 said:
Thanks for your input Notbsd and Bexan.

Anybody have current info/experience with RA centre?
Click to expand...

Yep.

What do you need to know?

or better yet, come on down to the RA gun range this Saturday (1st of Sept.) between 0900 and 1200 (the session finishes at 1200, so come before that) and I'll be glad to show you around and answer questions. PM me for details.
 
EOHC is a great club with lots of great members, by the way for your first pistol, you should be thinking of buying a 22 LR , since its going to be your first one , you will need to work on your shooting technic and the 22 caliber is great starter, by the way there is a great store accross the river that have a great selection.
 
Stittsville is alright. A couple of the range officers are rude. Also I find alot of the older members have a "better-than-thou" attitude towards younger members. Having said that, I try to go in the early Spring, Winter, or late Fall to avoid the usual crowd. It would be nice if the firearms community would be more accepting of all shooters. I find the attitude of people on CGN is great, though.

Next year, I'll try a membership at EOHC. I've heard lots of good things about them.
 
I shoot and EOHC and its been great. Almost always have a range to myself.

As for gun choice, I have an M&P 9mm Range Kit and love it. Bought it locally at Sports Action. They are on the pricey side of things but if you talk to them nicely they sometimes will price match.
 
Don't forget to check out the National Capital Region Rifle Association (NCRRA). I have been out of it for a bit, but they have some great ranges for pistol. Plus you can still shoot rifle and shotgun at the other ranges on the base.

Everyone there was very helpful and friendly to me, as I was/am in a similar situation to you (rifles, shotguns with limited to no pistol experience). I was allowed to try out different pistols and got a better idea as to which pistol I preferred.

Their website is in need of attention, but I am sure there is someone here that is current and can chime in with some details.
 
3strokes said:
What "bad" things? Pray tell!

I'm not aware of any rapes, homicides, mass shootings, drunkenness or .....
Click to expand...

Well, since you volunteered to answer questions, this is an opportunity for me to find out what the current state of RA Centre is. Please answer publicly, so that everyone could form their own opinions.

Questions:

a) Does RA Centre permit people without PAL to join the club (and shoot club guns under "close supervision")?

b) How many nights a week a person, who is not involved in specialized activities (bow and arrow, IPSEC, etc), can come and shoot? For how many hours? Is this consistent thoughout the year, or will in the winter the number of available nights decrease?

c) Is the backstop at the RA Centre finally reenforced, and what calibers are permitted at the moment, and out of what firearms? Specifically, are pistol caliber carbines permitted? What about .357 Magnum revolvers?

d) What is involved in become a range safety officer at the RA Centre? What training is required, how often does the training take place, and who (if any) needs to nominate a candidate for safety officer training?

e) What is required in getting permitted to bring and shoot your own firearms at the RA Centre? What are the qualification requirements? Does RA Centre apply for ATT from the CFO on member's behalf prior to member being qualified to use his own firearms at the range?

f) How often and how well the club firearms are maintained, and verified for functionality and accuracy by someone qualified to do so?

g) (Closely related to a)) What, if any, grounds for refusing membership does RA Centre have?
 
3strokes said:
What "bad" things? Pray tell!

I'm not aware of any rapes, homicides, mass shootings, drunkenness or .....
Click to expand...

Someone was finished shooting and had his handgun in a case. He was a bit slow and the time came for people to go check their targets. He tried to pick up his case and was harassed by the RO's.
 
lucky72 said:
EOHC is a great club with lots of great members, by the way for your first pistol, you should be thinking of buying a 22 LR , since its going to be your first one , you will need to work on your shooting technic and the 22 caliber is great starter, by the way there is a great store accross the river that have a great selection.
Click to expand...

Which one?? Pray tell
 
I shoot at EOHC and I like the flexibility of it. I can go anytime and shoot anything from a .22 handgun up to the large caliber rifles of your choice (I believe 50bmg is not allowed but I couldn't afford that anyway, lol)

Stittsville has a longer rifle range, 300m vs. 200m at EOHC. They also have a trap/skeet range, and a store on site. But, they're not open as many days a week, I believe the membership fees are higher, and (for me) it's farther away.

Pm me if you want, I'd be happy to bring you to EOHC as my guest and show you around on a weekend sometime.

Adam
 
I belong to both RA and EOHC. Mostly I shoot at EOHC, even in the cold months. Monday night handgun at RA is way too formal and strict for my tastes, but I can understand how safety and strict procedure is required when you have so many people wanted to shoot at the same time. Saturday IPSC practice at the RA is a whole different story, and is well run with each person able to do lots of shooting - like 300 or more rounds in an evening per person is not unusual.
 
Just in my honest opinion on your first gun, I joined a club went through the probie part, was anxious and started with borrowed dbl action S&W, rev. using bench with single action to hit 50ft bulls. dbl action hard to hit the paper. got some very good instructions about how to take your time and was grouping. Now this whole time I was doing this I should have bought a cheap ass restricted firearm 22 as you have to own a firearm to get your att. thought i was a pro, lmao, bought a .45 every pull of the trigger 45 cents 50 rounds 25.00 plus tax. costly but very fun to learn on. bought a reloader dillon square deal. should have bought a 550 or 650. now I have three. call me lazy. Like previous posters suggested I bought a sig mosquito. great gun to learn with as you learn quick about 22 pistols (semi) FTF fail to feed and FTE fail to eject. great experience before you get into center fires.
I am fairly new have three guns, buying more doing, a lot of home work. guys at clubs are full of information and willing to share their opinions. keep in mind it is their opinions and most are brand pro.but have done the same as you are doing. I have shot everything from kimber, sig elite, para to a cheap plastic .45 high point JCP a 290.00 gun new, lol and group 2" at 50ft. all like their own ammo. that is another story. lol
Have fun get a 22 first as it will sit at home until you get your LTATT for the first time. you will probably ruin your lands and groove cleaning it and taking it apart as it sits at home for 8 weeks driving you made, like first time Rpal holders do checking to see if they are listed.
do not dry fire that rimfire. lol enjoy your new venture as I am hooked.

take care
 
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