newbie in ottawa

[dakotamar]

Hello,
Just completed both the courses this past weekend and looking to get active. Any thoughts on good clubs in the Ottawa area? I am also wondering where the best place to check out restricteds would be? I would like to see and handle the Chiappa 1911-22, .22 LR Pistol, does anyone carry it in ottawa? also like the Norinco 1911.

Brian

 

[awndray]

Which part of Ottawa? If you join the EOHC, you'll need to do their in-house safety course. As part of the session, you'll get your hands on a few different models, depending on the instructor and what he brings.

Welcome.

 

[dakotamar]

I am in old south ottawa. will probaly join that club also. I am thinking that one and the RA center.

 

[mandarb11]

Welcome to the fold! EOHC for sure is the place to be in Ottawa, to actually get to touch handguns in this area you will be out of luck. The stores that do have handguns usually have very limited stock (sports action on St. Laurent, EM Precision in Hull/Gatineu).

 

[Durango]

Ottawa Clubs

Hi,

I'm a member of both the RA Centre and the Eastern Ontario Handgun Club.

RA is good for people with no guns as they have a bunch to try.

EOHC is BYOG and outside.

Both are good but are very different.

If your just starting out RA is the way to go.

Once you have your own guns then EOHC has more freedom.

Durango.

 

[BP7]

RA Centre is good for only one thing - location. the price is $$$$$, the calendar / schedule is not easy to figure out, there's some ammo restrictions, and apparently the shooting sessions are VERY structured, almost dictatorial. but it's indoors which is nice in the winter. but there's stairs and hallways just to get there so don't bother carrying too much gear - just the bare minimum. (as a side note, i carry all my stuff with me when i shoot at Connaught, so stairs and doors and hallways are EVIL - and so amongst other reasons i don't shoot at RA)

EOHC is nice and "loose" from what i know - once you pass muster, shoot anytime between sunrise and sunset, at your own pace or coordinate with whoever else is there as well.

Connaught (NCRRA) is where i shoot - there's enough time slots, multiple ranges (pistol, rife, shotgun), plenty of people to meet and try their guns, it's cheap, but it's outdoors (as are most clubs). paperwork can be slow, but it's a federal range so their ATT is good everywhere in ontario (other clubs' ATT does NOT cover federal ground, so you can't bring your gear to Connaught if you're not a member, even if you come as a guest)

come out on Saturdays, or Wednesdays. i'm also trying to get some stuff happening on Fridays cuz there's more than enough people for that! if you come on Sat, i can act as supervisor for you for one session so you can try my stuff (first few rounds free, after that TBD)

if you can afford RA Centre, you can afford NCRRA+EOHC which gives you TWO clubs with less rules, more people, better ATT, and predictable people-times.

you can "check out" some restricteds when you meet the people who shoot.

 

[The Cold Lake Kid]

Good advice already given, EOHC in good summer weather, the RA Centre in winter.
RA gives good structure for new shooters, enforcing good shooting habits as well as having a selection of club guns to try out.

 

[Steve1987]

Hey Brian,

I'm just getting into things in Ottawa as well, think the other guys already covered the stores. Sometimes also Gunco has a decent selection of used precisions and could be worth checking out. Good luck man!

-Steve

 

[dakotamar]

thanks everybody,

will check out some of the ranges when i get back next week. I almost made it to gun co yesterday but screwed up on the street location so will have to wait till i get back. No rush as I am still waiting for paper work to go thru the system.

brian

 

[Bandits]

Hey Brian,

I am a student here at Carleton, and as such found the RA convenient. It is costly to shoot there with all of the membership fees. Plus if you use their guns, you buy their ammo which was marked up severely.

As such I have joined Connaught, so I can shoot rifle, shotgun and pistol. For the one time I was there is was great and lots of good people. Only problem is the membership wait time. I don't know if I am the exception, but it sucks if I am. So far it has been two and a half months and I am still waiting on my membership card.

So I can't get a pistol until I get that and have a membership number. Plus I got in a couple of months late to begin with. So in the end I have missed out on 4.5 months of shooting and still have to pay the full fee.

 

[Robert0288]

Welcome to CGN. I think BP7 covered pretty much everything.

RA center
+ Lots of guns on sight to choose what you want to shoot that day
+ no pal required
+ indoors

- Tight shooting schedule (slow fire days, rifle only, pistol only etc...)
- Extremly tight club rules, but very good for learning good safety practices
- no center fire rifles, and some calibre restrictions on handguns
- indoors

EOHC
+ Go anytime between dawn to dusk, 365 days a year
+ multiple ranges
+ You can often go and just be the only ones there.
+ No calibre restrictions
+ outdoors that also has covered shooting areas

- Not in the city
- No club guns, so its harder to try something out, unless you meet somone with that particular firearms
- winter is cold

Either way both clubs are very good. I can't comment about stittsville or Connaught, as I've only been to stittsville once as a guest, and I've never been to Connaught.

For purchasing, take a look at sports action and EM Precision, and out wonderful sponsors at the top of the page (spent many hours looking at stuff there) Also Jason at Gunco on Clyde is excellent for any work you want done on your firearms.

Bandits I'm also going to Carleton right now. FYI we just started up a firearms club there and have already had a couple trips out to the range. You should come join us

 

[BP7]

As such I have joined Connaught, so I can shoot rifle, shotgun and pistol. For the one time I was there is was great and lots of good people. Only problem is the membership wait time. I don't know if I am the exception, but it sucks if I am. So far it has been two and a half months and I am still waiting on my membership card.

So I can't get a pistol until I get that and have a membership number. Plus I got in a couple of months late to begin with. So in the end I have missed out on 4.5 months of shooting and still have to pay the full fee.

if you show up on Wed or Sat when Tony is there, bug him about the membership card. you CAN buy a pistol without one, but really there's a bunch of other steps you gotta go through in the RPAL process anyways that the membeship card is next to irrelevant. the LTATT will be a pain, but once you get past that it's great. they key is to show up as often as possible to get trigger time under the club's supervision cuz that is necessary before the club will apply for your LTATT.

you're in law-happy canada - EXPECT things to be slower than a glacier, even if you do your part with nanosecond precision. 6 months from RPAL course to having a LTATT in your hands is par for the course.

oh, and you really haven't missed out on shooting - you just need to show up and use club gear! it's commonplace for a number of people to exchange guns for a few rounds IF they know you and have seen you around more than once. once you're a "regular" attendee things get quite nice indeed.

for example, yesterday we're at the 50 yard range and one guy wants to move up to shoot - ok, we accommodate, and while we do that i wanna fire off a few rounds at some other distance - that's also accommodated for one or two mags. or if you wanna move your target closer to shoot at 10 yards while others are shooting 25, ask and you'll have the opp to move it. it's commonplace to see targets at 2-3 different distances during a shooting day - some practice 25, others 15 or 10.

the key is to show up often.

 

[Bandits]

^^^^
Thanks BP7 for clearing that up. Just got my card today. Until earlier this week I had been corresponding with Tony via email. He has been a great help. Just learned last week, that I didn't need the card per say to show up. Lesson learned.

Been shooting back home for years with my non-restricted. Upgraded to an RPAL when my renewal was up last summer. Didn't think it would be this much of a hassle. With regards to showing up to learn the ropes you mentioned club gear... is this club owned pistols that are used by members to qualify and prove safe range practices???

I guess the shooting is the least of my problems. I still have to find a way to get out to the range. Being a student with toys, but no wheels I have to rely on friends. And as per usual our schedules don't jive.

 

[Durango]

RA Centre Ottawa

RA Centre has open days where you can visit and check things out and even get to shoot a few rounds.

They recommend and like that you purchase their marked up ammo which goes towards the purchase of new firearms. But it's not mandatory, it's just nice to do once in a while to show that your supporting them. It's not that bad.

They have a good handful of firearms to try, .22, 9mm, .38, .357 (Ruger's, Glocks, CZ's, Sigs) enough to keep you busy for a while.

Can't shoot anything bigger than a .357 now, .44 used to be ok but not anymore.

For someone who doesn't have any firearms, this is the best way to go.

You can only rely on other people's willingness to let you shoot their guns for so long before it starts getting on their nerves.

Durango.

 

[BP7]

^^^^
Thanks BP7 for clearing that up. Just got my card today. Until earlier this week I had been corresponding with Tony via email. He has been a great help. Just learned last week, that I didn't need the card per say to show up. Lesson learned.

Been shooting back home for years with my non-restricted. Upgraded to an RPAL when my renewal was up last summer. Didn't think it would be this much of a hassle. With regards to showing up to learn the ropes you mentioned club gear... is this club owned pistols that are used by members to qualify and prove safe range practices???

I guess the shooting is the least of my problems. I still have to find a way to get out to the range. Being a student with toys, but no wheels I have to rely on friends. And as per usual our schedules don't jive.

the club owns a few pistols that you'd be able to "rent" and use those to show competence so that you can get your LTATT for the restricted stuff. there's a small charge to help offset the wear-n-tear and maintenance and to build up a fund to buy more club guns. but, you don't HAVE to shoot the club guns - you can try to use other members' stuff (or your friends' stuff) for a bit if you either bring your own ammo or pay for the ammo that you use (though of course there are limits as to how much / how often / which member / etc).

ya, getting to a range can sometimes be hard esp since by their nature ranges tend not to be in populated areas (except RA). got a bike? cycling is healthy!

 

[Robert0288]

heh it might be ammusing to watch the reaction people get while biking down the street with a rifle strapped to your back

Then again chances are high that you would get everyone you pass to call 911 and be run over by a car on purpose.

 

[BP7]

heh it might be ammusing to watch the reaction people get while biking down the street with a rifle strapped to your back

Then again chances are high that you would get everyone you pass to call 911 and be run over by a car on purpose.

stick in a fake / cheap fishing rod that sticks out so that people make the wrong assumption (as they always like to do)

 

[Bandits]

heh it might be ammusing to watch the reaction people get while biking down the street with a rifle strapped to your back

Then again chances are high that you would get everyone you pass to call 911 and be run over by a car on purpose.

My apologies for hijacking your thread Brian. Maybe you can get something out of this.

I was considering it, but you made the all important point. (not to mention that I would have to bike from downtown). So I will hold off on that idea and just come out on the bus and walk in. Use club gear for the first while, once there I can possibly figure out something else.

Btw can I walk in from the west end of Shirley's blvd? (i.e. is it fenced or gated)

 

[BP7]

Btw can I walk in from the west end of Shirley's blvd? (i.e. is it fenced or gated)

no idea on the WEST end of Shirley since i come in from the east entrance. actually, i THINK that the west entrance is gated and closed so you'd need a pass / passcode to open it (hopping the fence would probably be a very bad idea). that and it would likely be a long walk.

 

[gjones]

RA club is the way to go in Ottawa

I’m just chuckling at the disparaging remark about the RA Gun Club – that it’s “dictatorial”. You betcha. Imagine like, 60 people who want to shoot off a coupla dozen rounds over a 2 hour period between dinner and bedtime. It gets intense - it better be dictatorial. It’s that or casualties. Want to go home alive, or let strangers free-lance with guns??

The line is run with precision, and aligns completely with CFO regs. It offers SAFE shooting for novices as well as hardened addicts. And the Monday night post-shootin beer fest is always something to remember (or forget).

In fairness, for the hard-core Ottawa shooter, you need to belong to BOTH the RA club (for convenient and Winter shooting) AND EOHC (for non-Winter and all-day shooting expeditions).

With regards to cost - face it – gun play is an expensive indulgence. It will cost you $500/yr for club memberships, $2k per brand-name gun, plus $4k per year minimum for ammo.

Or you could play golf or lacrosse or something.

RA Centre is good for only one thing - location. the price is $$$$$, the calendar / schedule is not easy to figure out, there's some ammo restrictions, and apparently the shooting sessions are VERY structured, almost dictatorial. but it's indoors which is nice in the winter. but there's stairs and hallways just to get there so don't bother carrying too much gear - just the bare minimum. (as a side note, i carry all my stuff with me when i shoot at Connaught, so stairs and doors and hallways are EVIL - and so amongst other reasons i don't shoot at RA)

EOHC is nice and "loose" from what i know - once you pass muster, shoot anytime between sunrise and sunset, at your own pace or coordinate with whoever else is there as well.

Connaught (NCRRA) is where i shoot - there's enough time slots, multiple ranges (pistol, rife, shotgun), plenty of people to meet and try their guns, it's cheap, but it's outdoors (as are most clubs). paperwork can be slow, but it's a federal range so their ATT is good everywhere in ontario (other clubs' ATT does NOT cover federal ground, so you can't bring your gear to Connaught if you're not a member, even if you come as a guest)

come out on Saturdays, or Wednesdays. i'm also trying to get some stuff happening on Fridays cuz there's more than enough people for that! if you come on Sat, i can act as supervisor for you for one session so you can try my stuff (first few rounds free, after that TBD)

if you can afford RA Centre, you can afford NCRRA+EOHC which gives you TWO clubs with less rules, more people, better ATT, and predictable people-times.

you can "check out" some restricteds when you meet the people who shoot.