Clubs & Ranges

Clubs & Ranges (3)

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New YAPL Chapter: PSC Shooting Club, Inc.

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PSC Shooting Club, Inc. (“PSC”) in Friendswood, TX has run a very successful “Juniors’ Program” for several years.  It is a monthly program open to kids from 12 to 18 years of age and it isn’t necessary to be a PSC Member to participate.  Our kids rotate through all of the shooting disciplines available at the Club, including archery.

The hands-down favorite shooting activity is pistol shooting, especially action pistol shooting such as IDPA competition.  This prompted the PSC Board of Directors to approve the creation of an entirely new PSC Chapter of the TexasShooting.com Youth Action Pistol League to provide greater opportunity for our kids to participate in this type of shooting.

The YAPL will stress safety throughout the program.  Our kids will learn how to safely draw, fire, and reholster using Airsoft pistols before moving up to either .22 rimfire or centerfire pistols.  The YAPL will also offer IDPA style matches using Airsoft pistols during the evening after regular shooting hours are over.  This will provide a great opportunity to develop and hone the skills necessary to compete in IDPA matches safely.

Anyone interested in participating in the PSC Chapter of the Youth Action Pistol League should go to the Club website at www.PSC-Range.com and fill out the YAPL form and sign-up for email/eNewsletters for the YAPL program.

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PSC Shooting Club Reopens Membership

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The PSC Shooting Club, Inc.  is one of the finest shooting facilities anywhere in the state of Texas.  It was created in 1966 and has grown and improved over the last 46 years.  PSC is a private club that also hosts matches and other events that are open to both members and nonmembers alike.  PSC has facilities for or rifle, shotgun and pistol shooting and conducts extensive education, training and community outreach programs.  PSC is proud to be a 100% NRA club meaning all of its members or also members of the National Rifle Association of America.

PSC is such a popular club, it experienced a 78% growth in membership for the four years preceding 2010 when it became necessary to cap the membership at 3000.  The waiting list was created, range usage and the interest of our Members was evaluated, and it was determined that the almost 70% of PSC Members describe themselves as either an exclusively or primarily pistol shooters.  This prompted the PSC Board of Directors to approve the project to expand the PSC pistol shooting facilities.  Phase I of this project is now completed and PSC is once again conducting New Member Orientations.  New member candidates are taken from the waiting list and the goal is to offer at least two new member orientations in each month and more if possible.

For the next several weeks and months, the Board will evaluate range usage in availability as new members are added to the Club.  Their task is to make PSC’s shooting facilities available to as many people as possible, while still providing all Members  access to club ranges.

For people in the Houston area, the reopening of membership at PSC Shooting Club is great news!  If you’re interested in joining the club, go to www.PSC-Range.com and submit a waiting list request.

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Indoor v. Outdoor - Public v. Private

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bigstock firing range 9162233Occasionally people who are new to shooting will ask about the pros and cons of indoor shooting ranges v. outdoor shooting ranges.  Now there’s a loaded question!  As with most things in life, there’s a trade off when talking about using an indoor v. outdoor range, but both certainly have benefits to offer, as well as downsides.

If you poll people who shoot at both types of ranges, the two biggest issues you will hear mentioned are weather and noise.  Let’s face it, Texas gets hot and some parts of the State get really hot!  If you are in the Gulf Coast part of Texas, it also rains a lot and the humidity is ever-present.  During the winter, parts of Texas see low temperatures that many non-Texans find hard to believe.  So in terms of weather, there are definitely times when the advantage goes to indoor ranges.

Indoor ranges also tend to be available later in the evening than is typically found with outdoor ranges, though there certainly are exceptions.  This makes them more accessible to people who like to shoot in the evenings after work and when the kids are out of school and can participate.  Several indoor ranges offer special programs and leagues during the evening hours like IDPA or ISPC competition.  These matches often require the range to close to the general shooting public, so they tend to offer these events only one or two days a week.

So what are the typical cons related to indoor ranges?  Noise was already mentioned and it’s certainly the primary complaint heard from shooters.  Many choose to “plug and muff” meaning they use both ear plugs and shooting muffs to dampen the louder conditions created by sound reverberating off the walls of indoor ranges.  Sound deadening material can be used on the walls and it helps to a degree.  But there is only so much that can be done.  

Another issue often mentioned is temperature.  The dilemma faced by owners and operators of indoor ranges is how to control both smoke and temperature.  If the air is exchanged fast enough to keep the range clear of smoke, it is difficult to keep the temperature at a comfortable level.  This is especially true during the summer months when air conditioning units have a difficult time cooling the air that is being rapidly exchanged.  Indoor shooting ranges that can both exchange the air fast enough to keep the smoke cleared while maintaining a comfortable temperature had made a substantial investment in their HVAC system.

Let’s talk about outdoor shooting ranges a bit.  As previously discussed, outdoor ranges are at the mercy of the weather.  Temperature, humidity, and rain cannot be controlled, but efforts can be made to ameliorate these problems to a certain extent.  Covered firing lines and other shading devices help, as do misters and fans to make a summer day of the range much more pleasant.

The biggest benefit offered by outdoor shooting ranges as variety.  Typically, one can shoot types of firearms at an outdoor shooting range that cannot be accommodated at an indoor range.  Some outdoor shooting ranges also allow people to engage in types of shooting that is prohibited at indoor ranges.  For example, drawing and engaging the target from a holster is usually prohibited at indoor ranges while it is permissible at certain an outdoor ranges.  (Even at outdoor ranges, this type of shooting is often prohibited by commercial ranges, while private clubs allow it.)

Many outdoor shooting ranges also offer a greater variety of shooting distances not available at indoor ranges.  A 25 yard indoor range is rare, but outdoor ranges often offer targets at 200, 300, or even 1000 yards.

So which is better, indoor ranges or outdoor ranges?  Neither/both.  It really depends upon the type of shooting that you want to do, the time of day you have available, and weather conditions.  In the best of all worlds, you will have access to both types of ranges so you can select the one that best fits your needs at any given time.  So don’t right off either type of range; support both of them with your patronage.  Every time a shooting range closes its doors for good, we all lose.

Shoot, have fun, and do it safely!

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