I have out grown my local range "Trop". So I am looking for a range or club near Lancaster. I think I am ready to join a club though something more focus towards shooting rather than selling things.

The last two times I went to Trop I have been cut off in line, the range area is very disorganized. Id say something but there are so many people its hard to really tell who's next and making a seen isnt really my thing. Plus at the range the wait time is outrageously long, 1 or 2 hours easily. Today I show up to shoot a bus with 14 people show up right behind me. The guy behind the counter precedes to take the bus before me. He tells the bus guy, that big of a group usually has to plan ahead and we are busy, our wait time is 2 hours. They go back to some room and negotiate a price and by this time I am just fed up to the max, and I walked out. Plus of the last two years I have called them to talk to the armourer to find out if he was capable of doing work for me but they never called me back. The people behind the counter are always super nice if you dont mind waiting ages to talk to them. I dont even recommend people going there any more. Anyway I wasn’t trying to turn this into a rant but I did. Anyone in the area should check out lanco tactical as an alternative. There prices are better and the service is just as friendly.

I've been a member of Mill Creek and Penn Dutch.

I never really quit Mill Creek, it just lapsed and I didn't care. Rifle range has 8 benches, I think, and only goes to 100y. Pistol bay is small. There is an indoor range but you can't use it except for Sundays and you still have to pay. No guests allowed. Any fast shooting will have the neighbors (who are very close) complaining.

I quit Penn Dutch when after Sandy Hook they banned all semi auto guns. They have since retracted that rule but still, fuck them. It's a shame too, it's an awesome place. Multiple rifle and pistol bays. Rifle out to 400y. I just can't forgive them. *This is not right, I've been corrected below*

I was never a member at Manheim but I've done lots of their tactical pistol matches. I'm considering applying for membership there.

Green Hill is outside Conestoga. I've never been there but it has a reputation as a drinking club that allows guns.

Columbia Fish and Game limits round counts in magazines and has a rule banning silhouette targets. Not a horrible facility, but it's definitely a hunting club. I feel like they'd let you shoot an AR but they wouldn't be happy about it.

Southern Lancaster Farmers Sportsmen's Association has steel matches that I go to sometimes. I don't know much about their rules and how they feel about black rifles.

New Holland Rifle and Pistol Club is a nice place. They had a 600y rifle range the last time I was there. It might be longer now, I had heard they were trying to expand it.  Expensive.

Heidelberg Sportsmen's Association is above Brickerville. They do monthly 3 gun matches there.  Not a member, but would join if it was a little closer for me. 200y rifle, small pistol area. Guests allowed last I knew.

That's about all I have experience with. Good luck.

ETA: I bounced over to HTF to ask the same question.

Also, ironically enough, I'm going shooting at trop for the first time in a couple weeks. The thought of renting an indoor land and punching holes in paper sounds really boring to me but I'm going with a newbie and have nowhere else to take them!

Penn Dutch did not enact any ban based on Sandy Hook...

It was done because some people couldn't keep their rounds on the range! A nice picture of a recovered 9mm bullet from a neighbors swimming pool was shown at one of the meetings on this.

I went to several meetings about this (my first attendance in the 42 years I've been there) and helped draft adaptations to take the sting out of it... One result was a pass key/electronic gate to track members date/time of use.

They still don't allow "human silhouette" targets, limit mags to 6 rounds (my Ruger GP100 holds 10 and that is what I load) and frown on 'rapid fire' but overall I haven't had any real problems there.

Still it would be so nice to have a range, indoor & out where you can pretty well be left on your own. My bet is that even if it were in the bottom of and abandon quarry, some nimrod would manage to hit a nearby cow

Haven't shot there, but the new Sportsman's Shop in East Earl (near Shady Maple link) has an indoor range.

I'd like to see an indoor range with built in chronograph and firing benches... Everybody wants something else

Keep the suggestions coming in, I'm always up for a new place shoot.

I stand corrected then as to Penn Dutch's reasoning.

It was a few years back and that's how I remembered it, but it still doesn't change my feelings towards them.

I don't associate with people who think "well I support gun rights,but..." and I certainly don't need it from my shooting club.

The only good thing I'll say about them is that they refunded my membership fee for the following year promptly after the rule change.

agree. not down with that we support gun rights, but cant do this cant do that.
sounds like NJ, NY etc ... ya sure we are talking about PA gun clubs ?

Not too far from Trop is Conewago Rod/Gun.  It's OK, very affordable, small pistol range, 100 and 200yd rifle.  This is primarily a trap club in my eyes.  Mag rules limit to 10 and only 1 shot per second.  There is a self appointed range sheriff that will ask for your membership card that lives close by, if he hears you shooting he will come check to steal your brass.  Doesn't matter if he's checked you 30 times, he's a tard.  Other than that it's not a bad range and the rifle bays are rarely busy.

OP is probably crying by now.

Sorry man, they all suck for one reason or another.

Its tough to operate a range that was probably surrounded by nothing but farmland which then sold off for residential zoning.  So instead of the new homeowners in the townhouse knowing they bought a house downrange from a gun club they complain and the range which was in place first has to change.  I want to move but PA really isn't THAT bad.

Someone's a mcsa member.

I also second new holland, prob the best in the area. They have a sweet setup and now have steel set up to 700 yards. Good luck getting in though, I've been on the wait list a year and they just released a statement saying there's about 40 spots to be filled next month with 650 on the wait list. It's $250 for the initiation fee and $125/yr, minus the initial fee I think it's well worth the price if you don't mind the wait, they also do low light suppressor shoots and other fun things. You can check out university rifle club in reading, I've been considering it as they're rifle range goes out to 600yds, initiation cost is $150 and only $50yr. Not sure if there's a wait in their membership or not.

Southern Lancaster Farmers Sportsmen's Association has some fudds as members. There has been members there from time to time that run their mouths about black rifles. Most times they are easily ignored.

Palmyra Sportsmens Association

Elstonville and Manheim sportsman in the northern manheim area

I don't understand the mcsa acronym, so joke is lost on me for now.

Probably Mill Creek Sportsmen's Association...

Mount Joy Sportsmen  They have both Indoor and Outdoor ranges.  Outdoor goes out to 200 yards.  There are no limits on magazine capacity
I've been a Member there for nearly 20 years.  I may go there next week.

I second the motion on New Holland, but I got Real Tired of going there and seeing the Range pre-empted for some Activity of some sort.

I swear I remember hearing that Mt. Joy was closed.   Awesome to hear that's not the case. I was a member there back in 99-00ish when I was still in HS.

I second the Palmyra sportsmans club reccomendation. Outdoor rifle and pistol, pistol and 22 indoor and creekage to fish in. Not expensive and indoor is open 24hrs once one is qualified.

It's not closed.  But thanks to some if you want to use the Outdoor Ranges there has to be a Range Officer in attendance.  You can click the Link I posted in a previous Post and see which RO is available.  Right now, thanks to the cold weather, you have to call up somebody and schedule a time in advance.

I'll be there at The Clubhouse some time tomorrow - The 28th - to use the Indoor Range.

You quit at About the time I joined.  You'll be surprised at the changes.  IM me if you care to join me at the Club tomorrow morning.

ETA: lanco is way better than trop IMO. Didn't trop raise their transfer cost just before the election to $50 or $60? I passed up on a couple deals because that's what I was told by a few people.

While Palmyra or New Holland would be great I am not sure they are practical for me I am actually right near the York, Lancaster border in Columbia. Ill be checking out Mount Joy gun club though. Thanks for all the replies.