Arlington Fairfax IWLA members.... - Page 1

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Posted: 12/5/2016 10:46:34 AM EDT

I'm both an IWLA and ESS member and it's renewal time for IWLA. I'm having a hard time to come up with a reason on why I should renew. A huge percentage of my shooting has been at ESS and I can think of only once in the past two years where I did some shooting at IWLA.

IWLA members, what did you do?

Posted: 12/5/2016 11:49:03 AM EDT

[#1]

Just sent money it, suggest we setup a couple of Friday meetings on Cloud computing and lead delivery.

Posted: 12/5/2016 6:43:06 PM EDT

[#2]

I as curious about getting on the waitlist for IWLA. Is it worth the membership?

Posted: 12/6/2016 12:01:38 AM EDT

[#3]

I'm about to sign up for the one in Stafford. I was on the fence, but you can hunt at the one down there, so it pushed me over the edge. Still looking for a membership sponsor if anyone around here is a member.

Posted: 12/6/2016 12:09:54 AM EDT

[#4]

I was a member of the FFX-ARL chapter for a number of years, mostly for the skeet range. Let my membership lapse for several years when I was going through a divorce and then tried to see what it would take to get back in several years ago. Start from scratch. Same as a new member, including the volunteer commitment up front. Not worth it to me. Perhaps if I lived closer.

Posted: 12/6/2016 10:41:44 AM EDT

[#5]

100 yard outdoor rifle pistol range. No drawing from holster, closest targets are 25 yards.

Archery. Trap skeet ranges, fishing pond. Camp sites.

If that is ok then yes it is worth it.

Usually go through the wait list every year.

Go to the web site and send your contact info to the membership chairman.

Posted: 12/6/2016 6:16:20 PM EDT

[#6]

Quote History

Quoted:
I'm about to sign up for the one in Stafford. I was on the fence, but you can hunt at the one down there, so it pushed me over the edge. Still looking for a membership sponsor if anyone around here is a member.

View Quote

I'm a member; we just had a nice steel challenge last Saturday.

Posted: 12/6/2016 6:31:05 PM EDT

[#7]

Quote History

Quoted:
100 yard outdoor rifle pistol range. No drawing from holster, closest targets are 25 yards.

Archery. Trap skeet ranges, fishing pond. Camp sites.

If that is ok then yes it is worth it.

Usually go through the wait list every year.

Go to the web site and send your contact info to the membership chairman.

View Quote

The skeet range was worth it to my buddy and me, but I will admit that we would get frustrated driving down only to find out it was closed on a weekend for yet another clays match of some sort involving a number of non-members. We'd then end up just going to Bull Run, which is where we shot before we joined IWLA. At some point we started to question why we were members. Buddy dropped as well when I did.

Hopefully there is less of that...or at least a better published schedule of those events to allow people to plan around them. Sucked after a 30 minute drive there.

Posted: 12/7/2016 9:16:45 PM EDT

[#8]

All the calendars are on the web site.

Posted: 12/7/2016 9:55:15 PM EDT

[#9]

Quote History

Quoted:
All the calendars are on the web site.

View Quote

I figured. I can't remember if there was a website in the 90s, but if there was, it wasn't updated much.

Posted: 12/8/2016 8:08:37 AM EDT

[#10]

Quote History

Quoted:

I figured. I can't remember if there was a website in the 90s, but if there was, it wasn't updated much.

View Quote

There may have been a website, but it's only in the last 3 or 4 years that they have been keeping a relatively current calendar on it.

Posted: 12/8/2016 11:34:37 AM EDT

[#11]

I probably don't shoot enough there to REALLY justify it, but here are some things I like:

1. Being able to shoot skeet with a good buddy, and having the field to ourselves.
2. When I do shoot with other folks, they are all great guys.
3. I like shooting rifle outside for some reason - especially when shooting bench-rest at 100 yards.
4. My kids and I hike around the little pond a couple times a year - which is a lot of fun, especially in winter.
5. My older kid (8) wants to get into archery soon.

If I only shot rifle/pistol, it probably wouldn't be worth it to me.

-shooter

Posted: 12/8/2016 6:08:42 PM EDT

[#12]

Quote History

Quoted:
I probably don't shoot enough there to REALLY justify it, but here are some things I like:

1. Being able to shoot skeet with a good buddy, and having the field to ourselves.
2. When I do shoot with other folks, they are all great guys.
3. I like shooting rifle outside for some reason - especially when shooting bench-rest at 100 yards.
4. My kids and I hike around the little pond a couple times a year - which is a lot of fun, especially in winter.
5. My older kid (8) wants to get into archery soon.

If I only shot rifle/pistol, it probably wouldn't be worth it to me.

-shooter

View Quote

Get the 8 year old out to the air rifle range.

Posted: 12/8/2016 9:24:21 PM EDT

[#13]

OP, I went through the same debate last year (ended up renewing) and again this year. I went to IWLA ARL/FFX range once this year. Only reason I renewed last year was that I hadnt checked out ESS, but I now have.

Only real hesitation is that I know if I let it go Ill never get it back.

ETA: ranges are essentially equidistant from me, so that doesnt help the decision either.

Posted: 12/9/2016 7:31:47 AM EDT

[#14]

Quote History

Quoted:

Get the 8 year old out to the air rifle range.

View Quote

I need to work on that. He is amazingly coachable on small muscle movements (tests for his red belt in TKD tomorrow). He has some potential.

-shooter

Posted: 12/10/2016 8:04:57 PM EDT

[#15]

I dropped my membership there. I felt it was run by a bunch of Fudds who barely tolerated people with "assault rifles". Newsletters were extremely condescending as well - people "praying and spraying all over the place!". If you're looking for just a range, you might be better off elsewhere. But it's a good option for those into skeet, trap, airgun, archery, etc.

Posted: 12/11/2016 10:12:09 PM EDT

[#16]

I dropped my membership at IWLA this year too. I just didn't go enough to justify it. With ESS opening and catering more to my type of rifle and pistol shooting, I just couldn't justify the expense or fuddery of IWLA.

Posted: 12/12/2016 9:50:57 AM EDT

[#17]

OP, I am in the same boat as you. I recently renewed at ESS also and find myself going there more often for the following reasons:

I can practice pistol on targets less than 25 yards. As a NRA instructor, I feel this is also important for new shooters to get the basics down and instill confidence.
I can draw from the holster and practice that skill.
Timed, turning targets.
Provided there is no waiting list at ESS, I can simply check in, shoot, and retrieve targets. No need to wait for cease fires on either end.
No weather extremes to deal with.

I find the folks at IWLA to be fine and the facilities nice and varied, and I love shooting outdoors, but if I am not going there often enough it is hard to justify the cost.

Posted: 12/12/2016 6:48:08 PM EDT

[#18]

I renewed.

I shoot a lot of trap and skeet these days. Plus the reloading discount supplies I can get from them makes it worth it.

The pistol and rifle range is a plus.

Posted: 12/13/2016 12:45:04 PM EDT

[#19]

I am a member at both ESS and IWLA as well and have been having the same level of consternation.

I ended up renewing BOTH memberships.

While I do most of my shooting at ESS, I really do enjoy outdoor shooting at the IWLA when the weather is nice. I only used the IWLA property 4 times last year (including taking my Nephew fishing at the pond) but I do enjoy myself when I am there. I may reconsider next year but for this year, I went ahead and paid my dues.

Posted: 12/13/2016 10:32:18 PM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
I'm both an IWLA and ESS member and it's renewal time for IWLA. I'm having a hard time to come up with a reason on why I should renew. A huge percentage of my shooting has been at ESS and I can think of only once in the past two years where I did some shooting at IWLA.

IWLA members, what did you do?

View Quote

I like the Arlington Fairfax IWLA, I am a former board member, I am still active coaching in the junior rifle program. I like shooting on the rifle pistol ranges even though there are some limitations. I like shooting trap and skeet occasionally, I like using the archery range to sight in my crossbow. I've been known to just head over to the campground for a night to get out of the house.

But, if you aren't using the place and are shooting at ESS more then I don't see any reason you should renew your membership. There is a waiting list of people to get in and you might as well open up a slot for someone else and save yourself some money.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Arlington Fairfax IWLA members....

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