OK, I doubt I will get a lot of responses here but I am very curious.

I have belonged to BGSL for a long time. I was there before the RO requirements and am there now with the RO Requirements. Recently I have seen a few comments regarding the RO's out there making people uncomfortable or being aggressive. I find that very confusing since I am out there almost every weekend and have not ever seen anything like that in recent years. I admit there was a time (when the RO requirement was new) that things were a bit too aggressive or overbearing at times. With that said I would be genuinely interested in hearing about aggressive and uncomfortable behavior in the past 2 years. If you would prefer private interaction, feel free to shoot me an IM.

Frankly I know BGSL has the best facilities in the area and perhaps in the state. I am not here to pimp BGSL but I am very confused how people can have such a different experience than I have. Enlighten me.

The things I witnessed were back when the changes happened and the tubes were installed at the gp range.  If I remember correctly pistol racks were installed and shooters were required to place firearms in  racks before anyone went downrange.  Makes sense.  But then wasn't there a change in the rules about whether the muzzle was supposed to be pointed up vs down while carrying to/from the rack?   ...something to do with pre and post baffle?  I remember people being hassled over this and also remember something about someone being yelled at for inadvertently pointing a frame from a completely disassembled pistol in an unsafe direction.  At the same time someone was shooting a revolver upside down (to be clear, I have no problem with the guy firing the revolver upside down, but...).
I used to bring a lot of guests who had never fired a gun before--but seeing these things would make them even more uncomfortable than they were to begin with.  (I.e., "Why are they so particular about this?  Why this but not that?")  It seemed that newcomers had a target painted on them (so to speak) and we always wanted to catch someone breaking some rule.

I remember when people were asked to qualify before being given a card that allowed you to shoot outside of the tubes.  Quite a few dues-paying members were unable to do so and ended up quitting over that.  Then later on the rules changed for some reason and a different qualification was required.  Our old cards no longer allowed us to shoot outside the tubes.  I'm not sure what the correct answer should've been at the time, and I understand the need to be safe, but people do get frustrated with complicated rules/regulations.  I voiced my concerns with the board.  We went from one extreme to another and ended up losing a lot of members in the process.  Of course in the old days people would show up and spray an AK at a milk jug at the gp range with half of the rounds going over the berm.  Things got out of control.  We did have to do something, but I think it went too far.  I don't think we should need a stopwatch to make sure exactly 5 seconds has elapsed before we fire another round.  

I got the impression that some of this wasn't really about safety and that some actually wanted fewer members (and a higher annual fee) to produce a more exclusive club and keep people out.  I mean no offense to anyone involved, but I think the nature of the club did change.  When the membership price went up I just let it expire.  Sometimes I think about rejoining.  Wife and I used to go hiking out by the campsite every month or so.  I do miss the place.

It sounds like there are consistency and communication issues. The club leadership needs to set clear, meaningful rules when needed. The leadership needs to communicate those rules to staff, members, and guests. The rules need to be enforced consistently. If consistent enforcement isn't being done or cannot be done, then the rule needs to be re-evaluated.

It can be a hard balance to strike.

If anyone reading this is a member of a club and has issues with rules or enforcement *TELL YOUR LEADERSHIP ABOUT YOUR CONCERN*. If you just pack up your shit and never come back the club won't know what your beef is, nor will they know where they screwed up and know how to fix it.

I was a member of BGSL for several years before The Big Problems.  I understood the need for and welcomed the addition of ROs at the time.  But the constant changes (tubes, etc.) and the harsh attitude of some of the ROs drove me away for several years.  I re-joined BGSL 2-3 years ago and have had nothing but pleasant experiences ever since.

I may need to check it out again.

Thank you for taking the time to voice your issues in such detail.

I think you would find it much more agreeable now. Yes there were issues with consistency and some outright stupid crap when the rules changed. I feel those have mostly been addressed and now there is good consistency and a really good balance between fun and safety. The board was really concerned about being sued out of existence when all the change had to happen.

One other thing to consider is that the GP range is the most structured environment out there. Unless you want to shoot a rifle at distance, I think the pits would be a pleasant surprise for you. I shoot on the GP range about 5 times a year. I spend most my time in the pits or on the 300 yard rifle range.

I also do not think I can remember a time in the past 10 years when anyone wanted fewer members. I know we are always wanting to expand membership and have been for a long time. A lot of the older members went out there very few times in a year (some once a year to zero the deer rifle) so dues increases have been ugly and painful debates every time they are implemented. Unfortunately the only divisions that pay their way are Pistol and Shotgun so keeping all 1300 acres and 7 divisions going as well as maintaining the property is a big expense.

I suggest you (or anyone interested) go out there and check it out. Take eye and ear protection so you can get out at the GP range and talk to the RO on duty. If you go by on a Sat, the main RO (Chuck) would be happy to talk to you about any rules or concerns.

I will also be happy to meet anyone out there and give them a tour. Heck, come out on a day when USPSA, IDPA, Steel Challenge, or 3 Gun is being shot so you can watch the fun and get motivated to shoot more.

EDIT: Oh the tubes are gone except for the 300 yard range. After passing a simple marksmanship test and reviewing a power point, you would not need to use them anyway.

It's more than just the RO's. There are all kinds of absurd rules and procedures. Even the rules for the pistol pits are absurd. I guess you could ignore them. But if you got caught, you'd lose your membership.

When I do go, it's as a guest with some friends who have been heavily involved with BGSL for years. I gave up my membership with the pistol tubes.

I'll give you an example. We all drive down to shoot at BGSL about 6 months ago. We unload the truck. I lay my UNLOADED rifle on a picnic table in the pistol pit. My friends and I run some pistol drills; I go to get my rifle. My friend who's been involved with BGSL for years says, "You can't have your rifle like that." Me, "Wut?" Him, "All rifles not in use must be on the rifle rack. Only one rifle can be out and in use at any given time." The rifle rack was at the end of the picnic table.

I get why these rules are in place, but they're overbearing. The RO's are always snooping around trying to catch one of these little mistakes. It's just not enjoyable. We stand around for 15 minutes trying to figure out if we're in compliance with all the rules. Then shooting becomes robotic because we're following procedure. I'll take my business elsewhere.

BTW. Most people don't realize that BGSL was never meant for people like us. It started out as a Skeet/Trap, 4H, and camping type place. When people first wanted to shoot IDPA, 3-gun, etc, there was a ton of pushback. After the shooting-over-the-berm fiasco, they tried to do away with combat-oriented shooting.

Go to Sugar Creek. It's a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere. Heck, the owner will probably shoot some drills with you.

Pass on that.

This kind of New York style thinking is why BGSL is dead. There has been an explosion of new shooters in the gun world, a literal golden age of gun ownership, and BGSL can't figure out why they're struggling.

OK, I understand your issue and it seems clear you have some strong feelings on the subject.
I do not think any RO is sneaking around just waiting to bust someone for breaking a rule (since I have interacted with all of them). You know the RO's have to drive around and check everything out every so often as part of their job right?

So you were downrange in front of your muzzle while the rifle laid on the table empty? Let's assume not, you still have to make it as safe as possible for the idiot who would be downrange of the muzzle on their "empty" rifle. Dictating it be in a bag or on a rack easily does this. Rule 1 and Rule 2 also indicate leaving the gun horizontal on a table unbagged to be a bad idea.

Since I do not know you, I am not implying you are an idiot or unsafe. I am attempting to give some insight into why it might be a good rule to require rifles to be bagged or in a rack when not in use.

EDIT: I just noticed this type of post does not fit the description anyway. Yes there are rules. You don't like them. I am still curious about any actual instance where an RO has been aggressive, overbearing, or intimidating in the past 2 years.

Yeah. I guess I do have strong feelings. I don't like it when members of the gun community alienate people.  It hurts our cause.

Your response is typical BGSL speak. There's a rule against having an unloaded gun laying on a table. Gotcha. Do you not see why people would get tired of being lectured about stuff like this?

I understand why those rules were put in place. I know what they're designed to do. This isn't my first rodeo. You're missing the point. I don't have a problem with the RO's. They're probably all nice guys. I have a problem with what they're tasked to do, which is to spot infractions. They stand over you looking for infractions and lecture you when they see one. This high-handed behavior is what turns people off. That's why you've heard about dissatisfied people. That's why you started this thread.

I don't need to pass an accuracy test to shoot. If I want to miss the target the whole time and waste lead into the berm, I ought to be allowed to do it. I'm glad you think the RO's need to go around "instructing" people. They're there to make sure people are safe. Nothing more.

I find the responses of people defending BGSL in this thread very telling.

No, I get the reason for the RSO.

I get why all of this happened. I remember the fiasco and the response to it. But just like with our government, more laws and rules, layers of bureaucracy, and government officials, don't make peoples' lives easier or safer.

I had no idea that the RSO's review your targets and then decide if you can go to the "big boy" range. Seriously, you guys are making my case for me.

If you like BGSL, that's fine. I'm glad you're getting to shoot. But it sounds like there's a problem because many people feel the same way I do.

I encourage you to try Sugar Creek. It's more relaxed and fun. The owner is extremely nice and also NRA certified.

Fair enough.  I used to shoot IDPA out there, but have been out of the loop for years and need to get back into it. (I even shot with cruze5 a couple times in the pits during the rule change period.)  I'll plan on coming back out in the next month or so to check things out.  

Thanks to all who have commented on RO actions since that was/is my main interest. Any additional input would be appreciated.

Yes there are rules. Yes they are mostly written to keep the lowest common denominator from getting our playground closed. I don't want to be rude but if you don't like the rules you have two choices,
1) Join the club and work to change them
2) Stay home

I am not going to get into an argument over the rules. I find them 95% reasonable. The rules are not the reason people don't join. Distance/location and cost are the reasons most people that would like to be members are not.