Human SAFETY is the principal concern at ranges.  Sure, sometimes a rule or two might suck, but ask, there just might be a valid reason for one of those "stupid" rules.  The bottom line is that at a public range, you don't know everyone and what their expertise behind a firearm is.  Become a member and become involved in your range's social activities and work parties.  If you think changes should be made, attend the club's business meetings and make suggestions.  On the other hand, perhaps it is just easier to sit around and complain.
W

At least you guys have ranges, we lost another one this year due to lead pollution.

Fine.  If black targets are "racist," then I want to ban the use of Day-Glo orange targets - they match my vest when I'm on duty, and I don't like that! (seriously now...)

From the other side of the line -

I've been an RSO at Los Alts Rod and Gun Club for three years in June.  Compared to some ranges around here, I think we're pretty laid back...

Pistol ranges - 7/15/25 yards.  Pistols and long guns in pistol calibres only.  

Tin Can Ranges - 40/100 yards.  Rapid fire permitted on 40yd with .22 rimfire only - but no restrictions on that (had a guy having fun with a Calico .22/100rounder recently...)  Unspoken oddity of tin can range - "exotic" firearms permitted at RSO discretion - but don't make a habit of it.  I once let a fellow shoot a small brass cannon on tin can!

50 yard and 100 yard tin can - pistols, rifles, shotguns (slugs only.)

100 Yard rifle - just that.  Rifles and shotguns with slugs only.

You can shoot a T/C just about anywhere, but you may get read off and moved if we are busy and you are shooting a rifle-calibre pistol...

Paper targets - any style (the bin Ladens a popular this year...)

Tin can targets - plastic, tin, or aluminum.  Up to one gallon.  Can be filled with water ONLY.  No soda - we are tired of the deerflies and they won't let me bring a sidearm for pest control.  No pressure cans (propane/butane/LPG cannisters, paint cans, etc.)  No "hazmat."

Brass policing?  Let us know you reload, and we'll keep it in mind while we're policing the lines.  

Weapons restrictions?  No Class III (hey, this IS Kalifornia!)  No .50BMG.  Blackpowder OK. AR/AK/SKS OK and VERY popular!

You will even see AR pistol variants from time to time...  Also, some parents bring airguns to teach their kids to shoot - no problem there!

No pistol grip shotgun - UNLESS it has a folding stock and you unfold it.  Had someone lose a batch of teeth years ago for not listening...

Shoot in any position EXCEPT supine.  You must put your muzzle forward of the firing line, and your body behind it.  Prone, rollover prone, and others just fine.

Mags may be loaded during cease fire - PROVIDED you need not approach the bench to do so (keep ammo and emply mags in pockets or hands during cease fire!)

That's mostly it.  Feel free to come up and visit us!

FFZ

Oh, FFFUUUUUUUUUUUUuuuuu...[grenade]

You were never allowed to shoot anything other then paper targets at PA game commission ranges. I got a verbal warning from a game warden for shooting more then 3 rounds once. If you look at the PA code it does say somewhere in there that you can load 6 rounds on ranges "specifically designed for handguns". I've seen this law. It is posted online somewhere. I would imagine that a 25 yd range would qualify as a designed for handguns.

Midland County Sportsmans Club - Love it!
Midland Michigan

-Covered 12.5(x2),25(x2),50(x4),100(x8),200(x3),300(x2) yard range with cement slab and good benches.
-Uncovered 600 yard range with 6 firing points, 4 new since last fall.  All with pop up targets and pits.
-Covered (I think - I've never used it) Pistol Range.
-Indoor smallbore range
-Skeet / Trap fields

Paper targets only.  Balloons or Necco wafers were ok if not too many other people were around.  No full auto.  50BMG friendly.  There was a qualification standard on the 600 yard range, but it was a BIG safety concern as there is a subdivision half a mile behind the berm.  Had to shoot 175/200 (if I remember correctly) 3 consecutive times with the same rifle and then you were only qualified to use that rifle without RO supervision.  Never was a big deal for me though.

The worst one was no shooting before 9 am. [BD]

The club runs DCM clinics that are informal once a month.  They do a lot for the young'ns between Boy Scouts and youth shoots that provide a free firearm and ammo - .22 indoor during the winter or .30 M1 Carbine DCM style during the summer.  I took advantage of the summer youth shoots, where else could I pop 60 centerfire rounds off for free and not have to clean the rifle when I was done?  [:D]

[Edited to clarify]

Well, being from NY I know I'm condemned to dealing with ROT( Range Office Tyrants) at The Sportsman's Center in Westchester County to be specific.
They suffocate you with all these ridiculous rules that take all the enjoyment out of the sport. It's not worth the 60min trip.
Heck, I stopped going about a year ago. Maybe it has changed, I doubt it.
I found a nice private range to shoot my Handguns. I have the keys and go at odd hours and can do as I please, as long as I keep it safe. I'll take the RO course the next time it's offered so....


waltere
Are you kidding?  Maybe where you're from it may do some good.
Around here, Phhh!!
I swear, A criminal at a SuperMax prison has more freedom than we have on the firing line.

Here there are 2 main out door ranges and both are clubs. The closest has a 1000 yard range but I hear it is closed most of the time. I attended one of their meetings and didn't like what i saw but tried to join anyway.  They were in the process of culling their membership by 300. In short they thought that money was the answer to everything and I decided they had their head where the sun didn't shine so I don't go there.

The one I belong to is in Boulder city and they have 1000 yard practices a couple of times a month at 0700.  Being an hour away hard to make those  LOL.  I do like the 3 gun shoots they have there and they are fun and challenging.  The rifle shilouette practice was fun even though only one other person showed up. Teh club is small and the range is on the honor system ( lock the gate) and just watch out for others on the range.  Ringing the gong at 600 yards is fun  -- I like the feed back.

Jeez guys, was that a bell ringing or a dog salivating that I heard? I'm sure they have much better ranges in France.........[;D]

Speaking of Michigan, I quit the trips to the state owned ranges because the single loading of .22 rifles was more dangerous than anything I had ever seen before.  People turning the gun up, down left right trying to get the one round they are trying to feed into the chamber of their Marlin or Ruger 10/22.  Then they would not let me pick up my own brass!  I told them that if I was not allowed to pick up my own property I was going to call the Police and charge him with armed robbery!  He did have a pistol after all.  I was told not to come back.  I live 15 miles north or Detroit in the suburbs.   There was a range that I grew up on about 12 miles from my house.  The city pressured them to shut it down.  Now I had no place to shoot.  There are the two indoor ranges near me.  One won’t let you shoot more than one round minute, won’t let you shoot military rifles there even though you can shoot any bolt gun under a .50 cal indoors there.  Hell they even sell them.  They treat you like it is a privilege to shoot there.  If you are not friends with the owners, you wait while people they know shoot while you wait for a lane to open up.  The other place is a hole in the wall.  Looks like it has not been cleaned up since 1972.  I know because I have been going there since then.  They are friendly but they only have a 25-yard range and 15 lanes.  No rifle shooting because of the distance and the range is not built for it.  It is also a long wait there.  Well I get a subgun with my C&R license.  The last place I mentioned lets me shoot it.  I had to let them try it.  I don’t blame them; I would ask the same.  Now if I want to shoot rifle, I drive 2 1/2 hours to a range just south of Lansing.  They will let me shoot standing, sitting prone, rapid fire, bench, pistol, rifle, shotgun, subgun, whatever.  They charge $5.00 per hour with a $20 a day limit.  They tell you to keep track of your shooting.  Let’s say it was slow, you were shooting for 15 minutes and then you get to talking with a guy for an hour and a half.  The range owner tells you not to count that time since you were not actually shooting!  I have always paid the $20.00 fee no matter how long I am there.  I can pick up not only my brass, but also anything on the ground.  Once they have picked it up it is theirs, which is only fair.  They only clean up when people have left or there is a ton of brass on the ground.  They give me a 5-gallon bucket of 9mm brass for my subgun.  In kind, when there, if anybody wants to try the subgun when I bring it, all they have to do is buy some ammo from the range and I’ll let them try it.  It makes him some money and opens up new people to the fun of class 3 firearms.  No one has ever said no if I offer.  I can shoot out to 300 yards there.  It makes rifle shooting an all day event.  It is a big price to pay, but that is my only option.  There are neighborhoods in Detroit where I think I could shoot all day and never be bothered by anybody but crack dealers but I would not fit in those neighborhoods.  I am looking for a gun club, especially one that shoots CMP matches.  Michigan sucks.

Guess I found a good range here in PA.

Outdoor range:

shotgun, 25, 50, 100, and 200 yards
Any type of ammo or caliber allowed(as far as I know, .50 is allowed)
Machine guns OK with club permission
Rapid Fire okay as long as it is controllable.
Evil rifle friendly
high capacity mag friendly

Indoor range:
50 yard .22LR only range-Rifles okay
50 yard handgun range-lead only, rifle with handgun caliber okay

all for $35 a year!

liberty, where is this gunrange ?

Would this range be located on NW Hwy and Luna Rd-- Winchester Shooting Range? I have had that problem there before... All weapons are "military-style"...

i bet it was. for some time they did not allow the "assault type" rifles there.  then they allowed them with close supervision and checking your ammo for fmj like some cheap detective work.  was asked about sighting in @50 also, but was already hitting bulls @100. i used to go there, but moved north to frisco and found backwoods range in little elm off of 380.  backwoods range kicks ass.

funny that this is mentioned about the winchester range because i heard on the radio (wbap AM) recently that the rifle and/or pistol range was/did shut down temporarily due to some complaints of stray bullets (that were never found)from some nearby golfers.  i hate to see a range close, but those guys are jerks. i guess liability & lawyers will make you that way.