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Aurora Sportsman's Club?

7K views 43 replies 16 participants last post by  karim18 
#1 ·
So I'm wondering if any of you are still looking for a gun club to join up with for 2011. My friend who worked at the office at Aurora Sportsman's Club lost his IT job, and isn't going to be able to afford ASC this year. I enjoy going with friends and making a day of it, and due to the cost of ASC, that may be a deciding factor on if Bri and I sign up again this year.

So, any of you looking for a gun club, or considering ASC this year?

http://www.aurorasc.org/


 
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#3 ·
I was a member and left due to the "member assessments" they were laying out.

The yearly dues are steep, and then to have assesments layed on there about the same amount of your membership dues... forget about it.

It's poorly run, poorly managed, (see their financial/embezellment prob), tax trouble, financial trouble... etc. They paid (or overpaid) for those berms to be built, then won't allow (much) action shooting as there might be rocks in the berms.... (zombie shoot was done well, and i haven't been out there in awhile for the others so maybe they've loosened up some).

It's a hike out there... I live out in Oswego area and it's still a hike to get out there.
 
#11 ·
I've shot at Sycamore a couple of times now. It's ok at best, at least its a place to shoot. It is pretty run down, and a 3 to 4 year waiting list just to become an associate member. I was out there a month ago and was told 45 people on the waiting list just to become associate member. The guy I talked to was in charge of membership and treated me like dirt.
 
#13 ·
Bump for this thread.

I was at an event this past weekend at ASC, and looked up the membership after getting home.

Any updates on how things are going/being ran/managed?

They charge $280 to sign up now, and $280 per year (plus maybe an assessment (they had a $15/month assessment in 2012)).

Worth it? It's about an hours drive for me...but...figure if I go once a month then that'll cover what basically going to a range locally would be ($20 each person (at Article II it's $20 for the first, and $12 for the second so $32 total)), plus I can shoot basically any gun I want, at my own leisure, and not be cramped in a local indoor range, with 10 other shooters, with crazy noise, and tight spaces where you can barely lay your gun cases down.

Wondering if maybe things got better or worse since this thread last started.

Also, on the website it mentions you can bring 3 guests. Is that 3 FREE guests that you can bring with you each time you come?

Opinions?

Are there any other options for good gun clubs where you can shoot basically anything? Specifically anything up north a little (North of Bloomingdale for example)? I have a friend who lives about 45 minutes north so if we can get something close to each other maybe I can get him to join as well.
 
#14 ·
I think things have gotten better. A lot of younger guys have been joining up, and turning the tide from the old guys who just want to sit behind a bench and poke holes at 100+ yards. We can get holster certified, 600+ yard certified, and use steels...all stuff that was difficult or not available before.

As for Guests, you can have up to 3 Guests per member, it's $10 for each guest. So when we do a Mosin Nagant day, I'll get myself, Firebretha, and another member, and we'll be able to host 9 guests (though large groups really should get permission to take over a whole range, we've never had problems). New members do get a few free guest passes.

I'm signing up again. I don't see anything else near by for less. And now that ASC is loosening up a bit, it's worth going. I just wish they had the money to build up the place a bit more. I think they were counting a bit much on the Olympics coming to Chicago and expecting that money to help build the place up.
 
#15 ·
Thanks for the info.

Glad to hear that you can shoot steel now.

Off hand, is it that your wife/kid under 18 are included in the fee...or are they considered guests (pay $10) as well?

I'll probably look into joining early spring...don't figure I'll shoot much Jan/Feb/March outside...though I actually had fun shooting in 28 degree weather this past weekend. I'm an outdoorsy/winter kind of guy so I'll be shooting in that weather, but figure I'll wait to join in the spring as they pro-rate the membership. Does it help you at all if I put you down as a "sponsor"?
 
#16 ·
It doesn't help to put down a sponsor. Currently we are at around 1,600 members. In November we had 17 new members join at the first orientation and ended up having a 2nd one because there was so many more wanting to join. To me it is well worth it. Anything is what you put into it. The club offers a ton of things. Your wife is free and covered under 1 membership along with your kids. Only charge is if she would like her own key to the club and ID. After orientation you will get a packet containing 3 free guest passes good for anytime and for yourself a page of free event coupons. Ie Practical rifle, free trap shoot and so on. You can attend an orientation and if you do not like what you see just don't join. There is not a club around that offers what ASC does. It takes me around an hour ten to get there. Any questions just keep them coming
 
#17 ·
Thanks for the response.

Any idea how fiancee's are covered? (we get married in July, so still 8 months away). Is she under my membership as a wife, or would we just have to pay the $10 guest fee for her until we officially marry in July?

It seems like ASC collects $448,000/year in membership, plus last year with the assesment that was like $750,000. What are the issues I read about on yelp with possible mismanagement/embezlment? Other than the mortgage/tax on the property, seems like expenses are very minimal there...so wondering why an assessment was necessary and what the mismanagement was that I read about. Any details/ideas on that?
 
#24 ·
Kinda of a strong opinion for only being there once. IMO. What you don't see if everything else the club offer. Fishing, all the events for members and discounted other events. They will be building a camp ground in the future. There isn't any place remotely close with the amount of bays and size of bays ASC offers. Sure you can go sit and shoot paper all day at what 100yrds most. ASC has a 600,300,100,50, and 4 other rifle and pistol bays. ASC offers practical rifle, ISPCA, appleseed, soon combat shooting, ect. Multiple shooting tournaments. I believe it is what you make of it. It isn't that hard to bring an easy up to cover yourself. The club is building and they only way to add more to it is more members. Everyone is entitled to their options but before you discourage someone know what the entire place is about, not just one visit. It is a bit of a drive buy everything takes an hour to get to nowadays. You'll meet a bunch of great people all willing to help you and work with you on improving. I love the place don't have anything bad to say about it really..
 
#35 · (Edited)
Nick, yes I have a strong opinion, but once you see JHSC and $100 year for a family membership, you will understand where I am coming from. Covered rifle bays, pistol bays, archery, skeet...all the shooting sports...wait I'm not sure about ISPCA, I know they shoot IDPA. Like I said I haul enough shiat to the range as it is, I don't want to spend the day loading and unloading stuff. JHSC offers stands, rests, sandbags, steel targets, target stands and 4 different types of targets, staple guns and staples, they ask for 25 cents for the targets, you put the money in a coffee can :rolleyes On top of everything a minute down the road is a great place to go for a burger and beer. I wasn't slamming the people at ASC, all though I did smirked at the guys wearing tac vest with their blood types on them :rolleyes While anything goes at JHSC, dress like that and you are very politely told it is not appropriate wear for a Sportsman's Club. I wasn't discouraging anyone, just gave my initial impressions. And like I said, if I was 30 minutes away, I would overlook the cost of being a member there for the convenience of shooting there.
 
#26 ·
On a side note...any members interested in bringing along a guest and showing me around? ;)
 
#32 ·
PS...Lonely Raven, found a thread you commented on at AR15.com regarding ASC. Some good stuff there, and it's cool to see that from "comments" back in 2009/2010, to some more "comments" now, things have evolved and gotten better.
 
#33 ·
PaleHorse's comments are almost 2 years old.

I cannot comment on the management/cost rumors, but it is obvious that within the past 2 years, Action Shooting Sports have finally been accepted at ASC & are taking root.

I am personally not a member, since I loathe the 1 hour drive. However, now that they have holster certification available, membership has become more appealing to me. I particularly enjoyed the CLSB day we did a few months ago, where I ran some folks through a variety of handgun drills. With more prep (like remembering the wood stakes for our portable target stands), we can run some more complex drills.
 
#41 ·
I know. That's what comes up when you Google JHSC.
 
#43 ·
Old thread...sorry.

But curious what the current opinion of ASC is? Wife and I are looking for a place to shoot. Something better than a crowded, short, indoor range.

Also, could someone explain the assessment thing and what cost that adds?

Thanks!
 
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