Johnson Creek Gun Club new locked brass buckets...Sad day for reloaders :-(

[accessbob]

I had forwarded the link to this thread on to Jill of the JCGC and I would have thought she would have responded here but she sent me a PM response, which I'll post:

Originally Posted by accessbobJust an FYI and you may want to chime in on it:

Johnson Creek Gun Club new locked brass buckets...Sad day for reloaders :-(



Hi,

It was also a sad day for us as a club. Since we have become involved in the club over the last 2 years, we have prided ourselves in going the extra mile for the members. This was a decision we made because it was best for the club as a whole. We allow members to take the brass that they use and we didn't care about what was left in the buckets, until recently. Members were complaining to us and we found that we have members that don't use the club for shooting, they only joined the club to take the brass. We have seen members come in, empty all the brass from the buckets and leave. We need to have these memberships for the shooters that are using the club as we are filling up. Not to mention that it is unsafe for them to go on the range with no ear protection and disturb the shooters. I hope this explanation helps and know that it is more work for us as well to use the locked brass buckets, so we aren't happy about it either.

Thanks for asking...
Jill

 

[davef]

See, ^^^^^^ thats the kinda answer I was looking for, a very respectful and honest answer from a respectable and honest person. Now moving forward...

is there any way that the club could offer the brass back to the members, for a price of course, before hitting the open market? That seems fair to me and it would be a win/win for everybody involved. Club would make some extra money while providing club members with a discounted way to obtain some brass from other club members. Keep it in the family so to speak.

And until the buckets either get mounted on the walls or the funneling mechanism is redesigned, im afraid "feral cats" are still just gonna dump the whole shooting match on the floor. It wasnt a problem when they had open pails cause you could reach in and get what you wanted without bothering anybody. Now that there is a slit, there is no way to get in but easily poured on the floor which is what people are doing, happened twice last time i was there and no, one of the times wasnt me...

 

[accessbob]

is there any way that the club could offer the brass back to the members, for a price of course, before hitting the open market?

PM Jill Bradley and ask that question. Or call them.

And until the buckets either get mounted on the walls or the funneling mechanism is redesigned, im afraid "feral cats" are still just gonna dump the whole shooting match on the floor. It wasnt a problem when they had open pails cause you could reach in and get what you wanted without bothering anybody. Now that there is a slit, there is no way to get in but easily poured on the floor which is what people are doing, happened twice last time i was there and no, one of the times wasnt me...

Maybe taking a cell phone and recording some video of that happening and passing it along to them might be a good idea.

 

[davef]

Ill pm her, is she one of the owners? Ill also let her know how much I like the club and the work they have put in lately. The video taping part, cant do that. Im not tattle tale material. I believe in self policing unless someone is in danger, then Im down to lend a hand. It looked to me like they have their own video security system anyways.

 

[Jill Bradley]

Hey Guys,

Okay, this is where we are at right now. We are trying to figure out the best way to make this work for everybody. Since we never had this problem before, it is going to take some time to figure out what will work best.

We didn't know about people dumping out the brass from the buckets. This is obviously a serious problem that we will have to find a remedy for quickly. We do have cameras that record all over the gun club, so if you just let us know the time and day of anything, we can check the cameras and see what is going on. You can even just drop a note in the box attached to the office door.

As far as the brass going to the janitor, my father put that on the brass buckets because he just wanted the members to know that they money from the brass doesn't go to us. The truth is that whatever brass we ended up with, went to the recycle place and they mailed a check to the gun club that was then deposited into the account to help pay for all the upgrades and bills to maintain the club.

We have worked hard to make the club better for the members over the last 2 years. We know that the members are what makes the club work and we appreciate them all! Over the last two years, we have tried to answer your questions and listen to your opinions. We even released all of the security companies becuase it was best for the members, so know that we are working on these issues with your interests in mind as well.

Thanks so much!
Jill

 

[Joe Link]

Hey Guys,

Okay, this is where we are at right now. We are trying to figure out the best way to make this work for everybody. Since we never had this problem before, it is going to take some time to figure out what will work best.

We didn't know about people dumping out the brass from the buckets. This is obviously a serious problem that we will have to find a remedy for quickly. We do have cameras that record all over the gun club, so if you just let us know the time and day of anything, we can check the cameras and see what is going on. You can even just drop a note in the box attached to the office door.

As far as the brass going to the janitor, my father put that on the brass buckets because he just wanted the members to know that they money from the brass doesn't go to us. The truth is that whatever brass we ended up with, went to the recycle place and they mailed a check to the gun club that was then deposited into the account to help pay for all the upgrades and bills to maintain the club.

We have worked hard to make the club better for the members over the last 2 years. We know that the members are what makes the club work and we appreciate them all! Over the last two years, we have tried to answer your questions and listen to your opinions. We even released all of the security companies becuase it was best for the members, so know that we are working on these issues with your interests in mind as well.

Thanks so much!
Jill

Jill this reminds me of exactly the same thing I have to deal with here on a daily basis. I'm not complaining, this is what I signed up for, but it's always difficult to try to please everyone. The difference between what you're doing and what most businesses do is you're making an attempt to listen to your members (the same thing I do here). You're also doing it in an open and honest way, which I've learned is the best way to deal with people. Keep up the great work and keep us informed

 

[evltwn]

Well, the way it works down at the southern end of paradise, there are unlocked buckets for brass, free to whoever wants it. We (v0lunteer members) clean the trap once a year and harvest as much lead as we can cart off. No arguments, no issues...just decent behavior among decent folks.

 

[davef]

First off love the club!! Love the changes you have made in the past year since ive been there. I always have a blast. Reloading has allowed me to actually afford shooting there a couple times a week. For me, Id actually feel better knowing that the money from the brass is going to the club for improvements than for a few individuals who are mabye reloaders, mabye not.

The thing that hurts a bit is thinking about all those lovely cases that are getting melted down and used for other things not club or firearm related when they are still so useful to us and still retain more value than just junk metal prices especially to people reloading.

If you are going to keep the new boxes, Id mount them on the wall or redesign the lids into more of a funnel shape which would make it next to impossible to shake the brass out. The long slit on the end of the box just makes it too easy to spill the brass out all over the floor. And please, really think about a way that all those great once fired cases can stay in the hands of shooters who can use them in their present state before being turned into a dresser drawer handle or a door hinge.

 

[billyinfinity]

Are you seriously still begging for brass? Get over it already...

 

[Mac_Fan]

I hope you guys can work this out in a way that is acceptable to everybody. I'm a member at TCGC myself so I don't have a dog in this fight but it is a shame when issues like this build up and ruin the enjoyment of going to a range and shooting.

 

[DeanfromOregon]

and there's the problem with reloaders, you guys are like feral cats.

I am more of an alley cat. I coexist in the neighborhood with others and can come across as somewhat normal (until you get to know me, of course). A few brass beggars give all of us a bad name. It's even worse when the offender is the RO.

 

[davef]

Wow Billy your statement really adds nothing to this thread besides a lot of semi hot air. Mabye you need to review your signature ("Strive not to be a success but rather to be of value") because your statement is of no value. I hardly consider attempting to start a dialog so that the club I belong to can gain more income from a resource than they presently are while providing a service and a resource to members (thats plural) who reload "begging". If my club could make 10x more money selling the brass back to their members than simply junking it for a minimal amount of extra work, I think they might consider it and might appreciate the fact that someone brought it up. After all, more money for the club would make improvements easier which would be great for all the members. Are you even a member Billy? Are you a reloader?

but hey, if thats what you call begging than so be it.

 

[MountainBear]

So incredibly happy that I have loads of BLM/NF land to go shoot on. I feel bad for you city folk that have no other option.

God Bless China Hat Rd. Anyone from Bend will know exactly what I am talking about...

 

[SynapticSilence]

I've been shooting at Johnson Creek for almost two years now. Jill has done a lot to make the club better in that time. She stopped the contracts with the lane-hogging firearms classes who were some of the rudest twits I ever met to the members just trying to get in to shoot. She told me they have a lot of upgrades planned for the near future and later, including new ventilation, lighting, and most important the construction of lane barriers to allow for closer target positioning on each lane. The place is always clean, well-stocked, and the stuff that's broken gets fixed in less than a day. I love it there for all its shortcomings and the members have become great shooting friends over time, if not actual backyard mates. My stepson was shooting with me there on Sunday and remarked how amazing it was that such a diverse group of people could all get together and get along with no obvious culture or professional barriers. I second that. I'm sorry to see the brass source dry up, but I get once-fired brass for danged cheap if I need to. All that probably needed to be done to make it less of an issue was to just let the membership know why. But maybe they knew it would be a big thing that might blow up before they could actually accomplish it, not because of most of the members but those she described as strictly/solely brass thieves. They've still got my vote there. I'll be there tomorrow.

 

[unklekippy]

For those of us still sane, please just pick up your own brass and then do not worry about what happens to brass that was never yours to argue over in the first place.

Mrs. Bradley, I have used your club as a guest and have considered joining. You already know that you won't make everyone happy all the time. From what I have seen, you folks provide a great service at a great price. Keep up the good work and do what is in the best interest of the club. Those that want brass can pick up their own. Those that want others brass as well as their own, well, I can't talk like that in front of a lady. Good luck to you. Kip

 

[davef]

Honestly everything that needs to be said has been said. Jill has explained why the buckets are locked, I offered a couple suggestions on how the club could make additional money by selling the brass to members so that we dont waste precious cases getting melted down and the reloaders could buy brass from their club, their friends and neighbors, not some guy in mississippi. It makes perfect sense to me but it seems that all anybody can do is flame me. Has one person said, Wow cool idea! what can I do to help? Statements like "those that want brass can pick up their own" what does that mean? How does a statement like that benefit the club as a whole? Again one of the points im trying to make is that those at JCGC, were a club, a community and if we as a community have access to a resource, we shouldnt waste it especially if it can generate income for our club.

Ive made every attempt to pledge my undying devotion to the club. There is no unhappiness. JCGC has done nothing wrong. I have a great time each and every time I go there and it wont stop just because of locks on brass buckets. its not that big o deal. I just personally hate seeing things go to waste whether its mine, yours, my neighbors. Its called conservation. Theres way bigger fish to get wound up about than some stupid brass. Were about to go to war w Iran and we got 2 idiots the media is shoving down our throats vying to run our country. Ive got plenty of brass but If my club offered some up I surely BUY some not just for myself but to help out my club. Same reason Ill buy a hat or another shirt or jacket from them.

So im done repeating myself, i can hear the cheers in the nosebleed seats. If you get my point you get it, if you dont you dont and if you want brass, go pick up your own?

 

[Mikej]

For those of us still sane, please just pick up your own brass and then do not worry about what happens to brass that was never yours to argue over in the first place.

Mrs. Bradley, I have used your club as a guest and have considered joining. You already know that you won't make everyone happy all the time. From what I have seen, you folks provide a great service at a great price. Keep up the good work and do what is in the best interest of the club. Those that want brass can pick up their own. Those that want others brass as well as their own, well, I can't talk like that in front of a lady. Good luck to you. Kip

So Unklekippy, I'd say it's best if you don't join, or go as a guest for that matter. I'd really hate to get you all PO'd, I'm one of the guys that MIGHT be asking you if you're going to use that brass or throw it in the bin. I am NOT one of the members that was dumping the bins on the ground, the notes of brass for janitors on the bins were enough for me. I say "might" because I try to read the "club members" a bit before asking.

I'm one to say "Good Morning" to all that pass while I'm there. I'm also one to strike up a conversation about a particular gun. I'm one that joined a "CLUB", it means that we all (members) have something in common. 19 out of 20 people that I've met at the club have been very friendly, I've learned a lot, I've had the pleasure of shooting their gun, and them mine. Meeting and talking with complete strangers about our shared passion at the club has been one of the best things about joining.

Seems to me most of the people at JCGC are friendly and really enjoy a "CLUB" atmosphere, while very few others would rather be completely alone when they shoot. Perhaps shooting in the woods would be a better option for the later.

Thanks to the owners/operators of JCGC

Mike

 

[RVTECH]

God Bless China Hat Rd. Anyone from Bend will know exactly what I am talking about

That and any one of 100s of other roads to shoot of off. I am partial the the Sugarpine Butte Road area. A little closer to me and not as much traffic. China Hat has really been getting popular lately.

 

[accessbob]

That and any one of 100s of other roads to shoot of off. I am partial the the Sugarpine Butte Road area. A little closer to me and not as much traffic. China Hat has really been getting popular lately.

Wrong thread

Sent from my HTC_A510c using Tapatalk 2

 

[unklekippy]

Hey Mike, I will or won't join a club for whatever reasons I choose. The reason I would, is because of decent folk running the place, like Mrs. Bradley. The reason I would not is because I do not care for brass bouncing off my face and shooting next to strangers has never been my cup of tea. I'm glad that you are able to "size up" your fellow club member. Your ability to "size me up", having never met me is incredible. I admire that. I would also like to add that no where in my post did I say anything about being PO'd or offended by someone "sizing me up" and asking for my brass. In fact, I didn't get PO'd about folks pouring buckets of brass out. What I did was comment on folks whining about brass that is not theirs. I'm proud of you for reaching out, making friends. It's good to say hello to your fellow "club members". I've never needed people to ooh and aah over my guns, nor I theirs. It appears that some join these clubs to shoot and others join to have this idea that they have "friends". It's kind of like Facebook, except on Facebook you don't pay a yearly fee to have those friends. I do apologize for publicly stating that the club is nice and that even though people whine, to keep up the good work.Kip.