First, WHY DID YOU SELL YOUR 19? j/k
The 17 Gen 3s come in standard and the RTF2, which many claim is too aggressive. I don't have one to give my opinion on. The Gen 4s of course come with their grip texture which is said to be in-between the standard and the RTF2.
Athens Rifle Club is a pretty good outdoor range. I prefer outdoor ranges. Smell of fresh air, cool breeze, etc. ARC has a rifle range with benches at 100yds, and one bench that actually goes to 200yds that you can use if no one is at the 100yd range.
They have a 50yd pistol range, that you can shoot rimfire rifles on. This range has several different plates setup, including ones similar to those used in GLOCK the plates. The benches/cover is set back at the 50yd line, and the club gives preference to people wanting to shoot from the benches rather than people wanting to shoot closer ranges on the plates. I've been quite a few times and can't think of a time where I had an issue of moving closer to shoot the plates.
They also have a shotgun range, where they have skeet and trap. This is where most of the members spend their time on the nice weekends. The club seems to be made up mostly of older gentlemen who shoot shotguns. This also seems to be changing as younger people come in and become members. The shotgun range was getting a voice activated thrower the last I heard. Shooting skeet/trap cost a few bucks per round but it's pretty cheap, and much cheaper than you will be charged to go to some of the other shotgun ranges.
To become a member, you have to attend two meetings, held once a month. You have to shoot and show how safe you are on each of the course (rifle, shotgun and pistol) with an existing member. You should be recommended by an existing member (which won't be hard as there are several on this forum
) and then you pay the monthly fee and an initiation fee. If I'm not mistaken, it's $150.00 for the first year and then $100.00 a year after that. The year always starts in Feb., so joining next month or in March would basically get you a full year before you have to pay again. I joined in late July or August.
They give you a key to the gate, and you are allowed to shoot 7 days a week from sunup to sundown, with the exception of hunting season where you can't start shooting until 9 AM. The owners of the land hunt it during hunting season. They usually have shotgun competitions every month, and they occasionally have rimfire and pistol competitions but they are really focused purely on hitting the target, not like IDPA, GSSF, or anything like that. The club Officers, all shotgun guys, aren't big on shooting and moving, anything that might be considered "tactical", etc.. but as I said before, I haven't seen many members there when I have gone, unless it was a nice sunny, warm temp day on a Saturday or Sunday.
To me, it is worth the $100.00 a year to shoot there. For me, it's about a 40 minute drive or so. I enjoy shooting of there with some of the other memebrs of this forum and I have also taken my son (7) several times. I hope to renew this year's membership.
