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#1097471 - 09/26/16 03:28 PM Colonial Shooting Academy
Halligan Offline
Take a look it's in a book reading revolvers.

Registered: 10/21/12
Posts: 818
Loc: Powhatan
City or County: Powhatan
Posting for informational purposes.

Colonial Shooting Academy Richmond Location (Not sure on the other) no longer allows rifle ammo not purchased at their counter. Cheapest .223/5.56 was $0.48 a round. This went in affect last Sat. This change applies to both members and non-members. They stated they will sell reloads for less. They will take your brass from counter sales and sell it back to you. How nice of them.

I was told "People are tearing up the range with incendiary and armor piercing bullets" by staff at the counter. They even handed out cards with the managers email because many of the staff were against to this change as well.

This seems to be poor timing for them with a new range (Blue Ridge Arsenal) that opens up in weeks (Per website they do allow outside ammo).

Disclosure: I have no ties or membership to either range. Posting for informational purposes only.
_________________________
"I trust everyone, I just don't trust the devil inside them."


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#1097475 - 09/26/16 03:46 PM Re: Colonial Shooting Academy [Re: Halligan]
twidpa Offline
Marksman

Registered: 05/14/09
Posts: 279
Loc: Virginia
City or County: Richmond
I also have no dog in this fight but what would you have them do? Allow the backstop to be damaged?
T

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#1097498 - 09/26/16 05:05 PM Re: Colonial Shooting Academy [Re: Halligan]
Halligan Offline
Take a look it's in a book reading revolvers.

Registered: 10/21/12
Posts: 818
Loc: Powhatan
City or County: Powhatan
Some ideas:

1. Inspect ammo more thoroughly at the counter all of it. If it takes a extra 2 min so be it.
2. Range officers more inquisitive on what ammo is being shot and loaded (A second check if you would). They perhaps have the greatest chance of catching rule breakers. I would think a incendiary round (As the staff stated was damaging) would be a huge difference when it hits.
3. Limit the rifle ammo shot while still allowing outside ammo in...i.e Dont allow Armor piercing, steel core, and incendiary. They already had this. Maybe even take away bi-metal. I can't imaging if I buy the same ammo they are going to sell me from Walmart for $0.20 cheaper it's going to damage the backstop.
4. Say YES to New Retail Boxed ammo known to not be issues. Have a list?
5. Make the penalty for not playing by the rules being banned from the range forever. You do have to give them your VADL and watch a video yearly to get a card. It would not be to difficult to take your card away and never give you another one. Would someone risk it for X,Y, and Z?
6. To recoup or make up for the depreciation of the backstop because of rifles maybe charge $2 more a person if you shoot rifle. Trucks pay more for DMV fees because they degrade the road more (Only example I could come up with quickly). Range repair is no different then any other business. "The cost of doing business" will always have a cost.

Think if you were a member and spent $XYZ on it and even perhaps bought into one of their "sales" on bulk ammo. A change of terms of range seems to be kind of rough. Does this member stay with them or go 10min up the road?(I have no idea of prices)

I 100% agree the business has to protect itself and it's venue. That being said punishing or limiting a customer base because of the actions of a few does not seem good. Especially when it does not seem that difficult to put in processes to prevent this.

Anyway...Those are some ideas.


Edited by Halligan (09/26/16 11:30 PM)
_________________________
"I trust everyone, I just don't trust the devil inside them."


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#1097535 - 09/26/16 06:24 PM Re: Colonial Shooting Academy [Re: Halligan]
PGalRVA Offline
Pea shooter

Registered: 01/06/16
Posts: 1
Loc: Virginia
City or County: Richmond
It was not an arbitrary decision. People were sneaking in rounds they knew weren't allowed and were ruining the ranges. Safety, people. Pretty important. The part ruins it for the whole. This is why we can't have nice things. hand

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#1097669 - 09/26/16 10:37 PM Re: Colonial Shooting Academy [Re: Halligan]
Baer45 Offline
Pea shooter

Registered: 08/24/11
Posts: 3
Loc: Richmond
City or County: Henrico
I believe a range burnt down in Va Beach a few years ago because of in incinterary (sp) ammo. I know they have across the country. When I went by good reman ammo was 7.95/box for public and 6.95 for members. Don't know where you got the number you did. The staff checks ammo with magnets, etc. but when people hide preloaded mags in their bag on a busy range, there is no way to police it...

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#1097676 - 09/26/16 11:23 PM Re: Colonial Shooting Academy [Re: Baer45]
Halligan Offline
Take a look it's in a book reading revolvers.

Registered: 10/21/12
Posts: 818
Loc: Powhatan
City or County: Powhatan
Originally Posted By: Baer45
I believe a range burnt down in Va Beach a few years ago because of in incinterary (sp) ammo. I know they have across the country. When I went by good reman ammo was 7.95/box for public and 6.95 for members. Don't know where you got the number you did. The staff checks ammo with magnets, etc. but when people hide preloaded mags in their bag on a busy range, there is no way to police it...


I am 100% in agreement of not being able to use specific ammo due to what it can do to the range. My price was what was quoted to me this Saturday and that was the cheapest available for purchase. I was personally told by 5 staff members (counter staff and range officers) it was due to the $ for range damage. Nothing was ever mentioned of safety but I can get behind that.

Your last part speaks the most to my topic. If someone is going to sneak in ammo before, why would they not do it now? I would think now that things are more expensive (I understand they are around to make money I understand they do not have Walmarts buying power) one could say they are more inclined to do it.

What happens if a "Scare" happens if someone looks like they will win the election and ammo runs out? Does the range shut down for rifles? Do they limit ammo to 1 box? Do you pay $20 to shoot just 20 rounds?

Attentive range officers and severe penalties for using unapproved ammo is the better answer not a ban on all non store ammo. More staff?

At the end of the day they are a private business and free to do as they wish (Do the 2 previous posters have a dog in the fight?). It may not be today or tomorrow but as competition comes with a ban on all outside rifle ammo and each person is disappointed as they go to the counter and told to pay more then what they bought it from someone else people will seek out other places.

They have not advertised their new policy via email, facebook, and the website. I wonder why? Maybe not looking forward to the pushback?


Edited by Halligan (09/26/16 11:31 PM)
_________________________
"I trust everyone, I just don't trust the devil inside them."


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#1106831 - 10/18/16 10:10 PM Re: Colonial Shooting Academy [Re: Halligan]
reswob Offline
Marksman

Registered: 02/24/10
Posts: 372
Loc: Richmond
City or County: Chesterfield Co
I noticed the rifle ammo "warning" sign on the door today. With Colonial's typical gun shop ammo markup, no way I will ever be shooting a rifle there now! Between this new ammo policy, and the range fee having gone up each of the last two times I've been there, I'm getting a little fed up with CSA. I hope the new Blue Ridge Arsenal location inspires some competitive changes.

Outright banning outside rifle ammo is patently ridiculous. I've been to several ranges where they check the ammo of everyone bringing a rifle. I've even seen a CSA employee checking someone's ammo at the counter. There's no reason they couldn't check for tracers and "AP" rounds instead of just banning rifle ammo.

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#1108486 - 10/23/16 01:04 AM Re: Colonial Shooting Academy [Re: Halligan]
DougN Online   content
Certified Lurker

Registered: 01/03/13
Posts: 189
Loc: Midlothian, Virginia
City or County: Chesterfield
I would recommend Blackcreek in Hanover, $150 a year and shoot outside. Pro's and con's but cant beat the price.

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#1124613 - 12/01/16 05:51 PM Re: Colonial Shooting Academy [Re: Halligan]
9mmchallenger Offline
Bullseye

Registered: 02/05/13
Posts: 1947
Loc: Hopewell
City or County: hopewell
I went in the day after it started and was caught by surprise and fairly annoyed. and also kind of strange they were doing renovations on 1 range at the same time, probably just need to recoupe the cost of the renovations then might change rules back, still triing to figure out how on the range the range officer caught the guy before he fired it, he must have had some eagle eyes, to see what type of ammo from a distance in a mag already, plus if they caught him before he fired it, that was their job and what they should have been doing at the counter, so if they did their job, stopped it before it he fired it, then why change the rules, but the renovation just seemed to be a little coincidental, so it was either to pay for a renovation, or a repair because they really didn't stop him before he fired?
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