Shooting Range/ Gun Club and Purchase Questions

[TJSpeller]

I am in Toronto.

My favourite store in the GTA (and the only store actually in Toronto) is Al Flaherty's. I bought most of my guns there. I have found the gun shop guys friendly and helpful if they feel you are a serious buyer, not someone just coming around to look at guns when you have no intention of buying.

Firearms Outlet Canada are also good guys, in Ajax.

I even bought one gun at Target Sports - they actually have a good selection, and you can handle the guns easily.

Once I got more comfortable with the guns, I bought some from other owners, either at a gun show or from forums like this one.

When you are a newbie, the advantage of buying at a local store is they are more likely to help you if you are having trouble with something (sights, disassembly, etc). I generally have not bought online.

I try to avoid buying at the big stores (Cabelas, Bass Pro) because I want to support small gun shops that really care about gun owners rather than big American corporations that won't give a crap about Canadian gun owners. Also, saving 50 bucks or more a gun is insignificant once you've put the first thousand rounds through it. Ammo is your main cost driver if you are a serious shooter, along with membership and the cost of gas to get to the range regularly.

I bought one gun at Epps. Would not recommend it unless they have something you can't buy anywhere else. Or you need their gunsmith for some reason.

As for gun clubs, it depends what you want to do with your guns:
-handguns? for least hassle, Calibre (out of Target Sports) is your best choice. Year round, retrievable targets, easy drive 2 minutes off the 404. It has downsides too (ventilation, having tourist shoot in the stall beside you), but practically speaking the upside far outweighs the bad unless you enjoy long drives to places like Barrie, Niagara Falls, Guelph, or Waterloo. All gun clubs have hassles involved with membership, and some waiting involved, but I think Calibre has the easiest qualification. I am not knowledgeable about Gagnon Shooting Sports, but I don't see the advantage of a 50m range if your main interest is handguns. Calibre has a good IPSC practice group if you get into that. Also IDPA.

-There is the Toronto revolver club, right inside Toronto, but it's a very old facility and they try to stay under the radar. I was there once, and it doesn't look like a fun place to shoot. Not that easy to join either. Lots of old timers there. I've heard them saying they want to get new and younger members, but I don't think they are really making an effort.

There is an Oshawa gun club with good outdoor facilities, but my one visit there was very negative. Unfriendly, unhelpful, and I think they generally don't like handguns there.

There is also a good place in Burlington if you are willing to drive out that far for handgun stuff.

-trap/skeet? Hamilton Gun Club or TITS (Toronto International Trap and Skeet). Voice activated target release.

-Sharon Gun Club has excellent outdoor facilities for all shooting sports, but nothing indoor. Shooting outdoor in winter is not something I enjoy much. It's also a huge pain to join there. You have buy "buy" share, which is usually available, but last time I checked they cost 5K and up, and that was a while back.

I used to go to Silverdale (half way between Niagara and Hamilton) to shoot my rifles and do some trap - you can go without being a member, just pay the day rate, so if you go only a few time a year, it was a good place. But, they changed their rifle range in order to comply with demands from the CFO so that it feels like you are shooting from a bunker. Took all the fun out of it. They have excellent IPSC facilities, but for that you have to be an actual member. In my opinion, not worth the drive from Toronto.

If I could join any club in Ontario regardless of driving distance, from the ones I have tried as a Toronto person, it would be either Barrie or Guelph, because they have everything you want for any shooting discipline, and an indoor handgun range for the winter. But driving there regularly from Toronto is not an option, and it takes a long time to become a member there.

Don't get discouraged by the hassle of starting up, which can be considerable depending on which club you want to join. Accept it, and know that it's reassuring that the guys in the stalls beside your also had to go through the same hassle to demonstrate their seriousness about owning a gun. Once you've dealt with the hassles, it's worth it. And realize that many of the hassles were put there by the people who want to end gun ownership and shooting sports. Don't let them win by being a quitter!