Bad news: Ft Bliss Rod and Gun club

A

angel71rs

New member
A shooting buddy told me that as of yesterday you had to register your firearms with them in order to shoot there. Checked their website and it's true:

http://bliss.armymwr.com/us/bliss/programs/rod-and-gun-club/

Needless to say, will not shoot there as long as this requirement is in place. I heard place was barely getting by, this will probably kill it off. Maybe that was the goal of this new rule?

There are other ranges in town, and of course the desert. But this was the best place for my shooting buddies and me to go because of the way the ranges were set up, location reasonable distance for all of us, and we would get something to eat and a brew at the clubhouse after shooting.

Had some great times there, hard to believe it's done for. :(
 
I've not been to this range, but based upon this website, it sounds like it resides in an unsecured portion of Fort Bliss. And based on your comments, I assume you must be a civilian accessing the range.

Because if you are active duty, or in the guard or reserves, then I'd expect you to be familiar with the requirement at most Army bases to register your guns with the Provost Marshall's office. The fact there is a separate registry in addition to the Provost Marshall one, and that guns registered with the club must still be registered with the Provost Marshall for access to main post also alludes to the range's location in an unsecured area.

As such, you should count yourself lucky to have access as a civilian to a Military Rod and Gun Club. Quite a few are located in the fencing on post and completely in accessible to civilians. Also, since it is an MWR activity, it gets a certain amount of funding allocated to it above its own generated income, subsidizing its operation. So the gloom and doom you paint is probably overstated.
 
The Army likes to keep track of the firearms coming onto and leaving the base. It's not 'gun registration', it's something less than that.
 
So maybe we aren't getting the full story but yeah, you don't take firearms onto a military base without some sort of over sight.

Why do you say the place was barely getting buy? Is this a for profit business on an Army base? You're saying you're used to go there and just drove on base with your firearms? There must be more to the story. ?????
 
A shooting buddy told me that as of yesterday you had to register your firearms with them in order to shoot there.
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i'm an Army retiree. Most US Army installations have required the registration of all guns brought on post for many years.

A few years ago Army firearms registration for visiting shooters/hunters was in a Pentagon database. This is apparently no longer the case.

How it works on FT. Sill:

The firearms clerk prints out a form with pertinent information, and date stamps the form. The gunowner then enters the caliber, description and serial number on the form. If asked for proof of firearms registration, simply show the form and gun/s to the MP/security person. No one else sees the form. The Army does not have gun serial numbers.
 
It has it's own entrance, don't have to use a gate with a MP on it. Just a cattle gate that they swing open in the morning.

It is open for use by anyone, but active duty and military retirees get discounts. Heard it wasn't doing well financially from a retired friend who got a job there to keep himself busy. Said his hours were already being cut. That was before this new requirement kicked in.

Former military, so aware rec facilities get subsidies. Will that be enough to keep it open? This is a large facility, just the maintenance must be big $$$. Losing money from memberships, pro shop sales, restaurant is going to be a big hit.
 
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