Introductions

[Dan]

I'll begin this, I'm Dan and I've been with the Range since damn near the beginning (of 37 that is, not Range 1.  I'm not old like Glenn).  I do most of the gun work here, and have an unhealthy love of Kalashnikovs, machine guns, and suppressors.  I can work on just about anything you bring me, but the commie guns are my specialty.

I spent just under 10 years in Army Aviation, 3 of which were in recruiting.  I left the Army after that nightmare and came back to NC so my wife (who's from Hope Mills) could finish up her Pharmacy degree.  She's since finished and is now working at Cape Fear counting pills and filling bottles (she'd kill me for saying her job is so generic).

If you aren't a member of the range, stop by and say hello sometime.

[Frank]

My name is Frankie McRae, I bought this range five years ago and have worked hard to make it the best damn range in NC. But I did not do all the work myself, Just direct and give instruction, the team I have here, is why it is so much better than when I bought it. I retired from the army three years ago and unlike Dan I dont know anything about guns. I can shoot them well and train people to shoot them well. When you come to our range we want you to be welcomed! Our range does not have the attitudes of most other places. We welcome all out to have a good safe fun experience.

[Dan]

That's not true, you know how to break one.  Like a champ.

[Sigma05]

Name is Al. Some will recognize me from my Coyote Tan Hummer H3. I've been a member at 37 PSR for two years now. I've been to many ranges, but this is the one I like toI call home. Was originally born in Spain to a Texan Dad and Italian Mom. Grew up in Houston Texas. Lived many years in the New Negland area, and then moved to Cali for work. Hated Cali so much, that when my son was born we decided to raise him a State where people said hi and meant it. Been in NC now for 4 years and love it. Feels good to live in a free state again! Both the classes that Frankie and the crew do and the IGL matches, have really improved my skills to a level I never had. Thanks to all. Hope to keep learning as long as possible.

[mechanic]

Hey folks... my name is Jim. I've been a member at 37PSR over 2 years now and spend every free minute there shooting, training, competing, and meeting the best people in the world. In fact, I feel like I spend so much time there I'm just going to change my address to 1333 Loop Rd and just be done with it:) I can't possibly overstate my sincerest appreciation and deep respect for Frankie and the entire staff at 37PSR. Frankie set out to create the best range in NC and I think he not only accomplished that, but I believe it's the best range period.

I hale from Savannah, GA, lived in Atlanta for a while, spent many years in South Carolina, and after living in Australia for a while I ended up in Florida where I met my wife of 20 years. We moved to NC just over 8 years ago. Ironically, it was more like finding my way home. I learned recently that my family has been in North Carolina since the 1600's. In my line of work I tend to travel. I've been to at least 19 different countries and countless cities, all with their own unique characteristics, but I always loved coming home to America.

I'm very pro our military and have a soft spot for the Green Berets, mostly due to me getting to know Frankie. I'm a repeat offender at the GB Pro-Am, proud to say me and my Pro made second place last year, and I fully anticipate winning that sucker this year!

Finally, if you're not a member at 37PSR, you need to come spend time with great people, have safe fun, run and gun in ways no other range will let you, and enjoy the freedoms our second amendment provides.

[davesc2]

My name is Dave and I've been a member for about a year and a half.  My wife and I escaped Chicago and came down to Holly Springs.  We love it down here! 

Where I was back in IL the closest rifle range was actually in WI and because of all the screwball idiots going up there from Chicago the rules were pretty tight including only being able to load 3 rounds in a magazine for pistols, no rapid fire and for rifle only being able to load one round at a time.  Thankfully Frankie has a very different range and easily the best range I've ever been to.

I've taken a couple of classes with Frankie and can't really say enough good things about his training.  I also look forward to expanding the training I've started and beginning other lines of training, namely Long-Range, combined pistol/carbine and definitely want to take advantage of the new Academy of Martial Studies.  Although I have a lot of fun and do let my competitive side come out, I do view the IGL as training and have learned a lot watching the people that do well and looking at my mistakes (I still make plenty of those) and learning from them.

Like Jim, I'm a repeat Green Beret Foundation Pro-Am participant and I'm happy to see the expansion from 2012 to 2013 and hope to see more expansion this year and every year that Frankie hosts the event.  I have no idea how badly I did in 2012 but I'd also never done any kind of shooting competition before and was more concerned with being safe than anything else but I did a little better at last years event and my Pro and I both walked away with Bushnell HDMR scopes.  To me, watching those guys shoot and move is incredible especially watching them down those steel plates in hardly any time at all.

[Brian]

Hi folks, I'm Brian and have the misfortune of being a member-in-exile while I'm living out in Tacoma for a while.

I was a member back in the late Range 1 days and came back from a year-long all-expenses-paid trip overseas to discover that Frankie had established a new regime and 37 PSR was headed for bigger and better things. I think I was member #10, with my two older kids (5 and 7 back then) spending quite a bit of time with me, learning the basics. My daughter (now 10) still remembers her junior NRA class, and my son (now 8) asks me when we're going to find another range where he can shoot and move with his P22.

I love the PNW for its scenery and geography, but I'm itching to get back "home", because in the 2.5 years I've been gone, Frankie has really taken 37PSR to new heights. I'm deeply jealous of you guys getting to take advantage all the great programs and events that I can only track on facebook!

[shell]

Hi! My name is Shellie. I have been a member of Range 37 for a year now and love it. Because of my work schedule when I am at the range everyone else is a work. So I have not gotten the chance to meet any other members. I hope this forum will give me the chance to get to know other members.

I did take the NRA Metallic Cartridge Reloading Course that is offered. I plan to take the Long Range Precision Rifle Course this year and start participating in the Infidel Gunfighter League.

Looking forward to meeting other members and making new friends.

[speed6]

Hi everyone, my name is Patrick. I have been a member for about a year and have to say the range has been a breath of fresh air. It is nice to have a true “shoot and move” range only about an hour away from me.

I have been in to guns for about 10 years but have only taken training in the past four or five. I have done courses with shivworks and tactical response. It is nice to be able to practice what I have learned and I look forward to taking training at Range 37. It is very convenient to have a training center so close. Thanks to the Range 37 crew and keep up the good work!

[cmac]

Hello all! I am Chanel Haugh and have been a range member since 2010, the same year I bought my first pistol and obtained my CCW. I discovered Range37, thankfully, through our neighbors who attended FNF matches - in the early days when Frankie still ran the shoot house - and had no gray hair. ;-). I was hooked immediately because of Frankie's coaching style, the skills I gained, exposure to other skilled shooters, the low cost relative to the opportunities to learn, and the sincere fun of the matches. I even cleaned my gun after each match. (As a newbie and a female, you know you're onto something when she doesn't outsource gun cleaning to the nearest capable male.)
We, my husband Dave and I, are excited about finally getting back to the range in the coming months. He has recently returned from Pakistan and we both welcomed our first child, John, in early Dec. I didn't shoot once I found out I was pregnant, so I'm rusty and in need of some serious retraining. We (Dave) are also starting to work on reloading and the practical applications of gun ownership and sport. John's arrival has changed our availability to train but reinforced the importance of continuing and even enhancing that effort. This makes me feel lucky to have access to PSR37. The knowledge and resources for training in/on the technical aspects of shooting but also the mental and physical aspects required to pull the trigger are always present at each match. I consider them part of my training. My goal isn't to make history but to be able to shoot confidently, safely, rapidly, and accurately enough to stay protected with the first shot100% of the time. If I absolutely have to pull the trigger, I need to hit the target and only the target. Looking forward to getting back to that focus soon!

[jimbobebob]

Hey all...another Jim here. Been around guns my whole life growing up, just not pistols. So when I got my pistol permit last year and bought my first handgun, I looked around for a range, and was happy to find Range37! The folks there are so great! I have been a few times, and brought a few friends (and/or my kids) with me a time or two...everyone loved it!
I've been a member for about a year now, and am looking forward to signing up for another year. I'm hoping to advance my skills enough to join in some of the matches coming up.
I'm originally from upstate (yea, really upstate!) New York, but have lived in NC longer than I lived in NY, so I hope to claim the title of 'adopted southerner'.
Hope to see y'all here and at the Range!

[juanb]

Hey how is everyone? I'm Juan Barrera, I can say I heard about Range 37 through this crazy lady and her kid who shows up in my parents back yard and throws softballs around. LOL JK. No My father was told by Linda we needed to go down there and check it out. So we did and I can say it was amazing. My father and I would go shoot at this range and that range, but after going to 37PSR we will never shoot anywhere ever again. I can say I have learned so much being there, not just shooting but at reconnecting with who I am and should be. I served 9 years in the military, the majority of them was at Ft. Lewis with the Stryker Brigade, I got out after my 2nd tour and came home to start a business with my father. I can say going to the IGL and FNF has filled a void I never knew I had. I count down the days to get there and find out where I'm slacking so I can do my best to improve it. I have yet to attend any of the Ranges classes cause i'm a broke vet trying to save up, but it is on my list of things to do, I always seem to spend my class money on new toys or equipment lol. I've started a new business for myself recently that combines my love of art, shirts, guns, and trying to be a badass like Frankie. LOL. I hope yall have a great day and I look forward to seeing ya'll at the range.

[john]

Hey I'm John, one of the guys that drives all the way in from Jacksonville to shoot at Range 37 and joined a couple of weeks ago. The reason is simple: The ranges here are simply terrible. My last duty station in Texas had a top notch private shooting club with individual bays for tactical rifle and pistol, as well as a shoot house and a 200 yard rifle range. As you can imagine, I got used to having 24/7 access to a range like this and was terribly disappointed when I PCS'ed to the Jacksonville area and went to sample the ranges.
Around here they are the typical public style ranges of the 1980's... long shooting line, no steel allowed (disappointing, I own my own silouettes), no drawing from the holster, no movement, multiple targets not allowed, must shoot from the bench, etc. Basically the only thing these ranges are good for are BZO'ing your weapon and slow fire target practice.
I've been shooting USPSA for 4 years now, there is a decent CQB match held here locally that I've been competing in, and attended last Saturday's IGL day and night competition. Great course of fire! Much different than the 3 gun style competitions I've attended in the past, I learned quickly that just running and gunning get's procedurals stacking quickly. Much more of a tactical focus, which is much preferred to just burning a course of fire with speed.
I've been itching to do a MK12 build, so I may be taking a long range shooting class in the near future. For those that live close to Range 37, just know that your extremely lucky to have such a great training complex close by. A few of us drive nearly 3 hours on the weekend just to do additional training there, and it's absolutely worth it. I'll be attending Friday Night Fights on the 7th and plan on attending both IGL and Friday Night Fights each month.

[Dan]

Mar 5, 2014 15:34:12 GMT -5 john said:

I've been itching to do a MK12 build

Mod 0 or 1?  That is my mod 0 on the wall, and im putting together a mod 1 right now so let me know if you need any help.  Decent mk12 barrels are hard to come by right now.

Ill start a thread to discuss, some of these other guys may have some interest.

[john]

Dan,

Much appreciated, I'm still in the design phase of what I'm wanting to build but could use all the advice I can get from those who have done it before. I love the look of the Mod0, but there are some technical benefits to the mod 1, including decreased weight. At the same time I'm not strict on an exact clone, so I would not be opposed to a Larue FF or even a different break, even if this technically makes it no longer a MK12. In the end, a custom package with the effects on target of a MK12 are what I'm after, although the MK12 Mod 0 is just Sexy!!!
I'll stand by for a new thread so as not to clutter the intros thread. Thanks!