My club in its ultimate wisdom does not allow Crossbows. I was thinking on shaking them up a bit. I have a lifetime permit for Crossbow use in a state that does not like them.I got my permit following a couple of back operations. I am according to the state disabled. I thought I might throw out the Phrase " Americans with Disabilities Act" at the next meeting just for fun but boy won't that cause a fuss. I will however probably lay low as I don't want to ruffle to many feathers while they are loading 150 grains of Pyrodex behind a 240gr. Sabot for shooting out of a long barreled Inline "Muzzle Loaders" with a 3 X 9 Pemium scope backed by shotgun primers.Times they are a changing.

Strange folks won't allow xbows but fancy inline ML's are OK, go figure![&o]

The usual reasoning behind a crossbow ban is that the club has had problems in the past with crossbow shooters tearing up targets. Bolts bury up in the target butts and the shooters tear up the targets trying to dig them back out. That's especially true for clubs that use excelsior target butts. The obvious way around that is to have the crossbow guys bring their own targets from home, or maybe even get a bunch of 'em to band together, pool their resources and set up their own crossbow range. Maybe you should approach the club with that idea and see how it flies.

I belong to an all-traditional archery club and, even though I get to endure a bunch of razzing about it, they have accepted my change to crossbows pretty well. Of course, my having only taken one year off as an officer of the club in the past 15 years might have something to do with their acceptance.

But that raises another point. It's much easier for someone who is actively involved in the club to have an influence on the club's policies. The people who put in the effort to keep a club up and running really don't give a rip when someone starts whining about the rules when that someone is one of those who just shows up to shoot and never comes to meetings or lends a hand with the chores.

The hypocrisy alone would drive me into the arms of a more receptive club , but that's just me . If this club means a lot to you don't rock the boat , or at least go through channels trying to effect a change to the rules . If you're the only crossbower there then don't bother .

Planter,
Not to state the obvious, but your crossbow is not a gun. Does your club allow the shooting of regular compounds? If they do then it is a whole different issue.
Randy

They allow all forms of rifle, skeet, archery, black powder, pistol ( indoor and out ) but no crossbows. I won't make a fuss because although I have a permit I can still pull 60# on my Hoyt anyway and making any sort of waves usually backfires to some degree. Ruining the tatget butts was a good thought but they are junk arrow killers anyway. I have not even brought it up as an issue and although the club has 500 plus members I am prob the only guy with an XBow in the whole state of Mass.

You're not the only one in the Commonwealth who has a permit and uses a crossbow. I know several others besides me, who do.

Start your own club!