We're thinking of moving there. Can anyone give any info on it other than what we've read on Wikipedia and other online sources.
Both retired, any info would be appreciated. Good, Bad, indifferent..... Thanks

The subway runs late.

Seriously, that's in the country. There's not much around the immediate area but pine trees and soy beans. You can drive to civilization in Lexington and Columbia. I would recommend visiting first and make sure you really want to get away from it all.

Web search "gaston sc meth"

It’s rural, but not too far for one or two trips a year into town.

You’ll be close to Champion Sports shooting range. I think it would be well worth the membership for someone local.

The State Farmers Market is also nearby, if you care about that kind of thing.

https://www.championdefensellc.com/

It is "gun enthusiast friendly" in term of range rules and safety officers.

Until recently, the other nearby club on Fish Hatchery has not been.  Until a main player stepped in it a couple months back.

Champion Sports and Mid Carolina Rifle Club are near there. I'm not a member of Mid Carolina so I don't know the lowdown about it other than the Range Officer can be cantankerous. Parts of Gaston area are Richland county and parts are Lexington county.  Lexington has lower taxes, but less services.  The schools suck no matter where you go in the Midlands, so explore your private school or online school options as well.  There is not a lot in Gaston except sand, fire ants, and meth.  But if you are like me and hate people, it's a good place to live on a larger parcel of land.  The overlap between Gaston and Swansea is blurry, so they kind of fall in a similar category.  As an appraiser, my experience has shown that property values are lower in that area and there is a higher percentage of manufactured homes.  However there are several new construction neighborhoods being built there.  I guess so you can have limited services and poor schools and live on a postage stamp lot but whatever floats your boat.

Heck no, where did you get that ridiculous notion. Gaston is firmly embedded in Lexington County. Parts of the general mailing district may lap over into the northern "Thumb" of Calhoun County. NONE of it is close to Richland county unless you want to swim across the Congaree river.

Subtle and understated.

Range Officer and club president WAS Roy Mullis. He has stepped down. He will still be doing range maintenance and will surely call out any violations. But RSO, is technically another club member now.

no post

I know.  I'm a member.

I also know I have two guests who will never visit that facility again as long as that individual is on-property.  Won't get into specifics but it was pure chickenshit.

eta:  at Champion and even the Wateree SC DNR range, it would have been solved with a simple reminder and a "have a nice time."  That's not how the other place rolls.

Yea, I understand. I've been a victum of the iron hand too.

My daughter teaches school out in that area.  She meets the parents, sometimes. You really don’t want to live out there. In all honesty, check out Kershaw County area. Lugoff/Elgin/Camden.  

But stay out of Camden.  
Camden is known to have two classes, the haves and have nots.  It’s pretty run down in areas. And the city is in the power business. They buy power and resell it.  Peak summer residents in small homes were getting $800+ power bills.  Lots of residents renting moved out before more bills came.

Kershaw county has much lower property tax rates, there’s Sandhills range just off I-20 and 601.  And it’s just as far from Columbia as Gaston is.  Thinking retirement, think medical care.  
I moved to Kershaw county on Lake Wateree 3 years ago. Car and boat taxes were cut in half. I’m on Duke Energy. Not bad in pricing, service sucks because the grid I’m on hasn’t been updated since 1977, but many more homes have been built in the area.

LOL, that's one way to put it.

I've been a member for over 10 years and I've never had a single positive interaction with him.

He's just a miserable fuck.

And the other club officers wonder why the club isn't at capacity, why the club can't fill roles (officers, match directors, volunteers), and why the other officers have to threaten in the newsletter to shut down the club.

Mr. Sunshine strangled the life out of it while more, better indoor and outdoor range options became available over the last 10 - 20 years.

This is a great example of Gaston in practice.