[7.5-Swiss]

Does anyone know of any good ranges within a 1 to 2 hour drive from northern VA?

I just moved back up here after 4 years in Richmond and I'm trying to scope out some of the ranges. I know the NRA range in Fairfax is an option, but I prefer shooting outdoors. I also know there a 50 yard range behind a gunshop in Prince William, I went there once and was immediately turned off by (what I presume to be) a store employee at the range sweeping me with his muzzle.

I've been to the west side shooting range down in the George Washington national forest many times, which is a great range (minus the fact that some idiots have shot the place to hell, latrines included) but it is a LONG drive.

Any help would be appreciated!

[Babarsac]

I'm in the same boat. I'm a Virginia native who just moved back from Florida and miss living down the road from a public range. According to Google Maps there is something called the Richard L. Mason Rifle Range in Front Royal but I can't find any other info about it.

[627PCFan]

If your looking for private in Nova, good luck getting into the few that exist. Public Ranges, there is one down at CF Phelps WMA, but thats shut down for the summer, reopens in September. There was Sleepy Creek Range in WV, not too bad of a drive but Hillbillies (and I use the term loosely) were shooting targets off the top of the berms and hit an occupied cabin so that's shut down to all except shotgun now. You can try to get into Quantico.

[rklessdriver]

There is a 25yrd indoor pistol range in Stafford. Public range, pay by the hour, good old boys at the counter... I shoot there every week. Lighting inside is dim but that just makes it more realistic IMO. Other than the lighting and the fact the good old boys could stand to clean the place up a bit, I like it.

http://www.indoorrange.com/

There is Gilberts in Lorton. Also 25yrd indoor but its a private club and it cost a bunch to shoot there.

http://www.gilbertrange.com/

There is Clark Bros. Outdoor hunting rifle sight in type deal. I've never been there because of their "buy ammo here to shoot here requirement".

http://www.clarkbrosguns.com/home.html

Blue Ridge arsenal in Chantilly. I've never been there because of this....

http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008/12/09/blue-ridge-arsenal-owner-voted-obama-celebrates-with-increased-sales/

http://www.blueridgearsenal.com/

You already know about the NRA range.

Some other place over in Fairfax called the Silver Eagle Group Club or some crap that is for all you high rollers out there...

Someone is trying to build a new range in Woodbridge but it has been a year since they got county approval and I've not seen any progress at the proposed site.

http://vagunforum.net/general-discussion/new-shooting-range-woodbridge-t672.html

Will

[7.5-Swiss]

Thanks for the info, I may check a few of those places out!

[chrisb507]

For the area, I think Gilbert's is comparable, cost-wise. I believe it is $10 for a monthly membership and $10/hr for a lane. Longer-term memberships are cheaper.

I've also shot at Blue Ridge and Gilbert Indoor Range in Rockville. All those three are basically the same, range-wise, IMHO.

I've never been here: http://www.silvereagle-group.com/, but for $100/year and first-come, first-served lanes for free, that might be a deal. At least for NoVa.

[cavman]

Fairfax Rod and Gun Club is in Manassas, VA. I shoot matches there. If I lived closer I would join in a heartbeat.

http://www.fxrgc.org/index.html

I was under the impression that Silver Eagle is Waaaay expensive (for example if you want to bring a guest 6 times over the course of the year, that is a $100 extra charge and that is only if you purchase the highest membership tier, the Founders)

[627PCFan]

No way Im shelling out $2k for membership to Fairfax.

I heard Silver Eagle is only high priced for the "Country club level" membership.:confused:

[chris in va]

Check out The Cove Campground in Gore on the west side of Winchester. If things haven't changed, the price is $5 weekdays/ $15 weekends and it includes camping and fishing on four lakes.

The 'range' is on the top of a large hill, so bring something with ground clearance. Also bring anything you want to shoot at, anything you want to shoot with. Don't just bring paper targets, you'll kick yourself. Get some old hard drives, watermelons, water heaters...whatever. Full auto guys regularly go up there to let their money wasters breathe fire.:p

It was the last place I was able to shoot Tannerite. :(

Word of caution, call ahead to be sure they're open. I was skunked twice due to hunting season or rennovations.

[cavman]

No way Im shelling out $2k for membership to Fairfax.

It is my understanding that the lower price associate membership signup fee ~$1k+ is not refunded. The higher one is refunded in total when that member leaves the club. The yearly is ~$300

[countertop]

Fairfax Rod and Gun is nice.

I'm a member of the Izaak Walton League in Centerville. We've got skeet, trap, indoor air rifle and a 100 yard covered outdoor rifle and pistol range. Just off of 66 in Centerville.

I believe membership is filled right now, but its worth checking out. Its cheap (I think I pay $170 a year or something) and the facilities are nice. Plus we've got a fishing pond, campground, and lots of archery too.

If you are interested, its worth attending the prospective member orientation. Usually there are a bunch of openings that pop up in the Spring - they know who isn't renewing by April 1. Those are offered to folks who took the prospective member course and its usually pretty easy to grab one.

There's also an Izaak Walton club in Poolesville, MD. I've been thinking of joining that too since they allow you to hunt on their land.

[NewColonial]

The Silver Eagle owners are apparently major contributors to the democratic party. Draw your own conclusions but seems a bit hypocritical to me.

[countertop]

major contributors to the democratic party

Indeed they are. Their connections are prominently displayed on the web page. Those, that has nothing to do with the RKBA. Indeed, many of the pro gun Dems we have in Congress are much more likely to stick with us than seemingly pro gun Republicans (witness Jim Webb of VA vs Lamar Alexander of TN).

It has struck me that the Silver Eagle guys are really aiming for a share of the sizeable federal/local security (ie; POlice, ATF, DEA, etc) training market in the DC area and the need to access range time. In that regard, it make sense for them to openly display their Democratic credentials and not Republican ones. I suspect if Republicans ever gain power (unlikely to happen anytime soon with the current unichs in GOP leadership) they'd be highlighting their Republican credentials instead.

[Bruce in WV]

You might try 340 Defense. Its west of Leesburg north off 7 on 340 at Berryville near the WV line. You can see a write-up here:

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=8&f=24&t=362789

[ppshcccp]

+1 on 340 defense

[7.5-Swiss]

Check out The Cove Campground in Gore on the west side of Winchester. If things haven't changed, the price is $5 weekdays/ $15 weekends and it includes camping and fishing on four lakes.

The 'range' is on the top of a large hill, so bring something with ground clearance. Also bring anything you want to shoot at, anything you want to shoot with. Don't just bring paper targets, you'll kick yourself. Get some old hard drives, watermelons, water heaters...whatever. Full auto guys regularly go up there to let their money wasters breathe fire.

This place seems to be more or less exactly what I was looking for, a few questions though.

How is the range set up? (is there a range master, crowded sometimes, etc)

Whats the farthest away I can set up something to shoot at?

EDIT: sorry for the mix up, was on roommates account.

[627PCFan]

From what I have heard it sounds more like a pit landfill than an official range

[sernv99]

good thing you posted that story about Blue Ridge. I'm not shooting there anymore. What a bunch of crap!!

[sanerkeki]

The best public range is right after harrisonburg in wv off 33. You can shoot what ever you want and no one is almost ever there. I live in nova and takes me about 2.5 hrs to get there.

[sanerkeki]

The best public range is right after harrisonburg in wv off 33. You can shoot what ever you want and no one is almost ever there. I live in nova and takes me about 2.5 hrs to get there.

[7.5-Swiss]

The best public range is right after harrisonburg in wv off 33. You can shoot what ever you want and no one is almost ever there. I live in nova and takes me about 2.5 hrs to get there.

The west side shooting range? I've shot there quite a bit and like it a lot. Last time I was there, back in September, the entire range was pretty shot up. It was a little tricky hanging targets up as the supports and wires were damaged.

Has any maintenance been done on the range since then?

[Schreck]

Not sure if anyone mentioned this one, but it is pretty close to Richmond.

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/wmas/detail.asp?pid=11

It has been a few years since I visited this one, but it was a decent range last time I went. Few problems though, rifles and shotguns only and only open from Sept 1 - March 31. There is also one called Hite Hollow about 10 miles south of Staunton. That is the one I generally use.

Hope this helps.

[sanerkeki]

Yea they fix it up and then they shoot it up. the reason I like it is because u have your privacy and its empty so do not have to wait for people to finish there 2 hr shot before taking down targets. The pistol range is still in good condition.
Yea it is in the national forest west side range.

[CCWB]

Clark Bros
Call first because due to the ammo issue, if they don't have it, you can BYO. And they currently aren't charging a fee, you just have to buy a target or something for curb appeal so to speak.

[homeyclaus]

A couple of things:

1. Clark Bros requires you to buy their ammo, or reload with components you bought there. Ammo proof is easy, reloaded stuff isn't. They're a bit wonky, so don't think you can buy 100 rounds of their stuff at the store and then shoot 100 rounds of your reloads instead. If you're honest and explain your situation, they're pretty easy going, and sometimes let it "slide". You can only shoot from the bench (rifles) or from the table (pistols), so no holster or sling work. It's the only 100 yard range that's open all the time and doesn't need you to be recommended by others for membership in NoVa.

2. The guys that own Silver Eagle Group in Ashburn not only donated tens of thousands to the Democratic party according to the Dems' donation disclosure, but to the very people who are ANTI-GUN. Not the Webbs of the world, but the Hillaries. This topic has been beat to death on other forums, but this should be easily google searchable. If you think throwing away the notion of everyone being equal before the law so they can get the business of some BATF guys shooting full auto there, then go ahead and go there.

3. Blue Ridge Arsenal's owner/partner/manager got caught in an "I thought the camera was off" guffaw talking to reporter how he proudly supports Obama. At the time, Obama thought a new AWB was a good idea. Again, your call. I confess that sometimes I hold my nose and go there.

In NoVa you have to watch the "government is more equal than you" people - some own ranges, and the only thing they understand, other than their dogma is dollars.

[rs999]

According to Gilbert's website, http://www.gilbertrange.com/aboutus/, you can shoot shotguns 9-5 but only on weekdays. I've only done handguns at their indoor range but it's very good with knowledgeable range masters.

[fairfax1]

Gilbert's Range is going to be closed from July 13th-23rd 2009. They are remodeling the range and adding new target systems.

[wbwanzer]

Here is a range near Warrenton: http://www.range82.com/Index.html

I have never been there as I live north of Batimore, but they host SIG Accademy classes; that's how I found out about it. It looks interesting.

[Voodoochile]

Have you thought of joining the local Izzak Walton League?
I'm in the Fredericksburg Chapter & there is one not too far from Woodbridge.