Best Ranges/Gun shops in San Antonio?

Best Ranges/Gun shops in San Antonio

I've been shooting at the Cedar Ridge Range for several years and think it's a great facility. Yes they have a few rules to follow... so what? I usually shoot with three other guys and we've never had an entrance or an exit lecture in any shape or fashion. The owner's are honest, don't charge you ridiculous "per gun" fees and simply want to provide a safe environment for their clients. I don't even like people sitting at the tables when I'm down range.

yes, ok. Well I myself started going there back when they very first opened up, which if I remember was back in the 1980s. It was called La Paloma Shooting Range back then.

I used to live in the Bulverde area back then. In 1996 I moved into San Antonio, so I didn't go to that range anymore for many years. Now in 2006, I've been there twice, and I doubt I'll ever go back. I don't know if these guys are different owners than the first ones, or still the same ones but way older. However, back in the 1980s I never got any lectures and was not treated like crap.

I've been to several ranges in the S.A. area, including A Place To Shoot, La Paloma / Cedar Ridge, Braken Range, and the range that used to be in Helotes, off of Bandera Rd. Never, ever had any problems, or complaints from any ranges... except Cedar Ridge.
Plus... right off the bat, they keep your license. So they are treating you like a potential bad guy as soon as you walk in.

Yeah, $10 flat fee with no gun limit is pretty good. According to Bullet Hole's website, their range fee is $7.50 with no gun limit. I guess that makes Bullet Hole's pricing even BETTER. I can't wait to try out Bullet Hole. According to other members here, they treat you like an adult and not a 4-year old.

Cedar Ridge was telling me & the guy I went with... "we've banned over 140 people so far for not following these rules exactly...". Yeah, ok. over 140 people spending their money somewhere else. Maybe after they ban everyone except just a few, maybe they'll go out of business.

I seriously doubt that all of these "140 people" were jumping around and waving their guns in the air and acting crazy.

and another thing. I'm around 75% deaf (from a motorcycle accident, not from guns), and the guy I was with (72 years old, ex military) is very hard of hearing also (just due to age). Well, these owners get a little irritated when you don't hear something they're saying...

Hey,

I'm just glad we have such options!

Different strokes...




B.

According to Bullet Hole's website, their range fee is $7.50 with no gun limit

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Bender

Yep, you do have to pay a few bucks more the first time you go, to register and get your card; but after that it is only $7.50 to shoot with no limit on the number of guns.

Having done most of my shooting in the military (over 24 years in uniform), I am a staunch advocate of range safety. However, I am not a firm believer of the policy where "one person ****s their pants, and everyone has to wear diapers." Cedar Ridge's rules seem a bit extreme, I agree that everyone should be behind the firing line and all weapons are locked open when the range is cold; but not being able to drink a soda or look at your target with binoculars is over the top. Plus, what range brags about banning 140 people? I hate to damn the place without ever having been there, but if Bender's experience is any measure of how they treat their customers, then it won't be on my list of places to check out. I don't see any reason why Bender wouldn't be telling us anything than the honest truth.

As for Camp Bullis, due to the rain we were able to track down the Outdoor Recreation shop today. I will try to get by there tomorrow and post some info. I know many of you probably have never been back there, but it is some beautiful country and I would suspect it is full of deer and other game to hunt. The season out there runs November to January, according to their web site. The ROE can be found here.

Cheers! M2

they weren't bragging about banning people, just mentioning it... as a warning to us I guess...

Personally, I like Cedar Ridge. I like the "separateness" of the ranges. Shooters basically have their own range to shoot. The people on the other sides of the berms to your left and to your right, have their own little range. You and whoever you are shooting with pretty much decide on your own cease fires.

However, the owners driving back and forth watching everyone, or else just walking around watching everyone... even if you're doing nothing wrong... it still makes you worried... "am I doing something wrong..."

My shooting buddy (who still intends to go there) told me, from now on, when he's shooting with someone, and that someone decides to walk around a pick up brass, or change targets... my buddy is gonna raise his hands in the air and stand there like that... as if a mugger came up behind him and said "this is a stick up!". Just in case.

Another thing I just remembered. When me and my buddy were shooting (we were shooting slow and easy and careful), someone or more than one nearby was really blazing away... so fast it almost sounded like full auto.

... and yet... me & my friend get the lectures....

It's funny, or maybe sad how easy it is to get a bad association to a given place, be it a store, restaurant, or gun range.

A handful of years ago (6 if I had to guess) a new indoor range opened up in San Diego. It was the 2 range within the city, and the only one that was set up for rifles as well as pistols.

I went there soon after its opening and found it staffed by a bunch of arrogant, hotdogging shop-monkeys. I went back to the other, older range, which was less posh but run by decent folks. I went back to the "newer" range just before I moved to TX and found that the current crop of folks working there were amazing.

I'm not sure what the lesson is there, I just wanted to share the anecdote.



B.

Bragging, warning, whatever...sounds like a threat to me; otherwise, why mention it? Seriously, those kinds of comments put me off any range.

Plus, I enjoy shotting at the Bullethole. They have been friendly and helpful to me and all my friends who go shoot there. The only reason I am considering Bullis is that it is much closer to where I live (Braun & 1604).

Cheers! M2

I'm going to go to Bullet Hole next time. I'm also interested in seeing how much farther of a drive it is for me. I'm estimating Cedar Ridge is about an 18 mile drive for me.

I wish they opened earlier in the day. I usually go at 9am, before ranges get more crowded.

I'm guessing Bullet Hole will be maybe only 5 miles more.

I'll probably go by myself, or maybe take my son. Probably just one or two guns, and just meet the owners and check out the range.

Well, I finally made a trip to the Bullet Hole range in san antonio. Got to the shop, paid the girl 10.50, she took my pic for an ID card. Next time it will just be $7.50. Went to the pistol 15-yd range, spent about 2 hours there with a buddy.

Everybody on the firing line was aware of who wanted to change targets, or just to put up their first target. No cease fire problems.... after a little bit, a range officer started hanging around, but he was very cool and basically just called occasional "cease fire", and then "fire when ready".

Very pleasant trip all around. The girl in the office was friendly, the range officer was friendly, the shooters next to me were friendly...

too bad its a 40 min. drive for me... doh !!!

next I'll give Dietz a try. Went there once back in the 1980s, but haven't been there since.

Hey Bender.
I was there today as well.
It was really busy, much busier than I'm used to seeing.






B.

I go to SA once or twice a year for training...luv th' city...and I always go to Nagels and sometimes to Texas Guns.

I've dealt with both and enjoyed the experience.

Nagels is to me much like Collector's Firearms in Houston, if perhaps a bit smaller.

I've found that anything that I've ever bought from either of them has been fairly marked or better towards the prospective buyer. BUT, you need to have some idea of the worth of that which you're seeking, OR if you don't, be totally "up-front" about not knowing. Most employees will, instead of "puttin' it to ya'", try to be helpful and honest, at least in my experience. IF ya' don't try to flam them, that is!

Good luck in a really neat city!

Hey Bender.
I was there today as well.
It was really busy, much busier than I'm used to seeing.

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what time were you there? I was there from 10am to around 12 noon. Me and the guy I was with are both around 6'3" and were at the 15-yd firing line.

It wasn't crowded at all until after 11 or so...

I figured it might be crowded today, with it being a Federal holiday and all. But I almost took the wife out to Bullet Hole as the kids were in school and I thought it might be a good opportunity to get used to some of my handguns and maybe one of the shotguns (.410, not the 12ga). But alas we didn't go...

It'll probably be around Christmas before she gets to go with me, while her mom is here and can babysit the kids.

It is almost a 30 minute drive for me, which sucks as it is so close to where I work (on Lackland AFB) but I have to come all the way home to get my weapons. Can't take them on base, y'know...

Cheers! M2

what time were you there? I was there from 10am to around 12 noon. Me and the guy I was with are both around 6'3" and were at the 15-yd firing line.
It wasn't crowded at all until after 11 or so...

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I don't think I got there until close to 1pm.

Ships in the...err...day.


When I got there, Michelle hustling behind the counter. Had there been an organized shoot there earlier?

B.

When I got there, Michelle hustling behind the counter. Had there been an organized shoot there earlier?

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not that I know of...

next time I go there, I may take some rifles and hit the 100 yard range. I didn't see anybody at the 100-yd range while we were there...

I have 2 rifles I've never shot yet. A Mosin dated 1894, and a 1903 Springfield, re-arsenal dated 1943. Wouldn't mind dragging them to Bullet Hole to try them out....

Dietz Range

Finally made it to Dietz on Hwy 46. Turned out to be a 24 mile drive, going the "scenic" way (FM 3009).

Was trying out my new FN 9mm (FNP-9M).

Dietz is a pretty laid back range. There's nobody keeping an eye on people, at least I didn't notice anyone. All shooters were responsible and considerate of others. A lot of my brass was landing in the middle of a bunch of large cow patties unfortunately... but I picked it up anyway Noboby else shooting was a reloader, apparantly... they just left their brass. Probably thought I was weird...

$75 for a one-year membership seems very cheap.

Just to note that I bought a Century AK-47 (actually a Yugo M70AB2) and took it out to the Bullethole to shoot. Not only was the range officer friendly and helped me try to sight it in, he brought out his Saiga and let me fire a few rounds through it. I also had a Norinco 56S that I am "gunsitting" and we both shot that as well. I was fairly accurate with the Saiga and Norinco, but the Century is way off. I emailed Ho Guns to see if they can do something about it, but I just wanted to mention yet once again how nice the folks out at the Bullethole are...

Cheers! M2

+1 For Cedar Ridge Range in Bulverde

I'm a San Antonio native, and that was my place to shoot, other than Bracken (only shot pistol there, though, didn't care for their rifle line setup).

The couple that runs Cedar Ridge is awesome, just play by their rules and all will be well. They keep a running book of idiots they've asked never to come back. In fact, one time, the woman jumped all over me when I got there because she thought I was someone they had banned. After she looked my name up and found out it wasn't me, she was extremely apologetic. I let it go. They leave you alone there and dont really care how you shoot as long as you are safe and do not destroy their property.

FWIW, the owner, Greg Ferris, and his wife, are both very safety concious and dont want anything in anyones hands when anyone is down range. The reason? THEY HAVE BOTH SURVIVED GUNFIGHTS. In fact, Mr. Ferris has been in two seperate ones, both when armed gangmembers tried to rob his gunstore on Austin Highway. At least one left in a bag.

He would be an excellent individual to take a class from.

And as for gun shops, I think I found a new favorite with HoGuns Sporting on Culebra. I stopped by and talked with Wayne yesterday and he was extremely helpful. I am taking my M70AB2 there next week to get the front sight straightened. My only problem with HoGuns is that there is too much temptation, I will be very hard pressed not to walk out of there with a little less cash and another gun for the collection. Wayne's got a beautiful Springfield black stainless steel 1911 that would be covered with slobber if it wasn't protected in the display case!

Cheers! M2

I looked for HoGuns on Culebra when we first moved here and was unable to find it.

Address?


B.

I think the Ferris gun fight was in a store on Hilterbrandt, IIRC - and I spelled it correctly.

Brennan


About two miles up on your left as you go north on Culebra. Look for the Sonic, and it is in the strip mall right behind it. There is a sign, but the front of the store is all mirrored tint.

Call Wayne if you need help with directions.

Turns out quite a few people I work with go there.

Cheers! M2

usmcgrunt,

Welcome!
We're glad to have you here.



B.

Thanks Brennan! Glad to be here! Just trying to read all the info on this thread alone! I live in Floresville but dont mind hitting all the gunshops in SA and now I may be joining in on the ranges! I might hit Blackhawk for the matches! I really like Drury's as well, Nice! Look forward to hitting the Saxet shows as well! Hope to mee some of you around the shops,ranges,shows!

Grunt Out!