Any public ranges in Destin/Fort Walton FL?

[docnyt]

Planning to take a break in a couple of weeks and just curious if there are any members here from the Destin/Fort Walton Beach area that can recommend a range open to the public. I thought I saw a Cabela's on 334 near Highway 98 so there must be ranges nearby.

Appreciate the help.

 

[Yoda]

You have some great choices

I like to shoot at Shoal River. It's easy to get to, the costs are very reasonable ($10 all day), and the management is very friendly. It's on US 90, about 5 miles east of Crestview, about midway between Crestview and the Mossy Head exit on I-10. It's on the north side of the road, easily visible from road. I strongly recommend it.

Jay's Guns of Crestview bought out the "Guns 4 U" range northwest of Crestview. You have to be going there to get there. About a mile west of Crestview, at the gas station in Milligan (the only gas station in Milligan), turn north on Old River Road. Keep going until you're convinced that you're on the wrong road. Watch for a VERY little sign on the left/west side of the road. The sign looks like one of those little "vote for" election signs. It's posted on a dirt road, and as you drive that road, keep your speed up or your 4-wheel drive engaged. In fact, i think the name of the road is "Four Wheel Drive." Again, you'll think you're on the wrong road, but there really is a range down there.

I recommend you visit Jay's store in Crestview and get a map. Buy something while you're there. He's a good guy and he deserves your business:

If you don't mind a drive of about 90 minutes, there's a public range northwest of Milton. It's called the Champion Range. It's midway betweeen Cantonment and Milton, on Hwy 184 / Chumuckla Highway / Quintette Road, about a half mile east of where the road crosses over the Escambia River, on the north side of the road, visible from the road.

If you've got a military ID card or can otherwise get access to Hurlburt Field, you can join the Hurlburt Field Rifle and Pistol Club. It has very sophisticated 50 and 100 meter ranges. At times, the management has been extremely overbearing (that's why I now use Shoal River), but it's still a good deal if you can deal with the hassle.

There used to be a very small two-lane indoor range on Beale Parkway in Fort Walton Beach, just southeast of Yacht Club Drive. It was not air conditioned and the air handling was always suspect.

- - - Yoda

 

[EddieNFL]

Champion Range was renamed Pace Public Shooting Range a while back. As Yoda mentioned, Hurlburt Field is available if you have access and is closer than the others. You can purchase a temporary membership for (I think) $20.00. The rifle range has 100 and 200 yard lanes.

Ditto on Jay's.

 

[docnyt]

Hey thanks for the tips. Hopefully my friend and I will find time to check them out. It can be rather distracting, what with taking the family to the beach, the spouses outlet shopping at Sandestin and all that. We must get our priorities straight!

 

[robhof]

I grew up around that area, and was stationed at Duke fld (between Crestview and Niceville). I used to watch the herd of deer graze on the lawns in the morning and evening. We did all our shooting at the dump in Crestview, but that was many, many moons ago. We actually hunted hogs in the area that's now Bluewater Bay, a gated community.

 

[jon86]

Unfortunately, shoal river is now $15 a day. I need to get one of their memeberships.