Anyone from Central AR?

[neededausername]

Hello all,

I've posted here before, but I just bought my first handgun. It's driving me crazy I haven't been able to fire it yet, but I'm waiting till I can find some time to hit the range with my wife. She won here division in the Arizona state championships when she was 11, so I'll wait until I can have her coaching.

Anyway, I just bought a new Ruger Mark III 22/45 and at least I've had time to familiarize myself with it before I put any rounds through it. I was just wondering if there was anyone else on here from Central, Arkansas. Just wondering about local gun clubs, ranges, etc. etc.

Once I'm good with the .22 it's going to become my wife's gun and I'm wanting to move up to something bigger, and would love to find some local enthusiasts to help me a long the way.

 

[Jimmy Dean]

Dont know why your in Cent Ark, but if yall are from out of town, what ar ethe chances your military? If you are, then you may be able to get some time in at the range on LRAFB

 

[Sapanther]

i hate to send them any business but Don's in Rose City has an indoor range ... not a bad place, but don't go for their friendly attitudes ... oh and if ya happen to have any former military in the family .. you can go to the outdoor range at Camp Robinson
both of these are in north little rock


forgive the spelling/typing ... time for me to head home from work so im in a rush

 

[Outlaw Man]

The Game and Fish Commission has a range just east of Mayflower. Concealed Carry isn't permitted, but otherwise it's not bad. If I remember right it's only about $3 to shoot all you want and they supply the targets (and muffs and eye protection if you need it). It's first come first serve, so get there early or you might have to wait.

Don't know what part of Central Arkansas, but Ozark Arms in Searcy has an indoor pistol/rifle (50 yds) range, but I've never used it.

There are a couple of members only ranges around, but those and the ones mentioned earlier are about the only ones I know of. All the good places I used to go when I was a kid are now subdivisions. At least I've got a friend who's a farmer where I can go do a little plinking occasionally.

It won't help much for a pistol, but Remington has a skeet/trap range just off I-40 if you ever need it. They have a rifle/pistol range, but I was told it's for employees only. Personally I think they could make a killing there if they opened up a range and sold their ammo, but they never ask me.

 

[ransom63]

I shoot at the Mayflower range at least once a week. To get there, turn off of I-40, and go east on hwy.89 for about 4 miles or so, & then turn left onto hwy. 286 ( be careful because 286 sort of sneaks up on you!). The range is less than a quarter mile from the turn you just made -there will be one of those brown colored state info signs where you'll make your left turn. You'll see the entance to the range on your right about a 10th of a mile after you've driven in from 286. The range is closed on Mondays & Tuesdays. The pistol range side is open to law enforcement frequently on Wedsnesdays, so it might be a good idea to call if you want to shoot on Weds. Their phone # is 501-470-9904. This is a great place to shoot. You really don't need to get there early (they open @ 9am) for the pistol side. The rifle range has a waiting list often during the hunting seasons. I choose to shoot on Weds. through Fri. because the weekends do get busy. When you get to the range, be SURE your weapon and magazines are unloaded. They do a weapons check before you can enter the range. This a very nice place to shoot. My only complaint (like the other writer) is that you cannot draw from a holster or do rapid fire. But , you have to consider that there are people who go there who have never fired a weapon before, and don't understand firearms safety. Procedure there is confined for your safety- just listen to the range master when he calls the range "clear" and "fire when ready" and you'll be everybody's friend. Have fun with your Ruger!

 

[SaxonPig]

I live in Little Rock and belong to the Benton Gun Club. It's about the same distance for me to Benton as it is to Mayflower. The BGC has a website if you want to check it out.

Joining the Benton club costs more ($75 per year and they now want to impose a $100 new member fee which I oppose but will happen soon) but you can go any day of the year and shoot. You can bring guests.

There are numerous competitions including silhouette and combat pistols run on weekends with $5 entry for members.

The Mayflower range is very restrictive. No rapid fire. No drawing from a holster. No human shaped targets. It's also very busy on weekends to the point that it's not fun. The Mayflower range is closed on Mondays and holidays and that's when I like to go shooting. It's very inconvenient.

If you are in the Central AR area and want to go see the Benton club and shoot as my guests email me at [email protected].

PS. There is also CASA (Central AR Shooters Assc. I think) and they are a little farther out of town to the west. They also have a website.

 

[neededausername]

Thanks everyone. SaxonPig, my wife and I are probably going to join the BGC. I was on there website and it seemed like what we are looking for. I'm just upset that she gets to go on Sunday to a match while I have to work. Oh well....I sent you an e-mail as well.

 

[Hogfan1911]

But , you have to consider that there are people who go there who have never fired a weapon before, and don't understand firearms safety.

Tell me about it! I worked at the Mayflower range for 3 yrs, and saw just about every stupid thing one can do with a firearm. My favorite was the guy who's Lorcin/Jennings/whatever it was failed to extract a live round, so he proceeded to hold the slide open with one hand and try to ram the round out with a cleaning rod.....FROM THE BREECH END! Even though he was at the far end of the range from me I got to him before he managed to hit it twice (I was faster then) and pointed out the error of his ways. The look on his face was priceless when the lightbulb finally clicked on. Anyway, if you want to shoot cheap, Mayflower's the way to go. As long as you follow the rules, everyone is polite & helpful. Friday afternoons used to be the best day to go because that was when many of the regulars would come out. They were great people; very safe, knowledgeable, and willing to help out anyone with a question. Sunday afternoons on nice days, the pistol range is packed. Avoid trying to get on the rifle range on weekends from October-November, you'll be there all day. Can't give you any inside info on CASA or Benton as I haven't shot there yet, but hope to join CASA (closer to me than Benton) eventually to be able to do more than just the static slow-fire that Mayflower allows. Above all, have fun with the new gun, and maybe I'll see you at one of the ranges someday.

 

[neededausername]

Hogfan that's crazy that someone would do that. I'm new to handguns and I know better. Thanks for the info about the range. I went and shot at Don's in NLR today, hated the price but my wife and I really wanted to shoot and I was sick of this weather, so indoor worked. I looked into CASA and they seem to be a really good club with really nice ranges, but they don't shoot the disciplines we are interested in. So it's gonna be BGC for us even if it's more of a drive. Can't wait to knock over my first chicken.

 

[Hogfan1911]

Tell me about it. This guy and his buddy were the type that at first glance, you knew they weren't too sharp. I had been standing right behind them the entire time they were firing just in case until I had to go to the other side of the range to correct someone for doing "rapid fire". I turned around in time to see the guy pull the trigger, not get a bang, then pull back the slide without extraction. When he first started trying to "clear" it I wasn't even sure if it was a live round or just an empty case, but he was pointing it at his buddy's leg, so I didn't take any chances. So Benton has the silhouettes, huh? Cool. CASA is mainly set up for IDPA as I understand. Wish I had enough time to visit 'em all regularly.

 

[armed85]

I'm just north of Little Rock AFB. Like many around our area, I shoot at Mayflower. It costs $2 and that price includes paper targets. Mayflower has it's faults, but for the price, it's a really good deal.

Jimmy Dean, the firing range at Little Rock AFB does not allow anything but qualification on M16, M4, M9, etc. for official purposes only. They are usually swamped with people deploying and sighting in their weapons.

Does the Benton Gun Club offer a military discount per chance?

Enjoy your new Ruger. It's a fine gun. While you say you're going to give it to you wife, I'd say buy another one for her, or some other gun she wants, and keep this one for yourself. The Ruger Mark I, Mark II, and Mark III are fine pistols.

While a bigger gun is appropriate, your Ruger is a whole lot of fun to shoot and it's a whole lot less expensive to feed. Even if you reload for your bigger gun, 22 LR is still less expensive.