Best Ranges/Gun shops in San Antonio?

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Redhat

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Just found I'll be moving to San Antonio mid summer. What are the best gun shops/ranges in the local area?

Thanks
 
There are plenty of gunshops in S.A. but I find that most are rather proud of their merchandise:

Some gun shops:

http://www.durysguns.com/

http://www.nagelsguns.net/

http://www.thecityofsanantonio.com/gun/index.html



There is a monthly gunshow with better prices:

http://saxetshows.com/



Ranges:

San Antonio - A Place to Shoot, 13250 Pleasanton Road, San Antonio, TX 78221.
Phone: 210-628-1888
Facilities include: Outdoor Pistol (3 - 50 yds), Outdoor Rifle (25 - 200 yds), Muzzleloading, Trap, Skeet, Sporting Clays
Range Access: Public

San Antonio - Bracken Rifle and Pistol Range, 19140 Marbach Lane, San Antonio, TX 78266.
Phone: 210-651-9009
Facilities include: Outdoor Pistol (3.5.7.15 & 25 yds), Outdoor Rifle (50 & 100 yds), Pistol Silhouette, Muzzleloading, Skeet
Range Access: Public

San Antonio - Bullet Hole Shooting Range, 2715 Grosenbacher Rd., San Antonio, TX 78245.
Phone: 210-679-6781
Facilities include: Outdoor Pistol (7 - 15 - 25 - 50 Yds), Outdoor Rifle (100 - 200 - 300 Yds), Muzzleloading, Sporting Clays, Archery, Airgun
Range Access: Public
Email: [email protected]

San Antonio - Bullet Hole Shooting Range, 2715 Grosenbacher Rd, San Antonio, TX 78245.
Phone: 210-679-6781
Facilities include: Outdoor Pistol (7yds, 15yds, 25yds), Outdoor Rifle (50yds, 100yds, 200yds, 30), Rifle Silhouette, Pistol Silhouette, Muzzleloading, Airgun
Hours of Operation: 10am-8pm 7 days
Range Access: Public
Web Site: www.bullethole.com
Email: [email protected]

San Antonio - Central Catholic H.S., 1403 N. St. Mary's Street, San Antonio, TX 78215.
Phone: 210-225-6794x2
Facilities include: Indoor Rifle (10 meters), Archery
Range Access: Private

San Antonio - National Shooting Complex, 5931 Roft Rd., San Antonio, TX 78253.
Phone: 210-688-3371
Facilities include: Outdoor Pistol (50 yds.), Outdoor Rifle (100 yds.), Trap, Skeet, Sporting Clays
Range Access: Private

San Antonio - San Antonio Gun Club Inc., P.O.Box 6966, San Antonio, TX 78209.
Phone: 210-828-9860
Facilities include: Trap, Skeet, Sporting Clays
Range Access: Public

San Antonio - San Antonio Rifle and Pistol Club - Camp Bullis, Camp Bullis, San Antonio, TX 78257.
Phone: 210-829-1906
Facilities include: Outdoor Pistol (25 & 50 yds), Outdoor Rifle (25 to 1000 Yds), Muzzleloading
Range Access: Private
Email: [email protected]

http://www.nrahq.org/shootingrange/findlocal.asp?State=TX

Welcome to Alamotown! :D
 
Thanks TxCajun!

Sounds like I'll find plenty of places to stay busy!
 
First post

First I'd like to say hello to everyone, then thank Redhat for asking, and TxCajun for answering.

My family and I are moving out to San Antonio (Helotes, actually) this summer and I had been wondering the same thing.

Coming from PRK, I'm truly looking forward to living in a state that doesn't discourage its citizens from owning firearms.


Thanks,
B.
 
Bullethole is my favorite. You get to walk out and change your targets after a seize fire is called. I like that about Bullethole.

A place to shoot charges you by the gun, and has fixed targets. You can't walk out to the range. Although they have an awesome gunsmith working there. Prices are a little more steep.

San Antonio Gun Club is a Member/Non-Member place, Members get discounts, but it's open to Non Members as well... It's a shotgun only range, they have trap, skeet, 5-stand. It's a nice hoity toity place where all the old retired people go with their $2,000 over/under skeet guns.

Bracken is ok, it's very inexpensive but they don't accept plastic. So have some cash on hand.

As far as gun shops go, definitely check out powderhorn, great selection on milsurp. And the most reasonably priced shop around.

Welcome to San Antonio :)
 
A buddy of mine likes to shoot out here
http://www.blackhawkrange.com/

I've never been out there with him so I can't comment on the quality of the place or the cost.
I've only shot at Bracken Range because it is very close to my home relatively speaking.
There is also a newer range off of Hwy 46 near New Braunfels. It costs 75 for a year membership and you and your spouse can go as much as you like. I also have not tried this place out, but the gun counter guy at Sportsmans Warehouse highly recommended it.
 
Even though I am in NC, The Bullet Hole is by far the coolest Range in SA.
I used to pull loads quiet alot into S.A. (Truck driver/ owner) and I always left an extra day or two to go shooting there.
The back range is either 2 or 3 hundred yards, they have a middle range that was under const' for a while , so I dont know about that. Then the pistol range is pretty good too.
You can rent FA items also, MP5, Uzi, and not sure what else. They have a HAWTY that owns/manages the place, but Rabbi (XDTALK) and I forget his name on AR and Glocktalk, dates her :( .
My vote goes for The Bullet Hole.

BTW: I found my memebership ID for them just yesterday while I was "
thining out" my wallet. I found about 9 memberships for ranges from NC to AZ
 
Opinions

I live in San Antonio, a great place. You have all the information here, I'll throw in my 2 cents. I like the Bracken Range. They are serious about safety and have good solid benches. 100 yd rifle range, $7/gun. I took my CHL class there.
I don't care for the bullethole because the benches are elevated wooden platforms that move around, especially when they are busy and there are people walking aroun behind the line. You can shoot 2 and 300 yards there which is nice, but the rickety benches make it hard to test loads or really shoot for accuracy at long range.
I second the Powderhorn, good selection and decent prices. The guys that work there are polite and will help you immediately. Dury's has higher prices, but good service. They gurantee any gun bought from them for life, new or used, which is pretty rare. David Dury is the son of the founder and a good gunsmith. He has done some work for me and I have been pleased with the turnaruond time, advice, and results.
The Saxet shows will normally have the best prices, I have an FFL friend who is a 911 dispatcher but sells guns as a side business. He will order any gun for you for cost +10% and has a real reasonable price on CHL certification. PM me if you want his contact info in the future.
 
IIRC, from a friend - the Camp Bullus range was closed to civilians after 9/11. If it reopened, that's good but I haven't heard that.

As far as stores - I've shopped at Dury's and they are nice place. Prices are good for a store. For something not standard and smithing, they are quality outfit.

The gun show is cheaper for standard items. Ammo is best bought for standard practice rounds at WalMart or Academy.

In fact on the intersection of SH-151 and 410 there is a nexus of Academy, Sportman's Warehouse and WalMart for the big store experience.

So if I wanted a Glock 19 - it would be $459 at the show and $50 to 100 more at a store.

Nagel's is pricey and can be attitudinally challenged at times - some folks are very friendly and some get snooty.

Ranges - I shoot IDPA at Blackhawk. For casual shooting, I shoot at Dietz on 46. It is a drive but pleasant. Didn't like the Place to Shoot.

Most outdoor ranges here suffer from the HEAT and the need to moderate your shooting due to the doofus next to you with a Kel-tec 32 ACP that he insists on shooting at 25 yards.

We really need an indoor range for just pistol practice.

For more info:

www.krtraining.com as an Austin area range and match FAQ that covers San Antonio also.

www.rivercityshooters.com has IPSC and IDPA and links.

www.texastactical.com - a bit of a drive but carbine, three gun, IDPA and a range.

There are other matches at Cedar Ridge and an outfit out of there has a mailing list that covers steel, and assorted other shooting fun.

There are significant shotgun resources also as mentioned. There's a big shotgun complex - the National Shooting Complex - http://www.nationalshootingcomplex.com/
 
Thanks for the info...

I will be moving to San Antonio July 26th. Bought a house near the 151 and the 410. I hope to meet a few of you all in the future.

When house hunting, I "accidentally" stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott right next to the Saxet gun show on the first weekend of the month.....

I appreciate your info on the gun shops.

All the best

Jerry
 
I shoot at Bracken alot, but also hit up Dietz and Cedar Ridge

I live in the NE Area. That means Bracken, Dietz and Cedar Ridge are the closest.

Everything else is on the South or West sides of town, for me a decent drive. FWIW Bullet hole is a cool place. Michelle who runs the front is very nice, the entire staff is pretty good. Only place Im aware of that that allows FA. One of these days I need to do a mag dump or two when I get an itch to head out there.

As far as gunshops go, Powderhorn is a nice place. I typically frequented Jim McKee's, but hes retiring and trying to sell the shop, so I dont know what he status is on it. I havent been in there for a while now. He did stock 7.62x25 on a regular basis so partly the reasoning I went alot and its close to home. Just down the road from the powderhorn is a decent pawnshop, the Actionpawn on Marbach and 410. Talk to Will, very nice guy. They do a lot of buy sale and trade, new and used stuff, I have been very lucky and found several nice milsurps in there.

I 90 percent of the time hang out at Bracken, look for a young short guy in glasses with the milsurps. :)

Welcome to town. I agree, an Indoor pistol range would be sweet. There used to be one and word I heard was someone was considering reopening it. Lets hope so.
 
I live close to Dietz's. One thing I don't like there is having to step over the cow patties!!

There IS an indoor range in San Antonio (and don't you immigrants here start calling it "San Antone":fire: :cuss: :banghead: :barf: !!) It is : http://www.texasthunderrange.com/ I have not been there. It LOOKS very nice and is a members only set up.

Anyone remember that range out on West Avenue past Blanco? Definitely dating myself with that one!
 
wow grayrock, so they did open it

wow, it did not know it was open yet, im about to buy a nice Makarov I found the other day, have to wait till fri for the funds, i guess i know where im gonna be looking into to go check it out once i purchase it
:)
 
Other gun shops

Check out Wayne Ho at:

Hoguns Sporting
7914 Culebra Rd
San Antonio, TX 78251
(210) 521-2288

Wayne's active in the local IDPA/IPSC matches. Great store and a great guy.

I also recommend Alan Jones at:

AJC Sports Shop
723 South Main, Suite A
Clute, TX 77531
979-265-4867

Alan's shop is down near the Gulf Coast near Freeport. He usually comes to the Saxet shows on the first full weekend of the month. Great prices and selection.

Bill
 
I just found this board today. been living in S.A. for 32 years. My usual range is Braken since I live near it.

Way back in 1990 or around there, I used to go to an indoor range somewhere in the Bandera Road area (inside 1604). I think it was called Percision Arms. Was supposed to be "Precision Arms" but the owners mis-spelled Precision as Percision on all their legal docs, so the name stuck... Whatever happened to that range, and is there any other nice indoor ranges around here?

I used to be really into guns & shooting sports back in the late-80's to early-90's but I have slacked off in the last several years. Now my kid is getting into it... so I take him shooting occasionally...

Have used Dietz a long time ago, but back then I don't remember the owners being all that friendly... Went to La Paloma (on 1863 between 281 & new braunfels) and really liked that range. Been to A Place To Shoot only once, been to bracken several times, and the indoor Percision Arms a few times also.
 
Bender (funny- I used to have a pet crawdad called "Bender")- There IS an indoor range in San Antonio. See above posts. La Paloma is still there. It is now called Cedar Ridge Range. They have sporting clays, 5 stand and rifle and pistol ranges. It is where I do my CAS (Cowboy Action Shooting) with the Alamo Area Moderators (check them out at www.alamoareamoderators.com )

Best,

Grayrock
 
Well, was looking for some info on Powerhorn as it is near where I work (Lackland AFB), and lo and behold THR comes through! I bought my Springfield XD-45 ACP from Sportsman's Warehouse at 410 and 151, they are some great folks who work there. There is another Sportsman's Warehouse up off of 1604 and 281, and they are equally as nice.

I took my CHL at the Bullethole and Michele taught the class. She and her Mom are doing a great job running the range since Vern passed away earlier this year. The range is OK as long as it is not crowded, I had heard some horror stories about it before I went there but I have fired there many times and have never witnessed any buffoonery. I have also fired at Bracken and it is a nice set-up as well, but go early to both and they do get hot in the afternoons!

With the new Bass Pro Shop opening soon at 1604 and 10, we will have a ton of great shops. I have also stopped by Cabela's on my way back from Austin, what an interesting place that is! They may be a bit more expensive, but their selection is huge. It took Sportsman's Warehouse a few weeks to get me a XD-45 Service, but I noticed Cabela's had on in the display case for not too much more.

I also live near Helotes, off of Braun between 1604 and 1560. It's a nice area, our old house is only a mile from where our new one is. We moved here from Germany in '99, and left in '02 when I got my NATO assignment in Belgium. We came back last year and I retired from the USAF a few months back. I am now a contractor working on Security Hill at Lackland, and there are a lot of shooters in my organization.

I do have a question, I recently acquired a Mossberg 500 and would like to put a few rounds through it. I know Bracken has a shotgun range to the left when you come into the parking lot, but do any of the other ranges here in town have one? Bracken is only a half hour away from me, but the traffic can be a bear sometimes...

Cheers! M2
 
I live in the Judson Road / 1604 area. Been to Sportsman's Warehouse on 281/1604 a couple times, but Academy seems cheaper on guns.

My boss told me about the Bass Pro opening up across from Fiesta Tx. Will check that out when open. I work near that area.

I've driven by Cabela's in Buda lots of times when driving up to Austin. Never stopped in.

Bracken has a shotgun range to the left when you come into the parking lot, but do any of the other ranges here in town have one?
Cedar Ridge does (I think), at least they used to when they were called La Paloma. Its on 1863, which is up 281 about 10 miles north of 1604.
 
ps... the powderhorn a very nice placegots to be hurting with the sportsmans wharehouse down the street..and we sure do miss dave... but give them a chance very nice people..dont miss the black powder section..
 
I went into texas guns for the first time today. That's the place that has the Texas Thunder indoor range next door. They were telling me that san antonio now has a law that indoor ranges are no longer allowed in town. Texas Thunder was around before the law, so they are OK to stay. Maybe that's why their prices are extremely high.
 
I have never heard that there was a new law to that effect. Tell them to cite the ordinance and then post it here, please.

If there isn't and they actually said that - then that's a real problem with them.
 
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