perdurabo93
Member
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2006
- Messages
- 121
One of the few things I don't like about living in Texas is the fact that there is absolutely zero public/BLM land anywhere where you can just load up all your stuff and go shoot whatever weapon you want in whatever way you want at whatever target you want (as long as you clean it up afterwards). Here in Texas, there are very few outdoor ranges and most of them are run by Fudd types who expect you to shoot slowly, off the bench and at boring old paper targets. On top of that they have all kinds of other least-common denominator idiotic rules and charge you out the ass for the privilege of being forced to follow them. I realize that a lot of these rules are just to cover their asses since there will likely be a lot of idiots on any given public range, but it really irks me to have to deal with this kind of BS which seems to be getting worse every year.
Basically, what I need is enough land to be able to have a 1000 yard range with a fairly large natural berm/backstop (like a hill) where I can shoot anything from pistols to .50 BMG rifles to shotguns to full auto NFA rifles at either steel or paper targets from any field position I choose. Landowners and ranchers around here are more keen on leasing their land for hunting (for big $$$) than for just shooting and for the most part have the typical Fuddy attitude that they don't want you doing a lot of shooting on their land, safe backstops and controlled bursts or no, no matter how much you pay them.
I don't happen to have any friends who are wealthy enough to own or have access to enough rural land to be of consequence so I figured the best way to get what i want is to just buy my own land. I am currently in the process of of looking for relatively cheap west Texas land with some like minded friends (where cheap in Texas is anything less than $2000/acre) primarily so we can go shoot our firearms in whatever way we choose rather than conforming to bull public range rules. If there were BLM land anywhere within a tolerable weekend road trip distance of Austin, I probably wouldn't have to saddle myself with HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS of debt to do this, but I don't know of any other option.
I am looking at several properties down in Edwards county in the Rocksprings area, but even here there are issues relating to water rights and deed restrictions within the subdivided land communities. Has anyone here done something similar and have much advice/experience to offer apart from moving out of Texas into a state with more public land?
Basically, what I need is enough land to be able to have a 1000 yard range with a fairly large natural berm/backstop (like a hill) where I can shoot anything from pistols to .50 BMG rifles to shotguns to full auto NFA rifles at either steel or paper targets from any field position I choose. Landowners and ranchers around here are more keen on leasing their land for hunting (for big $$$) than for just shooting and for the most part have the typical Fuddy attitude that they don't want you doing a lot of shooting on their land, safe backstops and controlled bursts or no, no matter how much you pay them.
I don't happen to have any friends who are wealthy enough to own or have access to enough rural land to be of consequence so I figured the best way to get what i want is to just buy my own land. I am currently in the process of of looking for relatively cheap west Texas land with some like minded friends (where cheap in Texas is anything less than $2000/acre) primarily so we can go shoot our firearms in whatever way we choose rather than conforming to bull public range rules. If there were BLM land anywhere within a tolerable weekend road trip distance of Austin, I probably wouldn't have to saddle myself with HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS of debt to do this, but I don't know of any other option.
I am looking at several properties down in Edwards county in the Rocksprings area, but even here there are issues relating to water rights and deed restrictions within the subdivided land communities. Has anyone here done something similar and have much advice/experience to offer apart from moving out of Texas into a state with more public land?