Excessive range fees?
- Thread starter rajb123
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ColtPythonElite
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- Jan 8, 2011
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Yes, I could not afford to shoot at those prices....I have a public range in the National Forest about 10 miles from me. It is good out to 100 yards, is covered, and has nice benchs. It is free, but often crowded. I belong to a private club with a covered 150 yard shoot anything range, 100 yard covered .22 range, handgun range, trap range, and stocked fishing ponds. It sets me back 110 bucks a year. I can go there nearly any week day and have the place to myself and often times be alone on weekends.
jsnake
Member
Sounds like IWLA in Cburg VA. Fellow member here.
Joe
Joe
It seem high to me, not knowing about the range.
Each range I go to has a different fee structure. Some are join and use all you want. Some are join & pay roughly half. Guest fees and policies vary.
I am a lifetime member at an indoor range. It cost me $10 to walk in. It doesn't matter if I stay less than an hour or all day. Non member gets the same deal for $20.
We have some public ranges that are on WMA's. One is $6 and you need a current hunt/fish license. Cheapest license is a cane pole license for $3.29ish, which you have to get direct from LADWF.
Most private outdoor ranges here can be joined for $100-150 a year plus about another hundred the first year. They vary be how nice the facility is and how long the range is.
Distance from home is also a factor. How crowded a range can be a big factor. Safety can be worth a few extra dollars since it is priceless. So looking at the fee by itself is not the only basis. A pellet trap at home allows me to shoot often with little extra expense.
Each range I go to has a different fee structure. Some are join and use all you want. Some are join & pay roughly half. Guest fees and policies vary.
I am a lifetime member at an indoor range. It cost me $10 to walk in. It doesn't matter if I stay less than an hour or all day. Non member gets the same deal for $20.
We have some public ranges that are on WMA's. One is $6 and you need a current hunt/fish license. Cheapest license is a cane pole license for $3.29ish, which you have to get direct from LADWF.
Most private outdoor ranges here can be joined for $100-150 a year plus about another hundred the first year. They vary be how nice the facility is and how long the range is.
Distance from home is also a factor. How crowded a range can be a big factor. Safety can be worth a few extra dollars since it is priceless. So looking at the fee by itself is not the only basis. A pellet trap at home allows me to shoot often with little extra expense.
Excessive? I suppose it all depends on where you live. Here in SD, open land is not at a premium, and many shooters have acres of land where they can setup their own home ranges, and they'll let their friends shoot there for free.
For us 'townys' there is a range that costs $25 a year. Granted, its not the highest end facility (basically a pile of dirt, some homebuilt benches, and a target board), but its great to go get some trigger time out to 100 yards and is only a 5 mile drive from my house. The best part is that it is never busy - I've only encountered two other shooters when I've gone down there, and we're always good about taking our turns at the various distances.
The other range in my area (about 25 miles away) is $50 a year and they have a much nicer setup with a 200 yard rifle range, a 100 yard range, and a dedicated pistol/rimfire rifle area. I'm thinking about joining that one as well just so I can work my Remington at the 200 yard distance.
For us 'townys' there is a range that costs $25 a year. Granted, its not the highest end facility (basically a pile of dirt, some homebuilt benches, and a target board), but its great to go get some trigger time out to 100 yards and is only a 5 mile drive from my house. The best part is that it is never busy - I've only encountered two other shooters when I've gone down there, and we're always good about taking our turns at the various distances.
The other range in my area (about 25 miles away) is $50 a year and they have a much nicer setup with a 200 yard rifle range, a 100 yard range, and a dedicated pistol/rimfire rifle area. I'm thinking about joining that one as well just so I can work my Remington at the 200 yard distance.
451 Detonics
Member
State Ranges in Indiana are free so I suppose any fee would seem high to me, $22 an hour seems exorbitant. The private club I belong to is only $25 a year.
Tim the student
Member
Yeah, seems high to me. Way too high.
I have two free public ranges within about 20 minutes of my house.
Got another one about an hour away.
I have two free public ranges within about 20 minutes of my house.
Got another one about an hour away.
j2crows
Member
I pay $6.00 for all day. That includes 1 target.
peptoe
Member
Here in the Portland, Oregon area the only large one is around $400 a year with outdoor from 25-300 yards, plus indoor range 25-50, trap and skeet. The rest are more pretty outragous.
newfalguy101
Member
I have 2 different private ranges within 50 miles of me, the closest is $35/year, BUT, you have to call ahead so the guy who owns it can unlock it, which wouldnt be a big deal, except I had a hard time actually getting ahold of anyone.
The other is $65/year with a $60 "initiation fee" the first year, its a 50 meter indoor range with pay-to-play lighting AND a 225 yard outdoor range also with pay-to-play lighting AND a shotgun range. They give you the combunation to the front gate which is the same as the indoor range. Its essentially open 24/7/365............if it werent 50 miles away, I would have used it considerably more!!
Now, we are looking at a newer house in a town that will put me 11 miles from the family farm...........so FREE range for me!!!!
The other is $65/year with a $60 "initiation fee" the first year, its a 50 meter indoor range with pay-to-play lighting AND a 225 yard outdoor range also with pay-to-play lighting AND a shotgun range. They give you the combunation to the front gate which is the same as the indoor range. Its essentially open 24/7/365............if it werent 50 miles away, I would have used it considerably more!!
Now, we are looking at a newer house in a town that will put me 11 miles from the family farm...........so FREE range for me!!!!
Ronsch
Member
Yeah, pretty spendy...
Our local outdoor range is free, donations accepted, as it is on Borough (sort of like a county down in the Lower 48) land.
The State range is indoors and the prices for an hour are about $7.00 with a discount for Hunter Education instructors (since it is technically in the "Hunter Education" facility) is about $5.00 per hour. It has 7 lanes, and the target hangars are manually operated pulley and cable, crank-handled affairs.
But it is only 5 years old, so it is in really great shape. Some odd hours, though, contingent on HE classes and scheduled uses by user groups.
Our local outdoor range is free, donations accepted, as it is on Borough (sort of like a county down in the Lower 48) land.
The State range is indoors and the prices for an hour are about $7.00 with a discount for Hunter Education instructors (since it is technically in the "Hunter Education" facility) is about $5.00 per hour. It has 7 lanes, and the target hangars are manually operated pulley and cable, crank-handled affairs.
But it is only 5 years old, so it is in really great shape. Some odd hours, though, contingent on HE classes and scheduled uses by user groups.
CoastieShep
Member
My range doesn't charge for active duty military, which saves me $14 all you can shoot.
iamkris
Member
My range is $140 per year for my entire family. Let yourself in with a keycard. Indoor pistol range, outdoor pistol range with steel and bowling pins, 3 rifle bays up to 100 yards. 3 trap and 2 skeet fields ($5 a round). Archery walk. Fishing on a good salmon river. Only down sides are that they don't allow .50 BMG and the rifle bays are only 100 yards...wish we had longer range.
The NYS run range 30 minutes from me is $7/hr for rimfire, $12/hr for centerfire large bore. I'm also a part of a rod and gun club in upstate NY for when I'm up there that is $25 a year. I much prefer the upstate range as I'm generally the only one there, which is nice.
joeq
Member
My local range charges $14 an hour. We don't have any free ranges in central Texas. I'm not even aware of any free ranges in Texas. Being charged that much per hour does put a hamper on how much I'm able to shoot. They want $400 for a yearly membership. I have other priorities before I can shell out $400 for a membership. By the way, this is a poorly lit 100 yard indoor range with ten lanes and no rapid fire. Austin is not a great place to live for shooters. I generally just drive out to Kerrville to shoot at a buddy's ranch for free, but that's a two hour drive.
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Caliper_Mi
Member
Around here, the only ranges I have seen that charge hourly are indoors (about $15/hour). Outdoor ranges I have been to are $4-7 per shooter per day.
No WAY that is expensive... East Coast NY/NJ is $25 an hour ... and they are pretty brutal with keeping track.. example I went to break in a muzzleloader on a summer day the whole place was empty and I explained I would only actually be on the range for a few shots and the rest of the time cleaning inbetween shots and they charged me for every second even when I was outside scrubbing the barrel... insurance is horrendous for these places and they pass the buck!
Toforo
Member
Which state?
(that'd be expensive here in MO but CHEAP for maybe Chicago, NY, LA - etc)
Ranges here in MO that are run by the state on state lands are generally free
(DANG I LOVE living here more and more EVERY day)
Cal-gun Fan
Member
We pay $10. As long as benches are free we can use two, if we want. Targets out to 300 yards. We can have a couple targets, they aren't really stringent on that. Same with sandbags, we can just grab however many bags or stands we need.
22 bucks an hour? Yikes!
22 bucks an hour? Yikes!
THE DARK KNIGHT
Member
Unfortunately, lack of competition in range facilities usually leads to awful results. There's a range here in NJ (Bullet Hole in Belleville) that is 25 yards, indoor, some ports are pistol/rimfire only and a couple ports they allow shotguns and rifles. They charge something like $18 an hour?
And there is typically a line out the door and 2+ hour wait times there on the weekend.
I drive an hour away to a club out of state where I pay $30/year for a 100 yard rifle range, informal range, pistol and rimfire range.
And there is typically a line out the door and 2+ hour wait times there on the weekend.
I drive an hour away to a club out of state where I pay $30/year for a 100 yard rifle range, informal range, pistol and rimfire range.
Hanzo581
Member
This is severely dependent on where you live. For a basic pistol range here it is between $10-$20, usually for as long as you want unless people are waiting to shoot. The outdoor range closest to me is strictly hourly, but you can always get an unlimited yearly membership for $600.....I don't go there very often.
belercous
Member
My range fees are $50.00/yr. since they raised them. We have trap, skeet, 50, 100, 200 yd. rifle with tables, 25 & 13 yd. pistol and indoor bowling pin lanes. We also have an area for bow & arrow. So I'd say yes, you have some excessive range fees.
My local range is a local wildlife game area. You buy a hunting lic. every year and shoot till you can't stand it anymore. The ranges are shut down for two weeks or so during deer hunting season. They have a 250 yard range and 100 yard. You can go to Tulsa and get bent over if you want.
bigalexe
Member
The club I am a member of has the following fee structure.
Membership: $75.00 annual, +$35 the first year. Includes unlimited usage of the 100 yd. outdoor rifle/pistol range usage. No RSO's on duty most of the time, exception is during the few weekends preceding Deer Season we have Sight-In where the range is open to public and RSO's are on duty. Members are asked to also donate $5 during this period. Also free usage of archery barn if you can track down the guy with the key.
Non-Member: $5.00 a day for same range, must be with a member. Our range is never "Open" publicly except when stated.
As far as the leagues are concerned members get discounts for league shoots. I can't recall what trap & sporting clays costs per round but members pay half price.
A ways down the road another club charges $15 a day for rifle range usage to non-members. I haven't shot trap there so I don't know what it costs.
Membership: $75.00 annual, +$35 the first year. Includes unlimited usage of the 100 yd. outdoor rifle/pistol range usage. No RSO's on duty most of the time, exception is during the few weekends preceding Deer Season we have Sight-In where the range is open to public and RSO's are on duty. Members are asked to also donate $5 during this period. Also free usage of archery barn if you can track down the guy with the key.
Non-Member: $5.00 a day for same range, must be with a member. Our range is never "Open" publicly except when stated.
As far as the leagues are concerned members get discounts for league shoots. I can't recall what trap & sporting clays costs per round but members pay half price.
A ways down the road another club charges $15 a day for rifle range usage to non-members. I haven't shot trap there so I don't know what it costs.
mgmorden
Member
Definately high. I have two free ranges within 6-8 miles of me, but they are often crowded (like most free ranges are).
There's an indoor range with 15-yard and 25 yard lanes that I go to after work sometimes. It's $5/day or $125 per year.
There's also a club/outdoor range that is nearby. It's $150 per year which is reasonable, but there's a $500 induction fee which I just ain't paying.
There's an indoor range with 15-yard and 25 yard lanes that I go to after work sometimes. It's $5/day or $125 per year.
There's also a club/outdoor range that is nearby. It's $150 per year which is reasonable, but there's a $500 induction fee which I just ain't paying.
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