First Time Shooting In Over A Year.

[Phydeaux642]

Well, my Bass Pro range membership is up tomorrow, so, I thought that I would use it at least once before it expired and fire a few rounds through my 642 and my recently acquired Colt Trooper Mk III .22. I used to go to the range about every weekend - then the craziness started 11/2008. Trying to get into the range has been nearly impossible. After the craziness began, the range was usually packed and there would be a line of people waiting to get in. Before 11/2008 it was fairly laid back.

Then there were(are) the CCW classes that take up four of the five lanes leaving one lane to be used by walk-ins and members. I decided that it just wasn't worth it to stand in line for who knows how long just to be able to shoot for a few minutes.

So, today I took my chances and went in to see if there was a lane available. To my surprise, there was one. Five people were using three lanes, one lane was closed because of a broken motor and has been closed for a while I was told. That left one lane for me. I shot for about twenty minutes then left as there was a line waiting to get in. Plus, There was a guy in there rapid firing which is a big no no in there, but nobody was paying any attention to it. I don't have anything against rapid fire, but rules are rules and if I can't do it then you shouldn't get to do it either.

I was surprised by the fact that I was shooting as well as I had been before the craziness began. I had lost nothing at all it seemed. That made me feel better. I also realized that I missed shooting more than I thought.

The new-to-me Colt shot well and seemed to work as intended. The only thing that didn't go well was my first experience with Crimson Trace on the 642. It wasn't the grips fault, though. Without the grips turned on I was basically hitting where I was aiming. With the grips turned on I was hitting high and to the right. The problem was I forgot to bring the tool and instructions on how to adjust them.

I don't know where I will shoot now that my range membership is up. The membership fee doubled last year, so, I don't think I will renew. It's a shame that they don't use the extra money to keep the place nice, though. They have one lane down, another one is on the brink of going down. They have been having a big problem with ricochets, so, maybe their backdrop is in need of replacement. And, the last I heard, the ventilation system needed to be replaced.

 

[Sam1911]

Sorry if this has been asked before, but have you NO other range choices around you than a restricted (square range plinking) use commercial range -- at a big box retailer no less?

Where do you live exactly? With so many members here at THR I'm sure someone knows of some real ranges close to you that would fulfill more realistic shooting needs without all the hassles, crowding, and neophytes.

 

[M2 Carbine]

I don't know where I will shoot now that my range membership is up. The membership fee doubled last year, so, I don't think I will renew. It's a shame that they don't use the extra money to keep the place nice, though.

I'll tell you something that will make you cry.

This is the bottom 40 yards of my range.


I've had a backyard range and a 100 yard range in the woods since the mid 1960's.
For years I'd allow most anyone to shoot here for free.

But now days, for the most part the American people have become such sue crazy jerks that I can only allow a few trusted friends to shoot here.


Because people have become what they are, landowners like myself can't allow people to come on their property any more.

What a waste of a nice place to shoot.

 

[Enachos]

^^^ ... I'm jealous.

 

[Kingofthehill]

^^^ ... I'm jealous.

Same here... I haven't found a "Fun" place to shoot since moving to San Antonio. Everything's far, expensive or just way to crowded

JOe

 

[BullfrogKen]

I'm with Sam here on this one. You have no other options than a commercial, indoor square range?


That doesn't sound like any fun to shoot on at all.


Where are you located? Let's see if we can't find you a better place to go shoot. A .22 Trooper is a terrible thing to waste.

 

[Phydeaux642]

Sorry if this has been asked before, but have you NO other range choices around you than a restricted (square range plinking) use commercial range -- at a big box retailer no less?

Well, here's the deal with ranges in my area. There is the aforementioned Bass Pro. There is also a Conservation Department manned range a couple of towns away, but the hours of operation don't coincide well with my work schedule.

Next, there is a private range that is fairly expensive to join with a fairly expensive yearly maintenance fee that goes with it. It is in the same town as the previously mentioned range.

Last, there are two areas that have public ranges, but they are unmanned. I never used to think anything about that, but we had one of our fellow THR members brutally murdered at a range just like these. These type of ranges sometimes draw folks looking for trouble and I would just as soon not be on the receiving end of that trouble. A local guy had his .357 wheelgun stolen at one of these sites just last summer.

There is supposed to be a range opening about 15 miles from me at some point in the future, but I don't know yet what the cost will be to use it.

M2 Carbine, I wish that I lived close to you and you considered me a friend. That is one nice setup.

 

[gunnie]

i can see your point, no fun getting killed...but if you take a coupla buds with you, i doubt many perps would take the chance, and you'd have someone to compete with? always more fun that way.

gunnie

 

[Dimis]

M2 thats a nice range im not quite as jealous as the others because i have my own but yours is set up better and not flooded like mine right now
and its awesome to see someone teaching the next generation of shooters too

phy i dont know if i could go a whole year without shooting i can barely go a whole week
if it were me i would probably pay the expencive range fees and just shoot as often as i could to make it worth the money but if thats not an answer maybe you could find someone in your area with a private range or farm thats willing to let you rent or use it

i hope you find something cause if your addiction to finger curls is as bad as mine your pain must be horrible right now

 

[Phydeaux642]

phy i dont know if i could go a whole year without shooting i can barely go a whole week
if it were me i would probably pay the expencive range fees and just shoot as often as i could to make it worth the money

I may not have a choice if I want to keep shooting. I may have to bite the bullet, so-to-speak, and pay the fee. I've been waiting to hear more on a new range the next town over but everyone just keeps saying "they're workin' on it".