Good rifle range near Austin, TX

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Lurp

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I'm looking for a good rifle range near Austin, TX that preferably has a 50 yard rifle range and allows rapid fire. I just got an M4 like AR-15 with an EO-Tech and want to do some close range plinking, but can’t seem to locate a good range. I see the Eagle Peak range but from the pics and description it looks like the shortest rifle range is 100 yards and doesn’t allow rapid fire. From what I’ve researched it doesn't seem Austin has a range nearby that meets my requirements. Thanks for your help.
 
There are really only 2 known ranges you can visit in austin and surroundings. Eagles Peak (the place is kinda weak compared to indoor) or Reds Indoor range in Oak Hill or on the north side of austin. I prefer reds indoor range. they are exspensive on ammo so I always buy mine before I go. But it is a nice range. I think also they have a designated time\dates that they allow class 3 firearms and allow rapid fire.

Brad
 
I don't know of any range in the Austin area that approves of rapid fire. Most of the Austin ranges are focused on bench rest, slow, target practice. I think leasing or buying your own land outside the city would be the way to go if you want to do that.
 
There are really only 2 known ranges you can visit in austin and surroundings. Eagles Peak (the place is kinda weak compared to indoor) or Reds Indoor range in Oak Hill or on the north side of austin. I prefer reds indoor range. they are exspensive on ammo so I always buy mine before I go. But it is a nice range. I think also they have a designated time\dates that they allow class 3 firearms and allow rapid fire.

Brad

There are more. You just have to know where they are.
 
Ya I saw Stan's range also, but only 100 meter rifle range which is a little far for rapid fire.

geojap, I wish I could afford some land outside of Austin, but im a third year college student :) .

Red's looks like a good range as long as I can get a lane and it also seems very convienient for me with the late hours. I'll probably head over there tomorow after I get back from a little bassin' on Lake Austin.

Thanks everyone.
 
Reds indoor range doesnt allow automatic weapons at their range, but they have never had a problem with my rapid firing, as long as its not bothering anyone else and im not being stupid about it.
 
You could join the Austin Rifle club...

I was a member there for a couple of years - it was just about the best place to shoot in Austin. Most days I went, no one was around, so you could pretty much shoot as fast as you want.
 
Red's is a good range (both of them) but if you end up with someone like me next to you with a 338/378 Wby or someone with a muzzle brake, you'll be in a world of hurt. The fees too these days are a little rich for my blood. I understand they've got to make a living over there, but $12 an hour just doesn't work for me, and them membership fees are crazy. I do most of my shooting nowadays at Eagle Peak. $10 for a range card, then $10 to shoot all day. As far as outdoor ranges go, I like it. I've never shot at Stan's but I know a couple of guys who go out there. It's further out than Eagle Peak though. As for rapid fire, Red used to let you do just about anything you wanted. I've seen a fully automatic MP-5 in the north range before. The only other place I know that you could get away with it would be "Crazy Richard"'s place out in Hamilton pool, but I think he finally closed. Pressure from surrounding landowners I would imagine. I've heard lots of good things about ARC too, but just haven't had the time to get a friend (who is a member) to sponsor me. Been too busy shooting in Cedar Park at Eagle Peak. :)
 
Wasn't there a outdoor range west of town. "Hill Country Range" or something like that? Had 50-1000yds available.

Oneshooter
Livin in Texas
 
don't live in the Austin area but I visit as much as I can. :)

I can add a +1 to The Austin Rifle Club.

It was a nice area set up not too far out of town.

Only other thing I could suggest is to get you a place with 15 acres or more and use it. :)


D
 
Eagle Peak has a 50, 100, 200 and 300 yard rifle range, but no rapid fire and no FMJ rifle ammo.
 
The skeet/rifle range on 290 just outside of Manor (conviently located across the highway from the road leading to ARC) was bought out and shutdown earlier this year.

The Austin Rifle Club DOESN'T require a sponsor any longer. You show up on 3rd Saturday, take the orientation, wait 3 weeks for them to do their thing and then go to the monthly meeting to get your membership card. You MUST have either a CHL or a DPS background check.
 
Thanks for the additional info on ARC Jester. I'm finally getting off of my duff and doing the CHL next month. I guess I'll set something up with ARC after that.
 
I have done rapid fire at Red's north but I had to convince the guy that I sort of knew what I was doing and he was watching me pretty close.
 
Wasn't there a outdoor range west of town. "Hill Country Range" or something like that?
Yes, on Hamilton Pool Road. It has been on the verge of closing for years. No 1000 yards, maybe 300. The longer distances apparently were off the property and the neighbors complained. My USPSA club shot there until the owner notified us he was selling the land.

Lee
 
Anyone been out to see Crazy Richard lately? Is he still open?

If you are going to shoot at Red's a lot, ask about a membership. Prices are pretty steep otherwise.

Best bet is to take the time to join Austin Rifle Club. Decent facilities, several ranges, but the best part is that 1) usually you will be the only one shooting if you go during the week 2) when you aren't the only one shooting, the other folks there are probably really friendly and might let you shoot their guns :)
 
Crazy Richard = Hill Country Range on Hamilton Pool Rd. Give him a call.

(For the lurkers - why do some think him crazy? Example: when my USPSA club did a range cleanup, we asked where to put the brush we cleaned from the bays. He said throw it on the burn pile. He kept a burn pile to light off as a distraction so he could escape when the Russians invade. Maybe we should collect our Richard stories...)

If you are east of town, try Fayette County Gun Club in La Grange (also where the USPSA club shoots). Private, with some public hours. Not sure about rapid fire on the rifle range, but we shoot USPSA there.

Lee
 
Thanks for the link to the Fayette County Gun Club! I have to drive so far west to shoot in the Houston area, going a little farther to Fayette County will be no trouble.
 
Thread Spin-off: Wide Open Space?

I'm looking to buy a rifle, also -- probably a Ruger 10/22.

I tried one out at Red's Indoor Range (rented one) and I like the rifle, but I'm not so sure I like range shooting like that.

When I was in my teens, my father used to take me out in the middle of no where in western Texas (El Paso area) to shoot at stuff. .. you know, like cans, sheet metal, etc.

That's what I enjoy a lot more. But asking a couple of people I know that like to go shooting/hunting are telling me that I'm not going to have much luck here in Central Texas finding a place where I can go. They tell me that just about everything is owned by someone.

I'm a mature adult, with no intention of causing trouble or doing anything wreckless. I'd just like to go out for some recreation and not bother any one. Does ANYone know of a place not more than an hour out of Austin that I could go? Down desolate dirt roads or anything?

I'm not too interested in buying a rifle if my only options are at ranges.
 
Watts300,

There isn't anything like that around Austin. It's gotten very developed around here and no land owner will let you shoot on their land, not knowing you, for fear of litigational liability and risk. There is no BLM or national forest land within a 4 hour drive of Austin. The closest is the Piney Woods in east Texas.
 
I asked this same question back in March, here's the thread on it:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=241190

Heres the current deal with Austin area ranges:

Eagle Peak: 100 yards only, no steel targets, no FMJ, no NFA/fullauto/rapid fire. They cater to Fudds who shoot less than a box of ammo a year and are there just to "sight in" their deer rifles once a year. Charge a "membership fee" on top of a regular range fee. Worthless, don't waste your time.

Red's North (Pflugerville): Decent range, but its indoors and a maximum range of 100 yards. No NFA/full/auto/rapid fire. Paper only of course. Wear extra ear protection because it gets crazy loud. Lots of newbies and idiots on the line. Their ammo is outrageously overpriced so bring all your ammo with you. They charge $13/head/hour (half price for ladies on mondays) for a range fee which is insane. Only good if you just wanna test something really quickly without driving too far.

Red's South (Oak Hill): pretty much the same as north except that every week they have a full auto night (Thursdays I think). Only stipulation is that it must be a subgun and it must be suppressed and you can only do short bursts, no mag dumps or rifle caliber full auto.

Stan's near Liberty Hill: Outdoor, 100 yards max, no rapid fire, no steel targets, very Fuddy clientele. Its a lame little range on the right going out 183 past Seward Junction. Not much better than Eagle Peak. Not worth it.

Astro Village near Florence: Outdoor, 100 yard max (for now), allow rapid fire, allow FMJ, have a steel target range. Its out on 183 between Seward Junction and Briggs (past Stan's) on the left, just over the Williamson county line. This is a nice little range with separate rifle and pistol bays and a separate 100 yard paper and steel rifle range! Only crappy part is that they require you to shoot from benches and cant shoot from field positions, though they said they might be building a range where you don't have to shoot from the bench there soon. 100 yards off the bench at a steel torso target isnt very challenging. They have a lame "club"/membership system but the fees are $12/head for all day with as many guns as you want.

Austin Skeet and Rifle Range near Manor: Dead.

Austin Rifle Club Range: Outdoor, 100 yard max (there is a way to shoot 300 yards but you have to be the only one on the range which is pretty much impossible, so its effectively not an option), rapid fire and steel targets depends on whos there and who complains, and FMJ appears to be allowed. In order to shoot there you need to be an ARC member or the guest of a member. In order to become a member you have to be "sponsored" and go to meetings and all that BS. Its a decent little range but generally not worth all the hassle of getting a membership and dealing with all the ARC BS.

Lone Star Gun Range near Lockhart: This is a new range that I haven't been to personally. Right now they are pistol only but apparently plan to put in a 250 yard rifle range at some point. The person I talked to who did visit the range mentioned there were a lot of BS range rules and seemed put off by the attitude of the guys there. Seems like it might be worth checking out again if they get the rifle range up and running.

Hill Country Rifle Range (aka Crazy Richard's): Probably the best range there ever was in central Texas. 400 yard rifle range, steel targets out to 400 yards, NFA/50 cal friendly, cannon/bowling ball mortar friendly, and nice separate pistol and rifle facilities. Richard apparently got the memo that the End Times were finally here (after 15 years of telling us they are just around the corner) and skeedaddled out to somewhere in Edwards County to wait out the Great Tribulation involving lizard tailed Jewish space aliens and shape shifting Pope clones and nuking Jupiter (those of you ever got "The Literature" will know all thus fun stuff). So after many years, its dead, quite sadly.

None of the places left in the Austin area are worth a damn for the way I shoot (mostly EBRs shooting FMJ rapid fire and a full auto rifle shooting mostly steel torso targets out to 300m from field positions). I got sick of all the idiots and the stupid range rules so I just bought my own land - 23 acres out in very rural Caldwell county. I can now shoot whatever the hell I want whenever the hell I want in whatever way I want to shoot it. I've got my own 200 yard range with steel targets and I don't have to deal with any BS range rules, nazi range masters, stupid unsafe kids or ignorant bubba Fudds out on the public range. They can all take their bull**** Fuddy rules and shove em where the sun don't shine. On my range its FMJ and rapid fire from field positions ONLY (well, okay, I might build a bench for sighting in optics now and then).

Cost me a lot? You bet it did. Was it worth it? Every goddamn penny. Freedom ain't cheap but its ever so sweet.
 
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Personally I don't like Eagle peak or their no FMJ rule. They were rude and expensive the one and only time I went out there.

Red's is ok. Red acts like a jerk so I try not to give him my money.

I don't know what it is with the small to medium sized gun business that the owners are almost always arrogant know it all a**holes.

Hill Country Rifle Range on Hamilton pool road is the best public range by far. The hours are hit and miss and I heard he sold the place recently so call ahead to make sure he's open.

Austin Rifle Club has one of the best private ranges I've seen. No rapid fire though. Good people also.
 
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