Local Range has taken the fun out of shooting

[CountGlockula]

Yup. Cops at the range ARE interesting.

It brings a smile to my face when they end up shooting 1 inch groupings, but laugh inside when they don't...and I end up shooting better than them.

 

[chris in va]

I can't stand where I live, however...we have one of the best ranges I've ever been to. Private property, mostly a campground with some lakes. Outdoor range on the top of a hill, shoot anything you want...AT anything. One guy brought a car up there. It wasn't driving back to say the least.

$5 during the week, includes camping etc.

 

[Mad Man]

And Supply is shrinking. After "they" get done declaring everything as Wildlife Refuge Areas, Primitive Areas, National Monuments, "restricted" Areas of National Forests, etc, etc, Supply will approach zero.

Don't forget development. That's done more to close down ranges in my area than the anti-gunners and tree-huggers have; both by encroaching on gun ranges, and driving up the price of real estate to make opening a new range cost prohibitive.

Oh well. I guess I should just get rid of my guns. There's no point in keeping them if there's no where to shoot them.

 

[cyclist]

Winchester,

Yep, a membership exists. Someone else came there to sight in his rifle and was told "members only" and was sent on his way. Plus most of the guys there said they had membership. Very strange, sort of an old boys club deal maybe. I'll find out eventually, sort of became a mission now for me even if I don't join. Next I'll be checking the property tax records and getting the owner of record information and back tracking them down that way.

 

[YodaVader]

1 - It now costs $8.00 per 1/2 hour to shoot;

I guess I really have it better than I realized. My outdoor range which is conservation club owned , is $40 per year and they give you a key to the front gate! My indoor range is a little more - $65 , but they issue a electronic key for 24/7 access.

 

[NG VI]

anybody in maine know of a range or anyplace suitable near augusta?

I sent an email to the contact information from capitol city gun club, i think it's called, haven't gotten a response yet. i've been out of luck since the basin was transferred to tree nazis the owner before had clearly stated when he gave it to them that he wanted it to be open for traditional uses...

which they took to mean no vehicles and no shooting. i might go out there this spring anyway and scout it out, hopefully it'll be kosher again

 

[NG VI]

Double Tap

 

[Hk91-762mm]

Bandit----I shot at a range in Indian something ,, church-hills -etc South of charlotte a few years back -They were nice -It was just off the same rd the FLEA Market was on -sorry so vague!
But the good news Is I moved to Union SC =thats an hr away from charlotte Down rt 49--3 ranges within 25min drive from Cross keys sc.On sumpter nat. forest... Take a lunch drive down spend a relaxing day . Sad that I had to move back to NY !!!! God I hate this place !

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

1 - It now costs $8.00 per 1/2 hour to shoot ...

At two major indoor ranges in Phoenix metro, it is $15 an hour for non-members, so that is not too far off the mark. (Memberships are c. $30 a month for unlimited use.) OTOH, the two major outdoor ranges - run by the Game & Fish Dept. - let you shoot all day for $6.

2 - You can no longer shoot bird shot 12 Guage ammo (If you're going to use a shot gun, you must use steel shot).

OK, this makes no sense.

 

[TEDDY]

ranges

HK: thats Manchester state forest the electronic bombing range.sat/sunday only 8 to 5? $5 a day or $25 a yr.
its interesting the stories as I belong to a club in Mass.$35 a yr 24/7.card key.pistol only and no jackets.(22 rifle) the state is full of those clubs.you would not believe it for such strict gun laws.all the clubs are members owned.there are commercial clubs also.now here very few and beyound my range (100 m)but I was lucky 90 acres all mine.shoot any time.---------

 

[jerkface11]

Most of you guys are paying more for a good day of shooting than I pay for a full year. Oh and as for the Cop asking why you needed a Desert Eagle the answer should have been "to shoot thru body armor sir"

 

[41magsnub]

"to shoot thru body armor sir"

Except for the "sir" part right on. Sir indicates they are superior to you in some fashion which they are not.

 

[mejeepnut]

NG VI-I miss the basin too!Last time I checked the field was roped off and signs everywhere.I was sorry to see it go but people just would not clean up after themselves.If we could have kept it clean I think we would still have it but the tree huggers were given a good reason to close it by the very people who used it as a shooting range.Now we get to pay and have all kinds of rules at the places below!

Richmond - Richmond Sportsman Assn Inc., Alexander Rd., Richmond, ME 04357.
Phone: 207-737-8642
Facilities include: Outdoor Rifle (100Yds.), Trap, Skeet
Range Access: Private

Monmouth - Monmouth Fish & Game Assn., P.O. Box 502, Monmouth, ME 04259.
Phone: 207-933-2801
Facilities include: Outdoor Pistol (50 ft), Indoor Pistol (10 meters, air), Outdoor Rifle (100 ft), Pistol Silhouette, Trap, Archery, Airgun
Range Access: Private

Topsham - Merrymeeting Sportsmen's Association Inc., Post Office Box 393, Topsham, ME 04086.
Phone: 207-666-8433
Facilities include: Indoor Pistol (50 ft), Indoor Rifle (50 ft)
Range Access: Private

West Gardiner - West Gardiner Rod & Gun Club, 25 Rocky Point Drive, West Gardiner, ME 04345.
Phone: 207-724-3302
Facilities include: Outdoor Pistol (100 yds), Outdoor Rifle (100 yds), Airgun
Range Access: Private

Woolwich - Bath Rifle & Pistol Club, Inc., 371 Montsweaq Road, Woolwich, ME 04579.
Phone: 207-442-8485
Facilities include: Indoor Pistol (50 ft), Indoor Rifle (50 ft), Archery
Range Access: Private

 

[Zedicus]

Man I feel sorry for you guys.

The Nearby Outdoor Range I shoot at (45min drive) No-fee, Only rule: clean up after yourself.
(George W Nourse Public Range Nampa ID)

Indoor Range: (15-30min drive) $10/hr ($5 extra per extra person for 1 lane) Pistols A-OK, Shotguns A-OK, Rifles A-OK, Full-Auto A-OK Rentals available (Including Full-Autos) only down side is a membership is $399.
(Impact Guns Boise ID)

 

[mp510]

I'm not sure if this range is indoor or outdoor, but, shooting lead birdshot indoors can be very hazardous to the shooters health. The lead powders on impact, and releases a lot of particulate into the air- especially if not properly ventilated-, unlike other bullets. Steel shot solves this problem. Indoors, this can lead to lead poisoning and very gross potential civil liability. Oftentimes, shooters and rangekeeps don't realize this.

 

[rugerman07]

Our local gun club/shooting range only charges an annual membership fee of $20.00.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

I don't know what's up but I've lost my taste for shooting by these Gestapo rules.

The reason why I don't like being around cops at a range is (and this is based solely on my experience) they become arrogant bullies.

Would you care for some cheese to go with that?

The thing that pissed me off is, they never gave any advanced notice of the new rules. They just started enforcing them.

How would advanced notice have changed anything? The rules would still be in place and your next closest range would still supposedly be a long way away.

Of course, this claim seems dubious given that you have several ranges around the Charlotte area that are within an hour of Charlotte. The claim of there just being one other and it being an hour and a half away is bogus.

http://maps.google.com/maps?sourcei...NC&fb=1&sa=X&oi=local_group&resnum=1&ct=image

In fact, let me get you both some cheese and some glasses for you...

 

[ilbob]

truth-be-told, I don't want to be around a lot of cops

That's odd. I am surprised no one has asked you about this. Do any of the rest of you feel the same way?

I am not a cop groupie, so I don't especially want to hang out with cops, but the way I see it is they paid to shoot too, and their money is just as good as mine.

I belong to an indoor club. When I started the dues were around $30 a year. Now it is like $288 (not 100% sure because I am a life member these days). Another outdoor club I belong to is much more reasonable. It is getting very expensive to run an indoor range these days.

 

[gym]

It's just the price of real estate and utilities, you guys in states where you can go for a short drive and shoot for free have it the best. My buddy in NM, can fire his AR out the window, and no one would care. But here in FL, CA, NY, and all the other big cities, you can no longer even find a range that isn't going to cost you 50-100$, for an hour, between range fees and ammo, which many of them force you to buy from them, it's getting too expensive to go there at all any more. The rents here in south Fl, have doubled in the last 10 years. I know the gym I used to own sold "the building" for 4 million, when I had it, they were asking 1.2million, that is for 19,000 sq ft.I can't see how any small business is going to continue making money when the overhead is so high, only the very rich will be in business in another ten years, and the average guy is going to be moving out of the "port cities", where the overhead is just getting nuts. We routinlly get $400.00 electric bills at our home in Broward , and it's just the wife and I, I checked around town "friends, etc" and also called FPL, they told me "look on the bill, you will see a $217.00 surchrage, for fuel", how the heck is a normal guy going to pay 5 grand per year for electric?

 

[Owen]

Bandit,

Maybe they are giving you the stare down cuz they are picking up on your nervousness, which in turns make them nervous. Have you tried to engage them, or even offered them a few rounds out of whatever exotic your shooting at the moment. I'd imagine as a lawyer, being on friendly terms with the local fuzz could be nothing but good.

I used to shoot at a bunch of public ranges in Mass. the cops were usually my favorite people to see, because they always had a good story...

 

[RoadkingLarry]

Bummer, my range costs me about $450 a month plus annual property taxes but it is a very exclusive members and guest only range. I also get full living accomodations with a 2000 Sq foot "clubhouse" and detached 1500 sq ft workshop for wokring on stuff in cold weather.

 

[Claude Clay]

RoadkingLarry

sad that you have such high costs....perhaps if you spoke to management

 

[gunNoob]

Price at my local range went from $15 to $18/hr recently.

I am thinking of buying a new gun from them though which comes with a year membership so it'll only be $6/hr

 

[mekender]

bandit, i know there are at least 4 good ranges within 30 mins of charlotte, and several on the SC side too


pm me and ill get ya the info

 

[gbran]

Our only local indoor range costs $9/hr. Or you can buy memberships which really pay off if you use the range enough. I personally don't like indoor ranges for other reasons.

Our major outdoor range requires a minimum annual $20 membership and $8/person to shoot all day. I like our outdoor range, but I like to be on my own out in the boonies better, which is what I normally do.