NC New Shooter's Lament

[netbrad]

From 2004 to 2006 I lived in Georgia, and there was a free public range about 45 minutes away, and an indoor range about 15 minutes away. I wasn't able to use either much since I was on shift work and I visited my wife who lived out of state at the time, but I did go a few times a year, mostly to the indoor range.

I recently moved to Raleigh and have been having a hard time finding a convenient place to shoot rifles outdoors. The options I have been able to find are:

- A club in Durham, 1 hour drive, $144 dues + $125 fee + $100 "certificate"

- A club in RTP, 30 minute drive, $175 dues + $100 fee, no centerfire rifles

- A club in Creedmor, 1 hour drive, $100 dues + $50 initiation + $660 "certificate", limit of 300 members.

I'd like to be able to shoot regularly, however to get my "money's worth" compared to an indoor pay range I would have to shoot at least three or four times per month, which will not always be possible. And yes, I want to make the effort to shoot regularly, but I'm having a hard time justifying the cost of joining a club that I may not be able to use to its full potential.

What I would like to ask the THR members is, are my expectations (low cost, convenience, easy access) too high? Is there an outdoor range I don't know about? Is this just "the way it is" if you want to shoot at a club?

I appreciate any feedback and hope this did not come across as "whiney". I really do want to find a good place to shoot regularly and make this work.

 

[mekender]

hmmm, i know there is one in burlington... there is a free range down south of thomasville...

come over to carolinashootersforum.com and ask there, i know there are some triangle people there

 

[karz10]

http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=72008 If you haven't already, go here and read/post, seems to be the THR thread focused on your area. I used to live there pre-firearm-ownership, now down 85S a few hrs from you...

If that doesn't work, go to AR15.com (forums) and go to 'Hometown' and to Carolinas, lots of rifle folks in there, obviously.

Regards,

Karz

 

[Bruce333]

Unless you know someone with land, outdoor shooting ranges are very scarce around these parts.

Eastern NC Gun Club isn't very well known, only been open a couple years. About an hour drive from Raleigh in Goldsboro.

http://encgc.com/prices.php

There is another club North of Raleigh in Louisburg, Shooting Sports Inc., memberships are only available once a year (in march I think). Check with young Guns in Apex to get on the waiting list. http://www.younggunsinc.com/index.htm

 

[NetJunkie]

Look up the range at Uwharrie National Forest. That's an hour to an hour and a half from the Raleigh area.

 

[Bruce333]

The range in Uwharrie NF is 2 hours from Raleigh, 100 miles from the center of Raleigh.

At $30 bucks a year it would be great....if it was closer.

 

[RPCVYemen]

Try the Wake County range:

http://www.wakegov.com/firingrange/default.htm

Given the other mileage you report, it sounds like it might be real close. It's on Apex - sounds like you might be south of Raleigh. Enormous indoor range (100 meter), administered somehow by the Sir Walter folks. It's a fund place to shoot.

Mike

 

[Conqueror]

I am a member at DPRC (#1 on your list). FYI, you get the $100 gains fee back if you ever leave the club.

Do you really need an outdoor range? If you don't need super-long lanes, Davi's on capitol blvd is a decent choice. Their sales staff are kinda useless but the range itself is very nice. Membership is pricey but if you're only shooting 1-2x per month you can just pay by the session. They allow everything that shoots bullets, including .50BMG.

 

[fletcher]

Try the Wake County range:

http://www.wakegov.com/firingrange/default.htm

That's definitely the cheapest way to go, and the facilities are nice. However, you are limited to 100 yards, which may or may not be a problem for you.

 

[netbrad]

Thanks for the responses so far. The reason I would like an outdoor range is for lighting and for longer distance shooting.

I was looking at DRPC, but the distance (51 miles) might be a deal breaker, as well as for ENCGC (75 miles).

I have been looking at the Wake County facility but they seem to have limited hours and I wasn't sure if they allowed centerfire rifles. I've tried calling them but usually get voicemail or a busy signal. Hopefully I can make their orientation this weekend, depending on weather.

I went to Davi's today, which is the closest facility to me, and rented a couple of pistols. Its a nice range but a little dark so it was hard for me to focus on sight picture.

 

[camper]

Here is another link for places to shoot in NC:
http://www.ncrpa.org/ranges.htm

This is the link to the club I belong to:
http://www.crossecreekrifleandpistolclub.com/

We have NRA high power matches on the first Saturday and vintage rifle matches on the last Saturday of the month that are open to the public. Travel time from Raleigh is approximately 75 minutes.

Come on down for a match. This invite is open to anyone in the area as well. We have what we think is a great range complex.