Places to shoot in Ft.Myers,Florida

[capbuster]

I am planning to spend about a week in Ft.Myers ,Florida during the month of September. If possible, I would like to do some handgun shooting during my visit. I have used the internet to do some research. Fowler Firearms and their indoor facility looks interesting. Is anyone on the forum familiar with this range? Any help on this or other places to shoot will be much appreciated. take care.

 

[Solo Flyer]

This site covers the whole country.Here is Florida:

http://www.gunshowdirectory.com/local.asp?searchType=12&popState=FL

It appears you have at least 3 locations.

 

[XDKingslayer]

If you're going to be in Ft. Myers Fowler Firearms isn't bad. The best place to shoot is the Sheriff's Office range. They open up a few lanes for the public. It's without a doubt the best range that I've ever been to. Well lit, best ventilation I've ever seen.

The only drawback is that I believe now you have to buy their ammo and it's frangible. They now only allow frangible ammo at their range. I would call and ask because it's been a while since I've been there.

You can also come up to Punta Gorda to the Cecil B. Webb public range. It's $3.00 per person or $6.00 per vehicle. They've cleaned that place up pretty well and it's become a nice place to shoot. It's outdoors, has covered shooting stations and they have a rifle, .22 & pistol range, and a shotgun range.

If you go to Webb on the weekend, go first thing in the morning, like around 7:00 because it gets packed quickly.

 

[jws527]

The LCSO range isn't practical for a one week visit, because you have to submit an application and take the department's safety course to shoot there.

Fowler has a nice facility, but it's a bit expensive to shoot there - you rent time at something like $17/hour and you must buy their ammunition.

Webb is probably the best Lee county option, by far.

If you don't mind driving a bit (40-50 miles from Fort Myers), the Collier County SO office opens their range to the public twice per month on Saturday mornings, and it's free to shoot there. Handguns only, but that's what the OP is looking for anyhow.

See this thread here for a more detailed discussion we had about shooting options in and around Southwest Florida: http://www.floridashootersnetwork.com/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=36709

 

[jws527]

If you go to Webb on the weekend, go first thing in the morning, like around 7:00 because it gets packed quickly.

I haven't been to Webb for a long time (since the first time I moved away from SW FL, actually - five years ago).

What can you tell me about the weekend crowds? Is it on a first-come, first-service basis or do they rotate you in and out? I live in North Naples, so I'd hate to haul up there with gas costing what it does only to spend most of my time sitting instead of shooting. I don't mind getting there at the crack of dawn if that's what it takes. I'm afraid the opportunity cost of taking a day off to go up on a weekday is prohibitive at this point.

 

[35Rem]

If you go to C.B. Webb plan on being muzzle swept at least a dozen times.
Been there once, no range officers (When I was there, anyway).
It's the worst part of "Public" ranges, most folks that go don't know the rules.

 

[jws527]

I've been told that there are ROs on site at Webb now - I stopped going way back when for the reasons described just above...

 

[XDKingslayer]

There are ROs on Webb now and they have actually put up chicken wire barriers between the shooting station to stop brass from flying over to your station. They've also installed nice bathrooms out there.

I didn't know you needed all that crap to shot at the S.O. range. I shot there one afternoon but I worked for the State Attorney's Office, maybe that's why they didn't need all that stuff from me and had a LEO with me.

The crowds at Webb aren't that bad. If you get there about 9:00 am you can pretty much count on waiting around for about an hour to get a lane. If you go there early you'll probably be ok. If you go during the weekday you'll probably be the only one there unless you go the day the old guys pistol club shows up but they are a hoot to shoot with and watch. They all show up with old trunk looking suit cases that have all their ammo, .22 pistol, targets, shooting rest, spotting scope, tools, lubes, you name it. It's like a darn Transformer when they open it up.

It's a first come first serve basis, the rules ask you to limit your shooting to an hour at busy times so everyone has a chance to shoot but it's not enforced. It used to be bad safety-wise, but I take my wife and daughter there now.

 

[kentucky_Dave]

http://www.wheretoshoot.org/

 

[35Rem]

Glad to hear the good reports about the Webb range.

 

[XDKingslayer]

Glad to hear the good reports about the Webb range.

They've come a long way. Each time I've been out there since they really turned things around there are always useable target stands. Before you were lucky there were any there let alone ones actually capable of holding a target.

The bad thing is that you can't use anything but the target stands. It used to be nice to take some wet phonebooks out to check bullet expansion and sometimes I liked to put my 6" steel spinner out near the berm for long range shots. But the kids with the pop cans and other garbage screwed it up of course.

 

[capbuster]

Thankyou for the excellent replies. Both my sons presently live in the Fort Myers area and my oldest son and his wife are expecting their first child in august. This first grandchild will most certainly rock our world. Again thankyou for all your help,Take care!