Recommend: Denver area ranges and shops?

Status
Not open for further replies.

EllisWyatt

Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2005
Messages
97
Location
Hither and yon
I'll be travelling to Denver next month, visiting a friend who wants to learn about guns. While there I'd like to take her to a range with a good selection of rentals. She is primarily interested in handguns, but I'd like for her to be able to try some long guns as well. Obviously we're looking for a public range right now, but if she takes a liking to shooting (very likely) she will be looking to become a member someplace.

Her interest is primarily self-defense and plinking oriented, not hunting.

I would also like to introduce her to a reputable gun shop with knowledgeable and friendly staff, and a good selection. Prices are of secondary importance. If this shop happens to be attached to a range that meets the above criteria, even better.

She is located in Littleton. For this visit we're willing to drive a pretty good distance if the reward is high, but she'll need something close by for regular practice.

Any recommendations?
 
Last time I was through there I found a nice outside range. I'm struggling with the name... Eagle Crest, Eagle Range..... Eagle something. They had a nice shop with ammo and accessories.
 
somebody already posted my site here. I use "the firing line" but it really depends on how far you care to drive and what part of town you will be in.

Cherry Creek state park also has a nice outdoor range that is open to the public. The problem there is that you have to pay to enter the park and then pay again to shoot at the range.
 
Jay Kominek said:
And I was about to suggest K2 as a range, but their web page says they're no longer open to the general public. Which probably means they're about five minutes away from not being open to anyone. Oh well.


I went to K2 on Sunday to shoot and there was a note on the door saying a private class was in session and the range was closed to the public. There were cars in the parking lot and I heard shooting inside, so I had no reason to hink otherwise. Its a nice range, but the last few times they hassled me about ammo and checked every box for reloads. They stoped allowing reloads due to a kaboom recently, or so they say. I wonder what's going on with this place?
 
Denver Ranges

There is a decent range at K-2 on Jewell, just off of Wadsworth. If you want to go to an outdoor range, Cherry Creek is not too bad. If you just want a place to shoot, there is a place I know up by the town of Pine that is a great place to plink. If you wanted to go there, Id be happy to play tour guide.

I live in Lakewood.... BTW, BozemanMT, I am originally from the Bozeman/Belgrade area. I graduated from Belgrade High and MSU. Send me a message sometime.
 
Range

Oh, and by the way, if you want to go up to Pine and shoot there, I have a nice selection of guins to try.
 
yeah, K2 has a nice facility. They put alot of money into it. Service has gone downhill though. I don't go there anymore now that they no longer allow reloads.
 
Denver area shops

A second endorsment for Jensens in Loveland. Well worth the drive.
Green Moutain Guns in the S/W Denver area at Kipling and Jewell is also a good place.
 
Thanks, everyone! This looks like a great start, feel free to keep the suggestions coming.

Okay, I've got to ask, even if only half-seriously; any full-auto rental in the area? :)
 
Dravur said:
There is a decent range at K-2 on Jewell, just off of Wadsworth. If you want to go to an outdoor range, Cherry Creek is not too bad. If you just want a place to shoot, there is a place I know up by the town of Pine that is a great place to plink. If you wanted to go there, Id be happy to play tour guide.

I live in Lakewood.... BTW, BozemanMT, I am originally from the Bozeman/Belgrade area. I graduated from Belgrade High and MSU. Send me a message sometime.
Wow, my wife was raised in Lakewood. I was raised in West Denver. You should contact me off line and we should do coffee.
 
"I hear there's a full auto guy in Colorado Springs that people call "dragon man"

Yes, he is just East of the springs. The road to the range is lined with bullet riddled cars and signs of warnings. Jokingly of course.
 
"Cherry Creek state park also has a nice outdoor range that is open to the public."

Thank you Mr. Dove. It was Cherry Creek I was trying to remember. I'm not sure how I made Eagles out of Cherries though...... could be a sign of something. It was a nice range with nice small shop.

Thanks
 
"I hear there's a full auto guy in Colorado Springs that people call "dragon man"

It is funny that you should mention that. I was actually there many years ago (10+). I'd swear it was called "Dragon Arms" at the time. We were on a family vacation in Colorado when we saw an ad for it in the paper. Needless to say, we made that one of the stops we had to make. My memory is dim on the specifics, but it seems to me it was a nice place.
 
Update

I meant to post an update here sooner, but it slipped my mind 'til now.

After reading responses here and checking out Mr Dove's website, we decided to go to The Shootist in Englewood. The decision was based entirely upon driving distance -- and the fact that they were open when we wanted to go.

Turned out to be a really good place. The facilities were pretty simple, but bright and well-maintained. The shop staff was extremely friendly (especially the nice old lady in the swivel chair!), which helped put my friend at ease. Some gun shops are so unfriendly they might as well chase new shooters away with sticks; this was a refreshing change.

The rangemaster (range is located in the basement, underneath the shop) was pretty surly, but truth be told I'd rather have a surly and competent RO than a lackadaisical and unattentive one.

My friend will definitely be going back, and will be dragging her husband along. She's already shopping for a Ruger Mark II like the fellow in the next lane had, and plans to work her way through their (basic, but sufficient) rental selection.

Thanks, everyone, for your advice!

EllisWyatt
 
Starting on a sour note a good place to avoid is L&L Gun in Lakewood.
On some brighter sides:
The Firing Line in Aurora rents MGs and a wide variety of other guns. A good place to try something before you buy.
The Boulder Rifle Club is open to the public the first weekend of every month, starting in April through the fall.
Greenmill Sportsman's Club E of Erie is open to the public every day September and October.
 
The road to the range is lined with bullet riddled cars and signs of warnings. Jokingly of course.

Not still true. Dragon Man's range no longer sports the adolescent decor. There's even a range master on week ends.

The new Colorado Springs indoor range won't be open until June.
 
Sporting Clay's ranges in Colorado

Quail Run is east of Elizabeth about 10 miles and east of the town of Castle Rock by about 20 miles. It is on the expensive side of the ledger, but they have a very nice piece of land and a clubhouse. They have 20 stations on their clays course and a combined skeet/trap range. They also have a 5 stand range but it has never been working. It is very much a good old boys club and really designed for the membership and people who come all the time. They have a nice pro shop and serve lunch for 1 hour on the weekend. $35 a round
http://www.quailruncolorado.com/

Wolf Creek is north of Quail Run about 20 miles and slightly further east, it is in a very isolated area and was a private club for many years until it was purchased by a younger couple of whom one was a pro shooter 2 years ago. It contains a 10 station sporting clays course, a very different 5 stand course and a wobble machine. They have 2 golf carts for rent to shooters. They do not have a pro shop but do have a nice clubhouse; they do not serve food although they can cater big events. $35 a round, $14 a round for 5 stand. http://www.wolfcreekclub.com/

Kiowa Creek is north of Wolf Creek about 10 miles and about 10 miles south of Bennet off of I-70 east of Denver. This is a very successful range and they cater to the expensive side of shotgunners. They have an elaborate clubhouse and put on many expensive events. It is very well run and it is also very expensive. They also use a computerized clay counting tool for their 20 stations sporting clays course. They do rent golf carts. They have an amazing pro shop and serve lunches and can cater to larger events. All 3 of the above ranges also have bird hunting on their property, either guided or self guided. $40 a round!!
http://www.kiowacreek.com/

Colorado Clays is just off Hwy 76 and Bromely Lane about 10 miles east of east of Brighton. It also is a very successful range, they are the only range that does not offer memberships and it is purely open to the public. They have 5 trap ranges, 2 skeet fields and a 12 station sporting clays course along with a decent clubhouse. They do not have a pro shop per se, but do sell ammo, hats and shirts. They generally do not sell food although they will for larger events. It is very well run and it probably the technically hardest course in the area. $30 a round, $6 a round for skeet or trap (or buy 10 for $50)
http://www.coloradoclays.com/

Pawnee Sportsmen Center is about 20 miles east of Ault or about 40 miles east of Ft Collins. It also contains a rifle range and a pistol range and they are currently building some unknown number of trap and skeet ranges. It is the only sporting clays course in the northern front range. It is a rather boring course, you actually drive along it instead of walk and it has very few trees. All the rest of the clubs including Cottonwood have the shooter walking down a riverbed or streambed in the shade. It is also the cheapest in the area at $25 per round. They do not have a pro shop and do not serve food and they do not do hunting on the property but are associated with some hunting outfitters
http://www.pawneesports.com/

Cottonwood Clays is east and south of Pueblo about 20 minutes from downtown. It's in an isolated area and most of the course is in the river bottom. It's currently pretty run down, but it's $30 a round and it's an interesting course. They also have 5 stand which I believe is $5 a round. It's the only sporting clays course near pueblo or the south side of the springs. You can get there in less than an hour from the Co Springs airport.
http://www.cottonwoodsportingclays.com/

Website for all Clays course in Colorado:
http://www.cscaclub.com/Default.htm
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top