San Antonio has an indoor range...and it sucks!

[LoneCoon]

I like Ohio's Dept. of Natural resources Outdoor Ranges.

25 bucks a year, shoot all you want, anything you want, and I think there's at least 12 locations around the state to use.

Of course, you've got no one selling ammo or anything, but hey, who cares?

 

[Drizzt]

StrikeFire: Are you talking about Red's? I admit I haven't been in there in a bit, but I didn't know you had to reserve your range time, if that's the case. A friend and I have had issues with the owner of Red's, being that she doesn't really seem to care too much about the RKBA fight and bringing new folks into the fold, just seems to be out for herself.

 

[dracphelan]

Makes me glad in I live in the DFW area. There are at least 4 (may be more) indoor ranges in the area. The 3 closest to me all charge $15 for non-members and let you use your own ammo.

 

[mosttoyswins]

I actually met the owner of the new range at the Saxet gun show here in San Antonio a few months ago.

He told me he basically took every last bit of life savings he had and dumped it into the range.

Here is a link to the range's website

http://www.texasthunderrange.com/index.html

Evidently from what he said everything is state of the art (havn't been there myself).

I was thinking about joining but I had the same concerns everyone else here has...it is TOO EXPENSIVE! Driving 20 miles to the outdoor ranges north of town and shooting for $10.00 is easy enough for me.

He also told me that he has contracted with a few of the local and federal law enforcement agencies for them to use his range so he IS making money from areas other than members off the street. (If he signed those contracts)

I will bet in a few months he lowers his prices and relaxes his rules a little.

If he doesn't...bye bye life savings.

 

[RioShooter]

The new indoor range in Brownsville (open less than 2 years), The American Firing Range, has an annual fee of $200 that entitles you to unlimited shooting. They have ammo for sale at reasonalbe prices, but you can use your own.

Non-member range time is $10/hr.

They do IDPA and bowling pin shooting on alternating Thurs. nights.

I hope they stay in business.

 

[Parker Dean]

The Sharpshooter in Corpus (about 2 hrs south of SA) just built themselves a nice new gun shop with attached indoor rifle and pistol ranges. I think the rifle is only 25yds. And it's on a major street close to the malls, etc., so the rent can't be all that cheap.

Anyway, there are no annual fees, no restriction on ammo supply, and they don't give a rats patoot about your gun unless you're trying to sell it to 'em. Usage fees don't seem to have changed from their old location.

My point is that just because it's a new build doesn't mean that it has to cost users an arm and a leg. I think the bankruptcy predictions for that range in SA are probably right.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

You think there was a lot of money put into that place to begin with, wait until you start buying up machine guns to rent out

There used to be a place here that rented MG's until it burned down (arson I believe). I would think they wouldn't buy up transferrables, just get their SOT and pay $800-$2000 each and rent em for $50 an hour or so.

 

[Dacoda]

If you think the price of the RANGE is ridiculous... go next door to the gun shop.

I've said it before on here, BulletHole, off of HWY 90 and Grosenbacher Rd is the BEST range around. (San Antonio Area)
It's outdoors, I think the price is $7.50 a day. Doesn't matter how many guns you bring. They do sell ammo, but you don't HAVE to shoot theirs. They also rent out full auto. I'm so in love with their MP5. Extra targets are only $.50. You can walk out to the targets and change them yourself, unlike "A Place To Shoot". Well, except their handgun range, A Place To Shoot has a string and pulley system so you can change the targets out.

-Dacoda-

 

[bigmike45]

Jeez, gasoline must be KILLIN' ya. My wife worked for Texas CPS for 13 years, was in Bay City (50 miles) when she quit. She didn't get to keep half her check considering travel expenses even with a Toyota Echo. We're both sorta retired, though I still wrench for fun money.

Grover also has or had a FFL and I bought a P95 from him once, ordered it for me. He doesn't charge that much if you find a gun you can't live without and it needs to be shipped.

I know where you're at. I worked out at Formosa Plastics for 23 years, did a lot of safe work permits, lock, tag, and try stuff, so I know the safety subject matter. When I first hired on at Formosa, I was living in Brazoria. Grew up in Jones Creek, near Freeport. I'd been laid off at Dow Texas Division and got hired down here and for a year was driving 83 miles one way to work. Man, that got old fast!

Yeah...the drive is a bear, but I really love where I live, and I like running the council here. The drive is not too bad, financially considering I drive a 2003 VW Jetta with the 50mpg diesel. It cut my fuel bill to 25% of what it originally was. 215,000+ miles and still going strong.

 

[Deanimator]

There used to be a range out in Sheffield (Lake?), OH off of Colorado Ave(?). They wouldn't allow anything except jacketed ammunition. I went out there to zero some handguns for Camp Perry. They wanted to sell me some +P JHPs for my Giles .38 Special M1911 wadcutter gun...

The club I belong to, North Olmsted Sportsman's Club is ~$75/yr. You can shoot any time the range isn't being used (within reasonable hours) as long as you've got a couple of club members. You can shoot any reasonable ammo, although a lot of hollowpoints are discouraged to prevent wear and tear to the backstop. It's got the best backstop system in the area, using pulverized rubber. Lead counts are very low because of it.

I no longer patronize commercial ranges. Of the three close by, one I consider poorly supervised and dangerous, and another with a first class jerk behind the counter. The third, I can't comment on, having never shot there since they changed hands a number of years ago. They're owned by a local gunstore chain. The salespeople at their other store without a range seem pleasant enough.

 

[Rumble]

The closest range to me is an indoor pistol range. You have to use their ammo, regardless of what you're shooting. Rapid fire ist verboten. I use it because it's the only thing within an hour, I believe, that isn't private/members only. But I don't use it much.

The range I wish was close to me is the one my Dad uses. Membership is $200/year, but that means unlimited free rentals and range time, and they let you bring your own ammo (with certain exceptions). Plus, full-auto and rapid fire is permitted.

Not that this helps the OP, since all these places are in Pennsylvania.

 

[StrikeFire83]

StrikeFire: Are you talking about Red's? I admit I haven't been in there in a bit, but I didn't know you had to reserve your range time, if that's the case. A friend and I have had issues with the owner of Red's, being that she doesn't really seem to care too much about the RKBA fight and bringing new folks into the fold, just seems to be out for herself.

I was talking about a new pistol range in SAN ANTONIO, the Texas Thunder Range. Actually, I love Reds Indoor ranges, both the North and South locations, as my membership will work in EITHER location. As I've been laid off and have to move back to San Antonio, however, it's not going to be realistic for me to shoot at Reds any longer.

At Reds you can shoot your own ammo, there is NO time limit for members, and you DON'T have to book in advance. I don't know what your "friend" was talking about, but the owner of Red's is RED, a MAN, and he's always been nothing but fair and courteous to me.

I think I’m going to check out this “Bullet Hole” place when I get back into town.

 

[Sam Adams]

Dacoda,

What you say about The Bullet Hole is absolutely the truth. It is a bit out of the way for most, being in the NW corner of SA, but to me it is well worth it. The people are friendly, the costs are VERY reasonable, your freedom to shoot guns that you want to and ammo that you bring or even reload is basically unlimited...and there are those full autos

I've been going there for years, and I'd heartily recommend the range to anyone.

 

[bdutton]

My club charges $150 per year plus $15 for the indoor range (high heating costs in NH). I get $40 back if I volunteer 8 hours of service.

Only rule is that only lead can be used in the 50 foot indoor range.

In addition to the indoor range there are:

100 yard outdoor function range
50/25 yard bullseye turning target range.
Sillouhette range
5 or 6 trap fields
2 ipsc ranges
archery range
600 yard high power range being built.
4000+ square foot meeting hall with full industrial sized kitchen.

based on what you guys are saying... my fees are quite fair.

 

[BrennanKG]

NW corner of San Antonio?

Sounds like it might be a good choice from Helotes.



B.

 

[Reloader]

Does anyone know if Howard Dietz still has his range on HWY 46 north of New Braunfels? He used to charge $6.00 a day or $45 a year, no limit on guns and would provide targets and ear plugs. Plus he is a top rated gunsmith and had the Central Texas Silouette shootwers ranges on his property. Great guy to deal with. Only downside was he closed for deer season so his neighbors ( and himself) could hunt. Not a bad deal.

 

[GEM]

As far as I know Dietz is open - haven't been there for about 3 months but one of my friends lives nearby and shoots there all the time.

Nice range. On the west side, you have Blackhawk and Bullethole- I go to Blackhawk for the IDPA matches. Haven't done Bullethole yet - too little time - but I'd like to try the steel matches they have there.

Lots of outdoor ranges around here!

 

[pistolero]

There is a steel match at the Bullet Hole this coming Saturday July 8th. You use the dirt road behind the mobile home and go to the back and make the first left. Sign up at 8:30 and shoot at 9:00. Five stages, bare minimum of 120 rounds if you don't miss (yeah, right).

 

[marriedguy1]

I think Dietz now charges 75 for the year and that includes your spouse having range privileges as well. If you are not a member then it costs 10 for the day. No limit on the number of guns either. This is all information I got from a nice gun counter guy at Sportsman's Warehouse.

 

[carterbeauford]

Buy some land and some treated wood. Make your own range. I know this is unrealistic for some but this is how I see things and why I don't patronize any sort of range.

Seriously, not like I have a problem with authority, but no one tells me what I shoot in my guns! I suppose they stock the right loads for finicky Kel-Tecs?

Seriously, I think I have less than $365 in materials, a nice pistol, a couple boxes of ammunition, a stack of targets and a staple gun.

 

[Cousin Mike]

Wow... Insane. The indoor pistol range I go to = $75 a year for memberships, and you can shoot almost anything you like. They don't like really hot reloads in magnum calibers due to noise. $3 to rent a pistol, member or not. And if you're not a member, $12 per hour to shoot. 1 guest gets member privelages when they're with the account holder.

$365 a year seems just a tad insane. $500 has got to be a joke.

 

[MCgunner]

As far as I know Dietz is open - haven't been there for about 3 months but one of my friends lives nearby and shoots there all the time.

Wonder if that's the range I used to hear when I was in a box blind on a lease up north of SA hunting. That lease was up that road that goes to Natural Bridge Caverns. The lease was called "Bat Cave Ranch" and I think there was a "Bat Cave Road" near there if that tells anyone anything. It wasn't more'n five miles from north SA and there were nice neighborhoods near by. Wasn't that close to New Braunsfels, so I'm thinkin' that might have been a different range. All I know is there's a range out there somewhere, 'cause every time I went to that lease, I could hear the shooting. That was over 10 years ago, though.

 

[Chris Rhines]

Sturgeon's Relevation applies to shooting ranges, too. If you have a good one to go to, do whatever it takes to hang on to it.

- Chris

 

[MrMex]

This thread died a while back and since Imoved rectly I was looking around for a range and found this. Just curious if this guy has any customers? Anyone here?

Also, did the new Bass Pro shops finalize if they are going to have an indoor range or not?

<-- does not feel like my package being as hot as my gun barrel

 

[bender]

I was looking around for a range and found this

found what?

Bass Pro is opening up outside of Loop 1604, on I-10. that's close to where I work.
didn't know they were maybe gonna have an indoor range... I could have some fun on my lunch hours !