Shooting "outside" ranges

[Impureclient]

I really want to go shooting outside but don't like generally anything about the outdoor range rules and what you have to go through.
There's the risk of getting swept/shot by others, waiting for the time when you can reset targets, and I could go on and on.
Of course I am not one of the lucky with lots of property which allows for outdoor shooting. What I'm interested to know is it reasonable
to think that somebody with a large property close by would allow somebody to target shoot on it. I understand all the legalities that the
owner could be held responsible for. So this would be a sticky situation.

So what I guess I'm asking is what would it take, if you had a large enough property to do so, to have enough trust to allow somebody on
your property to do this. I have a friend with huge acreage at least 250 miles away and that's a little far. I was thinking that maybe if some
kind soul would allow this maybe within 10-15 miles for barter/$$/labor?...
Is there an easy way to find this kind of person if they exist locally? I can't post anything at the ranges as they probably don't practice there
from the obvious.

I have heard of farmers allowing airgun shooters to take care of pests on their farms in trade for the time they are allowed to shoot on the
farm itself. Can this relationship exist when shooting a real gun? I'd appreciate any thoughts on all of this.

 

[bigalexe]

Honestly ive never shot at an indoor range. The outdoor places around here have rules that vary, the local club i can get into just needs you to have a gate key and stop shooting at 8 pm and theres no rapid fire ban (no Full Auto though). Love being out there with myself and 3 or 4 others. Now another range I go to at another club does have a 3-second rule because the neighbors dont like rapid fire.

 

[JoeMal]

I've never shot indoors, only outdoors. My sportsmans club is 2 miles away with a great setup for pistol, shotguns, archery, and rifles. I'm usually one of the only guys there, if not THE only one when I shoot. Must be lucky I guess...

And it seems like you 'need to know someone' to be able to shoot on their property...that's usually the only way to go about it. Find someone you know that has land that will let you shoot

 

[General Geoff]

I have heard of farmers allowing airgun shooters to take care of pests on their farms in trade for the time they are allowed to shoot on the
farm itself. Can this relationship exist when shooting a real gun? I'd appreciate any thoughts on all of this.

Sure. It all depends on the land owner. It is at his or her discretion. Talk to some farmers who live nearby, and see if they need services or labour of some type, go from there.

 

[wbwanzer]

I love outdoor ranges compared with indoor. Any indoors I have been to are dark and not well ventilated. And the other customers are down right scary.

I too was leary of the proper etiquate for the range. But if they have rules, it is for your safety. And granted, you can't walk out to your target any time you want. But I have come to enjoy most of the other shooters at my club. I go in the middle of the week so that there won't be many people there, but I have come to enjoy and respect the other guys. I've have also learned from them.

Is there a range that you can join near you? Those seem to be safer than public ranges to me.

 

[jim in Anchorage]

Except for special rules like no rapid fire[I've never encountered that] just use the same safe gun handling procedure's you always do. When you are done with your string.clear the gun and lay it on the bench with the muzzle in safe direction. If some one else is still shooting, wait politely for them to finish.
When everyone is obviously done, every one plainly says "clear". Then the targets are checked/changed and when Everyone is back and in position, say "ready" That will be repeated.
It's just good gun sense. The only time I have encountered ignorant, unsafe individuals at the range is the 2 weeks prior to opening of moose season. Shoot once a year. Glad
I'm not hunting with them.

 

[Erik M]

Ive never shot at an indoor range. Usually I shoot at some of the outdoor ranges close to my house that are only accessable by 4x4. The latest target at said range is a dead early 90's F-150 and I have no problem shooting glass out of a Ford.

 

[c5_nc]

I'm guessing most land owners would probably decline if they didn't know you and be fine with it if they did. I shoot at a outdoor range but is not open to the public and about 95% of the time I am the only person there, so I have not searched much.

 

[ar10]

Relocate to Ohio. There's probably one outdoor range in just about every county.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

I shoot at both ( indoor and out)which have the no rapid fire ban unless there are some LEO's doing requals while your there, then you can get away with it.

 

[gwnorth]

I hate indoor ranges. Almost all of my shooting is outdoors in National Forest public ranges. These are completely unsupervised and open to the public and I have yet to ever have an issue with fellow shooters. You just have to introduce yourselves and co-ordinate things amongst yourselves. Everyone has always been very friendly and very co-operative in terms of range safety general behavior.

And, often early in the morning, I have the whole place to myself anyway.

 

[Tim the student]

If I had to only shoot inside, I wouldn't nearly enjoy it as much as I do.

 

[buck00]

Once you've shot rifles on a farm, you'll never want to go back to a "range." Other than shooting pistols, I refuse to use ranges. Too many yahoos, too many rules, too slow, too $$$.

To find private land for shooting its all about who you know. However, I will stress this- farmers and private land owners can be very covetous and jealous of their land. You've got to be polite, responsible, and considerate if you want to be invited back.

I've been on a few private land trips where we "burned our bridge" because someone in the group had too much fun or rubbed the land-owner the wrong way. Once you get in on private land, its gold so treat it that way.

PM if you want to hear the stories.

 

[oneounceload]

OP - what part of Fl are you in? There are clubs where it is safe; there are SOME public places that might be decent as well. I have lived here over 6 years - and after living in NV where 85% of the state is open public land, this IS a different scenario, but there are places - depends on what you want to shoot

 

[M2 Carbine]

What I'm interested to know is it reasonable
to think that somebody with a large property close by would allow somebody to target shoot on it. I understand all the legalities that the
owner could be held responsible for. So this would be a sticky situation.

Since 1967 I use to allow most anyone to shoot on my place.

No more. People have become such sue crazy selfish jerks, that I (landowners) can't take the chance of someone hurting themselves or someone else and suing me.

I even thought about having a lawyer draw up some kind of no fault paper for people to sign but something like that still won't protect the landowner.

It's really a waste to, because the only ones I can allow on my ranges are trusted friends.

 

[Tim the student]

Nice looking setup there M2. I'd like to have some land of my own someday relatively soon, and I hope I can build a range as nice as what you have.

 

[gunlaw]

check with the NRA. They have info on places to shoot including private clubs. The club I belong to in Missouri isvery reasonable and a great place to shoot. I have to agree that shooting outdoors is way better than indoor ranges. I'm sure there is such a place near you in Florida. Keep looking. You mught want to ask at your local gunshop about this type of gun club.