Virginia shooters, I need help locating a range.

[jdkelly]

My niece is getting her first handgun and I'd like to teach her about gun safety and basic shooting skills. I'll be driving down to Virginia from Massachusetts and will need to find a range.

I'd like to know is where the rental ranges north or Charlottesville are. I'd also like to know where the NRA range is located.

Thanks in Advance,

jdkelly

 

[cookhj]

clark brothers might be a little far, but it's an hour north of c'ville on rt. 29. it's a gun store that has a range out back. some other people on here know more about it than me. i've only been in there a handful of times, and i've never shot there.

 

[Unisaw]

The NRA range is off of I-66 just west of Washington, DC . Allow enough time to take the safety test. IIRC, it is required for your first visit even if you have been shooting for a long time.

 

[XLMiguel]

You might want to hit the NRA website for hours, etc. www.nra.org They do have events/training that can conflict with open hours, good idea to check, esp if you're making a trip down. It's a real nice facility. Have fun

 

[curt]

You might try posting this question at AR15.com ..click on the discussion forums tab and select hometown then go to the virginia's forum. We have folks from all over VA there, i'm in northern VA myself and am not familiar with charlottesville.

 

[Virtus]

When will you be driving down to Charlottesville? Beware that graduation at UVA is May 15th and 16th, so the place will be mobbed and there will not be a hotel room available for 60 miles in any direction.

For the NRA range, take Route 50 East off of I-66 (exit 57) and take a left on Waples Mill Road. Once you do that, go down Wapels Mill for about a half mile and NRA HQ will be on your right. There will be signs directing you to the range. If you feel lost at any point, there are plenty of signs for the National Firearms Museum, so just follow those since the museum is at NRA HQ as well.

Good luck and enjoy your trip! Perhaps this could be an occasion for a THR feild trip to the NRA range...

 

[Nightfall]

Keep in mind at Clark Bros., you HAVE to buy their ammo to use their range.

 

[Bacchus]

There's a new area on glock talk that is dedicated to shooters from VA--you might want to take a look over there...

 

[Harry Tuttle]

Charlottesville is more than an hour south of Fairfax where the NRA HQ is, and prolly an hour & a half from Winchester with a good tailwind

me thinks he needs a range a tad closer to his destination

hows about:
Rivanna Rifle & Pistol Club

Club Type
Public/Member

Contact
Club Manager

Location
Route 631
Charlottesville, VA 22903
(804) 977-5482

Club Hours
Sunday - 1:30 PM - 5 PM (Open to public second Sunday each month)
Wednesday (Apr-Oct) 5:30pm - 9pm (members/guests only)

http://www.claytargetsonline.com/list.php/VA

 

[jdkelly]

Thank you all, for your information!

I'd like to thank you all for the information you've given me, I'l look into each suggestion.

Thanks Again,

johnk

 

[jdkelly]

Just an update

I finally got down to VA to shoot with my niece.

We had settled on the NRA range in Fairfax, which was a 7 1/2 hour drive from MA. I shot the USPSA Area 7 in Harvard a left after the match, getting into Fairfax at about 10:00 PM. I arrived at the hotel to a nice fireworks display, you Virginians sure know how to welcome a guy.

The next morning, I showed up at the range an hour and a half early, took the test, and hung around for the Pro shop and museum for a little while. My niece showed up about an hour early, that seems to be a trait in this family. She took the test missing the same question I did, the one about food on the range. I guess I'll read the whole question next time.

After the test we went over the basics on safety (again), range etiquette, stance, sight picture and trigger control. After picking up a couple boxes of 38 spls and a couple of 357 mag, I gave her a range bag, eye and ear protection and a few other do dads that a shooter needs. With that, we headed out to the range.

As she had a new handgun, a S&W 686 4", and is a new shooter, I took the first couple of shots and then we switched off. I moved the target out just a little ways and had her shoot single action as double was a bear. She shot for about an hour, going through most of the 38s and a few of the 357s. She shot pretty well for the first time and when she got tired of shooting we went over the revolver cleaning techniques. We cleaned ourselves up, (she's a nurse need I say more) and headed to a local Mexican place in one of the malls, to visit for a while before I headed north to PA. The food was pretty good and the company was better, besides she picked up the check.

My niece and I thank you for all your help in finding a range in VA, we had a great time.

Respectfully,

jdkelly