Shooting Ranges: where do you go to shoot?

quake · 02-22-2011, 12:38 AM

A couple of you mentioned where your ranges are in the thread by corey012778 titled: how does cayugad do it? This sparked my curiosity.

Do you have a range in your back yard?

If you have to drive to get to the range how far away is it?

Public or private range?

Do you have a permanent shooting bench or do you set up a portable bench each time you have a shooting session?

What is the maximum distance(yardage) your range allows you to shoot?

What type of shooting rest do you like to use?

For me, I have to drive about 1 hour to get to my hunting buddies private range(in his back yard). He built a permanent bench that accommodates right and left-handed shooters. 350 yard max. distance year-round. I use a standard "rabbit-ear" type sandbag set.

Thanks to all who reply.

gregrn43 · 02-22-2011, 02:07 AM

I have range setup at my cousins house. Its a mile down the road from me. We have a permanent bench set up and we can shoot out to 500 yards.

bigboomer · 02-22-2011, 02:38 AM

I belong to the Manatee Gun Club in Myaka Fl. Trap, Skeet, Sporting Clays, Cowboy Action Shooting, Pistol to 75yds and Rifle from 75yds to 1000 yds. One of the best run and operated gun ranges and clubs I have been a part of.

pluckit · 02-22-2011, 03:01 AM

I have about a 1 hour drive to get to a state park where there is a 10 to 100 yard maximum range. It costs $5.00 dollars per day or $20.00 per year for a permit to shoot there. The fine is $250.00 if the DNR catches you shooting there without a permit. All of the people I've met there seem to be good people but shooting a muzzleloader with breech loading rifle and pistol shooters is difficult and time consuming. As if target practice with a muzzleloader wasn't time consuming enough. I might get 2 or 3 shots off before someone calls for a cease fire when I'm cleaning the bore between shots. And anyone at anytime can call for a cease fire. I have only seen one other person with a muzzleloader there one time in the last 2 years. I was going to go today but it snowed here last night and I just don't want to deal with it.

Semisane · 02-22-2011, 05:30 AM

I have an hour and a quarter/eighty mile drive to my hunting lease where we have a private range with two covered benches and a 300 yard max - really nice. The other option is an hour drive in another direction to a public range on a wildlife management area. It's a nice range, but is open only on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, has a $6 daily fee, limited hours, and all of the hassles of cease fires controlled by a range officer, competition for limited benches, and a 100 yard max.

No matter what you have, it's better than being a "Range Assistant" in China.

Gm54-120 · 02-22-2011, 05:48 AM

My main private area is about 75 miles away and we have a dedicated area we can shoot out to 150 yards but usually its only 100. We also have a "simulated" hunting range too with steel plates setup along a few tree lines out to 225 yards. We shoot at those only on the off season from the tree house.

We have a state run range at a wildlife refuge that is cheap but its 100yard max and 1 hour limit if there is a waiting line. Supervision is very strict.

90 minutes north of me there is another range on a refuge but it is unsupervised and only 65 yards max. Not bad when its slow and my friend place is about 5 minutes away and we can shoot a bit further.

This year im joining the STL Benchrest Shooter Club about 45 minutes away. Its a little expensive ($250 to join and $200 a year) but its very nice and you can shoot silhouettes out to 600 yards from 20 of the 60 benches. They even have safety pits for target reset or removal at the longer ranges and a great club house. Plus it has a many covered benches and great hours. Ive been a guest there once and its outstanding. Lots of competitive IBS matches and training/practice classes also.

RobertSubnet · 02-22-2011, 06:19 AM

It depends.

If I am shooting smokeless powder and want to stay out of the sun, there is a large public range about 3 miles from me. Ben Avery is one of the largest outdoor ranges in the west:

http://www.azgfd.gov/outdoor_recreation/ben_avery.shtml

Since it takes longer to shoot, I usually shoot BP out in the desert. This way I am not interrupted with cease fires to check targets. At Ben Avery this can take a long time. Shooting in the desert also means I bring along a table, a chair and put on sun screen.

My typical desert set-up. The target is about 75 yards away:

I do not do this when the temps get above the upper 90s-heat stroke is no joke. Also when shooting in the desert I keep my pistol clearly visible at all times. The last thing I need is for someone to decide they want my truck more than me.

SuperKirby · 02-22-2011, 06:28 AM

I shoot behind my house. Right now it's limited to about 100 yards. This summer I plan to build the backstop up higher to be able to shoot at longer ranges. The field is long enough I think I could probably shoot at 500 yards for sure. The backstop would have to be built up a lot for that.

corey012778 · 02-22-2011, 07:42 AM

the shooting range I goto right now is 45mins away, open 7 days, closed half a day on mondays for cleaning. has an pistol range that is 25yrs. the rifle range is the max of 150yrds up hill design. you can push it to 200yrds but you gotta clime an mountain to do it.

hubby11 · 02-22-2011, 07:55 AM

I lucked out. Last year I joined the local Izaak Walton Chapter, only about 10 minutes away. Rifle range is 100yds max, but it also has bow (hunting and target), trap and skeet, and even an indoor air gun range. Because it is close to housing developments, the range masters are very strict (a good thing). Best money I've spent, since I can now get to the range often as the wife lets me.