indoor ranges

[sgvegaas]

I will never go to an indoor range. They are, for the most part unsupervised and not controlled in any way. Any body with no knowledge at all of safe gun handling can pay a range fee and go inside and shoot putting other people at risk. The last one I went to (and I mean last) the clerk took my range fee and let me go in without checking my guns, (they could have been loaded for all he knew) Inside the range a couple of young guys were firing, laughing, and waving their semi autos all around. Amother person was firing an uzi. I got out of there fast.

 

[Erich]

I started shooting in pretty good indoor ranges (including the one in my college's student union), but I hardly ever go to them now. The bullet holes in the ceiling just above the firing line, the targets on interconnected pulleys that rock back and forth because some idiot next to you has his zombie target one meter in front of the line right in front of the fan, the inadequate ventilation, the horrendous noise, the price - why bother? Fortunately, my city has a wonderful outdoor shooting range.

 

[The Highlander]

I shoot at an indoor range frequently, probably will in a few minutes actually. It has a nice, 10m air rifle range that I use. Doesn't matter what the weather, I can always shoot. The range officer is a true gentleman, the staff are all drop dead gorgeous ladies, there is an extensive collection of gunsmithing tools and a work bench within reach should it be needed. Ammunition is provided by the case. Next door is a wifi hotspot with computer available for looking up my next purchase. After the shooting is over, the 'fridge is well stocked with adult and other beverages, and upstairs is a full kitchen, with a resident chef at the ready.

Oh wait, that's my private indoor range.

Wifey calls it the garage!



P.S. I have shot in a couple of indoor ranges, one at my alma mater, and another privately owned. No problems in either. There is also rumored to be another one being built about 30 miles from here, I'll go check it out one day.

 

[Rule3]

Just the opposite here. We have two, three if you count the Sheriff Range built at taxpayers expense with the selling point that sure it will be available to the public but that's another story.

The two private ranges are very strict and monitored. One you have to buy their overpriced ammo, the other you can bring your own ammo , Neither allow lead or hand loads.

You are on closed circuit monitors and one has glass for viewing.

You mess up and you are kicked out for ever.

In the summer I would not mind shooting there but it's too expensive. I belong to a private nothing fancy outdoor range which is just fine.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

I'm a member of Sportsman in Hixon, TN. Been operating for decades. Good indoor range, members only. The operator is retired military and puts up with no nonsense on or off the range. 50 feet. Reloads are fine. No centerfire rifles. No Quick Draw McGraw exercises.

I'm a member of the Chattanooga Rifle Club. Do most all my shooting there. Club has been operating for about a 100 years now. 100 acres. 5 separate ranges not including the subgun and practical pistol pits. 25/50 pistol range. 50/100 competition range. 200/300/500 high power range. Training range. And of course the plinking range where you can just let loose with anything. Electronic gate pass cards, cameras and facilities... open sunrise to sunset 365. Limited to 1,000 members. No range officers on duty, but there are some members who have the title of range officer. I can go there through the week and sometimes have the entire place to myself. It is a slice of paradise. I think I'd sell most of my guns if I didn't have a place like this to shoot at.

 

[ContinentalOp]

I've never had a problem with indoor ranges. I like the one I currently use. Every 3 lanes is a brick wall that goes the length of the range. I've never seen any "problem" shooters there. Plus, I'm usually able to go when there are hardly any people there and I can get a whole 3-lane section between the brick walls to myself. Several times I've been the only one shooting. The only drawback is that it only goes 30 feet, but most of my shooting is self-defense-oriented so that's not a big a deal. I can go to another place with a 25 yard range for when I want to practice longer distance shooting.

 

[SWBigBang]

I will never go to an indoor range. They are, for the most part unsupervised and not controlled in any way. Any body with no knowledge at all of safe gun handling can pay a range fee and go inside and shoot putting other people at risk. The last one I went to (and I mean last) the clerk took my range fee and let me go in without checking my guns, (they could have been loaded for all he knew) Inside the range a couple of young guys were firing, laughing, and waving their semi autos all around.

This behavior is also seen at the outdoor ranges as well. Not all outdoor ranges have ROs which is why I go early in the morning before those types of people get there.

...Amother person was firing an uzi. I got out of there fast.

Why????? Was he pointing it at you?

 

[Bullseye 2620]

The only time in my life I seriously wished I was somebody else was when I found out that Tom Clancy had a 50-yard underground range built at his place on the Chesapeake Bay. I'm sure the ventilation works just fine.


Bullseye

 

[scooter123]

Don't assume just because you found one bad indoor range that they are all like that.

I have a 50 foot indoor range about 2 miles from my house that is just a pit. It's so poorly maintained that you have to shuffle your feet because nobody polices their brass. About the only good think is that it's cheap at 6 bucks per hour and you can always come home with more brass than you fired. However, I don't consider low rates and free brass to be worth the risk and won't ever shoot there again.

About 9 miles away there is a range with both 25 yard and 50 yard gallaries. Here the rules are clearly posted and if you violate one of them, you get a tap on the shoulder and just one warning. When they say one shot per second, they mean one shot per second and some of the RO's carry shot timers so that there isn't any argument. I've only used the 50 yard side because it's not very crowded and most shooters going long tend to know what they are doing.

A bit further away there is another 50 foot range that is well staffed but they will allow some rapid fire shooting provided they know the shooter and he's asked for permission to do this. If you don't get permission to do rapid fire drills, you get a tap on the shoulder and one warning. They'll also watch those who do have permission for rapid fire drills and if you can't hold your shots within the parameter for the bullet traps you'll get told to slow down. They are also sticklers for safe handling, early on I got warned about ejecting my empties from my revolver with the barrel pointed at the overhead. It doesn't matter what you are shooting, barrels must be pointed downrange at all times.

 

[pharmer]

I just went to Riegs today, had the place to myself. Almost no brass on the floor so it didn't have much play at all. Downside is inadequate air flow, lighting poor and $12 for a lane. I'd rather shoot outdoors but it ain't like 31 years ago when I could walk down past the dead end, set up and blast away. Left the house at 2:30, burned 400 rds, zipped down the Turnpike and the 3 guns were clean by 6pm. Khalid (Shoot Straight) has a very nice range in Apopka but that's an all day outing for me. Joe

 

[Notoast]

Many public shooting ranges are like that. Members only ranges are different. I shoot here Whistling Pines Gun Club | Safe, Clean, Family-friendly and the only indoor shooting range in Colorado Springs, and have never felt worried about other shooters or ventilation. I'm more worried that someone will sweep my brass before I can collect it!

 

[venomballistics]

. Another person was firing an uzi. I got out of there fast.

Why take exception to this?
Once upon a time full auto was as easy to buy and own as an air rifle.
While its got many unspoken hoops to jump through now, its still within the letter of the law. Dont let public opinion of certain categories of arms sway you. If enough people go to the dark side with these layers of misconceptions we will all be down to 22 caliber single shot rifles with 78 stage safeties that take and hour to load and fire ... that we will have to drop off in civilian armories after we've fired our quota.
Thats the way "they" would like it. and whitteling away at our conceptions is one of the ways "they" will get it.

Get over it.
That guy was subjected to quite the deep roaming anal probe to have that UZI and probably has a background clean enough to qualify for sainthood.

 

[sgvegaas]

Judging from the replies, there are safe indoor ranges, but they are few and far between. Luckily, I do have an outdoor facility to shoot in which is well maintained and safety comes first.

 

[GKC]

One of my favorite local gun shops is out in a rural area, and it has an outdoor range. I like it, but during the winter or when it rains, it isn't comfortable or accessible. During the summer, when it is 110 (which it does get that hot here) it isn't comfortable, unless you go real early in the morning (they open at 9am, so that's as early as you can go.) I used to be able to go to a friend's ranch, but we moved so it was too far, and he just sold it.

I haven't been to an indoor range yet, but I'm going to have to find one, for the times when the outdoor range isn't available. I live out in the country, but I don't have enough acreage to be able to shoot on my own property...in my county, you have to have more than 10 acres. I do have a brick 30' by 30' outbuilding, with a shingle roof...I wish I could build an indoor range in it, just for performance shooting (to break in and check reliability of my handguns) but I imagine there would be too many issues and expense to make it feasible.

 

[thebreaze]

I have found that the best times to go to any range (indoor or out) is early morning weekdays. I avoid all ranges on weekends and holidays because of inexperienced and/or immature yahoos, "Wild Bill" wannabees and "Gangsta style" aficionados!!!

 

[NCTexan]

Not sure that you can make generalized statements about "indoor ranges" any more than you can about "outdoor ranges"... or gun owners in general.

Everyone has their own experiences that form their view of the world though.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

WOW!! I'm spoiled. One of the perks of doing PD work is that I know all the deputies and am welcome at the sheriff's range anytime unless they're qualifying. Only problem is that it has been so wet that it has been difficult getting out there. I'm told that it is fine now but I have been just too busy to take advantage of the beautiful weather

 

[deadin]

The last public indoor range I went to looked pretty good.
Well lit, well ventilated, automatic target retrieval system.
I was practicing with a Free Pistol at the time (Almost Zen) so I figured I would get in some good range time.
That was until I got to the lane they assigned me. Some guy on my right trying to get rid of as much ammo he could in the least amount of time with either a .40 or .45. THe guy on my left was shooting a .308 semi-auto rifle of some sort.
Needless to say, I didn't stay long..

 

[blujax01]

The first thing I do when I go to my range is put up a target at 15 feet. I back away from my lane, walk slowly into it, draw my snubby and empty it center mass as rapidly as I safely can. The .22 bullseye shooters who have been calmly working from their tool boxes for an hour get apoplectic.

Too bad.

Although I enjoy target shooting as much as the next guy, I need practice in clearing my holster and bearing down on the theoretical bad guy. This has to be done without warmup - a real world scenario. I need to know I can hit what I'm aiming at if required.

Sorry to disturb your revere.