Ranges:
I've been to Bullet Hole, Bracken, Bexar County, and the CTSA silhouette range (next door to Dietz). Since the CTSA silhouette range is for competition (or member practice), it's not really appropriate to discuss in the same vein as public ranges, but their silhouette setup is pretty nice (but it could be better).
As far as Bullet Hole is concerned, sure it's inexpensive to shoot (if you're shooting more than one gun and one target, but I don't like the range layout. At the 50-yard rifle line, there's two pistol lines BEHIND you with no berms blocking the line of sight between the firing lines. The targets are hung from thick twine which is subjected to the nearly constant windy conditions there. Further, you're not permitted to shoot offhand on the 100-yard rifle line (I do ALL of my practice shooting offhand), and it's real easy to walk into the 100-yard field of fire - there is NOTHING preventing you from doing so - no signs, not fence, not evven orange traffic cones. Lastly, I have yet to see a range master - at all. The ONLY reason I've gone there is it's real close in terms of driving, and I can use my own targets. I consider it to be an unsafe range. They provide ear/eye protection, and those cheap plastic rests that should be filled with sand, but aren't (and rifles tend to slip off of them).
Bracken is the complete opposite of Bullet Hole - the targets are mounted on stationary frames, offhand shooting is permitted on all rifle firing positions, and there's a range master on duty at all times. The only problem I have with Bracken is that I can't use my own targets on weekends. It's also kinda pricey at $3.50 per gun, and $3.50 per target. Like someone else said, it can get crowded, but not unreasonably so. They provide ear/eye protection, carpeted rests, and (cheap) spotting scopes.
Bexar County Municiple is east 1604 on Highway 90, and is very poorly maintained as far as the rifle and pistol ranges are concerned. On the other hand, the skeet ranges are manicured lawns with bleachers for observers/audiences. They allow you to use your own targets, but the rifle and pistol range is completely unmonitored. I consider it to be an unsafe range if there's more than two or three people shooting. As far as I know, they do NOT provide ear/eye protection or spotting scopes.
Gun Shops
The PowderHorn (Loop 410 @ Highway 90) - Nice, clean and generally uncluttered store with lots of antique or replica firearms, lots of shotguns, and a lot of military surplus rifles (mostly russian stuff). There selection of .22's is limited, and lever guns seem to be an afterthought as far as stock on hand is concerned. HOWEVER, the folks are real nice, and their blacksmith is almost always available for simple "while-you-wait" service, and the smithing services are reasonably priced.
Dury's Guns (Hotwells off Highway 37) - Clean and uncluttered, but with lots of inventory. They are priced higher than many of the smaller shops, but every gun they sell - new OR used - has a lifetime warranty. I bought a CZ-452 Silhouette .22LR from them. I called them to see how much it would be to drill/tap a hole for a tang sight on my Henry .22 lever gun, and they quoted me $80. That's your typical "I-don't-want-to-do-it" price..
Hoguns (Culebra outside Loop 410) - I took my Henry .22LR in there for them to drill/tap a hole for a tang sight. WI asked if they could please put the globe sight (supplied by me) on the gun as well (killing two birds with one stone such as it was). The guy said "Nope, you can do that yourself." Needless to say, I was baffled as to why he would turn away business like that. I went ahead and had them drill/tap, but I won't ever go back to their store due to his refusal to install the globe site. After getting my rifle back ($35 and a week later), I went home and tried to remove the factory sight. I ended up bending a brass drift punch in half, without so much as budging the sight. I took it to PowerHorn and he charged me $15 and did it while I waited.
Nagel's (San Pedro Rd inside Loop 410) - If a fire marshal ever walked inside, he'd shut them down. It's impossible to make it down an aisle without having to use sidestepping. The people appear to be nice enough, but I can't get past the clutter and apparant disarray.
Bass Pro Shops (IH 10-west outside Loop 1604) - Their prices are outrageously high. I don't understand the attraction to the place.
Texas Guns (Bandera Rd outside Loop 410) - I was looking for some .22 stuff, and they had NOTHING for that caliber - guns, or otherwise). Parking sucks, but the store is reasonably uncluttered and easy to move around in.
I like .22 rifles and lever guns. San Antonio gun shops are not what I would call .22 friendly. Everybody here seems to want high-power over-scoped rifles, or shotguns. You would think being in Texas, it would be a simple matter to find a good selection of lever guns too, but that's not the case. Pretty much anything other than a Marlin 39a requires a special order. If I'm going to special order, I'll go to Walmart because they simply charge you for the rifle and the tax, and nothing more. At Dury's I had to pay a "special order fee" AND "shipping costs" for my CZ.
Saxet Gun Show
They've moved the gun show to the Alfazar Shrine to the north side on (outside) 1604 east of IH 10. However, be sure to check the website because I've heard they're going to move it again.
Geno