BP pistol shooting in Los Angeles?

[Mictlanero]

I am wondering if there are any BP pistol clubs in the Los Angeles area - also, where are some good places to shoot BP pistols.

I live in Pasadena area. Thanks

 

[Beetle Bailey]

I don't know of any clubs but a good place to shoot BP pistols is Angeles Shooting Range in Sylmar. They have a steel pistol gallery with targets at 35, 50, 60, and 100 yards. They also sell Goex in the office so you can get the real stuff right there.

http://www.angelesranges.com/

from that website you can also print out an internet coupon for $2 off admission.

 

[Mictlanero]

Thanks! That range looks pretty good and is not very far.

Hopefully I can find a club or group of BP pistol enthusiasts in the area - It might be good for me to see some BP pistol shooters load and shoot before i try

 

[25cschaefer]

Awww, I was hoping for story about a baggy pantsed gangster shooting a muzzleloading pistol sideways from a horse with comically large, chrome, shoes a booming stereo.

 

[Beetle Bailey]

Sorry, I haven't seen anyone with baggy pants shooting BP sideways but it seems about once a month some Civil War guys show up and those guys are good ambassadors for the shooting sports. I think they usually show up on a Sunday but I don't know which one. Anyways, if you see them, ask them for some tips. They are good about sharing their knowledge. Also, duelist1954 has some good youtube videos that go thru the whole process.

 

[Mictlanero]

Thanks! I'll check out those videos -

 

[Beetle Bailey]

BTW, if you are shooting cap and ball at Angeles, you have to do all of the loading except priming at the back bench. So, you have to be at the back bench when you measure and pour the powder, load the wad (if you are using a wad), seat the bullet, and grease over the balls (if you are using grease instead of a wad).

The precussion caps stay on the forward bench where the firing line is. So when you are at the back bench and have done everything else, then you move to the forward benches with the muzzle pointed up. Only at the forward bench are you allowed to cap the nipples. Then you begin shooting. If you have any questions, ask a Range Safety Officer - there are always several walking the line. Have fun!

 

[scrat]

Monrovia, CA here. i do all my shooting at Angeles Ranges they have a very good set up. You can shoot steel as well as paper and well its just one of the better ranges out here

 

[Bullwinkle]

Scrat,

I agree with you on Angeles. It's nice to see/smell BP combustion products on the range there, especially around this time of year when it's drizzling and the smoke kind of lingers around.

Have you ever been to the Burro Canyon Range? I'd like to try shooting things other than paper and steel. I hear you can use bowling pins, fruits, vegetables and other stuff there.

 

[Mictlanero]

Good to know - thanks

 

[scrat]

Burro is tooo loooose for me. Unless you get a range by yourself. Here is the difference. Angeles Ranges. Cement tables to shoot off of. Folding chairs nice back loading area. Supervised range safe good staff stuff.

Burro canyon. Plywood tables. Some or most are all warped and move when you puts stuff on them. Plastic cheap chairs that almost collapse when you sit on them. NOT Supervised. i have been there too many times when people will shoot at your target or you will all agree seize fire. Go down range to set up targets then someone walks up and starts shooting. This is on weekdays. On weekends you dont dare go down range most of the time its just too packed no one cares about you or anyone else. Go to burro for yourself. After getting through the yee haaa i just shot a tv and bowling pin. When you want to do some real shooting and safe then you go back to Angeles Ranges or better yet go to LASC. If you go to Angeles Ranges you will see the reloading store to the left of it there is another shooting range. LASC in fact dont even know why i am here as today they have a match going. Its a good shooting range that is members only shooting in matches at steel targets.

 

[Mictlanero]

I used to shoot about 20 years ago off angeles crest hwy at a place that i think was called "Kentucky" - rifles and pistols with some ucla buddies. It was in the middle of no where and not too many people at all. It was fun shooting at busted toilets, bullet riddled dolls, couches and the like... kind of a sketchy place though, and sometimes there were gangsters with fully automatic weapons about.

I wonder if that place is still around. I don't recall ever going to burro canyon but i believe i have seen the turnoff from angeles crest hwy.

 

[scrat]

burro canyon is off of the east fork when going up azusa canyon.

 

[Mictlanero]

if it is off of Azusa hwy i have definitely not been to burro canyon before -

 

[scrat]

http://www.burrocanyon.com/index.shtml
this
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...1016352.-2207520000.1355546141&type=3&theater
is way different from this.
http://www.angelesranges.com/
http://www.angelesranges.com/Pictures/index.html

 

[Mictlanero]

thanks Scrat - those look like nice places! I got to get out there once i get all my stuff together.

 

[Tinpan58]

I go to burro canyon, on the weekdays if you get there around 9:30 am you almost have the range to yourself, you can reload right there at the bench, and place your targets anywhere you like, plus you can lay some clays around, one of the guys that hands out targets there makes his own cannons and bp he almost always fires it a couple of times when he is working, pretty cool. Its great on the week days. Weekends are a different story, way two many people.

 

[Surculus]

I'm surprised any of the local outdoor ranges will let someone fire off BP at all: they're so nervous about steel-jkt rounds that they'll test your cartridges w/ a magnet at both Angeles & Burro. Lots more risk of fire igniting something w/ BP, for sure! Well, it's all good.

BTW, @Mictlanero: the USFS shut down the last 3 of their designated shooting areas in the Angeles forest sometime in the mid-90s. The turn-outs for where these locations used to be have been blocked by giant boulders ['giant' as in, you'd need a D-7 Cat to even begin to think of moving them...] Sic transit gloria mundi.