D/FW

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Richardson here.


Where do you DFW guys get together and shoot? On any given weekend (regardless of weather) I'm out at Gibson's.
 
I usually shoot at Garland Public Shooting Range, but can occasionally be found at Targetmasters. I used to shoot at The Bullet Trap in Plano, but a couple of years ago they instituted some new range rules that effectively keep me from being able to shoot my handloads there....
 
The guy who runs Gibson's did his best to offend several people in our group. He threatened to call the cops about one of our SBRs and wouldn't let one of us shoot his 30-06 BAR, claiming that it was a .50 and he could recognize it because he used one "in the war." add to that his and his wife's general attitude of "we really don't want people to actually shoot here", and we thought we would oblige them. One of our members got attitude at the front desk because be wanted to use a credit card to pay his range fee. The wife made some comment about not shooting if he couldn't afford it. We haven't been back as a group since. We had a few decent shoots at TDSA, but the owner really didn't keep the property up enough to justify the $150 yearly membership. I think like 20 of us joined one year and then just got tired of broken plate racks, eternal mud, chiggers, etc, and didn't renew the following year.

So far, our best track record as a group is with Winchester Gallery in Fort Worth. They would usually give us the whole second building to ourselves. That pretty much limits the long gun shooting, but it is a decent environment with the lounge right outside the lanes. There are usually enough handguns to go around.
 
Far North Dallas.
I usually shoot at either Elm Fork, Dallas Pistol Club or Garland Public Range.
 
The guy who runs Gibson's did his best to offend several people in our group. He threatened to call the cops about one of our SBRs and wouldn't let one of us shoot his 30-06 BAR, claiming that it was a .50 and he could recognize it because he used one "in the war." add to that his and his wife's general attitude of "we really don't want people to actually shoot here", and we thought we would oblige them. One of our members got attitude at the front desk because be wanted to use a credit card to pay his range fee. The wife made some comment about not shooting if he couldn't afford it. We haven't been back as a group since. We had a few decent shoots at TDSA, but the owner really didn't keep the property up enough to justify the $150 yearly membership. I think like 20 of us joined one year and then just got tired of broken plate racks, eternal mud, chiggers, etc, and didn't renew the following year.

So far, our best track record as a group is with Winchester Gallery in Fort Worth. They would usually give us the whole second building to ourselves. That pretty much limits the long gun shooting, but it is a decent environment with the lounge right outside the lanes. There are usually enough handguns to go around.
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Odd, as I've had the exact opposite experience at Gibsons. I'm on a first-name basis with Doris and Frank, and have never really had any issues with them. I guess it just comes with being a regular there, and them knowing I'm not one of the countless *******s they have to deal with--I've seen several out there, and I wouldn't want to have to deal with it either. I've personally experienced my fair share of unsafe weapons handling by some of the people out there, so I can understand their frustration.

On the other hand, I've seen a lot of exceptionally nice people out there as well, have exchanged emails with some, and have spent countless hours sitting back in the chair BS'ing about guns or just about anything, instead of shooting.

There have been several times where myself, and maybe a small group that's with me have been the only ones there, and Frank has come out and said to just do whatever we wanted, and he'd start calling the lines once anyone else showed up.

I will admit they can be a bit rough with people they don't know. I try to warn any newbies I take out there about it, but so far, no one I've taken out there has had a bad experience.

I do remember Frank mentioning one time about a group of guys out there with SBRs, and him asking them to put them away because he was unsure of their legality. That prompted a friendly discussion between him, myself, and another "regular" out there that lasted for the duration of the shooting session regarding SBR laws. I've sense seen people shooting SBRs, rifle-caliber pistols, and I've seen a few suppressors and belt-feds out there as well. I've asked about any weapon restrictions, and aside from no rifles on the pistol line, and no shotguns, the only restriction he mentioned that aren't posted was no full-auto. Leading me to believe he'd allow a select-fire weapon as long as it was set on semi-auto. I've never taken a select-fire weapon out there though, and one has ever asked if any of mine are select-fire. (they're not)

As far as the .50 goes, I did ask about the possibility of shooting a .50 on the 200 yard range once, and was not told no. I didn't get the impression that he'd be overly excited about it, but he didn't flat out say it was prohibited.


As a friend of mine put it after his first trip out there, "A few ma'ams and 'sirs' go a long way with people of that generation..." Treat them as you would being a guest inside their home, and I don't think you'd have any issues. I haven't in the 7 or 8 years I've been going there. But I do feel bad about ya'll negative experience.


To make a long post longer, I've found that buying ammo from Frank, and not saying a word about the price is a good way to keep in good standings. Yes you can buy it elsewhere and for less, and I'm sure they've heard it a thousand times, but I just tell myself that he's in the business to make money, so I try to help him out if I can, even if it costs me a few dollars more per box. I don't buy ammo every trip out there, but I'll buy a box or two every so often, even if I don't need it, just to support the business. And any time I bring a friend out to shoot any of my guns, they'll usually buy all the ammo they want at the range.

And again, I do feel bad about anyone having any negative experiences out there, and I would hope that it would be an isolated event.
 
As a friend of mine put it after his first trip out there, "A few ma'ams and 'sirs' go a long way with people of that generation..."
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We are well aware of that, and were very respectful, right up to the point that we left. I might add that we were toting a few people from "his generation" in our group, as well.

If he just wants a few "regulars" up there and wants to be "rough on newbies," that is his perogative. I can assure you, however, that he will not get many new "regulars." Everyone is a newbie at some point, and everyone deserves respect. The only person being disrespectful during that trip was him. I, like yourself, would hope it is an isolated event, but the damage is done. I hope it isn't normal, because despite the fact I probably won't ever come back, I don't want the range to close.

I, for one, am not going to drive 45 minutes to have the owner of ANY establishment, range or not, to act like they do not want me there, if I had any other alternative.

Also, the guy that he was giving most of the flak to is a mod here, and way too classy to speak up about this, I assume.
 
Odd, as I've had the exact opposite experience at Gibsons. I'm on a first-name basis with Doris and Frank, and have never really had any issues with them.
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This had nothing to do with manners. We could not have been more polite.

I'm the one who he threatened to call the FBI about when he saw my SBR. He demanded to see my tax stamp as he threatened to call the Feds. I also was told that my BAR was not to be fired on his range because .50's would damage the backstop and he knew it was a .50 since he carried one "in the war".

I can understand being wary of the legal issues around SBR's but he clearly knew the law because he asked to see the tax stamp specifically. I had no problem showing him a copy, I carry it around in the gun case. But the attitude was the problem. He treated me like I was guilty until I could prove my innocence. I have a hard time believing he sees so many illegal SBRs that he has to take that stance. As I was opening the case he came literally running out the door screaming "whoa whoa whoa, that's not legal".

I got the feeling they wanted people who would come to the range, shoot 10-20 rounds sighting in the deer rifle, then leave. I think saying they are "not black rifle friendly" would be putting it mildly. And we were in a large group prepared to spend lots of money so it's not that either.

Gibsons is on my "never ever even if it was the last range in Texas" list. I don't know if he was just in a bad mood that day or what but I have never been treated worse at a public shooting range and I'll never go there again. There are too many places to shoot to tolerate being treated like that.

It's a shame too. It's a very nice range, good location, fair pricing, etc. I just cannot believe how bad we were treated that afternoon.

I'm not too classy to speak about it LOL. But I'll tell the truth that's for sure.
 
Again, I feel bad that ya'll have had bad experiences out there, since mine have all be exactly the opposite. I've never been given a reason to not go out there, even though Garland Shooting Range is within 5 miles of me. It is definitely disappointing to learn of ya'lls bad experiences.


It is a good range as far as ranges go--kept nice and clean, and overall well-maintained. I've picked up buckets of brass from there as well. Something I've talked about Frank with on a number of occasions has been about how he's going to deal with 190 running right through his parking lot. The place is definitely going to change in the next couple years, and I hope it does not have to close.


As far as military rifles go, it's something I've never experienced a bias toward. He's mentioned a few times how he's noticed the number of military rifles showing up at the range has noticeably increased over the past few years. I've taken my home-built FAL, G3, VZ-58, and numerous AKs--most of which were still bare-metal 80% builds and never been given any trouble over them. Once he asked me what I was shooting, because he couldn't see any markings on it or a serial number and didn't know what it was--I was shooting a home-built RPK on an 80% receiver, so there were no markings.


But I do agree that he's always shown more interest in bolt-guns or "hunting-rifle" rimfires over any military-style rifle. And he can talk for days about reloading and black powder.


I will say that the only person I've ever had any negative feelings toward has been a younger guy that occasionally is working there... I think it may be their son or maybe grandson, I don't know how old he is. I've never had any personal issues with him, but he always seems to have an "I'd rather not be here" attitude towards pretty much everything. Not sure what that's about, but again, I've never had anything personal against him.
 
Oh... uhh...

Southern Dallas county here...

I normally shoot at Bullseye in Duncanville, Elm Fork (rifles), Alpine in Mansfield (meh, too strict, but probably because they were busy... I got verbally warned for "rapid fire" on a "one-one thousand *bang* two-one thousand *bang*" rhythm.)
 
For those of you in and near Fort Worth there is a range in Haltom City just a mile or so SW of the Northeast Mall in Haltom City. Its a private club, annual dues are $75 and the RO's are all volunteers within the club. Most of them are old timers but love to share their knowledge and time. I have learned alot from them and they have also helped fixed any problems I have come across. If anyone wants to check it out I would be more than happy to take you.

http://www.haltomcityrpc.org/
 
<----South Hunt County, near Quinlan.

The only range I've used since moving here in 04/09, has been Wiley's, south of Wills Point. It's a 30 minute drive for me, but the owners have a really nice gun shop there, anything you could want, and the range has never been busy when I've gone. The owners are friendly and didn't appear to have "attitudes."

The range is small, but accomodates rifles or handguns. There's also a Terrell gun club closer to me, but their membership is kind of pricey. Haven't been there yet though.
 
I shoot @ Alpine when the weather isn't so bad (like this last week definitely qualified as indoor range time.

I didn't get a chance to shoot indoor either as the weather was just plain BAD.
 
griff383 said:
For those of you in and near Fort Worth there is a range in Haltom City just a mile or so SW of the Northeast Mall in Haltom City.
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Interesting. Are they "non traditional" firearm friendly? Any of those rapid fire restrictions that are getting so common?
 
Are they "non traditional" firearm friendly? Any of those rapid fire restrictions that are getting so common?
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I dont see alot of "non-traditional" firearms although I have seen a few SBRs and some pistol ARs. But, then again Im not there all the time. As far as Ive seen, if you respect the RO and the range no one really cares what you do or bring to shoot, except, IIRC full autos. I saw a "Navy Seal" with a M1A Socom run through 2 or 3 magazines in a matter of seconds and no one seemed to care.
 
I guess it just comes with being a regular there, and them knowing I'm not one of the countless *******s they have to deal with--I've seen several out there, and I wouldn't want to have to deal with it either. I've personally experienced my fair share of unsafe weapons handling by some of the people out there, so I can understand their frustration.
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As a person who has owned a business and been in the customer service business for years, it makes no sense to me why a business owner would purposefully offend or be even the slightest bit rude to potential long term customers. If you are the only business on the planet that offers a service then you can do as you want. We have too many choices here in DFW for gun ranges and gun shops for someone to be a jerk the first time I walk into a place for me ever to come back. If they are tired of the hassle , then get out of the business.

Have I ever been there, no, but based on a regular customers actual words on how they treat new customers, then I am glad I know what kind of people they are, they will never get the "hassle" of a new customer.
 
I hope everyone in the area is taking a moment to sign up on our Yahoo! Group. The link is in my sig line. It's kind of quiet at the moment, but a few extra people sure wouldn't hurt the quality of discussion.

Has anyone had a chance to check out the range on (I think) Division in Grand Prairie? I think it's some shooting and archery place. I saw it as I drove by the other day but didn't have time to stop in.
 
Frank, what kind of facilities do they have? It's not that close to my work (south Dallas), but it's not that far from home(near Joe Pool).
 
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