How far do you drive to shoot if at all?

[Kuyong_Chuin]

With a pistol I can shoot out the front door, back door, or the left of the house. Rifle up to 75 yards before you hit the tree line the back yard. If you set up a target at the edge of the tree line just before the drop off into the hollow and fire from the tree line at the edge of the garden you have about 350 yard shot.

P.S. Only reason not to shoot to the right of the house out the front door is that is where the dogs are located.

 

[Hangingrock]

I'm a land owner member in one club which is a little over 1-1/4 hours each way. Another club is on leased land only open Friday, Saturday, & Sunday about 25 minutes each way. On my property I have a pistol range. There is a another club I'm a life member of but its approxmently 420 and some odd miles one way 77 to 19 to 79.

 

[Sound Dude]

15 miles to great club with a 48 bench covered range out to 300 yards, an excellent sporting clays course and several specialty ranges for those involved with specific competitive shooting disciplines. Only $100 a year. There's a relatively new indoor range 4 miles from work that I joined last year but probably won't renew. I just don't use it enough to warrant the dues. And all kinds of desert under an hours drive to be far enough away from anyone that cares.

 

[zdc1775]

Yup! Will do. They said I can chrono my loads too! A lot closer (and probably safer) than Swan Creek.

I went and checked it out, it's a little weird. Kind of indoor/outdoor covered barn type thing
Sorry thats my best description.

I keep trying to get over there one weekend but either work or life keeps getting in the way. One day I will just have to bite the bullet and make time. And it has to be better than Swan Creek.

For what it's worth Skyline is a much quieter range and I have yet to see even a third of the stupidity I did in a single afternoon at Swan Creek. Also has the advantage of having decent deer and squirrel hunting. Only disadvantage is that it's going to be farther from you.

 

[HoosierQ]

I drive about 50 miles one way to shoot at my club. It is very nice and it's $55 a year with a $1 a day range fee. They have a business model a lot like health clubs. There are a dedicated few that spend a lot of money on our hobby, live close, and go there all the time. They welcome in folks like me because I pay my $55 a year and go shooting rather less frequently than I'd like. Last summer I went 3 times. The summer before that 2 times. The summer of 2011 was a big year...I went 7 times.

I am happy to do so as the gas and the fees will be about the same as going to the local indoor range which is, as are all, noisy, close, and a little scary (although I must be honest, I have never seen any story worthy bad behavior and any range).

Until just a few years ago my parents, my in-laws, and my son-in-law all lived on farms. None close by...in fact, all about the same distance. But no fees. I grew up on a farm and until I went away to college in 1976, I could just shoot out my back door. Hope to get back to that some day.

 

[fastbolt]

I haven't yet had the time to look for a public range in the new county where we moved last year.

Part of the reason is that I still drive at least an hour, or more, each way (depending on the route chosen & traffic) to the agency range where I still lend a hand as an instructor & armorer. Free run of a large outdoor range, as well as an ammo inventory which includes 5 handgun calibers, is enough inducement to continue driving there for a while longer.

I recently found out that I can join a sheriff's office association in a neighboring county, though, and for a nominal annual fee I can get access to a private membership range they maintain (unsupervised), which is less than 20 miles from our new house. It's supposedly restricted to handgun and shotgun, though.

I spoke with a friend who joined that association (who said they welcome other active, retired & reserve cops) to get access to the range, and he said he's never run into anyone else when he's been shooting. Nice.

I can see there easily coming a time when I decide it's better to make the much shorter drive to a smaller range, and one where I'm not having to work with other shooters or maintain/service/repair their weapons, and can simply spend my time keeping the rust off my own skills. Taking my own targets & ammo, and policing up after myself, is a small price to pay for some quiet practice. (I still remember being a young cop, and having to take most of one of my days off, and invest $100 or more in ammo, target & range fees, as well as gas, so I consider myself lucky just having to drive a couple or more hours and burning gas to be able to shoot.)

I'd still have to drive to my former agency range if I wanted to run rifle drills and practice, but after some years of shooting rifles, taking & teaching classes and having gone through 5 AR armorer classes, I've about got them out of my system.

Maybe it's time to revisit my former interest in lever rifles & carbines, though.

 

[bonza]

Half an hour drive to my $100/year club. Nice old-timey range, very happy to have found it. I also travel to different shooting venues in the U.S. & Canada a couple of times a year and, in years past, also overseas, so 1/2 an hour is a doddle!

 

[Potatohead]

I keep trying to get over there one weekend but either work or life keeps getting in the way. One day I will just have to bite the bullet and make time. And it has to be better than Swan Creek.

For what it's worth Skyline is a much quieter range and I have yet to see even a third of the stupidity I did in a single afternoon at Swan Creek. Also has the advantage of having decent deer and squirrel hunting. Only disadvantage is that it's going to be farther from you.

Thanks

 

[SC Shooter]

My club is about 10 minutes from my house. Annual membership dues is $150. We have ranges for all disciplines.

 

[Mastodon]

30 miles to my outdoor range.

 

[Ranger Roberts]

About 50 feet from my gun safes to my back porch . I actually belong to a range as well because I am a NRA instructor and the police dept where I work are all members there. My range is $50 for the first year and $35 each year after. It's got a shotgun range for throwing clays, a 100 yard rifle range with 5 benches (they have a roof over them which is really nice), and a 35 yard pistol range with 3 lanes. There is also a 3D archery range and an indoor archery range. It's about 35 minutes from my house but it is in the town that I work in, so it's pretty convenient. I still prefer my backyard though!

 

[Legionnaire]

Six miles to my club; annual dues are $100 ... and members must show NRA membership. 300 yard rifle range, several 50 yard combat ranges, a dedicated pistol range, trap range, and an indoor 50-foot range.

 

[jcwit]

I am an Honorary Member at a large range 5 miles from my front door, this is the same range the NRA is holding the National Small Bore matches at this summer. Usually have the range all to myself during the week, seldom anyone else there.

I am a Board Member at one of our local indoor ranges, 15 miles from my front door. During the day during the week have it all to myself.

Then I'm also Grandfathered into a 3 range because of my age. This range is 30 miles from my home and always 4 to 6 members in my age group to shoot with both targets and the bull. Much more enjoyable than shooting by my lonesome.

None of these ranges cost me 1 red cent, one of the benefits of growing old, I guess.

 

[Akita1]

20 minutes from my house for indoor or 1 hour for outdoor up to 200 meters. Hunting camp is 2 hours away but always worth the trip: I am the range master and I get to hunt whatever's in season!

 

[9mmfan]

When I lived in Dallas, it was about 9.5 miles to an indoor range I was fond of. 18 pistol bays out to 25 yards. 6 rifle bays, but only 50 yards on those. $16 per day, members ($100/year) paid half that. If you left, you could come back and show your receipt. Family owned and operated, staff was always friendly and helpful.

Since we moved, i haven't been to an actual range. There is an indoor range about 3 miles away. It's more expensive at $18/hr unless you go before noon during the week, then it's $9/hr. I'm off on Mondays, so maybe one morning I'll head over to check it out.

My in-laws have some property about 25-30 miles away, and they are gracious enough to let me shoot out there when they are not holed up getting away from everything.

One of these days I'm going to join a private range that is about 20 miles away. $70/year which includes my wife IIRC. Another $40/year and I can bring guests, though only one guest can shoot at a time. It's supposed to be a very nice facility. Some folks on another Texas-specific forum have spoken highly of it.

 

[SeanSw]

My range is about a 40 minute drive when the corn is down. Private club, 85 yard max, single shooter berm. No reactive targets. My experience is about 50/50 whether or not I wait in line (or go home because there is no reasonable chance of shooting) or there is another event going on that won't allow you to use the range. I think it was $150 startup and an annual $35 renewal. Not ideal but options are limited.

 

[Hardtarget]

When I go to the farm, its about 35 miles...55 min drive time. If I go to the club its about 10 miles...15 min. drive time. The club is $100/year. If I'm lucky, I get to shoot before the idiots shoot the target stands to pieces! :banghead:
I mean...how hard is it to NOT shoot the legs that hold a 4x8 foot target backer!

Mark

 

[CharlesT]

40 mins to 20+ acres of family owned land.

 

[bannockburn]

A nice outdoor range (trap, skeet, rifle, and pistol), is about a half hour away right off the interstate. Indoor range is less than ten minutes away with another one being built that will also be close by.

 

[GlockFan]

Well I am in IL..specifically around Chicago. There is a indoor range I go to that is around 12 miles away and has rifle and handgun. It is $20 per visit or $175 for 10 visits per year.
There is also a club I thought about joining. This is a outdoor range that is about 42 miles away and has rifle and handgun. Here there is a $280 initiation fee AND and $280 per year membership fee. I am jealous of some of you.

 

[Doc7]

Two hours for a weekend trip at my vacation house in PA where we have an unsupervised and usually empty shooting range. Max is 100 yards there though.

 

[Newcatwalt]

About 15 miles to my favorite spot out in the desert.

 

[marv]

My range is 300 yds away by golf cart.
My Club is 15 mi away in an adjoining State.

 

[NapalmMan67]

GLOCKFAN-
If it's where I'm thinking- Don't forget your mandatory 10 hours of volunteer work your first year membership, plus 5 hours every year therafter (or pay to buy out your hours).

And renewal memberships have to pay the $280, plus membership assesment fees- I think all in we're at around $460 or $480 to renew for 2014.

On the plus side, it's the best outdoor range around this area that I know of besides the ISRA range in Bonfield- but that for us is a 2+ hr. one way trip, whereas the other is 20 minutes.


.

 

[P5 Guy]

8.4 miles. I just renewed my membership.
Having an outdoor, 100 yard, rifle range in the middle of the most densely populated county of Florida, like how cool is that!