Moving to Houston. Need help finding Local Ranges and competitions

[zerobarrier]

Hello,

To anyone who lives in Houston or knows the area. I have never been there and I do not know anyone there. Last year here in PA I got into USPSA competitions and we have a couple rifle ranges that go out to 600yards. I want to find similar stuff in the Houston area, also interested in steel challenge and any type of rifle competitions, especially CMP.

I will be living Jersey Village which is Northwest Houston, I believe. So local shooting clubs in that area would be great.

Any info would be a big help. Thank you

 

[tarosean]

There is a club that does indoor matches near Jersey Village, both IDPA and USPSA. They also hold outdoor events once a month near Hempstead.

http://www.shilohidpa.com/MatchRegistrationList.aspx

Another Houston Club that shoots at the same outdoor range.

http://www.kidlatshooters.com/KIDLAT/Welcome.html

Bay Area
http://texassouthsection.com/jtssblazes/tss-clubs-and-scores/local-clubs/baps

Greenwood is south of town.
http://texassouthsection.com/jtssblazes/tss-clubs-and-scores/local-clubs/greenwood

There are also several more.

Not sure about 600yrd rifle ranges though?

 

[zerobarrier]

Thank you tarosean. I appreciate it and will definitely look into them.

 

[Spade5]

Welcome to Texas

I live next door to Jersey Village. It is a nice place to live and the Leos don't screw around.

Freedom Munitions has a store in JV which may or may not apply.

I do not shoot competition but +1 on Shilo.

I think they do meets at Memorial Shooting Center which is maybe 10 miles from JV.

Hot Wells is an outdoor range on Hwy 290 which runs right past JV. It it maybe 5 miles out. I don't think they have a long range but probably know where one is.

 

[zerobarrier]

Thanks Spade.

 

[rabid wombat]

http://www.amshootcenters.com. ASC has rifle ranges to 600. They are a public range, so all the usual applies. I have not shot rifle or pistol there, so I do not know the rules on how to use the longer ranges.

A private club (I believe Bayou Rifle) south of town has longer ranges, but membership is closed (https://www.bayourifles.org/index.php/new-member-information). You may be able to compete there.

The Impact zone is great for pistol, but the rifle range is limited. https://www.facebook.com/The-Impactzone-Range-608874195818187/

Welcome to Texas, what part of PA are you from?

 

[rabid wombat]

If you are into clays....consider http://wsg-clays.com. Beautiful, but dedicated to shotguns.

 

[zerobarrier]

Thanks rabid. I am from Erie. I've never done clays. Too many sports and not enough money. USPSA will suck up a bunch of money if you start upgrading your pistols or have custom ones made, not to mention the price of the competition holsters and mags and mag pouches.

I will definitely checkout ASC to get my rifle fix in. Service rifle cmp match would be nice to find

 

[FiveStrings]

I lived in Houston for 12 years and also recommend the ASC complex in George Bush Park. I spent a lot of time and money there.

It's an excellent facility and the staff can point you in the right directions for the types of competitions you're interested in.

It is also a very busy public range, and it gets all types of people, so the Range Officers do not mess around. Very strictly run.

 

[rabid wombat]

Try https://ct.thecmp.org/app/v1/index....coming&filter=designation&filter_value=GARAND. There are upcoming matches in Houston, Beaumont, Lyons, and Brazoria. All will be a bit of drive from Jersey Village, but distance is easier in Texas than PA (I lived in south central PA for 12 years). No problem driving 60 miles for a meal in Texas, the same would kill you in parts of PA. Please realize 290 is the most fouled up road you could have picked to live near! Just remember - Houston is the home of offensive driving, and signals are a sign of weakness.

Clays is crack for yuppies. Crack all said is probably cheaper.

For custom work, you are now close enough to frequent Clarks in Princeton, LA. A great bunch of people, and outstanding shooters. ~5 hours ish each way. http://clarkcustomguns.com

 

[zerobarrier]

That's awesome Rabid. I know I am not looking forward to the traffic, but I also did not want to live in downtown. The hospital I work for is in southwest downtown. Google saes its 25min drive, without traffic...

 

[rabid wombat]

Without going overboard, several restaurants to consider nearish Jersey Village:

Adriatic Cafe - Italian, near Spec's and Freedom
Merche - upscale, 290 and Huffmiester
Carls - good chicken fired steak, BBQ
Rudy's - BBQ
Goodes - BBQ (their fish house is better, but off of 10)
Mango Tree - Thai
The Shak - burgers
Alicias - Mexican, good fajitas

If booze is your gig, Spec's will be very welcome compared to the PA liquor laws. Shoot, the grocery store and the local "stop and robs" will have better selections than the state stores.....

 

[zerobarrier]

Much appreciated Rabid. I sure am looking forward to some TX BBQ. Also things to do with my daughter. She is 5 and I'd love to bring her to some matches, just got to see what their rules are.

 

[Sovblocgunfan]

Welcome to TX. Another poster mentioned Hot Wells. I don't recall what they have for rifle, but they are a good quick fix for pistol or for a quick round of skeet. The place is a bit run down, though, so I wouldn't expect too much. ASC is your best bet most local to you.

If you want to try clays later down the road Able Gun range in Huntsville is beautiful.

I lived and worked in JV for a few years, and now live on the north side (Spring). It's not hard to find reasonable brisket or Tex-Mex, but this area is known for its wide and varied selection of cuisine. You want it, we got it.

Plenty to do for your daughter, too. You should look up the Childrens' Museum. The zoo and the Natural History Museum are surprisingly good, too.

 

[tarosean]

Google saes its 25min drive, without traffic...

Times 4 with traffic. Thats the one thing that truly sucks about Houston. It dont matter what time of day or night, you could be stuck in a traffic jam.

 

[tuj]

bayou rifles.

private club, 2 ranges.

pm me if you want more details.

 

[Detritus]

Since I lived SE of town I can't truly help with local ranges, except that I've heard The impact zone is good...

Not sure about 600yrd rifle ranges though?

the aforementioned Bayou Rifles (rifle range in Juliff S of town) has a full 1K yard range as well as a 300yrd "reduced course" area and does F-class, NRA High power, and CMP matches.
Greenwood gun club outside Brazoria (20 mins or sofurther down 288 or 521 from Bayou) where I was a member for 14 years, has a 600yard range and does H-P and CMP.

as others have said, for USPSA check the Texas South Section site, for clubs to contact that is, much of the info hasn't been updated in awhile. Greenwood and BAPS (PSC shooting club, in Alvin/friendswood) put on good matches.

so far the Houston area is the 2nd best area I've seen for pistol competition, 1st being where I am now in central NC, if you want a shooting match any given weekend out there you can find one somewhere!

 

[Helidude]

Google may not have mentioned the toll roads for your trip.
Its supposed to be free now, that's how it finally passed after 20+ years.
LIES !!!

hctra.org can hook you up with a pain in the but eztag for you car. you will need one
an alternative: the state has an equivalent that you can avoid the $15 tag fee

both tags work on state or hctra tool roads


I'm not in real-estate, but if you pm me the address (s) you are considering, I can let you know if I have knowledge of flooding, or other pitfalls in the area.

US 290 has been actively under construction for at least 30 years and will never be finished

 

[zerobarrier]

It looks like the Shiloh one is 20min away from my house. The others are a hour or so without traffic. So I am going to see what the Shiloh one is like, the prices seem a lot higher than I am use to. Shiloh website says $25 for uspsa and only 50-80rds. The clubs here are $10 and 100-150rds.

I'm definitely going to try to get into Bayou.

 

[MaterDei]

I have never been there and I do not know anyone there.

Sure you know people here, zb! I live about 7 miles from JV in a part of town called Spring Branch.

Geographically the Houston metropolitian area is very large (10,062 sq mi, according to wikipedia). I mention this because you need to know that living in Houston and working in Houston often do not equal a good commute. None of my business but is there a reason you want to live in JV?

I have lived all over the country, in Europe and in Asia and overall Houston is the best place I have lived. With the exception of the humidity the weather is nice here, too, most of the year.

I am a member of Bayou Rifles which has two ranges. The larger of the two has ranges for shotgun, pistol and rifles out to 1000 yards. They host a lot of monthly competitions and fun shoots that are open to non-members. We open the membership wait list every year. This year it will be open on the 3rd of April at 9:00 pm, your time. I highly recommend that you get on the list if you have any interest at all. You can always elect not to join if you want when your name comes up. Last year the 250 waiting list spots filled up in about 30 minutes so don't wait too long past 9:00 pm. Go to bayourifles.org if you are interested or want to learn more.

 

[tarosean]

Shiloh website says $25 for uspsa and only 50-80rds. The clubs here are $10 and 100-150rds.

The actual club (Bayou) is only 10.00. You have to pay the rest to the Range. Ive shot there a couple times.. Its nothing fancy and lighting isnt that great, but its trigger time.

 

[tuj]

OP: I lived in Houston for 8 years, in Jersey Village.

There is Shiloh shooting center, but quite honestly it sucks. The staff are all 17yo kids and target changes take forever. It is however, the closest range to you.

The addicks range is about 30 minutes from you on I10 and Eldridge (go down BW8), it is a VERY nice private range that is mainly setup for rimfire rifles and any pistol.

The pearland range is a bit of a drive, but features a good set of ranges to work with.

Indoors, there is Memorial shooting center, which you can get to by going down Blalock/Fairbanks. Memorial's staff is great and they have 10 lanes for pistol. There is also Top Gun which is open early on Saturday mornings, it is located off 59 inside the loop.

There is also a benchrest club up in Tomball.

 

[Kennydale]

http://www.amshootcenters.com
(SW Houston)
http://www.g2grange.com (Rosenberg, TX)

These are the main two i use. Or you can make friends with a Small rancher and get permission to shoot on their property.

 

[Zendude]

Top Gun on Fountainview St. is a good place to shoot after work while you wait for the traffic to clear out.

 

[chicharrones]

That's awesome Rabid. I know I am not looking forward to the traffic, but I also did not want to live in downtown. The hospital I work for is in southwest downtown. Google saes its 25min drive, without traffic...

rotflmao.

Sorry, can't help myself.

Here's the current problem. Jersey Village sits more or less at the intersection of state highway 290 and the Sam Houston Tollway. Highway 290 is going through a major rebuild that has it all jacked up for at least a couple more years.

What that means is no shoulder lanes and no acceleration lanes right now. All it takes is one vehicular mishap and 290 is effectively closed. Plus, at night and on weekends, 290 is usually closed in one section or another because of that construction.

I recommend to visit the Harris County Toll Road Authority "EZ Tag" office on the West Sam Houston Tollway and get yourself one of the toll tags. You will be using the Sam Houston Tollway to go to I-10 on many occasions to get to the center of the city when 290 is not available.