Phoenix,Arizona-Where to shoot?

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Brockak47

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Hi, I am from Indiana, Just moved to Phoenix about 8 months ago. I am looking for a good, and not jam packed with people place to shoot.
I have tried Ben Avery, i don't like the atmosphere. I have also been to Usury Mountain Shooting range- I like it but until it is about 120 degrees here it's always packed to brim with shooters and it's too far for me to drive just to see if they have open lanes. :eek:

So my question to yall is Where is a good place to shoot Near phoenix, or near Prescott/Dewey.

I would LOVE a place that was A)free and B) not packed with shooters

Also if a such place exists where can one go for shots that are 500 yards and out. Cause you see on Youtube all these videos of people doing long shots out in the desert, but never tell you where?

so, thanks in advance guys :)

Oh and I have read around the internet it just seems the posts are from 06' or so and the places are now all track homes
 
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Good Luck! Thirty years ago you could drive just north of 32nd Street and Bell and shoot with the CAP as a backstop, now that is almost the center of town. It is only going to get worse and unfortunately you will find that most people who do know of a convenient place do not want to share it because A) it is free and B) do not want it packed with shooters. Wish I could help you.
 
There are a lot of people who shoot at various places along 4-Peaks Rd and the Sycamore Creek area across Hwy 87. There are too many trails and roads to do any long range shooting out there though. If you do decide to shoot out there *please* make sure you're shooting in a safe direction and cleaning up your targets and as many shells as you can. Those places are a mess because of all the inconsiderate shooters that leave their shot up targets and shells. And I had to call 911 on two groups of people this weekend who were shooting across/along trails and roads.
 
WOW thanks yardsick, I am very responsible shooter and I do clean up after myself I am going to google earth this and check it out, thanks again

and Ipshooter, I live literally downtown phoenix right on central and I am looking to drive at most an hour, but thats pushing it unless it's a really good spot


Edit: yardstick can you be a little more detailed with the area, like 2 cross roads or an address, like i said i am an Arizona newbie just trying to figure out how far it is and what not.
 
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Good, outdoor, clean, well maintained public range, but only 300 yards max distance, Casa Grande Elzy Pearson Memorial Range, south of Casa Grande of I-8 about 3-5 miles. I love it, shoot there mornings during the week. That's about 50+ miles straight down I-10 from Phoenix. Did I mention it is unmonitored and totally free?
Shooters Wolrd is said to have an indoor rifle range, never been there, but it's somewhere in Phoenix, and to someone like me who grew up in Tucson, EVERYTHING in the Phoenix area is Phoenix, sorry. :)
 
thanks Armoredman, about 65 miles from where i live sadly so i couldn't go to often but I will definitely keep it in mind! thanks
 
Lots of places to shoot. Drive out of town, look for a berm and shoot. Basically anything more than 1/4 mile outside of any dwelling is legal to shoot outside of the city. Its not like back home. (Im a hoosier, although I live in AZ i'l always be a Clay County country boy:)) I'll send you a PM, Hoosier only secret spot:
 
Google Prescott Sportsmans Club. Range fee is $10. Pistol, rifle and 22 ranges. Overhead shade, never have seen it crowded, benches, I believe they will let you check shotgun pattern, bring your own drinks or snacks, and I think the longest range is 200 yds, (further than I can see). There are at least 8 gun stores within 20 minutes of range. If you want to make a day of it there is ample shopping down around the courthouse for those who don't shoot and good food is available. Send me a PM and I will be glad to add more detail.

blindhari
 
Here is a list of ranges.


http://www.trainmeaz.com/shoot.html

Closest to you is http://phoenixrodandgun.org/
Open to public on weekends. When I was a member a few years back, a member could shoot during the week and it was not crowded. Weekends on the public range are a zoo, but it's pretty empty during the week. I'm not sure the rifle range length as I shot pistol (IPSC and IDPA) there, but it's probably 200 yards.

I won't bore you with what used to be open until the building boom, but I'm told if you drive west out near Tonopah there are spots and some up N.W. beyond Surprise.

Shooter's World has a new store in Peoria with range. Not sure the number of lanes, but 25 yards, and you can shoot rifle if you like. Not exactly sure why you would want to unless it's a function check. Sure can't practice CQB drills.

Scottsdale GC has a store in Peoria, as well and they say they are going to build a 56 lane range with 10 lanes @100 yards.

There is Joe Foss in Buckeye, but that's out there a bit and I think the range is 200 yards.
 
While I have never gone out to the desert to shoot, I do like going to the Buckeye Hills Shooting Facility. Depending on where you live, it is a little bit of a drive. Take I-10 west to Highway 85. South for about 10 miles and it is on the right side of the road.

It's $7 to shoot. $5 if you're LE or Military. It's never been even remotely crowded when I've gone. The only drawback is that you're limited to 200 yards.

Other than that, there is a range down at 7th Avenue just south of Dobbins. I've never been there before, but I've been told it's something along the lines of $95.00/year for a membership. Show up and shoot whenever you want, and you can shoot out to 500 yards.
 
Just an FYI/Update - It looks like the USFS is shutting down the Sycamore/Sugarloaf Mtn. area to shooting and campfires. They're building a big barricade at the entrance to that road. According to a Forest Service guy I talked to, the trash has gotten so bad out there that they decided to shut it down to target shooting and fires. It will probably be open to other recreation via permit system similar to the Bulldog Canyon area which went through the same thing several years ago (too much trash from shooters and dumping).

The area was still open this weekend -the barricade didn't go all the way across the road. People were still out there shooting despite a sign on the 87 saying there was Extreme fire danger and "No Target Shooting", "No Fireworks" etc. A Sheriff was out giving $100 tickets for the illiterate. :D

I went out to test a new trigger system at the Rio Salado Range but it was full. I thought I would do a short function test at Sycamore instead. When my wife and I saw the signs we figured we would skip it and just tried to pick up trash instead. We ended up with a pretty full pickup truck load and hardly made a dent. :banghead: It sucks that they're shutting it down like this, but I can understand it. Unfortunately the problem isn't going to go away. It will likely just move somewhere else.
 
With the amount of trash being left behind I see a lot of places starting to do that. Atleast pick up the paper and shotgun shells. I wouldnt worry much about brass if its a place a lot of guys go. There will surely be guys like me there within hours to pick that up. Heck I even pick up berdan primed brass to throw in my scrap bucket. However, if you're shooting steel case ammo I'd say pick that up cause it aint getting picked up.
 
We were picking up shot up folding tables, microwaves, pallets (both plastic and wood), cardboard, kids toys, bottles, cans, and the list goes on. Like I said, as much as we hauled out of there, you'd never know it with what there is still out there.
 
I usually had the privilege of working nights so I was able to go to whatever range I wanted to and always found a spot. I lived on the east side so Rio Salado was like a home away from home to me in the few years previous to my departure for Kansas. Before that I used to frequent both Sycamore Creek and Four Peaks for all kinds of desert fun. Hell, I especially liked it when it got hot and no one would be out there in the middle of the day.

It's pathetic out there and the class of individual that goes out there and shoots isn't the class I prefer to be around. I love the Four Peaks Wilderness area and used to go out there often. Sycamore attracts the absolutely wrong kind of crowd anymore and really wish it wasn't the case. I've done lots of off-roading and four wheeling in both areas but won't go out anymore unless it's early in the morning and in the middle of the week. The last time I went out shooting in the desert I ended up nearly to Superstition. Thanks for helping keep the desert clean. Too bad 99% of the people who go out there anymore don't feel the same responsibility as you do. Hopefully it all gets better by the time I get back.

I wonder how much cleaner it would stay if they required a gate code to get in like they do in Bulldog Canyon? I know irresponsible people still leave the gate open for their irresponsible friends and the land loses out in those cases, but Bulldog Canyon is still remarkably cleaner than either Sycamore or Four Peaks. Of course, you can't target shoot out there.


And one more thing: No good thing comes from Tucson. Go Devils.
 
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its illegal to shoot within the city of phoenix. So 32nd street and bell is infact illegal. You might get away with it, but chances are to be 100% legal you have to go outside of Phoenix city limits, which goes all the way up to New River Road now.
 
There are open shooting areas near Lake Pleasant west of the lake entrance. I understand there is also areas on the BLM land at Table Mesa, but I haven't been there myself. There has been a lot of talk about closing the shooting at Table Mesa so Google it for the latest info.
 
What's wrong with Rio Salado?

I went there last time I was home and it seemed decent. The RSO hovered the whole time right behind us but as I've been told I look to be about 16(I'm 21) and I was teaching two new shooters(also young adults) I can't really blame him. I'd be keeping on eye on such a group myself if I was shooting next to them. You'd think he'd leave after he realized I was staying on them about the safety stuff though.
 
Go down grand ave a ways. after you pass the 303 start heading into the desert. If you have a 4wd. There's plenty of land out there. Good rabbit and quail hunting too. But I don't want to be too specific. That's half the adventure
 
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